As far as L.A. strip malls go, the northeast corner of Soto and Bandini may be one of L.A.’s more cloistered. The L.A. River bounds its interior, while the dusty open plains of quarries, plants, and truck stops flank its faceless front.
This Southeast L.A. strip mall serves as the domain of Carla Galvez-Toso, a Lima-born entrepreneur who owns Dolphin Trucking School inside of this small triangle of businesses, as well as Carlita’s Antojitos next door, a source for Peruvian sandwiches, desserts, and home cooking.
Galvez-Toso is a retired truck driver, and so is her husband. Many other members of her family continue to drive long hauls to this day. Carla opened Carlitas in the thick of 2020’s bad times, starting by selling Peruvian sandwiches and empanadas.
You’ll still find those sandwiches served here today. $10 and under, on bubbly, light Italian rolls sourced from Queens Baking Company in Upland, where the family lives. Stuffed with butifarra and salsa criolla, beef milanesa, lechon, lomito al jugo, chicharrón, and other such stuff as meaty dreams are made.