Taqueria Vega

7755 W. Bellfort, in the parking lot of Joe V's

I encountered this unit several years ago on Fondren when it was Taqueria Tzul-Vega but tried it only once.  I remembered the taquera apparently spoke only about 5 syllables of English and she found my Spanish just as lacking, but I couldn't remember the food nor why I never returned.  According to my notes, it was not because of the food but because the menu was so limited.  The majority of the items listed on the unit were not available, there was a handwritten menu taped to the window with only a few dishes.

There has apparently been a change of ownership.  The menu card in the window, which identifies the business as Taqueria Vega, lists just about everything named on the side of the unit plus a few other items and I had no trouble communicating.

I tried a couple of tacos, pastor on the left and chorizo on the right.  They came on handmade corn tortillas, a big plus, with roasted onions and mass quantities of cilantro, plus a surprisingly fiery salsa.  According to my notes, the fiery salsa was a feature of the old cart, too.  The pastor wasn't bad, not dried out like it often is and I got a couple of tidbits of pinapple, but the chorizo was much better.  I have also tried a barbacoa taco and, on a whim, a chorizo gordita.  These were served with a very mild salsa verde.  The gordita was almost as big as a torta and would have been better as one; the barbacoa is another good choice for meat along with the chorizo.

Tacos are $2 and apparently there's no upcharge for requesting flour tortillas.  There is an upcharge for requesting lengua or tripa.  The gordita was $3.50.

Pollos y Tacos La Bala

S. Post Oak @ Willow

Or is the name of this trailer Gorditas y Tacos La Bala? That's what it says on the sign on the fence.

I’d seen an older truck with the La Bala name on it at this location many times but never stopped. The very new looking wagon, a line of customers, and the fact my first choice for lunch one day was closed, persuaded me to give it a try. I’d wondered if the truck had any connection to Tacos La Bala (Bellaire, Beechnut, Dashwood) and I noted machacado on the breakfast menu and desebrada and cochinita pibil for tacos, gorditas, tortas, etc., items that are not very common on taqueria or lonchera menus, and there is the Torta de la Barda, too. I’ve had the machacado and desebrada at the La Bala taquerias and I was persuaded this must be a mobile unit by the same folks.

One of the phrases I have used repeatedly on the blog is something like ‘I burned out on such and such’ and it applies here. I burned out on loncheras over a year ago and I don’t think I’ve stopped at more than one or two since then. There seem to be a lot fewer of them around my part of town than there were a couple of years ago. This turned out to be an auspicious re-acquaintance opportunity - the food was very good, perhaps the best I’ve ever had from a lonchera on the Southwest side.

I went with desebrada, one of my favorite meats, and pastor. The desebrada was better than I’d had at the taqueria on Bellaire, the pastor better than what I had at the location on Beechnut. It was the juiciest and most flavorful pastor I’ve had since my last visit to Karanchoe’s over a year ago with tender meat and fatty pieces, not a dried up or overcooked morsel among them. I squeezed both of the impressive salsas on the tray rather than on the tacos so I could get a better picture of the taco meats then decided I didn’t need the sauces at all.

I got home and looked up the comments online about the taquerias and was reminded their cochinita pibil is highly acclaimed. Then I realized that for some reason I’d never gotten around to trying the cochinita pibil at the taquerias, a bit strange since I’m sure it’s what first persuaded me to put them on my list of places to try. So I went back the next day and tried that and the nopales. The pibil is fully worthy of all the praise and I’m kicking myself for never having tried it before. For many years, this was my favorite Mexican dish and there are only a couple of other versions around that I like. It's good to know there's a purveyor so close to home. I got this order to go and unfortunately the taco de nopales suffered from being wrapped up in foil for the trip home, the cactus becoming unappealingly limp verging on mushy.

It’s a bit of a sketchy neighborhood; the parking lot/driveway for the convenience store/gas station is frequently packed and parking can be a hassle. Tacos on maiz are $1.50, for flour, $1.75 - have prices at loncheras gone up? Is that the new standard price? If not, this place is a bit more expensive, but worth it. Lengua and tripa are a bit more expensive than the other meat choices but the pollo asado offerings, which I have not tried, are less pricy than other pollo asado wagons.

Sazon

Kempwood @ Blalock


I have to thank commenter Rubiao for tipping me about this one. It's quite a ways outside of my regular roaming area but I took a little detour after a shopping trip to Super H Mart, cruising up Blalock past the best Polish grocery store and restaurant in Texas (and possibly the whole Southern US).

There are actually two units here; a short Sazon bus purveying hot dogs, hamburguesas, papas asados, papas fritas and tortas is parked at a right angle to the bigger unit. And the menu is not the same old-same old lonchera menu, either. One specialty is barbacoa de borrego available either as consomme or tacos.

I got a couple of tacos with everything, after ascertaining that meant onions and cilantro and not lettuce and tomato. Then I helped myself to the salsas on the side of the truck including a very spicy salsa fresca with marinated onions, habaneros and jalapenos, I think. That was the best of the three and really picked up the tacos which were already very good. There are not that many places offering borrego; I wish this wasn't so far away.

Also on the menu were pancitas, which I think is menudo made with sheep stomach, fajitas, cabeza de res, flautas de pollo and more.

Tacos la Joya

Southwest Freeway frontage road, outbound, @ Beechnut

I'm always on the lookout for something different and new, something I haven't tried before, and driving down this stretch of the 59 frontage road I seldom use I spotted this lonchera I'd never seen before advertising tortas y tacos al vapor.

It's in the parking lot of the Bonita Chica Bikini Bar for those interested (there's also a Wings spot, what else?, and Tau Bay and several other businesses - it's a big parking lot).

Tacos al vapor, i.e., steamed tacos, are a rarity around here. I can't name one place that serves them and I had to give them a try. According to some discussions and explanation online, they may be produced by layering tortillas and meat in a tamalera, covering with a towel and steaming for a hour or so. Sometimes the tortillas are folded over the fillings and the resulting tacos are somewhat like dumplings; some people prefer to eat them with a fork.

That's not the way mine were produced, however. I saw tortillas being put into the tamalera, just inside the window where you order, but the tortillas for my tacos came out of a plastic bag and were heated on a griddle, just like other tacos are done. But with the differences that they were heated in stacks of two and for a very long time, maybe close to five minutes, getting flipped at least a dozen times and tested (kudos to the taquerero for wearing a plastic glove as he is supposed to). The burner must have been on very low.

