San Diego Review: Carnitas Snack Shack makes one happy little piggy.

Carnitas Snack Shack 2632 University Ave. San Diego, CA 92104
www.carnitassnackshack.com

What is brilliant about Carnitas Snack Shack is its unassuming appearance and a humble simplicity. You walk up, place your order, grab a bottle of local beer or a glass of wine, and kick back. Quite literally the little shack that could which stands on the near corner of University and Oregon Street in North Park, one could easily pass on by. That is, if it wasn't for the obvious line of food-crazed people waiting patiently up and down this street every day, making it unmistakable that something really good is happening here.

What IS happening here? Well, you would have to be living in a hole if you haven't at least heard about it. Chef/Owner Hannis Cavin is making splashes, waves, rip currents even with his pork loving snack shack concept here in San Diego. Often you will find pictures of him with his signature pork dishes, and even Carnitas-his inspiration and pet pig gracing the covers of most local magazines and websites. Him and his wife Sara opened Carnitas Snack Shack in 2011 and it quickly became a food lover's stomping ground.

If it isn't obvious yet, The Shack is all about swine. Their menu changes often and although you will find other mentionable non-pig menu items such as a killer house ground burger, hearty steak or housemade pastrami sandwiches, seasonal salads and sides, and even the occasional seafood special, as their name suggests they are in it for the pork. You will find carnitas on the menu in the form of carnitas tacos and tortas. It's good stuff, but their claim to fame lies evidently somewhere between their Triple Threat Sandwich and the Pork Belly App.

What makes their sandwich a triple threat? A combination of crunchy pork loin schnitzel, moist pulled pork, and crispy bacon all piled high with a generous slather of pepperoni relish and aioli on a fresh and perfectly toasted artisanal (and locally baked) bun: Now that's what. And then there's the Pork Belly App. As quite the fad menu item nowadays, you'll find pork belly on almost every menu across the nation, but pork belly lovers know that not all pork belly is created equal...and thankfully, The Shack does it right. Their version is a sweet, sticky, salty glazed slab of Duroc pork belly that has been slow cooked to perfection leaving a perfect ratio of fat to meat. It's meaty, it's fatty, it's slightly caramelized. They aren't shy with the portion either and while you fork your way into the first melt -in-your mouth tender bite, it will make you feel like you're doing something naughty. It's just that good. The App is also paired with a light salad of frisee, apples and paper thin sliced radishes which act as a nice palate cleanser, and of course helps alleviate any feeling of guilt now that you have had your side of veggies.

Pork Belly App. 

I purposefully made my most recent pilgrimage to the shack in order to sink my teeth into the limited-time-only "Eater San Diego Burger" which made a special appearance as a tribute to Eater National's celebrated Burger Week. It was a tough decision to steer away from the Triple Threat, but this carrot and pepper studded ground pork shoulder burger with sweet chili glazed pork belly, peppercorn aioli and fresh watercress on a pretzel bun called my name, and it didn't disappoint.

The Eater San Diego Burger complete with a side of Carnitas' corn salad.

So let's just say that you don't dig on swine. Vegetarians have no fear. There is a fantastic beet terrine stacked with goat cheese, layered with spinach and beautiful roasted and thinly sliced multicolored beets. Seasonal salads and the occasional vegetarian dish pop up on their specials board too.

And if after all this, you still need to finish it off with something sweet, you can get your fix with one of the locally made sweets which change out often and are featured on the small chalk board at the ordering window. Now you will want to do yourself a favor and plan out your whole meal carefully from drink to dessert the first time you hit the line, because unless you need time and an excuse to digest before dessert, you can bet this place isn't slowing down and you will be waiting at least 20 minutes in line for that cookie.