Fortunately this is not a food review but a rather weird observement. Since I've bought a condo in Midtown, I occasionally drive down the old 10th street cooridor between downtown and I-44. Every weekend and some weeknights there are what I call "Taco Vans" on the corner of NW 10th and Penn and another one in the Whittaker's parking lot on 10th and May. They are big vans (similar UPS style trucks) selling taco's out of a window in the back of the truck. Weird!

Actually Metro, in a moment of cerveza induced decision making,I stopped at one. YUM! They have little carne asada tacos that are similar to the Taco Perico that used to be on NW 16th and Meridian. VERY authentic and yummy.

Escan, did you stop at one of these on nw 10th?

Well, they used to e on 15th and May, but had to leave(I'm assuming because they didn't have a health department certification), but I think it's the same one that's in that scary Whittaker's lot.

Escan, were you drinking and driving?!

Now tell the truth....

Nope....husband was giving me a lift and I said, "Stop! Let's try that!" He declined (proof of sobriety) until I had eaten one and pronounced them wonderful!

ugh. maybe the beer helped kill off some of the bacteria? maybe the food tastes good, but i'm not sure that i'm brave enough to try! -M

Oh come on mmmm....where do you eat on vacation? I've eaten all thru the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico....maybe everyone is just more adventurous on vacation??? I've seen the kitchens in some restaurants that people here eat in all of the time...ick! :)

Fortunately this is not a food review but a rather weird observement. Since I've bought a condo in Midtown, I occasionally drive down the old 10th street cooridor between downtown and I-44. Every weekend and some weeknights there are what I call "Taco Vans" on the corner of NW 10th and Penn and another one in the Whittaker's parking lot on 10th and May. They are big vans (similar UPS style trucks) selling taco's out of a window in the back of the truck. Weird!

Have you ever heard of a "Roach Coach?" Same thing.

I would (and have!) risk my life for a real Mexico-style taco. I know those trucks give the Health Department fits but I'm not afraid!!

Speaking of which, I visited the Buy for Less Mexican Deli on 36th & Mac that was written up in the Saturday Oklahoman. If you like real Mexican food, this is a great place to get it to take home. Tamales everyday, that awesome, greasy pulled brisket for real tacos and daily specials such as chili rellenos and mole. The little Mexican ladies there cook it all! It rules! also a real Mexican bakery!

Escan, I have a secret mexi joint, email me sometime!

ksearls, I'll have to check out the Buy For Less sometime. I'm not afraid to try stuff like that and I trust your judgement.

I would (and have!) risk my life for a real Mexico-style taco. I know those trucks give the Health Department fits but I'm not afraid!!

Speaking of which, I visited the Buy for Less Mexican Deli on 36th & Mac that was written up in the Saturday Oklahoman. If you like real Mexican food, this is a great place to get it to take home. Tamales everyday, that awesome, greasy pulled brisket for real tacos and daily specials such as chili rellenos and mole. The little Mexican ladies there cook it all! It rules! also a real Mexican bakery!

Escan, I have a secret mexi joint, email me sometime!

Whats the secret mexi joint?!!? Tell all!! :) I have one too

Eataroundokc.com, I'd like you to do a "Shady Restaurant Review of the Month" on one of the taco vans that appear around the city, usually at night and on weekends. There are several along NW 10th between May and Penn.

On weekends there are dozens of those taco vans on SW 29 between Penn and May.

They are big vans (similar UPS style trucks) selling taco's out of a window in the back of the truck. Weird![/QUOTE]

Not weird at all. These "Taco Trucks" have become a fixture in many U.S. cities like Austin, San Antonio, San Diego, Portland and Raliegh, NC. Gourmet Magazine featured these cities and more in a huge report about 6 months ago. Some of the trucks are very primitive and beat-up, while the others are top of the line, big-time Taco Trailers.

I have been to the one on NW 10th that you speak of...worth the stop. I always get the Barbacoa Taco or Pastor (braised pork). My wife isn't a big fan, same reason the health dept. isn't, but I hit the brakes almost every time I see one of these in the city.

I have been to the one off Britton several times (about a year ago) (kind of across from the old del rancho that is closed).
I think they only sell tacos and burritos. They are very cheap, small but very good. You can deal with them, one time I just said here is $10 and they gave me a ton of food!

I don’t know if they are legal (not the people the business) because I doubt the health department inspects them, but I don’t know.

They also had little cups of green hot sauce to pour on it…

As far as I can tell the only difference in the taco and burrito is one has cheese and the other doesn’t. They are just meat (maybe mixed with grilled peppers and onions) but no lettuce or stuff like that.