At last they were removed from the griddle and assembly took place very quickly. A pile of meat was retrieved from the tamalera with tongs and the cebolla y cilantro were added, they were wrapped up and handed to me along with a half lime and a small cup of dark green, thick salsa, in exchange for $3.75 for three and I was on my way. They're available only with this chopped beef filling.

It was apparent right away when I dug into them that the tortillas were very moist so I concluded they must have been steamed previously and held until needed. The quantity of salsa was completely inadequate but it was a squeeze of lime that most benefited these delicately flavored tacos. Obviously with steamed beef, you're not going to get the intense flavors of some other means of preparation, so if you're longing for the caramelized beef of tacos al carbon of the intense flavors of al pastor or barbacoa, you're not going to get it with these tacos. I really liked them however.

The first time I saw the wagon during the day it was closed; I caught it open around dusk. I didn't notice any posting of hours but since it's only about 20 yards from the door to the bikini bar, I'd hazard a guess they're only open in the evenings.

Now, does anybody know where to get tacos a la plancha in Houston? That's another method of preparation I'd like to try.

Edit to add: I was quite surprised to read in the Press that these tacos did not live up to my expectations. I hadn't realized that.

Taco Keto

1401 Cullen

I first heard of this taco truck a couple of years ago but never caught it open until recently. The owner is from Guerrero and there's a unique thing about their tacos. What they're known for is the enchiladaded tortillas used. Actually what I observed was dabbing some of the salsa roja on the tortillas on the griddle rather than dipping them, but the effect is pretty much the same and the tortillas fluff up some as they are grilled besides absorbing the flavors of the salsa. You get only one tortilla per taco here, at least with the corn (didn't try the flour if they even offer it), and fillings are perhaps a mite skimpy, but the extra step with the tortillas makes a big difference flavor-wise. I found myself craving more of these before I even got back home. As you can see, they also use grilled onions, and a generous amount, and the other unique ingredient is potatoes. I wasn't too sure about that last ingredient so asked for no potatoes on the al pastor (top) and potatoes on the fajita (bottom), but I wound up with no potatoes at all and all the onions on the al pastor. There was a breakdown in communications between the two workers on the truck, apparently.

Oh yes, another thing - parking is virtually non-existent: they're in the parking lot of a tire shop. I drove a block away to the parking lot of a rather infamous Kroger in a torrential downpour that lasted about 3 minutes to dig in.

I'll be going back to this truck again.

Open only Tuesday thru Saturday, 11a to 11p.

Mexican Pollo Grill

8599 W. Bellfort @ S. Gessner, next to a Citgo

Update 11/20/11: This unit has disappeared from it's long time post. In it's place is a similar vehicle dubbed Tacos El Valle with a typical taco truck menu and no mention of pollo asado.


This is one of several new street food vendors I've been happy to see appear in my neighborhood recently and I was eager to check it out. For a couple of years I've been regularly making a trek up to one of the El Norteno units on Longpoint or a yellow and red La Silla bus on Telephone, just off 610, when I've had the craving for some good pollo asado. In addition to the aggravation of the drive there's the aggravation of being driven crazy by the aroma of the food filling the car on the trip home. I've checked out numerous pollo asado providers on the southwest side, perhaps as many as a dozen, both mobile and brick and mortar, without finding any as good but this new unit is very promising.


Pollo Asado is the specialty, of course, though there's a pretty full menu, unlike the El Norteno buses. Mesquite is used, like La Silla, and you get the standard sides - rice, beans, salsa, onions, pepper, tortillas - but there are some pluses besides it being so close by. A problem with pollo asado is holding it until someone orders it and I've had orders from both El Norteno and La Silla (and other places) that had dried out from being held too long on the grill; so far, that fate has not befallen the birds from the Mexican Pollo Grill. Maybe I've just been lucky. The beans,as you may detect from the picture, include chopped up wiener (there are hot dogs on the menu here, too) and are very good, the fiery salsa is chipotle based, and, most importantly, the onions are caramelized rather than just baked or steamed, adding another dimension of flavor.

A very friendly lady presides over the very large kitchen on this former moving van, very fluent in both English and Spanish. I almost expect her to call me 'honey' when I order, like the waitresses at BBQ Inn. Besides pollo asado and hot dogs, there are huaraches, tortas, breakfast tacos, burritos, quesadillas and fajita tacos, plus nachos and nachos grande (for $5, with fajita meat), chocolate cake, lemonade, and .. tada...jello salads!

The sign in the window says they're open 9 to 7, 6 days a week, but they've been missing a couple of times over the last couple of months when I've sought them out.

Prior to the arrival of this unit, the best Pollo Asado I've found on the SW side is the Argueta Pollo Asado wagon reliably parked on S. Fondren at W. Airport which turns out dependably juicy (not dried out) chicken but has mediocre sides (canned beans, I think, maybe instant Mexican rice, if such a product exists).

This unit is unconventional in a number of ways, from the vehicle to the name to the menu and recipes. I'm happy to have it in the neighborhood.

Taqueria Vallejo

on Bissonnet, directly across from the entrance to Sharpstown Hi

Vallejo or Vallarta - what's the difference? When I first spotted this truck I was confused. One of my favorite taco trucks on the southwest side has been Taqueria Vallarta which used to be situated much further out on Bissonnet near Dairy Ashford. A unit of Taqueria Vallejo replaced that one and, now, there's a Vallejo very close to my house.

Tacos estilo Tlaquepaque are specialties of both, as are gringas. I had my first samples of both at Vallarta a couple of years ago and that's still the best gringa I've had. So besides similar names they have very similar menus.

Tlaquepaque is an arts and crafts district in Guadalajara. Tacos estilo Tlaquepaque means the tacos (barbacoa) are served topped with a salsa that includes the broth the meats were cooked in, like a savory, spicy gravy. When I had them at Vallarta I didn't understand this and when I got home discovered there were no onions and cilantro, nor had I been offered any. It turns out that's the way they're served; they'll put some on if you request, but it's not the typical presentation. Vallarta sold me just two of these but at Vallejo they're offered as a plate with five tacos for $5. That's 10 corn tortillas and probably about 10 oz. of barbacoa, topped with the sauce (they'll serve that on the side to add later if you prefer) and limes. I didn't get a picture of the Tlaquepaque plate but I did get a picture of the menu on the truck which shows it.


Judging by the picture of the tacos swimming in sauce you might need a fork or even a spoon to eat these. These sound and look like what's known in El Paso as 'drunken tacos,' although I think those involve a tomato sauce topping.

