BMO Reviews: Northgate Carnitas Torta
Jonathan Black & Gold Review originally posted on October 27, 2024.
This is part of a series of Reddit posts reviewing the Bleacher Cuisine of BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California. They are written under the moniker, Jonathan Black & Gold1, an homage to the great LA Times food critic. These are direct reposts, however, I have added footnotes to contextualize some of the jargon that is specific to Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) fans.
The dog days of the Los Angeles summer are long gone. The crisp autumn air is here, bringing with it louder roars and a cold sturdy enough to transmute our scarves from ceremonial to utilitarian.
Playoffs at the Banc (ugh, BMO). There is nothing like it. These game days in late October/November are never guaranteed. So don’t ruin this wonderful gift from Cherundolo & Company by overspending on bad food.
In case you are new here, my review system is simple:
I give a star ⭐️ rating (out of 5) for a general snapshot at the item.
I give a value 🌭 rating (out of 5) to snapshot its cost given the quality. Anything less than 🌭🌭🌭, I’d recommend just eating a street dog before/after instead.
Northgate Carnitas Torta
Location: Northgate Portable (Sec 126)
Price: $15
Value: 🌭🌭🌭🌭
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (out of a possible 5)
This sandwich looks big and is big. Big enough that I’d seriously recommend cutting it in half. The bun is hearty and has an adequate crunch.
Of all the flavors that this Torta tries to impart, it is most successful with the Jalapeño salsa. The mishmash of diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños is beautifully fresh with a building spice.
That blend of fresh and spice desperately wants to tango with a savory porky carnitas, but alas the carnitas is too shy, under seasoned, and sits twiddling his thumbs off the dance floor. Not even invited to the dance is the sliced Oaxacan cheese that’s fat content is near anorexic.
The bean spread acts as a double edged sword in the sandwich: On one hand, it’s a binder for all the goods and makes for a texturally diverse bite. On the other hand, it dampens any salty/fatty flavor you want from the unfortunately under seasoned Carnitas.
Overall, this Torta is filling and takes a lot of flavor swings that it lacks the confidence to actually deliver on. It is by no means bad. But it can be at times bland.
Love,
Jonathan Black & Gold
P.s. Finally, a little tip. The Northgate Portable or the Michelada stand next to it are ideal places to hit if you arrive late to the stadium during opening ceremonies. Both lines have views of the field so you can watch Ollie1 soar while you wait.
Ollie is the team mascot. See here for more info lafc.com/culture/falcons.