The Taco Truck

[DonRocks]

What is so great about a taco truck? It seems like every time somebody discovers one they jump up and down until they achieve orgasm. How is this any different than a hot-dog truck or a soft-pretzel truck or any other kind of truck?

[Carrot Top]

I don't know...I've never seen one....hmmmm.

A taco truck?

Do you have a picture?

And tell us...why is this taco truck making you so angry, DonRocks?

[patti]

I dunno, but I do jump up and down when the shrimp truck stops at my house.

[marie-louise]

I don't know...I've never seen one....hmmmm.

A taco truck?

Do you have a picture?

←

For a picture of both the food and the truck, come on down to the California board.

As for

What the hell is so great about a taco truck? It seems like every time somebody discovers one they jump up and down until they achieve orgasm. How is this any different than a hot-dog truck or a soft-pretzel truck or any other kind of truck?

The answer is

IT'S THE TACOS!!! Really good tacos.

Edited September 15, 2004 by marie-louise (log)

[fiftydollars]

Yes, the tacos. I grew up eating tacos from street vendors in Mexico City. Yet I had never been tempted to eat from a taco truck until a friend of mine dragged me to his favorite one. I'm not sure why I had never tried a truck. It's not like it could be any more potentially hazardous than eating tacos 3 for 1 peso in Tlanepantla. I suppose if they had been dishing out tacos from a comal set directly on a dirty sidewalk I would have felt more comforable and tried them earlier.

I was impressed with the truck's tacos. I believe the truck was "El Jaliscience." My friend really liked it because he could pronounce it "Jolly Science" and that made him laugh. I really liked it because the tortillas emerged from the griddle dripping with grease, filled with flavorful freshly re-griddled mystery meat, and topped with decidedly hot salsa, coarse chopped cilantro, and diced onion.

[DonRocks]

And tell us...why is this taco truck making you so angry, DonRocks?

←

Master Bateman,

It's because I twisted my ankle the other day and I'm having trouble jumping.

Seriously though, I've never actually been to a taco truck, but I keep hearing seemingly irrational excitement whenever one crops up in a neighborhood or city street. I'm wondering if there's something culturally genuine about them, perhaps like a lobster pound or a barbecue shack or a Sno-Cone stand, that makes them better than walking into a restaurant and ordering a taco.

Pro pain,

Rocks.

[Carrot Top]

:laugh:

It's gonna take me a while to think of an answer to your answer, Mr. Rocks.

In the meanwhile, I will visit the California board as advised to more fully educate myself.

[melkor]

What could be better?

[winesonoma]

Fast food Sonoma County. Gotta be real good to last. Somebody better new destination.

[Pan]

Tasty, cheap food, Don! We have taco trucks in New York, too, and I've patronized one of them a few times. But if hotdogs or pretzels are more your thing, that's OK.

[herbacidal]

soft-pretzel truck or any other kind of truck?

←

I've never seen a soft pretzel truck, and I'm from Philly.

Where you dun seen dat?

[Carrot Top]

Seriously, if you are talking specifically about taco trucks in DC...I wonder if it is the 'surprise quotient' that's engendering the sort of response you described.

There are not that very many there, are there? (I could be wrong).

So when someone does run across one, it's like finding a treasure.

Sort of like the way kids feel about the (now-too-rare) ice cream trucks that used to come through the neighborhoods, ringing their bells...a happy seredipitous happening!

This could be a good subject for an article or book of photos and interviews (of the truck owner/operators), really...'Taco Trucks of DC'...

[TheFoodTutor]

I love street food. Any kind works just fine for me, actually. There's just something that feels special about walking up to a cart or a truck and getting a hot dog, or a taco, or especially one of those big, schmeary bagels in New York.

I think the reason why you don't see ice cream trucks so much anymore is that kids were running into streets and getting hit by cars. During my childhood, legislation prohibited the trucks from playing their music until the truck was stopped, to keep this kind of thing from happening.

I miss the orange push-ups and bomb pops. I suppose I could get some at the store, but it wouldn't be the same.

[phaelon56]

In NYC the're not usually trucks - more often small to mid sized aluminum trailers that are towed to a particular street location and narrow enough to park onthe sidewalk. And the big deal is the tacos. They're often much better than what you can get for takeout form most any Mexican restaurant in manhattan - can't speak to the outer boroughs as I've never had tacos there (I actually tried to get some from a small truck in Long Island City but I don't speak Spanish and they wouldn't serve me I'm not kidding about that).