Five tacos seemed like a bit much to me so I went for a gringa and a fajita gordita.


A gringa is al pastor meat, avocado and queso in a folded flour tortilla, grilled. The meat was a little tough but vividly seasoned; the tortilla was store-bought and not very fresh so this was not as good as the best I've had but not bad. The gordita was good.

It's been difficult to find really good taco trucks around my neighborhood but there have been several new units show up recently and I'm eager to check them all out. I'm happy to find this one and I'll be trying it again. But sorry, senor, I gotta have my cebolla y cilantro fix or I get irritable.

Revisit: Ziggy Smogdust reported visiting this truck and trying the Tacos Tlaquepaque and said they were really good so I made another stop.


I got some to go with salsa on the side and added it at home. The tortillas are the smaller, 4" size, and there is no where near 10 ozs. of barbacoa, probably no more than 3 or 4 so it's not as huge a meal as I thought. The salsa was thick like a gravy and very good. This is really a very good choice on this truck and much better than what I had at Taqueria Vallarta a couple of years ago. The salsa there was very thin and runny and I didn't know they were supposed to be smothered in the salsa and used just a little of it. I used all the salsa I got here and even though mine were not swimming in it like the picture on the truck, they were quite messy to deal with. I loved this dish and I love the concept. I wonder if there are other, similar presentations?

And you don't really need the onions and cilantro.

Taqueria Tacoocho

'Tacos de la Ciudad'
South Post Oak at Beltway 8

This post has been edited to add some explanation of 'rose meat' and another picture.


Boy did I think I had a real find when I first got a good look at this one. I've seen it many times, even tried to stop once but the driveway of the filling station was so crowded there was no place to park. It's a very well maintained unit that I've observed doing a lot of business on numerous occasions.


As I've mentioned I like to look for the less common offerings and the menu here was very promising. On the breakfast menu are tacos de machacado, lengua en chipotle and tacos revolcados. The regular menu includes mollejas (sweetbreads) and machitos de chivo (goat tripe); mollejas are somewhat rare and I've never seen machitos anywhere so I was very encouraged.


On my first visit, however, I wasn't feeling very adventurous and I went for the alambre - beef (sirloin I think), bacon, grilled onions and poblanos and cheese. This was a larger taco on a beautiful, thick, hand-made tortilla and it was excellent with a very generous amount of filling. Although I only sampled it after finishing the taco the salsa verde was very good, too.


I made another stop a couple of days later and was disappointed to learn that both the mollejas and machitos are no longer served so I tried the suadero and chorizo. These were the smaller Mexico City style tacos for only $1 apiece. I haven't had suadero more than a couple of times but this was the best I've had, tender and juicy pieces of both the fatty and lean portions of brisket I think. The chorizo was very mild but excellent. Both salsas were very good with the green one much hotter.

I tried to ascertain what the revolcados on the breakfast menu are but neither of the crew members nor another customer were able to explain it; I didn't ask if the machacado and lengua are even available and since I seldom go out for breakfast it will be sometime before I get there for breakfast but I will stop at this truck again.

Edit 2/7/10: I came across this explanation of suadero or rose meat... "is a cut of beef... or couple related cuts of beef (depends on the butcher you talk to)... that involves the areas adjacent to brisket & belly... its a tough cut of meat that is usually brined or pickled before a long, slow cooking then finished up on the griddle." The authority goes on to compare it to corned beef and said that since it is pink, like pork, this may be where the name rose meat comes from.

Recently I went back to Tacoocho to try it again.


This time the suadero was not nearly as tender but the cabeza was awesome.

While there, I spotted another truck across Post Oak and went over to check it out. Taqueria Salmanca has mollejas and machitos on the menu also and they were able to serve the mollejas. What I got was not as good as Tacambero behind Canino's but was good nonetheless.

Tacos Pacos

Beechnut @ La Roche, Club Creek just south of Beechnut, and Harwin @ Allday

I noted the first two of these on my survey of Beechnut mobil vendors. I passed the list on to Ziggy Smogdust and he hit the unit at La Roche and was really pleased with what he got. I've since been to the La Roche and Club Creek locations.

I had noted the menu of the La Roche location included cesina and chivo but what Ziggy discovered on the menu also was buche which is new to both of us. Buche is either pig's esophagus or pig's small intestine, considered a type of carnitas because of the preparation method. Ziggy had a beautiful picture posted on the other blog showing the carmelization of the exterior.


I got a ton of cilantro on my tacos and although I didn't get as good a picture as Ziggy I enjoyed the buche just as much. This was the most delicately flavored carnitas I've ever had and I was an instant fan. The chivo also was excellent, not at all gamey although the salsa was on the cusp of gaminess. I couldn't wait to try both of these types of tacos again.


On my second visit I tried the Club Creek location. This unit sits next to a bottled water kiosk and is not quite as down at the heels as the other location.


The menu here lists birria instead of chivo and adds camaron to the list but I didn't notice the birria before I ordered and I got buche and tripas. As the picture reveals there was virtually no carmelization of the buche and it wasn't nearly as spectacular; the tripas was medium crispy with a little charring on some pieces. The salsa, in a dispenser on the counter along the side of the wagon, looked good and fresh and there were also pickled vegetables to help yourself to.

Since learning what buche is and experiencing it I've noticed it on other taco truck menus too and will have to be trying it elsewhere. It is not on the menu of the Harwin location of Tacos Pacos.

Cruising for Street Food: Harwin

This is another in my exciting ongoing series 'Cruising for Street Food on the Southwest side.' I've been making notes about these units whenever and wherever I come across them and just decided to pull them all together and put them out there in case others are interested.

This time I drove Harwin from Hillcroft out to Highway 6; four of the seven units I found were between Fondren and Gessner:

Tacos El Ranchero @ Forney, 1 block w. of Hillcroft - this one was doing a very brisk business at 12:45pm in this neighborhood where there are numerous Indo/Pak eateries and others; I noticed lengua and tripas on the menu.

Tacos y Tortas - a tiny wagon at 8000 Harwin, between Fondren and Gessner; no menu, no customers at about 1pm

La Fogata Mexican Kitchen, @ Allday, in the driveway of a Fuel Depot station - small hut on wheels, this one has been there a long time.

Tacos Pacos - @ Allday, this is another unit of the ones I noted on Beechnut and Club Creek earlier. Ziggy Smogdust checked one of those out and I've checked them out too and will post a review soon. This appears to be a real find. Like the ones mentioned on the other list, this one has buche and tripas but no goat on the menu.

