If you ever have a free afternoon, an empty stomach and a craving for authentic Mexican food, I highly suggest you grab some friends and take a drive down Golden State Boulevard to sample the taco trucks. The group might not agree on which is the best, but you’ll all fill up trying to find out and it beats just going to the local taqueria for lunch.
The resounding local favorites include a truck parked at the corner of East Avenue and Center Street and one parked at East Avenue and Golden State Boulevard. But as the taco trucks range from East Avenue to Monte Vista Avenue, I had the opportunity to try a few others on the way.
The first two trucks I couldn’t ignore – they are parked perpendicular to one another in the same parking lot at the corner of Golden State and Divanian.
The crowd seemed to circulate more around El Taco Alegre, but I tried both of them just to be sure. They were decent, but nothing I would venture out of Main Dining for. The chicken was diced and neither came with cilantro, which seemed odd to me. The chile was mild so for anyone who doesn’t have a high tolerance for spice, these would be an alternative – but as a jalapeño lover I was happy to move on.
The next truck, parked at Golden State and Almond, was cheaper than the other two: $4 for a regular burrito instead of $4.50 and $4.50 for a supreme instead of $5. The tacos were the same, priced at $1.25.
Here the chicken was shredded, but again the chile wasn’t spicy enough. The taco, however, had more flavor than the burrito. And still, where was my cilantro?
Finally I arrived at East Avenue, the location of both the favorites. At the truck at the corner of Center Street and East Avenue the prices were back to normal: $4.50 for a regular burrito, $5 for a supreme.
This burrito had so much flavor. The carne asada was well-seasoned and the chile had a kick you tasted at first, but felt the burn after swallowing.
The taco was equally delicious, covered with more of that savory chile so that I didn’t mind not having any cilantro.
But you know who did? The fifth and final truck parked at the corner of Golden State and East Avenue.
Not only were they the only truck to put cilantro on the taco, but I also noticed the advertising and aroma of grilled shrimp for an extra $2. In order to be fair in the taste test, however, I stuck to the chicken and carne asada.
But it was not the winner. Though I could taste the chile and seasonings, the meat was not as flavorful as the truck I had just been to – but still better than the first three.
Which just goes to show, you can’t take anyone’s word for it – you have to find a favorite for yourself. So who’s hungry?