Sabor del Gorge: Las Carnitas de Michoacán Bar & Grill de Odell OR
Las Carnitas de Michoacán Bar & Grill de Odell. Photo: Arturo Leyva
By Arturo Leyva
Odell, Ore., April 11, 2024 – Among the culinary traditions that gather families and friends around the table, the classic carnitas holds a special place in most Latino households. As each family carnitas recipe has something special that is unique to the Chef. This dish, featuring fried pork prepared according to each chef's unique recipe, is not just a food; it's a celebration of culture and individuality.
It is a food that is also a symbol of native Latino culture's respect for nature, as it must be said native people make use of everything from the pig, from making chorizo to using lard for frying. (Which, I’ve recently found out that it is healthier than many of the modern cooking oils we use today.)
Carnitas, Cueritos, and El Chicharrón are delicacies that we Michoacans have enjoyed for many years and I have very fond memories of these events. I have a very vivid memory of discovering a prized chicharrón de cheek at the bottom of the lard bucket, it was the final remnant of the feast as the final prize of the last memory of a party. I found this treasure some months later when the lard dwindled and ran out.
Photo: Michoacán Bar & Grill
Carnitas are a traditional food steeped in culture, tradition and family leading to highly unique recipes so it makes sense that this eatery’s story spans generations.
The history of Michoacán Sports Bar & Grill's carnitas goes back several generations. As my friend Tony Diaz shared with me recently, it began with his father Gonzalo Diaz in La Goleta Michoacan, in a town near Morelia - the capital of my beloved state. Mr. Gonzalo Diaz became renowned for his Carnitas. When Tony came to the USA and began working at Moore Orchards, in Hood River Tony's friends encouraged him to recreate his father’s carnitas, pestering him with questions like “Why don't you make carnitas like the ones your dad makes? Until one day he decided to make carnitas for his friends from the huerta (orchard). Then Tony consulted his boss Bruce Moore, asking if he could sell carnitas to the orchard workers. Despite being “kind of grumpy” Bruce was supportive of Tony’s endeavor.
“Bruce was kind of grumpy,” said Tony, “but he was always very cool with me.”
Word of Tony’s carnitas spread quickly among the workers, and in a short time he already had a very loyal following of clientele.
By early 2005, Tony opened Michoacán Sports Bar & Grill, becoming a local staple where diners can find the finest Michoacan-style carnitas. And for me, As someone from Michoacán, I can say, that no one does Michoacán style carnitas better than Michoacán Bar & Grill in Odell, Oregon. Michoacán Sports Bar & Grill is my new benchmark against which all other carnitas are compared.
Whenever my music friends from Michoacán visit me in Hood River I invite them to enjoy these traditional carnitas. And they are always surprised by the flavor and the warm hospitality of the Michoacan Sports Bar & Grill team. (If you plan to visit then I must also say that the Menudo they make on the weekends is also one of the best I have ever tried. The handmade tortillas and sauces with the house recipe make the experience complete.)
Tony Diaz has since retired, passing the torch to his son, Diego Diaz, who will continue the legacy of Michoacan-style carnitas in Odell. Tony said to invite you to visit them and enjoy carnitas made in “the way they are prepared in my land.”
Should you wish to savor these Carnitas as they're authentically prepared in our homeland, please visit Michoacan Sports Bar & Grill at 3405 Odell Hwy, Hood River, OR 97031. Currently, they are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Thank you for reading my column, and I look forward to sharing more gastronomic delights from my culture. If you have recommendations for where I should dine next, please message me on my Facebook page.
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