Taco trucks

[girl chow]

Another place in Kent (yes, Kent!) that has good tacos (and sopitas) is the taco truck at the corner of 104th & SE 256th, at the top of the hill.

Haven't tried the new taqueria in Rinconsito's old Kent location, but have to stop there soon. Anyone else tried it yet?

Ye Ye Girl, Welcome!

The Rinconsito on the corner of Central and Smith lacks the, uh, charm of the former dingy location, but at least there's more seating! The menu is pretty much the same. The counter help has changed. Some of them speak English now!!!

Hey, I was going to do a lengthy post on the new taco truck on the East Hill. Have you been to the other new one over on Meeker yet? I'll post here if you want more details. It's a converted bus that has seating INSIDE! Food in south county has never been so exciting! haha

The other day, I ate outside the East Hill taco truck. Some of the rain got in my taco, but it was still good.

Thanks Tighe for the props, but I don't know if that's a designation I really want

[tighe]

Thanks Tighe for the props, but I don't know if that's a designation I really want 

Too late!

Hey, there's a couple recently opened taco trucks down the street from my house. Maybe we could go in together on some research and write a guide to south King County taco trucks! It would be a best-seller I'm sure.

[Blue Heron]

Speaking of taco trucks, I've stopped for tacos at the taco truck/bus in White Center twice in the last 2 weeks. It's on the corner of 16th SW. and 98th, right in the heart of beautiful downtown White Center, not too far from Heng Heng Int'l grocery store.

The tacos are only .89 cents and include a side of radishes, lime, pickled jalapenos & carrots... a great deal. I usually get 2. So far I've tried the Carnitas (slow cooked pork, browned and kind of shredded), Lengua (tongue), Al Pastor (which they call something else, I think spicy pork, good but not crispy). Each taco comes wrapped in 2 soft corn tortillas, so sometimes I separate the tortillas if there is too much meat and make an extra taco from it. They have a canopy covered picnic table area ... no eating inside the bus. They also offer burritos, tortas and other things I have no idea what they are (all in Spanish).

I also picked up some freshly made corn tortillas in White Center from a restaurant that I cannot recall the name of, which makes them fresh everyday (not handmade unfortunately, but they have a tortilla factory which makes them everyday), and did some shopping at Heng Heng.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

gc - no, I haven't been to the new taco truck on Meeker yet. Where roughly on Meeker is it? I told The Dude about it yesterday, and he said he drove up Meeker a couple of days ago and didn't notice any taco truck. But then, he wasn't looking for it.

Any taco truck that has inside seating is OK with me. I ate inside the one at the top of East Hill and had a grand time. It's got a little space heater and everything. WooHoo!

BH, the taco truck in White Center sounds darn good, too. I'll have to sidle on over to it next time I'm at Target.

I should really quit reading/posting here when I haven't eaten lunch yet.

[girl chow]

Hey, there's a couple recently opened taco trucks down the street from my house.  Maybe we could go in together on some research and write a guide to south King County taco trucks!  It would be a best-seller I'm sure.

Tighe, I'm so in on that. We could pitch it to Sasquatch for a book deal! Taco Trucks of South King County. Who *wouldn't* buy that?

Ye-Ye Girl, I am sad to report via hubby that the Meeker taco truck is GONE (it was near the post office/elem school where the irritating traffic-stopping construction was going on for so long)!

Without a trace. Gone. Hubby's co-workers think they were operating illegally without a permit. I have no idea when they split.

I *just* heard moments ago that a Thai place opened up on that same block on Meeker this week. ANOTHER THAI PLACE IN KENT!! I believe that makes 10 now.

[tighe]

Hey, there's a couple recently opened taco trucks down the street from my house.  Maybe we could go in together on some research and write a guide to south King County taco trucks!  It would be a best-seller I'm sure.

Tighe, I'm so in on that. We could pitch it to Sasquatch for a book deal! Taco Trucks of South King County. Who *wouldn't* buy that?

