Barbacoa Ramirez

This weekend morning curbside pop-up in the San Fernando Valley is by Gonzalo Ramirez, who raises and butchers his own lambs in Central California. He then painstakingly roasts the meat overnight in a pit in the ground to make Hidalgo-style lamb barbacoa. Fragrant, tender and full of flavor, it’s some of the best of its kind in the city. Perhaps, like me, your first introduction to “barbacoa” was the dry, crumbly beef at Chipotle; this barbacoa is nothing like that. Look for the signs pointing to Carl Street—Barbacoa Ramirez recently moved one block over from the address posted on Google Maps—and you’ll find workers pressing tortillas and another pulling chunks of lamb out of a large soup pot. If it’s your first time, someone will probably give you a sample before you order. In addition to regular barbacoa tacos ($4), you can also order the slightly smoky, chili-stained pancita (stomach) or the moronga (blood sausage). Take a seat at the long plastic table and dress your tacos with cilantro, onions and two salsas, one fiery and another mild. Just be sure to arrive early or risk disappointment—Barbacoa Ramirez often sells out before noon.