Laoxaquena Tacos y Tortas - 9895 Harwin, close to Gessner


I stopped at this one several months ago because of the name. There is no menu posted anywhere and very little English was comprehended. I inquired about any Oaxacan specialties and was directed to try their Chicken Special.


This proved to be a delicious meal except that the chicken breast meat itself was as dry and tough as leather. The rolled, stuffed chicken breasts were kept in foil on the edge of the griddle; to prepare the plate, they were unwrapped and reheated on the grill, then presented. The stuffing included carrots, potatoes, and ground beef and a portion of a bay leaf. The sauce was excellent; I presume it to be a Oaxacan mole but one I'm not familiar with and I couldn't begin to guess the ingredients, nor could I identify the green or herb in the sauce. This was one of those meals I could have plated up at home to make much more appealing and it would have been an excellent meal had not the breast meat been so dry.

Ricos Tacos Mobil - a blue truck at Boone in a convenience store parking lot. Noted tripitas, lengua on the menu. A sign on side says www.roadstergrill.com - that's the Greek/burger place at @ Bellaire and Bissonnet???

Taquitos Jacala - 66 station parking lot @ West Houston Center Blvd. I was going the wrong way, the traffic was heavy and there was no place to pull over so I didn't get a look at the menu.


Note: Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has prove to be impossible to keep them updated.

Cruising for Tacos: Beechnut

Ziggy Smogdust and I have been tossing about the idea of a taco truck tour of the Southwest side. By way of reconnaissance I made a trek back and forth on Beechnut recently, from 59 to Highway 6, making note of everything available. I travel that way frequently, or at least part of it, and knew there were several but had never stopped at any nor made a list.

I found several new or very recent arrivals and passed along my list to Ziggy. I hit a couple of the units with only so-so results; Ziggy hit a couple and seems to have found a real winner.

One of the things Ziggy likes to pay attention to is whether the place does a good business or never has any customers but we've found that's not always a reliable indicator. I like to look for less common items on the menu - everybody does fajita, pollo, al pastor - but I look for things like lengua, chicharron, maybe tripas, chivo, mollejas. I like a place that does platillos, maybe enchiladas, in addition to the usual tacos, burritos, quesadillas and tortas. I also like a place that has some good naca items like the chips locos or pambazos I found recently at Taqueria Tariacuria. None of these indicators is a reliable guide to greatness, obviously; a place that does nothing but the basics that would appeal to gringos may do them very well.

The reports:

I stopped at Taqueria Barrio Alto en estilo Tierra Caliente, a truck I'd never seen before and the last one I noted, in a strip center parking lot at the corner of Beechnut and Club Creek, just inside the Beltway. I noted the menu included enchiladas but I ordered just a tripitas taco and a chorizo taco. The tripitas were chewy, with no crispiness; not bad but not as great as the tripas tacos at El Ultimo. The chorizo unfortunately was charred to a crisp, burnt and very bitter. This one didn't impress me much but I may stop again for the enchiladas.


(Tripitas on the top, chorizo on the bottom). NOTE: This unit has disappeared; there is now a Honduran bus parked there. See the post on International Mobile Vendors.

A day or so later I went to try Pollos y Tacos El Celaya, a very new, large trailer I had spotted beside a mechanic's shop at Beechnut and Kirkwood. I had never seen this one before and noted on the side they had pierna and cabeza de puerco, two very uncommon items, in addition to pollos asados and the usual taco meats. Alas, the menu in the window had cabeza de puerco crossed out and cabeza de res penciled in. It was okay but the pierna was better; I've only had this a couple of times before but this was the best I'd ever had.


Pierna on the left. This one had a table set up beside the trailer and one of the senoras brought out a folding chair for me to sit in; such amenities are seldom encountered at taco trucks.

Note: this trailer disappeared and has never been seen again.

Meanwhile Ziggy set out to try Tacos Mayra, a truck parked just about a block west of the Beltway on Beechnut that has been there a long time and is frequently very busy. I've pulled in to try this one before but found no place to park so went elsewhere. Unfortunately Ziggy found this one disappointing, the al pastor in particular being gristly and tough. This one may do a big business because it sits in front of a washateria.

Ziggy also tried Alex Mexican Grill, a large trailer on Beechnut @ Leawood, a very recent arrival on the scene. It sits in front of Alex Carniceria and there is also another Alex mobile unit in the parking lot, although not open. This one appears to be a winner. I made it over here myself a few days later and tried the al pastor and longaniza. A carhop comes to your car to take your order; a loud speaker serenades you while you dine. The menu is short but the al pastor is excellent, loaded with flavor. The longaniza (I would have called it chorizo if it hadn't been labeled) was a little dry but very flavorful and spicy. The salsa verde is excellent with a lot of heat. I really liked the accompaniments: grilled onion and nopal, radish and cucumber, plus onions and cilantro, of course. The menu includes suadero and campechano. I'll be back.



The others on my list:

Tacos Pacos - a wagon located 1 block w. of Gessner @ La Roche; it's been there a long time but is seldom busy, I noted Chivo and Cesina on the menu in the window.

Tacos Pacos - actually on Club Creek, just south of Beechnut - been there a long time, frequently busy but the last several times I've been by that way it has not been open.

I've found a third location of Tacos Pacos on Harwin @ Allday, about half way between Fondren and Gessner. A review is forthcoming soon.

Taqueria Puro Michoacan - on Club Creek, ½ block s. of Beechnut, relatively new to this location.

Melissa’s Corn - Beechnut @ Corporate, been there a long time

Note: Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has proved to be impossible to keep them updated.

El Mapache

Ziggy Smogdust has been telling me for some time of the great tacos at El Mapache and when he recently sent me this picture.....


I had to go.

Ziggy goes to the El Mapache III at Gulfton and Renwick but in my rovings around southwest Houston I've spotted another one at Richmond and Dunvale, so I headed over to that one - El Mapache El No. 1. Good barbacoa; worth the stop. Thanks, Ziggy.

UPDATE: The unit on Richmond has been replaced with one named El Tepache # III that I haven't tried. I've been to the one on Gulfton several times for the tacos, though, and their special torta, Torta a la Mapache - thin steak, grilled onions, mushrooms, melted cheese (jack?) and mayo. Just $5.

UPDATE: The El Mapache on Gulfton @ Renwick has moved a half block west; there is a unit labeled # 4 parked at Renwick @ Dashwood, just a block off of Bellaire..

Taqueria Tariacuri

A taco truck located on Fondren, just north of Harwin
This unit has disappeared, replaced by another taco truck I haven't tried.