Ye-Ye Girl, I am sad to report via hubby that the Meeker taco truck is GONE (it was near the post office/elem school where the irritating traffic-stopping construction was going on for so long)!

Without a trace. Gone. Hubby's co-workers think they were operating illegally without a permit. I have no idea when they split.

I *just* heard moments ago that a Thai place opened up on that same block on Meeker this week. ANOTHER THAI PLACE IN KENT!! I believe that makes 10 now.

gc...While embracing the concept, I think you also identified the biggest inherent problem with the project....it would be a full-time job keeping the thing up-to-date.

Barring writing an actual guide, when the weather improves, maybe we could organize a 'taco truck crawl' starting in White Center and working our way south-east to Kent.

[girl chow]

I'm all in for a Taco Crawl!

We could start in White Center and hop across the valley to southeast Kent for the new taco wagon there, then wind up at the Great Wall Shopping Mall in north Kent for a lookie at 99 Ranch Market. I know a lot of people on here keep saying they want to check it out, but I doubt they have a reason to drive to Kent

[Blue Heron]

I must come clean, though.  I'm merely a south side poseur, since I actually live in West Seattle.

Hey, Welcome Ye-Ye Girl! It's great to have another West Seattleite on eGullet. I hope you can make it to some lunches, dinners and other events that we get together for sometimes.

gc & tighe, I'd be into a taco crawl sometime, too, and would love to have a chance to go to the Great Wall Shopping Mall/Ranch 99 under your expert guidance.

Or maybe sometime we could hit the taco truck in White Center and then venture to Burien to Taqueria El Riconsito, and then try (El Salvadorean) El Trapiche for their pupusas which I haven't had since last year... they were yummy.

Does anyone know if Burien has a taco truck?

[tighe]

Does anyone know if Burien has a taco truck?

The one down the street from me is officially in Burien I believe (S 128th & Des Moines Mem Dr). My guess is there's at least one in Burien proper too. I know there's a 'carneceria'.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

Count me in for a taco crawl, too. I also love the idea of stopping at El Trapiche, BH. And the 99 Market Ranch at the Great Wall Mall is fabulous. Year-round okra at a reasonably affordable price - yippee!

[girl chow]

The Taco Truck on W. Meeker that I posted about last week HAS MOVED! It didn't disappear. It is located on the north side of West Meeker Street in Kent. If heading West on W. Meeker toward the Kent-Des Moines Road, it is on the right hand side in the 76 station parking lot.... the location is after you pass the QFC, but well before the FireCreek Grill/golf course, AM/PM, etc.

Happy taco-ing.

[Blue Heron]

After our walk through the beautiful Kuboto Japanese Gardens in Renton today we stopped at a converted taco bus on the way home, at the corner Martin Luther King Way & Graham (also the location of Viet Wah Super Market) for a tacos lunch.

The taco bus is called Taqueria Los Primos and, has 12 counter seats inside (cute). We had the tacos asada, carnitas and al pastor w/ a tamarindo drink. For $1 each, you get 2 small tortillas with grilled filling of your choice, w/ pickled carrots, jalapeno and lime on the side, and the drinks are $1 as well. They were pretty tasty, the asada and carnitas outshining the al pastor in this case. The tortas are only $3. This is only the 2nd taco wagon I've ever come across before and I get such a kick out of them.

Took a walk through the Super Viet Wah grocery and it's quite a bit larger (and tidier) than the location up on 12th and Jackson in Seattle. Bought some salt & pepper shrimp from the deli at $6/lb, a pretty good deal. Lately I've been seeing durian in these markets, but have not tried it yet.

edit: I just ate some of the s & p shrimp... and sorry to say, I don't recommend them.

Edited April 7, 2003 by Blue Heron (log)

[Ye-Ye Girl]

I finally got to try out the new(ish) taco truck (Taqueria Mi Pueblo) in Kent on Meeker, mentioned in an earlier post by girl chow.