I would love it if they would set up in NW OKC. We used to have these "vendors" in San Diego. Good thing about them is they are authentic and inexpensive. As far as health concerns...I can't count all the times I have gotten sick at a Taco Bell.

Any tamale vans? There are women who go around selling those, but I haven't seen them lately. They are the best tamales I've ever tasted.

betts...I lucked out there...we have two ladies in our apartment complex that make theeeeeee BEST tamales. And I can tell ya friend, they are gonna taste good while we are watching the game tonight!

Any tamale vans? There are women who go around selling those, but I haven't seen them lately. They are the best tamales I've ever tasted.

The Roach Coaches are very good authentic mexi food. I have lived all over Mexico and have eaten in some places that look horrible, but taste great. I do the wagons around 16th and May. Never had a problem.

Tamales: There is a lady from the neighborhood that makes and sells great pork tamales and she is usually in front of Whittakers. Try them out. I was a sack boy at Whittakers in the early 70's, Brings back memories.

Also, the Shamrock gas station at NW 50 th and Portland sells burritos bigger than your head for $1.99. They are really good. Try that one also.

Quick tip: if they have lime wedges, pour them on the meat and it kills any bacteria that could be present. This is a tip from my Mexico travels.

Mexican Roach Coach??? I'll stick to BoBo's Chicken.

whoa there... bad advice. sprinkling lime juice on food isn't going to kill any significant amount of bacteria.

-M

Have you ever heard of a "Roach Coach?" Same thing.



Is this because they only vendor at night?????? :biggrin:

Mexican Roach Coach??? I'll stick to BoBo's Chicken.

where is Bobo's? I have heard several people mention this place

Why is it weird, metro??

It's no different than Bobo's Chicken. There's one of these usually at 16th and Drexel or 16th and May called Taco Sebilla.

I haven't eaten at one, but I think it's really cool and urban.

bobo's is on 23rd, on the east side.

The ones on SW 29th are superb. There's one usually on the corner of portland and 23rd that's great too. You can't go wrong at these things. Love em.

where is Bobo's? I have heard several people mention this place

He is located at 23rd and Missouri, just a block west of 23rd and MLK.

I like the one by the Carpet outlet with the crazy little light they put out on the curb. Ok, I should clarify - I like the little light.

I live on 12th and Villa and drive past most nights. I have been tempted to try all three that I have seen.

Glad to know others are thinking the same way.

The one in the 16th and May vicinity has a strobe light. Some day they are going to kill some poor epileptic driving by.

they are moving North and West. . . YEA!! There is one on the NW side of the intersection at 23rd and Ann Arbor that is great. Food permit displayed up front. . .tacos for 99 cents, burritos and tortas for $4.00. I had a torta last night and it was oh so tasty!!

White people sometimes say the funniest things.

lest you misunderstand. . .I grew up in El Paso. . .ate lots of street food. . .I'm just glad to have the "real stuff" in my area

SweetNSour people say the darnedest things...

what exactly is a torta? I have yet to order one. I have got good tacos out of the van at NW 10th and May in the Whitaker's parking lot. Recently another smaller, more run down looking van started parking in this parking lot as well. I wonder if we'll see some taco wars. I still wonder how these places stay in business. They probably spend more in overhead and gas to run the generators than they make it seems. Rarely do I ever see anyone at them if so just one or two people.

While I normally associate a torta with a potato type "pie", at this particular stand, it's a thickish flat bread (similar to fry bread) filled with meat (I had chicken), beans, avacado, cilantro, onion, et cet. It's about 6 - 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. This place seems to have a pretty steady stream of customers when I've been there. . .usually 2 - 3 at the window, and 2 - 3 more when I leave.

Hey foodie...

Are those things also called 'pitas'??

I'm in Panama right now and have grown very fond of them. Highly delicious.

Hope they have more in Nicaragua.

Frequented the Taco Van in the grocery store parking lot on NW 10th across from the fairgrounds again this weekend. Good stuff. I highly recommend the carne asada tacos!

I think a torta is usually a sandwich. At least in Mexico it is. Yum, tacos.

Frequented the Taco Van in the grocery store parking lot on NW 10th across from the fairgrounds again this weekend. Good stuff. I highly recommend the carne asada tacos!
A friend and I usually hit up one of the neighborhood vans on our bicycle rides. That one is my fave by far. The pork burrito's & tacos are some serious business!

These "Taco Trucks" have become a fixture in many U.S. cities like Austin, San Antonio, San Diego, Portland and Raliegh, NC. Gourmet Magazine featured these cities and more in a huge report about 6 months ago. Some of the trucks are very primitive and beat-up, while the others are top of the line, big-time Taco Trailers.