I spotted this one on my way up to Sabor Venezolano, the Venezuelan truck on Westheimer at Crossview, and had to circle around for a second look. I thought I saw something about Puerto Rico on the side of the truck and I would love to find some Puerto Rican street food in Houston. I don't know what I thought I saw out of the corner of my eye but it's a Mexican taco truck all the way; Tariacuri is a small town in Michoacan.

A look at the menu did reveal some interesting offerings however and I went back a couple of days later to try a Pambazo.


Pambazos are a type of dipped Mexican sandwich and there aren't many places that I know of in Houston that offer them. I saw a roll, not a baguette, dipped in a tub of guajillo pepper sauce but saw no more of the preparation. When it was presented, the roll was dry and manageable as a sandwich and I thought perhaps it had been baked. The filling was simple, diced, grilled chicken, lettuce and tomato, avocado, a little queso and crema or mayo, I think, but no refritos or some of the other ingredients usually included on a torta. I've only had a Pambazo at one other place here, Mexico's Deli on Dairy Ashford. Usually I have nothing but praise for their sandwiches but the pambazo there was humongous, enough for three servings, soggy and unmanageable as a sandwich, and the main ingredient, Milanesa, was tough and needed a knife to cut. I like this simple Pambazo at Tariacuri much better.

I also tried a Toquere, a thick corn tortilla (a tlacoyo like used for gorditas and huaraches), spread with refritos and topped with queso and crema and a salsa verde then toasted on a grill until the queso melted. Mine didn't look anywhere near as good as the one pictured on the truck and was just okay.

Another item on the menu that looked interesting was Chips Locos under the Antojitos section, a bag of Fritos that appeared to have onions and salsa added. I saw this being prepared for another customer and it looked like pickled onions were used.



A few days later I went back to try another Pambazo and the Chips Locos. There are no prices posted but there is a note in the window that the Pambazo con Chorizo y Papas is on special for just $3. This is a classic Pambazo, Choripapas for short. This time I saw the roll being held over an open flame after coming out of the guajillo sauce; flames leapt up around the roll and when they died down, it was placed on the grill to toast on both sides. The sandwich was another simple one, just diced potatoes, a very bland chorizo, lettuce, tomato, etc. I had guessed before that they use slightly stale rolls for this since presumably they would absorb less of the sauce and toast up better and that was very apparent on this visit as the roll was very stale. The predominant taste was the potatoes and I was disappointed in the stale bread and bland chorizo but again I found this simple sandwich satisfying.


The girl working the truck by herself that day apparently had no idea what Chips Locos was and I left without it but returned a few days later just to try it as a snack. It turned out what I thought were pickled onions being added to the Fritos for the Chips Locos were actually pickled pig skins - cueritos. Along with some lime, that appears to be all there is to the dish; there are three salsas available in squeeze bottles at the truck but for this you are handed a bottle of Valentina Hot Sauce to add to your heart's content. I have since learned this dish seems to be more commonly made with Doritos rather than Fritos and is considered a Naca treat, as are Pambazos and especially the Pambazo Choripapas. Loosely translated, Naca means country bumpkin or 'trailer trash.'

They also offer a Tostada con cueritos.


On another visit I tried a Gordita and a taco. There is no listing of meats available but apparently all they have are 'beef, chicken and pork.' I got a beef gordita and a pork taco (the girl at the window confirmed this was al pastor).

The pork was very tender and flavorful although there was no evidence of pineapple. The meat in the gordita, however, was very gristly. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be fajita or guisado; it looked more like the latter. I've grown really fond of the looser texture of the tlacoyo as opposed to tortillas but I think I'll stick to the pork and chicken options here.

Besides the items I've tried there are burritos, platillos, quesadillas, tortas (Hawaiiana, Campechana, Cubano), tostadas de cameron and coktel de cameron, plus enchiladas con huilotes or con patitas de puerco en vinagre. It's not often you encounter quail on a Houston taco truck. Prices tend to be a little higher than most taco trucks; the al pastor taco was apparently $1.75.

The place has had customers every time I've been by, frequently several standing around waiting.

Tacos Plaza Garibali, DF

A taco trailer, W. Airport at Chimney Rock

I posted about Taqueria El Taco Regio a few months back in Quick Bites II, one of the better taco trailers I have encountered, parked at the intersection of W. Airport and Chimney Rock. Not long after that post I noticed this new, smaller trailer move in across W. Airport. I thought perhaps they were hoping to pick up some spill-over business from El Regio, which did a very good business. I was interested to see they not only persevered, they did a very good business themselves; in fact, several times there’s been a crowd at Garibaldi and no one at El Regio so I had to give them a try myself.


On my first visit I went for three tacos, cesina, fajita and pastor. These are small, Mexico City style tacos (4" tortillas) for $1 a piece; as at El Regio, you have the option of lettuce and tomato or onion and cilantro.


The wait was very lengthy although there was only one customer in line ahead of me. I stood back under the shade of a tree in a neighboring yard and couldn’t see anything of what was going on inside the tiny trailer. I got rather frustrated by the wait in the blistering heat but took heart from the regular sound of a spatula slapping against the grill - hopeful that meant my order was being prepared fresh instead of slapped together from ingredients in a warming pan. When I finally got my order I was very pleased.

The cesina, on the left, was undoubtedly the tastiest cesina taco I’ve encountered, juicy and with good beef flavor. The fajita taco, something I seldom order, was likewise very good. The quality of both meats was better than average. I could have wished for a bit more onion and cilantro (and hot sauce) but I was too pleased by the flavors to complain much. I was trying to decide whether I liked the cesina or fajita better but a taste of the al pastor put the question to rest - it was wonderfully flavorful, tender and juicy, quite possibly the best al pastor I’ve ever had, surpassing even the exemplary tacos at Jarro Café on N. Gessner. One of the pleasant surprises was the very flavorful, still slightly chilled bits of pineapple, tasting fresh rather than canned. Sometimes you can barely detect the flavor of pineapple on an al pastor taco and most of the time when pineapple is visible, the bits are quite small, but these were a generous size.

I knew right away I had to go back to try more from this little trailer.

They’re open for breakfast from 6 to 11 according to the sign on the side of the trailer although there is no separate breakfast menu listed. I remembered they offered a couple of platillos and on my second visit I tried the Platillo Alambres, D.F.