The Dude and I stopped by last week for a taste. The setup is similar to the taco truck on East Hill at 104th & 256th: you can order at the outside window, or have a seat inside the converted bus.

On the outside and inside of the bus are color photos of their "combos" and a couple of platillos, with a short listing of available meats, and not much else. Don't be fooled by this. Go inside and take a look at one of their menus, which don't mention the combos, but do show a full listing of meats, as well as other items. For such a small venue, the menu is quite extensive, including shrimp prepared several ways, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, sopitos, mulitas, tortas, tostadas, enchiladas rancheras, and fajitas. Best I could tell the "combos" were simply more than one of a given item at a commensurately higher price - e.g. four tacos for $3.99, while a single taco is $1.

I had tacos carnitas and The Dude had tacos asada. The meats both were okay - a little dry, and short on flavor. We may have caught them on a bad day, so I intend to give them another try. If what we had is the norm, though, I'll stick with Rinconsito or the taco truck on East Hill for tacos.

Another place I visited recently is Taqueria La Fondita, which is located in Rinconsito's old Kent location, just a couple of blocks away from the new Rinconsito. I was gonna sample the tacos, but decided instead to try their specialty, the wet chipotle burrito - not to be confused with their regular non-wet burritos.

The wet chipotle burrito is a monster concoction involving rice, beans, avocado sauce (with nice chunks of avocado), tomato, and your choice of meat wrapped in a flour tortilla, topped with chipotle pepper sauce and cheese. No offense to the burritos at Taco del Mar, but the wet chipotle burrito is what they want to be when they grow up.

I ordered my wet burrito with chicken, and it was awesome. The flavors melded together really well, and the chipotle sauce provided a nice kick. At $4.50, it's reasonably priced - it ended up being dinner one night and the leftovers were lunch the next day.

Taqueria La Fondita may well have really good tacos and everything else on the menu, but after having the wet chipotle burrito, I'd be hard pressed to have anything else there.

[girl chow]

I ordered my wet burrito with chicken, and it was awesome. The flavors melded together really well, and the chipotle sauce provided a nice kick. At $4.50, it's reasonably priced - it ended up being dinner one night and the leftovers were lunch the next day.

Thanks for the report! I am so having the wet chipotle burrito for lunch today or tomorrow

Also, I've found that the taco truck on Meeker (Taqueria Mi Pueblo) is good, but not great. The meat lacks that certain juicy quaility that Rinconsito has. For the money, I've decided Rinconsito is a better taco investment.

Still, it's really fun eating inside a taco truck.

[tighe]

The wet chipotle burrito is a monster concoction involving rice, beans, avocado sauce (with nice chunks of avocado), tomato, and your choice of meat wrapped in a flour tortilla, topped with chipotle pepper sauce and cheese. No offense to the burritos at Taco del Mar, but the wet chipotle burrito is what they want to be when they grow up.

Screw Taco del Mar, I think that's what I want to be when I grow up!!....

[girl chow]

TACO WAGON BULLETIN

There is a new taco wagon in Kent (that makes three). It's located on the West Valley Highway at the corner of James in the Texaco gas station parking lot (across the highway from Caveman Kitchen, the bbq joint).

It's a bus! A big one too. And it's called "Taqueria." I love simplicity man.

I plan on trying it next week and will give my first bite report. Ye-Ye Girl said the other night at dinner at the Great Wall that she's waiting to give her judgment. Ye-Ye Girl, make sure you post your thoughts after another visit!

Ok, taco fans in Kent, here are the three locations for taco wagons:

1. Taqueria Something or Other. East Hill of Kent, near Ghorm's Drive-In at the corner of 104th where the road curves toward Kent-Kangley Road. It's in a 76 (?) gas station parking lot.

2. Taqueria Mi Pueblo. West Meeker in Kent, about 1/2 mile east of the Meeker bridge off of the Kent-Des Moines Road, in a 76 gas station parking lot.

3. Taqueria. On the corner of James and West Valley Highway in the Texaco parking lot. Look for the big "TACOS" sign on the sidewalk.

