Friday Feature: Carnitas Taco from Sol Azteca

Welcome to weekly series,"Friday Feature". The first Friday of every month will continue to be "Get to Know JC Eater" showcasing a local resident and their recommendations, but on all other Fridays, a specific dish or food find from around Jersey City will be featured on the blog.

This week, the focus is on the Carnitas Taco from Sol Azteca.

Sol Azteca opened towards the end of December in the former Bright Fast Cafe at 239 Barrow Street and while a full review is coming after another visit or two, today it's worth focusing on the carnitas taco ($3) alone.

Made with two small grilled yellow corn tortillas that were admittedly just a touch thicker than I'd like, the carnitas itself was piled high and one of the best versions I've found in Jersey City. Meltingly tender, juicy, and full of rich porky flavor, every bite was worth savoring. It didn't have the somewhat overly-stewed feel or undercooked fattiness some carnitas does and instead, was just perfect fall-apart shreds of meaty pork.

There are also two salsas available, a roja and a salsa verde, the latter of which I recommend for this. It adds a little tang, some brightness, and a mild heat, but use it sparingly because again, the pork is the star here and you don't want to cover it up. Topped off with diced onions and finely chopped cilantro that were extremely fresh and in proportion to complement but not overwhelm, this was one of the best tacos I've had in a while.


Have a Friday Feature you'd like to nominate? Comment below, email me, or post a picture of it on Instagram with #jceatsFF along with a sentence or two about what it is you're nominating for a chance to have it included on the blog. One restriction - please don't nominate your own food if you're a restaurant or chef.