I’ve never had anything alambres before so can’t compare this to other dishes by that name but I was very pleased with this. It may look like just a big mess but it was very good. As best I could determine the plate included ham, cesina, salchicha, chorizo, queso, and onion. There was good caramelization of the meats but they were not overdone and dried out; there was a good balance of ingredients and I particularly appreciated that the onions were still crisp/tender, not completely wilted. It was very oily, however. This came with 8 small corn tortillas that were scorchingly hot and I suppose you could, or perhaps are supposed to, make tacos. The refritos were only so-so but I didn’t care.

While waiting for the platillo I had a good look at a Cubano Torta and it looked great, so on a third visit in less than a week, I was determined to try a torta at Garibaldi. The last Cubano I had tried had been a big disappointment so I decided to go for the Capitalina at the last minute. I’ve never had a Torta Capitalina before, although I’ve seen them on menus, and couldn’t remember exactly what it was. I had a vague idea it was something with cold cuts and lettuce and tomato, which sounded good on another brutally hot day, sort of a Mexican hoagie, but I was way off.


Nonetheless it was very good, another one of those over-stuffed Tortas that I have come to love. The Capitalina is a typical sandwich of Mexico City I think although the ingredients may vary. As best I could determine this one included cesina (thin beef steak), suadero (beef brisket), jamon (ham), chuleta (pork chop), salchicha (wiener), refritos, queso (a mild, yellowish melting cheese, possibly Jack), mayonesa and tomate on a toasted seasame seed telera roll. All the meats were in bite-sized pieces. It was pretty tasty but I'll probably try a different one next time. It was only $4 for the whole sandwich which measured 7" x 5.5" x 2.5".

Quick Bites II - South Side

I’ve been spending some time on the south side recently. There are some newer housing developments, including some gated apartment complexes, but much like 5th Ward and 3rd Ward, the area has been mercifully ignored by all but the most ubiquitous fast food chains. This leaves room for a good number of locally owned establishments, most of which are unknown outside of the area and unlisted on b4-u-eat.com. Along South Post Oak, for instance, there’s a line-up of Mexican restaurants and taquerias, Cajun places, U-Buy-We-Fry, plus panaderias, taquerias and pupuserias. There are also taco trucks, pupusa and pollo asado wagons and bbq trailers.

Tacos Don Beto DF, S. Post Oak @ Grapevine, in front of a defunct drive-in restaurant.

This one caught my eye with the word cesina on the side; I wheeled in to try it. It’s a somewhat-the-worse-for-wear small, former school bus parked in front of a tire repair shop (with a spiffy set of tires). The menu looks like it’s been hand-painted and altered several times and there were many items on the menu I didn’t recognize: under tortas, Hilangas and Jamacas. There were also picaditas, dobladas, tacos orientales, quemeves.


I tried a longaniza taco and one with the cesina. These are small, Mexico City style tacos (4" tortillas) and just a dollar each. The longaniza was excellent, a very generous amount with onions and cilantro. The cesina was a surprise - I thought this was a dried beef but the meat was moist, very thinly sliced. It was okay but not as good as the longaniza. Apparently cesina means something else in Mexico than Spain.

I tried to find the meaning of some of the unfamiliar terms online with only limited results. Apparently picaditas are like snack-sized chalupas; dobladas are tortillas folded over a filling, but how they differ from gringas (also on the menu) and piratas, which I’ve had elsewhere, I don’t know.

I inquired about the Hilangas torta on a second visit. The girl at the window speaks only a few words of English but the cook is pretty fluent; trouble is, he stays in the back of the bus and it’s hard to hear what he says. In response to my query I’m sure I heard the word iguana; in fact, I heard it twice, once in the sentence ‘do you want iguana?’ I thought immediately of an Anthony Bourdain episode on FoodTV where he was served an iguana stew in Mexico in which the animal was chopped up and added to the pot, scales and all. He pronounced it one of the worst dishes he’d ever tried to eat. I passed on the iguana.

But does a little truck like this actually have iguana? The cook clearly likes to joke with his customers and finishes off his creations with a flair, a la Emeril. Maybe he was just putting me on. I still have no idea what jamacas is - another word for ham?

I settled for a Cubana torta but it was not very good, with a very soft bun and only pork and a frankfurter for meats, no ham. I also ordered a taco orientale. This is supposed to have vegetables like calabacita on it, I think, but what I got apparently was a fajita taco. This was probably a problem with the non-English speaking girl at the window.

The place does a good business.

Taqueria El Taco Regio, West Airport at Chimney Rock, just north of South Main Street

UPDATE: I spotted a taqueria - brick and mortar variety - right next to Tornado Burger in Stafford by the same name but whether it's related to the wagon I don't know.

Update II: The taqueria in Stafford has a much larger but very similar menu. I had the Hamburguesa Regia which I believe was estilo Monterrey, i.e., not a pure beef patty.

I pulled in to this one when I saw the word pierna on the side which should be leg meat either of lamb or pork, I think, but they didn’t have it. The place was staffed with 4 people - I don’t think I’ve ever seen a taco trailer with that many hands - and was spic and span. There are windows on both sides and I liked the fact that the food is prepared right in front of you, in full view.


I got a barbacoa taco, opting for flour tortilla. I nodded when asked ‘everything on it.’ At this place, this means lettuce, tomato, onion and only a small amount of cilantro. The barbacoa was excellent, among the best I’ve ever had, and a very generous amount for only $1.50 ($1.25 with corn tortillas). The salsas were also excellent but I really wished it had a lot more cilantro on it and I could do without the lettuce and tomato.

On a second visit they also couldn’t serve pierna so I’m concluding they don’t have it anymore. I tried a lengua taco, again with flour, and just onions and cilantro. The pieces of lengua were large, much larger than I’ve seen before on a taco, and as good as any I’ve ever had at Tacambero behind Canino’s, very moist, some pieces with a little pink in the center, and very flavorful. Most places I’ve had lengua, it’s chopped up in 1/2" dice or smaller.

This is really a good taco wagon albeit with a rather limited menu. It has the neighborhood all to itself; not only are there no other taco trucks anywhere around, the neighborhood is pretty much devoid of any brick and mortar restaurants.

Two Brothers Smokin’ Oak Kitchen - Hiram Clarke, ½ mile south of S. Main, by a 66 station
This trailer has relocated to Willowbend @ Craighead, just west of Stella Link.
 
