Whenever my teeth are reunited with the powdery, smooth chewiness of Carrillo’s fresh flour tortillas, it takes me back to my childhood visiting family in the San Fernando Valley. My parents always made sure we stopped to get at least two dozen. The plate-sized discs of doughy bombness were the only piece of home we could take back with us to our home in Bakersfield where we never found a substitute to match Carrillo’s quality.
It’s rare when you find an eatery like Carrillo’s Tortilleria & Mexican Delicatessen. It is an 818 classic that has grown to have locations in San Fernando, Canoga Park, and Simi Valley.
The most famous locale is the original in San Fernando, which has become synonymous with the Valley’s hometown hero, George Lopez. Thanks to a burrito named after him on the restaurant’s menu because he goes there so often. He’s gone as far as labeling it as his favorite in the city.
“Every Mexican living in L.A. needs a good Mexican restaurant,” Lopez said to LA Times in December 2007. “For me, it’s Carrillo’s in San Fernando. I’ve been going since I was a kid. There’s a burrito named after me, but I go for the amazing pork tamales — I just had two.”