i are what i eat: a food blog - The Taco Truck - Mobile Mexican Comes to Hoboken

16th November 2009

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The Taco Truck - Mobile Mexican Comes to Hoboken

On most nights, Pete and I will walk home together after work from the PATH to our apartments in Southwest Hoboken. On one chilly evening, we caught a glimpse of an orange truck driving towards the riverfront, with “Tacos Straight From the Truck” written in bright white lettering on the side. Sadly, it drove so fast that I wasn’t able a chance to catch the name. My Sherlock-esque detective skills kicked into gear. 1) the vehicle appeared to be large, almost truck-like; 2) according to their marquee, they specialized in the Mexican dish known as tacos. After several nights of grueling deductions (and a minor hint from a Twitter-friend), the identity of the mystery mobile eatery was clear: The Taco Truck. And believe you me: all the sleuthing paid off in delicious taco-y goodness.

Ordering Window

One night, I made it a point to stop by the truck to see what it was all about. Finally, Hoboken had a gourmet food truck to call its very own, and I was excited and proud to say I’ve been there. Although, it isn’t exactly a new fixture, being that The Taco Truck has been featured on Channel 7 Eyewitness News, and has been serving both the Mile Square City and Jersey City for several months now.

There’s several things you’ll notice right off the bat. For one thing, the truck is HUGE, and with only two people manning the grills and register inside, the space looks to rival some traditional indoor kitchens. Another is the television screen mounted on the side of the truck, which flips through the various menu items that they offer. However, upon walking up to the truck, the guy inside handed me a laminated menu, which I thought was an excellent touch of customer service.

Up first was the carnitas michoacan taco, with chunks of tender pork, onions, and cilantro, wrapped in a double-torilla with a fresh wedge of lime to squeeze on top. The meat had a nice sweetness to it, and just super soft from the slow braising it went through. Onions and cilantro were exploding flavor crystals, both finely chopped and aptly spread throughout the taco.

Carnitas

I topped this off with two salsas: the roasted red - roasted tomatoes and jalapenos - , and habanero - red dry chilis and roasted garlic. If you like heat on your taco, I’d recommend pouring this duo on. The chile combo had a slow, gradual kick of spice which kept my lips and tongue tingling. The garlic pieces were small, but certainly noticeable, and added a great accent to the flavors.

Pescado

Next up - a fish taco called pescado. Served on a single six inch torilla, it features crispy fried fish chunks, pico de gallo, and a tangy Mexican tartar sauce. The menu advertised a “Mexican slaw” which simply looked like chopped red cabbage. I liked the use of the uncooked onions, tomatoes, and chiles in pico de gallo, which really added a freshness to the dish.

Pescado

The fish, naturally, was the center piece of the taco, the breading offering a crisp outer shell, giving way to soft, flakey fish. The two flavors balanced each other well, starting off with a fried, subtly salty taste (in a good, “Mom’s fried chicken” sense), with a smooth, almost buttery finish. Initially, I asked for the habanero salsa on this as well, but the chef insisted that the tartar sauce and pico de gallo would suffice. And he was right! Shortly after devouring this taco, I needed to pour myself a glass of milk. The heat was present from first bite until last, and I enjoyed every spicy minute of it.

Sam’s not big on the swing (although this week I plan on making her favorite exception: salt and pepper pork chops), so she opted for the pollo asada chicken. Grilled dark meat chicken with strips of poblano peppers, topped with roasted red salsa. The chicken was juicy, and had a subtle smokey flavor to it.

And last, but certainly not least, what Mexi-meal is complete without chips and guac. The chips are freshly made, with a hint of lime squeezed on top. There was a generous amount of salt on top, which on it’s own was a little too much for me, but certainly mixed in just right with the chunky guacamole. Smooth, with sizeable pieces of avocado, and a great taste to end the meal.

Tagged: dinner the taco truck carnitas pollo chicken pork hoboken