Where can I find Carnitas in New Jersey or New York City?

I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles and in my travels stumbled upon an incredible find. Off Pico about three blocks behind the LA Convention Center I found a neighborhood that could have easily been cut and pasted from any urban Central American city. Within this enclave situated in a small strip mall was a grocery store/cafe that sold the most unbelievable array of offerings. But the one item that  brought me back on four separate occasions was their Carnitas. When I entered a smiling women greeted me warmly in Spanish and asked if i needed assistance. My Spanish is limited to what I learned in High School and what I used in my years spent behind the lines of restaurants, but the language of food traversed all barriers. I simple smiled, thanked her for the greeting and said "Carnitas"? The women behind the counter smiled back and gave me a plastic cafeteria tray which had been covered in tinfoil and pointed me to the middle of the store. There, located within a heated glass deli case where piles of freshly fried morsels of pork, each with different amounts and configurations of crackleling pork skin. I picked through that mountain of nuggets selecting each piece to my exact specifications of meat to fat ratio. Once I had made my selections I took the tray to the women at the register who weighed and packaged in fresh tinfoil my purchase. She smiled and again in Spanish reported the price. It took me a minute to do the translation in my head and I found myself repeating with some question the price back to her. I was amazed that this package of over 2 pounds was only $9.56.  I recalled the IKEA commercial where the women flees the store screaming "start the car" as she believed that IKEA surely made a calculation error as the value to price ratio was too good to be true. I thanked her for my parcel, but before I could leave she handed me a plastic deli container filled with a green sauce, smiling as she motioned silently to enjoy! I could have stayed in this store an eaten at one of the four small cafeteria tables supplied for the cafeteria customers but instead sat in my car in air conditioned bliss eating what could best be described as one of my finest meals.  The meat was succulent and the skin divine.  The green salsa my new friend had gifted me was unbelievable when coating the pork and by the time I was only half-way through my purchase my jaw was aching from chewing through all the different textures that each piece offered. 
Well, I went back to this store three additional times during my three day visit, each time buying a larger package and each time being warmly greeted and equally gifted with an additional container of green salsa. My only regret is not finding this gem earlier!

Now I am back in New Jersey having terrible Carnitas withdrawals...I need some help! I live within driving distance of several cities and towns, in New Jersey i.e. Newark, Elizabeth etc. that I am sure have the culinary support I am craving, but was hoping that someone within the Roadfood community has already done the research.

Any and all assistance would be appreciated.

10x10, I'd try doing some web searches for restaurants in Union City, NJ.  They have the second largest Cuban population in the U.S. and are known as "Havana on the Hudson".  The pork in Cuban cooking is called pernil, but I think it's pretty much the same as carnitas.  Not 100% sure though.

In NYC, I'd guess Spanish Harlem and Washington Heights would be good areas to check out as well as Queens.  I wish I could be more specific, but I'm still learning about good carnitas myself. 

Thanks BB, I appreciate your guidance...I guess a small part of me is hoping that I can find a gem like the store in LA, which would never, ever, appear on any search engine

10X10


Thanks BB, I appreciate your guidance...I guess a small part of me is hoping that I can find a gem like the store in LA, which would never, ever, appear on any search engine

Take the #7 train out to 74th street, get off and start walking east. There are any number of grocery stores along Roosevelt Ave that sell all matter of central and south American specialties and/or find plenty of restaurants and taco trucks dispensing these morsels!

Now that's what I am talking about!!! I only wish I had taken pics of my experiance to share. We are definitely getting closer to satisfaction...I will be on that train Monday afternoon around lunch time...Thank you for this piece of the puzzle

I would go have a pizza instead- one slice of  Marucas at Seaside  boardwalk and you will forget what a carnita is..haha..when I left NJ in 1979 I do not think there were any Mexican places ;habe though learned to like mexican over the last few decades- good luck in your search!!l 

Thanks and congrats for moving to an area with such a great amount of culinary diversity

10X10


Now that's what I am talking about!!! I only wish I had taken pics of my experiance to share. We are definitely getting closer to satisfaction...I will be on that train Monday afternoon around lunch time...Thank you for this piece of the puzzle

The taco pictured is from one of the great taco trucks along Roosevelt Ave. This one is called "Tia Julia" and is one of the best. I believe it is usually around 90th or 91st street, but there are a bunch around 82nd.