Tacos la Carreta, an example of the 'American dream' in southern California
The Gonzalez Bernal family said they struggled, but were sure they would succeed
What began in the home of Jose Manuel Morales Bernal's parents, the owner of Tacos La Carreta, more than 10 years ago, became one of the most sought-after tacos by celebrities and all of Los Angeles. “I was about 12 or 13 years old when I started helping my dad at events,” said Bernal, who now runs the business. “We sold at various locations in Compton and Paramount, and then in 2020, I decided to take the plunge and buy the food truck to make things more official.” Bernal explains that he wanted to open his first food truck in his hometown of Paramount, where he was born and raised, but at the time, restrictions on food trucks prevented it. That's why the first location was in North Long Beach. His taco stand is well-known for its Sinaloa-style tacos, a flavor that comes specifically from El Verde, Concordia, a town about half an hour from Mazatlan, where his parents are from. His specialty is carne asada tacos, cooked over a mesquite fire.
They're so popular that, although they now have other meats on the menu like marinated pork and tripe, there was a time when the only meat they sold was carne asada.
“I feel like the taco took off because not many people were selling this style,” Bernal said. "In Los Angeles, the Tijuana-style taco has always been the most popular; the poblano was the most common, but there wasn't anyone established like us selling a Sinaloa-style taco."
Long before their tacos reached the hands of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Peso Pluma, they had already become a favorite among many Angelenos.
What makes these tacos special is the quality of the meat they use: instead of the typical chuck roast, they use sirloin steak, and the meat doesn't have complicated ingredients. Instead of cilantro and onion, you'll find finely chopped cabbage and red onion, which provide a fresh texture. Then, a homemade salsa with a touch of spice and a little avocado. Another popular dish is their Chorreadas, two toasted corn tortillas with anchovies (pork cracklings), carne asada (grilled beef), and cheese. Or the Torito, a flour quesadilla with cheese, an Anaheim chile, and carne asada.They always offer grilled onions, extra sauces,and roasted chiles as accompaniments. And just like in Mexico, the atmosphere is family-friendly. Each taco stand has chairs and tables where people can sit under the lights. Their tacos have even won the biggest taco competition, Taco Madness, where they compete against other taquerias in the city. They've also been recognized by The LA Times as having some of the best tacos in Los Angeles on their list of 101 Best Restaurants. Despite their success, they also went through tough times, so they had to change how they promoted the taqueria. Bernal emphasizes that there was a period when business wasn't growing, so the goal was to attract new customers. "It's no use selling a good taco if nobody knows about it," Bernal said. “So we needed new customers to grow and take another step forward.” That's when he started using social media, recording videos and uploading photos of his food that makes anyone's mouth water. He currently has over 100,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. “Now we get visits from many people from all over and from different cultures,” Bernal emphasizes. Fame Arrives The flavor and aroma of his tacos have spread so much throughout the city that various artists have sought out his restaurants. Figures like Banda MS, El Fantasma, Gerardo Ortiz, and Peso Pluma have all been there. Peso Pluma has visited several times with his girlfriend, Kenia Os. On one of those visits, the couple ordered a vampire and some squirts. “It's hard to get to this point,” Bernal says. “They don't usually happen overnight.”
He adds that with or without fame, he feels good when someone tries his food and tells him it's delicious. “That feeling never goes away, especially when they come back.”
They currently have three mobile taco stands in Long Beach, Riverside, and Santa Ana, as well as a restaurant in Whittier.
Bernal says they've been affected by the raids, but they don't plan to give up, since for his parents and many others, his taco stand is a symbol of the great “American Dream,” which many try to build in this country.
“As As long as our customers continue to support us, we'll be here,” he says. "I always thought it could be done. We struggled, but by working hard, we know it can be done."
Whittier: 11402 Washington Blvd. Whittier, CA 90606