I first came across Cyd and Charles Wilson’s bbq wagon some years ago when they had a spot on Ennis at Cleburne, just off the TSU campus. I was headed to Henderson’s but it was closed that day and I wheeled in when I smelled the smoke. I had a very good sliced brisket sandwich, very tender, smoky meat and a thin, slightly peppery sauce. On another visit, I wanted to try the ribs but they had neither that nor brisket ready so I settled for a chili pie. While I was eating that on the hood of the car, one of the brothers brought out a sample of their home-made sausage, an East Texas style made with finely ground beef, red pepper, salt and just the smoke - that style of sausage usually doesn’t impress me compared to the great sausages of Texas but it was unquestionably the best of that style I had ever had and I liked it.

Then the trailer disappeared. I kept hoping I would find them somewhere else in 3rd Ward or maybe down in Sunnyside, but never came across them. But on one of my treks through the neighborhoods off South Main, I spotted them. Serendipity. I had one of their links, about 10 oz. by weight, and very good. It was all they had ready.


On a second visit I was able to get a brisket and rib plate, my first chance to sample their ribs, and this was very good; oak is my favorite wood for smoking and this had lots of good smoke flavor, was tender, had a good smoke ring, etc. It was served sauce-on but I don’t think they’d have any problem withholding the sauce if you prefer. The ribs tips were split off but included in the plate and awesome eating. They do sell a tip plate; my plate was $12.99 including a coke (package price).

The potato salad was probably institutional but not bad. The red beans and rice were probably home made and kind of bland, but a nice alternative to plain old pintos and just needed a little added hot sauce.

This is some awfully good Q for a wagon.

They’re open Tuesday thru Saturday from about 11am to about 7pm, sometimes later if they have Q left to sell. There does seem to be a problem of not having things ready until early afternoon. Besides the chili pie they have boudin, home-made cake and a few other items

Quick Bites

Hoang Banh Mi, 3509 Elgin @ Scott

I was tooling down Elgin and spotted the sign and thought to myself ‘Wasn’t that the name of the great banh mi shop inside the decrepit Hoa Binh mall on Milam?’ (also known as the Original Givrals). I pulled in for a quick banh mi thinking I might have made a big discovery. The Thit Nuong ($2.35) was smaller than I remembered but with more of the tasty grilled pork, or maybe it was just a relative thing. The baguette was very well toasted, a little over-done, but very good. I was in a hurry and got it to go but wish I’d gotten a little sriracha. The sign says Hoang Banh Mi, the business card says University Café with ‘Hoang Sandwich’ stamped on the back. On b4-u-eat it’s listed as Givral’s Vietnamese Bistro. Aha! So it is the same place and it turns out they’ve been open there for a couple of years - I just never knew it. I’ve had some great banh mi and beef noodle soup at the old place in the past and I’m glad to know where they are.

The Nickel Sandwich Shop, 5601 Lyons, just east of Lockwood

I’ve been intrigued by the Nickel, the old nickname for 5th ward where Burt's Cajun Meat Market is located, one of my favorite eateries. The old neighborhood is long past it’s prime and has been passed by (mercifully) by the chains except for a few of the fast food places. I’ve wondered if there are some more gastronic finds to be made amongst all the small, locally owned eateries, so when I saw the signs for fried chicken in the parking lot of this sandwich shop, I pulled in. It turned out they only do wings and breast strips and I’m not interested in them in my ongoing Chicken Fried Odyssey so I opted for a catfish po’boy.


It was on a store-bought multi-grain roll that was unremarkable but the sandwich was pretty good otherwise, so hot out of the fryer it burned the roof of my mouth. The fries were over-cooked and grease-sodden. Another customer told me the Trout Sandwich is good, too, and they also have flounder, plus barbecue (smelled good but I didn’t see any) and the special of the day was a Cajun Smoked Burger which I just may have to go back to try.

El Penjamo, 6110 Lyons, near Kress

I’ve developed an interest in exploring the regional variations in Mexican cuisine and when I found out the name of this restaurant seems to refer to a municipality in Guanajato I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve noticed the crowded parking lot during the lunch hour before when I’ve been to Burt’s just down the street. The restaurant is quite small and I saw no regional specialities of Guanajato on the menu that I recognized so I decided to try the Carnitas al Penjamo (they also have Carnitas Rancheras). The chips were fresh and oily with a fiery salsa verde and a very creamy one. The dish was delivered looking like a pile of fajitas and so sizzling hot the refritos were still bubbling but it was nothing like any carnitas I’ve ever had before and would have been more appropriately named Smothered Pork Chops al Penjamo style. Maybe that’s the way they do carnitas in Guanajato? It was good, just not what I was looking for. The sides - refritos, rice, guacamole, pico - were all good but were very small portions compared to the entree.

I did see Machacado (al la Mexicana, con Huevo and a Burrito) on the breakfast menu and the waitress said breakfast was available all day so I may go back to try that. Machacado (dried beef) is originally from Nuevo Leon, I think. Both waitresses spoke Spanish as a first language but both were very fluent in English.

Taqueria Mi Lindo Huetamo, taco truck on Hillcroft, 2 blocks south of Bellaire

Robb Walsh wrote this up on his taco truck blog last year and I’ve stopped by a couple of times. They were open New Year’s Day and I got an al pastor torta with their unusual marinated radish and onion salad. It was very good; the bolillo was soft and a bit spongy and only minimally toasted, the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender and tasty, and there was close to a cup of creamy avocado in there. I prefer the bread crustier but this place is a real winner.



Taqueria Oaxaca - taco trailer squeezed into an already cramped parking lot in front of Variedades Puebla at 1833 Richmond, near Woodhead

In line with my interest in regional Mexican fared I checked this out. On the first visit I had a taste for a burrito.


It was huge, with rice, pork (tough), refritos, lettuce, tomato, avocado, queso, crema and a very good salsa verde and a lime wedge. A whole meal for $4, but burritos are probably not a regional specialty of Oaxaca. The menu on the side of the trailer lists enchiladas, huaraches, gorditas - I couldn’t wait to go back and try an enchilada and visions of a choice of moles danced in my head but, alas, they don’t do enchiladas, or huaraches, so I settled for a gordita with beef. It was very good, the best gordita I’ve had in a long time, but, again, not a regional specialty. I think the name on the trailer must have been from a previous owner. Almost no English was spoken by the senorita. The food was okay both times (the beef on the gordito was better than the pork in the burrito) but parking is a real drawback.

Cruising for Street Food: Bissonnet

Bissonnet - Chimney Rock to Synott

Taqueria Tampico Hermosa - @ Fondren (see Torta de la Barda on my blog; not the best example of this sandwich)

Garcia’s - just down and across from Sharpstown Hi - REPORTED ON PREVIOUSLY ON THIS BLOG BUT THIS UNIT IS SOMETIMES MISSING FOR WEEKS IN A ROW.