The Mnahattan carts also have these great little breakfast sandwiches with a small round tortilla that's fried and cut oopen like a pita. It ha a few little crcunhy pieces of some meat (pork I think) in it and then gets a heaping load of onions, tomatoes, cilantro, chopped lettuce, hot sauce and grated cheese. All for $1 but your breath will smell of onions when you get to the office

[SobaAddict70]

These are ubiquitous in Jackson Heights, Queens. There's a particularly good one (larger than your average taco truck) located near 73rd St and Roosevelt Avenue. Their tripe tacos are amazing.

Soba

[mnebergall]

I went to one of my daughter's soccer games out in Herndon, VA and there were a whole bunch of Hispanic playing soccer on an adjoining field. There were three, count 'em, three taco trucks there for the event. Find out where the Hispanic play soccer on the weekends and you will find taco trucks. I'd be willing to participate in some investigatory work on this one, for the DC area.

[mjr_inthegardens]

The Mnahattan carts also have these great little breakfast sandwiches with a small round tortilla that's fried and cut oopen like a pita. It ha a few little crcunhy pieces of some meat (pork I think) in it and then gets a heaping load of onions, tomatoes, cilantro, chopped lettuce, hot sauce and grated cheese. All for $1 but your breath will smell of onions when you get to the office 

←

where can I find them in downtown manhattan?

[Hest88]

A good taco truck has great food at really, really cheap prices. What's not to get excited about?

[s'kat]

I live in BF, SE-Virginia, where even the Hispanic soccer teams have no taco trucks flanking them.

In May, I went out to California wine country, and discovered a taco truck one early afternoon. My little carnitas taco was only a buck, and it was really one of the best things I ate on that trip.

There is absolutely no good Hispanic food where I live, so I did unabashedly jump up and down when I saw the truck.

Edited September 17, 2004 by s'kat (log)

[fiftydollars]

That there looks like the real deal!

[mrsadm]

Hmmmm, we don't have Taco trucks in upstate NY. I hope to find one someday.

I gave up on food trucks when I lived in Philly. Got really sick from a cheesesteak truck. Then I picked up my brother's habit of calling them "roach coaches"

[timothycdavis]

Hmmmm, we don't have Taco trucks in upstate NY.  I hope to find one someday.

I gave up on food trucks when I lived in Philly.  Got really sick from a cheesesteak truck.  Then I picked up my brother's habit of calling them "roach coaches" 

←

Where I live in NC, there's a huge, burgeoning Latino/Hispanic population. I think the trucks serve two purposes -- mobility, especially to hit "hot spots" like construction sites, etc., and also the simple fact that a taco/truck van costs less, making it easier for the would-be entrepreneur to go into business.

I've never had a bad experience with one, frankly. A couple bucks and you're set.

[waves2ya]

I'm a Phila boy, too, so I've eaten at my fair share of trucks...

But best truck, by far, I've ever eaten at is...

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on the grand island of Oahu - on your way to the world acclaimed breaks of Sunset, Pipeline & Waimea Bay. Damn scampi spoilt me for many others - took awhile to forget that dish... (btw - not cheap; $11 bucks or so) The original truck was just covered *completely* with graffiti hits...

Truck food is like cart food in Manhattan (or, I guess, wherever); it's the jolt of a taste delight + value to suddenly be eating reasonably when the surroundings might otherwise dictate pathetic eats.

(yes - saw there's an eGullet thread on shrimp trucks. there's not getting anything past gulletters...)

Off topic? Posted about Tacos on the NJ site...

[Chef Shogun]

Seriously, if you are talking specifically about taco trucks in DC...I wonder if it is the 'surprise quotient' that's engendering the sort of response you described.

There are not that very many there, are there? (I could be wrong).

So when someone does run across one, it's like finding a treasure.

Sort of like the way kids feel about the (now-too-rare) ice cream trucks that used to come through the neighborhoods, ringing their bells...a happy seredipitous  happening!

This could be a good subject for an article or book of photos and interviews (of the truck owner/operators), really...'Taco Trucks of DC'...

←

Wait a minute, wait a minute....we have taco trucks, right here in DC?!

[mnebergall]

I have found a regular location where three taco trucks pull in on weekend in Hernson, VA. There is a soccer field on Alabama Dr. in Herndon, right off of Elden street (North). One of my kids played soccer there yesterday and the three trucks were there. My other son (13) , who was not playing soccer, wanted to try a taco. He said it was the best taco he ever had. $2 each and they give you two tortillas, the stuff falls out of the first taco onto the second tortilla, making a second taco. We had to get some more when the game was over.