I just got home from SXSW last night but sunday morning I woke up feeling like death. I had to battle though because Sabbath In The Park was going down. Breakfast tacos were the best way to get some strength so we stopped at the Torchy’s Tacos truck on South First in Austin for some. I decided I wanted an only bacon taco and that’s what I got. It was simple and honestly at the time my brain could not function ordering anything more complicated that a tortilla with bacon on it. Although it was kind of dry so I had to get some salsa action going. All in all it was pretty good and I was able to salvage what bit of life I had left. The other taco’s I got were good too. I hollered at a jalapeno sausage and cheese taco and a chorizo and green chilies. If you’re ever in Austin holler at those dudes because they get approved.
March 18, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I haven’t been to Austin in YEARS…alot of years….but my friend took me to Baby A’s for purple margaritas - made with everclear…whoooo whhheeee…
(don’t ask me how their food was) and I don’t know what happened after that….
March 20, 2008 at 10:37 am
As a former Austinite, I see a few things wrong with this taco purveyor. First off, I’m sure Torchy’s is good, I’ve never had them, but food served out of a truck, at least in Austin, generally is. BUT, your taco-truck has a web site. One, demerit. Taco trailers are not supposed to have web sites. The sign should be hand drawn and the menu should be full of misspellings and omissions, well at least the one in English. The real menu, which is in Spanish, and actually lists the ingredients that gringos are afraid of, should be fine. Also, on their web site, they say how it is owned by a chef. Two, demerits. Taco’s out of a trailer, are street food. NOT gourmet. Ever. It’s great that they use natural and healthy ingredients, but it is not authentic street food. If it doesn’t feel like you are risking your health, it’s not authentic. In reality most of the trailers and trucks are cleaner than most restaurants, but it should feel otherwise. The truth is it’s hard to not find a good taco in Austin. They are everywhere, but next time you are in town, I have two places to recommend. The first one is not a trailer, but deserves everyone’s business:
Tamale House #3. Airport Blvd and 51st. While not a trailer, it is an Austin institution. There will often be a line out the door on weekend mornings. Go here for breakfast tacos. Their tacos are cheap, and the migas are good. They don’t have AC so in the summer it’s a little toasty, but that’s how they keep the tacos cheap. Under a buck for many. Oh, go before 3pm because that’s when they close, and they aren’t open on Sunday.
Taqueria la Canaria. Half a block north of Tamale House at 51st and Airport Blvd. It’s a little yellow trailer, right next to the quicky mart. They make the best tacos I’ve had outside the Saltillo, MX. Period. Get the corn tortillas. The reason most of us gringos don’t like corn tortillas, is that we’ve never had good ones. You order your taco’s, they make your tortilla right then. Their barbocoa is the best thing you will EVER have. It melts in your mouth. Get it with onion and cilantro. Add a little salsa and you’ve got heaven. The lengua is also pretty amazing (yes, tounge, but then barbacoa is beef cheek…
They don’t speak a whole lot of English, and most of the other customers are Mexican workers, but that’s how it should be. They make menudo also, which is a wonderful hangover cure. I can’t recommend this place enough. Best. Tacos. Ever.
March 20, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Jefe- thanks for the heads up
b/w
Serg gets -1 demerit for being a boss and eating a bacon taco.
March 20, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I don’t know about a demerit for the bacon taco. In concept that sounds like a mighty fine idea. I sure do like bacon, and it is from the special magical animal… Shouldn’t a boss lead by example?….
March 20, 2008 at 4:59 pm
naw, negative 1 demerit. So it ends up being a merit. Fuck, I’m going to stop typing now.
March 20, 2008 at 5:41 pm
gotcha! I agree.
March 26, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I haven’t been to tamale house in years. I was trying to make a return trip this year but couldn’t make it. I hit some taco truck off riverside at 3am but the lady decided that instead of two quesadillas I should get two tacos. Whatever I was drunk but they were good.
Back in 99 there use to be a taco stand on riverside that had a police light on the roof, that place was the hook up.
I eat at a lot of taco trucks, and by far torchy’s is the cleanest one I’ve come across. Yeah it’s not authentic on some cutty shit but it’s still good. I’ll eat at any truck though, fuck I use to buy torta’s and tacos out of the truck of an 88 Berretta on the southside of Phoenix.