Mi Bonito Michoacan - between Gessner and S. Braeswood in front of a convenience store - looks like a twin to Laoxaqueno on Harwin but with a menu on the side. This one caught my eye because it lists enchiladas con guilotes and flautas con pollo - quail on a taco trailer? That’s unique. On the first visit I saw another menu that just lists enchiladas o flautas con pollo so maybe there’s no quail? The plates are $10 so I decided to spring for a couple of tacos on my first visit. The al pastor was very flavorful and juicy, relatively large chunks of tender meat, a little fatty and quite greasy - it was excellent although there was no hint of pineapple. The barbacoa was very bland by comparison; also comparatively larger pieces of meat and somewhat fatty. They were served on flour tortillas with lettuce and tomato - I wasn’t asked my preferences for either. The barbacoa had some peppers in it but no salsas accompanied the tacos. Another customer lauded the enchiladas and also the quesadillas, which are $5.

Taqueria La Tacasita - a big bus 1 block w. of BW 8 - been there for a long time, sometimes parked but not open for days or even weeks at a time. I went once; it was pretty Americanized fare. When open it does a good business.

Taqueria Mi Linda Huetamo # 1 - between Wilcrest and Kirkwood, sometimes not there, sometimes very busy; I’ve never stopped but I do think this is not the same owner as the excellent truck with the same name but # 2 on Hillcroft

Taqueria y Pupuseria El Invasor - 11916 Bissonnet. A new addition. (Reviewed on this blog).

Taqueria Vallarta - 12300 block just before Dairy Ashford In front of Carniceria La Michoacan # 28 - I went several times a couple of years ago attracted by the sign on the side proclaiming en estilo Tlaquepaque (an arts and crafts district in Guadalajara) which means the salsa has broth from the stewing pot added to it. I got tacos that had a combo of barbacoa and lengua but came without onions or cilantro (got it to go and didn’t realize it until I got home - I hadn't been asked if I wanted them). This is where I discovered Piratas and Gringas and they were excellent. NOTE: I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DRENCH THE TACOS WITH THE SAUCE INSTEAD OF USING JUST A SMALL AMOUNT AND THESE ARE TYPICALLY SERVED WITHOUT ONIONS AND CILANTRO.


A gringa (on the left in the picture) is a thick flour tortilla folded over a filling of al pastor meat, avocado and queso then toasted on a grill like a quesadilla; a pirata is the same with fajita meat. At least that’s what the names means here. I’ve tried gringas at several other places (they aren’t as common as tacos, tortas, quesadillos or burritos) and never had better. This place does a good business. NOTE THIS TRUCK HAS DISAPPEARED AND IN ITS PLACE A BUS AND TRUCK LABELED TAQUERIA VALLEJO, USUALLY ONLY THE BUS IS OPEN. THE MENU IS SIMILAR TO VALLARTA PLUS POLLO ASADO AND IT’S DOING A GOOD BUSINESS. THERE IS ALSO A TAQUERIA VALLEJO UNIT RIGHT ACROSS FROM SHARPSTOWN HIGH WHICH WILL BE REPORTED ON SEPARATEDLY ON THIS BLOG

Taqueria Yolis - across the street from Vallarta/Vallejo, The sign proclaims Super Tacos but I didn't inquire what that means. There for a couple of months then disappeared but has recently reappeared. I tried a gringa and a pirata here about 6 months ago. They weren’t bad but not as good as Vallarta across the street. A specialty is the Torta Norteno which I haven’t tried but probably gives a hint as to the regional emphasis of the food. I was told it includes both al pastor and fajita among other things. The tortillas were store bought and not very good.

THIS POST LAST UPDATED 6/10/10.
Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has proved to be impossible to keep them updated.

Cruising for Street Food: South side

I spend some time on the south side occasionally, around South Post Oak, Hiram Clarke, West Orem and West Fuqua, as well as passing through the area occasionally. It's an interesting area; most of the brick and mortar restaurants are not listed on b4-u-eat and there are sure to be some neighborhood gems. I've noted many mobil units, especially along S. Post Oak where I've seen as many as 9 on one trip, and stopped at several. Many stay only a short time, others have been there for as long as I've been passing through the area. One reason possibly is the presence of a commissary just north of W. Orem on S. Post Oak, one of the places where the units have to go for cleaning and restocking. This is a list of the most recent inventory that I've observed.

S. Post Oak, Loop 610 to Hwy 6 (everything below S. Main)

Taqueria Don Felix @ Allum - this one may not be operational

Tacos and Burritos To Go @ Brookstone - never seen this one before

Pupuceria Ramirez - just north of W. Orem; I've reported on this one in Quick Bites IV. Recently it has not been open when I've been down that way. UPDATE: Missing for several months, this one has been replaced by a trailer (perhaps the same one re-painted) named Pupusas y Tacos La Benedicion.

Taqueria Ayala Pollo Asado and Esparza Pollo Asado - dueling pollo asado wagons across from each other at W. Orem and S. Post Oak. I've stopped at both and wasn't very impressed. The aroma from Esparza often wafts across the intersection and is very enticing but I found the chicken to have an unpleasant metallic taste.

Sometimes there is also a bbq wagon on this corner - Jus Smokin’

There is a no-name Taco & Pupusa truck @ Heatherbrook. I’ve been down this way frequently in the last year and there is almost always a unit at this location in front of Variedades Sinai Pupuseria but they have changed several times.

Tacos Don Beto DF - @ Grapevine; this was reported on also on this blog on Quick Bites II at another location.

Taqueria Tacoocho - @ a Conoco station @ BW 8, reported on on this blog.


Taqueria Salmanca - BW 8 @ S. Post Oak, across Post Oak from Tacoocho, mentioned in the report on Tacoocho. I tried just one item, a taco de mollejas.


At West Orem @ Hiram Clarke is a unit with the intriguing name Taqueria Los Mangos de la India Bonito. I've seen it there for a long time but it seldom is doing any business. Despite the exotic name (India in Spanish should refer to the West or East Indies, not India the country) there is nothing on the menu that is out of the ordinary for a taco truck.

W. Fuqua @ Hiram Clarke - Taqueria D’Molkas - appears to be a brand new unit with a ‘grand opening’ sign by the street; on the menu are adobado and deshebrada.

W. Orem @ Monrad, 1 blk e. of Hiram Clarke - Chilangos - reported on on this blog.


Note: Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has proved to be impossible to keep them up to date.