There’s a good chance that British explorer Captain Cook would not recognize cochinita pibil. The Yucatan pork specialty is not quite textbook at Cook’s Tortas, the Monterey Park sandwich shop that Elvira Zamora, Antonio Zamora and daughter Elyan Zamora co-founded with former partner Ricardo Diaz. However, that’s part of the appeal. Cook’s Tortas debuted in 2008 along Atlantic Boulevard near the 60 freeway. The space features a glass front, grey and white tile floors. A blackboard menu touts a rotating sandwich repertoire that delves 500 choices deep. Many Cook’s Tortas sandwiches tout interesting tweaks.

Cochinita checks in at #301 on Cook’s sandwich charts. Cochinita ($8.59) consists of tender chunks of slow cooked pork stained with mild achiote paste, tangy onion escabeche, chopped cilantro, and earthy black beans on soft, almost spongy sour ciabatta, which Cook’s cooks bake in-house. The only thing I would have enjoyed was the classic Yucatan salsa that’s bright orange and packs habanero bite. Each torta comes with a small side, and my choice was apples and cream, chunks of skin-on green apple tossed with raisins and pecans that provided a tart, cooling effect.

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