I have been to the one on NW 10th that you speak of...worth the stop. I always get the Barbacoa Taco or Pastor (braised pork). My wife isn't a big fan, same reason the health dept. isn't, but I hit the brakes almost every time I see one of these in the city.[/QUOTE]
We had them all over South Austin when I moved down here in 2003, most have moved somewhere else I guess but many of them have opened up permanent locations, many where they used to park in some old 7-11's, Short Stop's and places like that. We do have a couple of areas where all sorts of trailers have setup like on South Congress with all sorts of foods. Food TV's Bobby Flay had a "Throwdown" episode with one of the crepe trailers here.

I stopped by a taco van tonight, and it is really good. I'll definately be going back. Its on NW 11th and Penn. Taqueria Rafita's is the name. I got 3 taco's, 1 w/ asada steak, 2 w/ fajita chicken. Priced at $1, they are worth it. I usually am not to big on corn tortillas, but they were easy to overlook when the toppings were falling out of them. I also got a fajita chicken burrito, and for $3 I'd call it one of the best food bargains I've ever had.

Now I'm anxious to try some of the others.

White people sometimes say the funniest things.


Fail

Reading all of this is making me so hungry. And im still full from gorging at chuck house not long ago

Sorry. I just like reading assumptions that these places MUST BE dirty because...you know...Mexicans run them or something.

A little inside info.....the health department does inspect these and they get better ratings than some of the redneck sacred hangouts...like...oh....Del Rancho and Van's BBQ. Not to name names.

Sorry. I just like reading assumptions that these places MUST BE dirty because...you know...Mexicans run them or something.

A little inside info.....the health department does inspect these and they get better ratings than some of the redneck sacred hangouts...like...oh....Del Rancho and Van's BBQ. Not to name names.

i thought your original post was funny.

i have to admit, however, when i drove up to my first taco truck a few years ago, i didn't know what to expect. the outside of the truck was beaten up and a bit rusty and signs were made by hand.

i looked inside before i ordered and was very happy to see how clean it was. i've been in the food service industry for some time, so i have an idea of what to look for. i've been hooked ever since.

the food is great. so much better than fast food "mexican".

no worries.

but yea i can see how ppl would assume they are dirty, but if you really think about it, can't be worse than the local mcdonalds or taco bell, or long john silvers. some of those places are filth

. . . probably cleaner, since customers can't get inside to mess up the place (not, of course, that any of US would do that!!)

you are probably right haha

There are LOADS of them all over inner city OKC. Most of them have fantastic food, and you will see variations in style from one to another. The one in the Whittakers parking lot on 10th and May is superb and has some of the best flavor around. The truck on 16th and Drexel (in the parking lot of El Mariachi) is my standby with great service and wonderful carne asada. I saw a truck that I believe to be Argentine on 16th and Classen (in the wheel shop parking lot) the other week, I have been dying to find out what that one is like. Me, my wife, and our friends eat at one of the trucks at least once a week. The health issue is really non existent, they are licensed by the City, and are running a business that they take quite seriously. The food is good enough for their family, so, I would say it's good enough for me. In all actuality it IS probably cleaner than a standard fast food place, and the food is WAY more fresh and probably healthier as well.

EBAH, I've been wondering about the new El Argentine truck that's been on 16th and Classen for a few weeks now, I'm wondering if it has a Argentinian flair to it, if anyone has tried it, please post a review!

I've seen those vans around and wondered if they were any good.... I'll have to give them a try now :)

the one @ 16th & drexel is good and not a truck in the plaza district 16th and e. of gatewood sw corner that place is good as well...

Yeah metro I'll be eating there when the stars finally align. Some of the best dining I've ever had has been at argentine restaurants. Especially a particular argentine pizzaria on nyc's upper east side.

Brings back memories. I grew up on roach coach food. They were a common sight in Los Angeles around the factories. They would come rolling in to the parking lot and blast their horn and we would all run out there and get some good burritos.

And the little carts with the tamales were good also.

EBAH, I've been wondering about the new El Argentine truck that's been on 16th and Classen for a few weeks now, I'm wondering if it has a Argentinian flair to it, if anyone has tried it, please post a review!

I had it tonight, and it was okay. I had a 2 tacos, a beef and a chicken which were kind of dry. I also had a chicken burrito which was pretty good. There is a kind of unidentified spice I could taste, curry perhaps, but really not much difference from the other taco vans. This one is open from 7-Midnight everyday except Wed.

I'll be going back to try an empanada, but I'll rarely visit this one, as the taste and quality are below the other taco van I've tried. The prices are higher here too. $1.50 - Taco, $4 - Burrito...versus the $1 and $3 at the van on 11th and Penn which I prefer. The service was nice though.

Anybody know what happened to the van (Altorron?) that used to park in the Whittakers parking lot at 10th & May?