I propose a daytime taco crawl during the early summer when the weather gets better. I'll check hours of the wagons to make sure we get the timing down. Mmmmm, tacos.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

GC, I saw another post where you mentioned that Kent now has four taco trucks. I know about the three metioned earlier in this thread, but where's the fourth?

Dunno if this is it or not, but there's a new-ish one right near the line between Kent and Covington - on the Kent-Kangley road, in the Chevron parking lot on the corner of 156th Ave SE (I think?). Haven't been able to try it yet - The Dude says it seems to not be there on weekends, so maybe they take it elsewhere then.

[girl chow]

Hey! Musical taco wagons! We were up to 4, then down to 3 as of last week... and now back up to 4.

So here goes my informal list:

1. The taco wagon on the East Hill of Kent by Ghorm's Drive-In (at the bend to Kent-Kangley Road) is still there!

2. Taqueria mi Pueblo is still there on West Meeker (about 1/2 mile east of the Meeker bridge)

3. NEW!! There is a new taco wagon on 108th SE on Kent East Hill in the Washington Mutual parking lot next to Valley Harvest grocery store and Paolo's Ristorante (an excellent neighborhood Italian joint).

4. NEW!! The new one Ye-Ye Girl's dude guy saw on the border between Kent and Covington - "on the Kent-Kangley road, in the Chevron parking lot on the corner of 156th Ave SE (I think?)."

Ye-Ye Girl, the one that has moved/disappeared is the taco wagon that was located at the corner of James and West Valley Highway. It was the bus with the hand-painted "Taqueria" on the side? I think you told me the name of that one, but it has escaped me. It has been gone for a few weeks now. Bummer! The world needs more taco wagons.

[Blue Heron]

The world needs more taco wagons.

I spotted a taco bus over the weekend in Seattle on Beacon Hill at the corner of Beacon Ave. and Stevens. It was called something like Primo's Taqueria. It may be the same bus that used to be located on Rainier Ave. near the Super Viet Wah store, but is no longer on Rainier according to hubby. I would have stopped for tacos but had just had a big lunch down the street on Beacon Ave. at Kusina Filipina.

[tighe]

Apparently Penelope Corcoran has been reading eGullet, because in today's PI she scooped our idea for a guide to taco trucks. I haven't read the whole thing, but it appears to primarily feature places discussed on this thread. Not surprisingly, nearly all the locations shown are south-end....

Edited to add: if the powers that be see fit, maybe we should break all the taco truck discussion here into its own thread...

Edited August 8, 2003 by tighe (log)

[girl chow]

Come on out of lurkdom PENELOPE!!! You are caught!!

Hahaha. Not that I care. It's great to send more business to taco trucks. The owners surely don't make enough money... prices are way too cheap.

Mamsterooni, what do you think about busting out a taco truck thread from this thread? Is that too much work?

We really must plan a taco outing

[mamster]

I can do that. Not right this second, though.

[girl chow]

Thanks Mamster!

I am heading to San Fran 9/24 (see my post here: click) and I am getting all kinds of taco advice from San Francisco folks. I will return with a full comparison of NW and SF tacos

[Thomas Wrinkle]

Weekday Taco Trucks

A full hour of weekday examining the Seattle Taco Truck Phenomenon.

Guide to Taco Trucks

Personally, I've found that the best burritos are at the Taqueria Guadalajara on 148th in Bellevue (just off 520). $3.25 each (they offer cheese, but I think it's mainly to appease the Taco Bell crowd...) Their tacos are also pretty good, though the azada can sometimes be a bit bland and chewy. Found the best Azada tacos at a place in downtown Monroe (on Main Street across from the 7/11.) 1.00 each, plus they offer all kinds of authentic meats (Cheek, Brain, Tongue.) The azada is thin sliced and pillowy with amazing flavor. Their burritos are only OK, but at 2.50 each, I can't really complain too hard...

Well, that's the view from the Eastside anyway...