The time to go to Metro Balderas is clearly on weekends, when when the Mexico City-inspired restaurant features carnitas and tacos loaded with almost every imaginable cut of hog, including riñon (kidney), trompa (snout) and nana (uterus). However, the Highland Park branch of the L.A. trio is still worth a mid-week visit. Daily, they pack gorditas with crusty chicharron prensado (pressed pork skin) and load tortas with house-made Mexican chorizo, crispy pounded-flat Milanesa, ham and headcheese, to name just some of the ingredients.

However, my favorite taste during an initial visit was the special “platillo” of Costillitas en Salsa Verde ($6.49), seared nubs of tender pork rib bathed in a tangy sauce crafted from tomatillo, chile de arbol and Serrano chilies, which added a light punch. The ribs came with earthy pinto beans that seeped into the salsa, a small salad, fluffy rice and a few tortilla chips dotted with melted queso fresco.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.