Denver Taco Trucks

And La Raza Becomes Defunct

2007-09-04T18:03:00.000-06:00

Sadly, Antojitos La Raza didn't make it. It's closed up and wearing both For Rent and For Sale signs. I'll try to get a picture with phone number for anybody interested in buying or renting it.

No idea why it failed, unless they just had a major problem keeping it open during the posted hours. At first it seemed to be doing plenty of business, but there were several times when it was closed without any particular reason. If you go out of your way to visit a taco truck, and find it closed when you get there, you might think twice about going back.

One of my spies in the industry tells me that the food quality was inconsistent so that was probably a factor too.

Oh well.... the silver lining is of course that somebody else will have an opportunity to bring their own unique take on Mexican street food to a corner near you.

DF becomes La Raza

2007-04-28T14:58:00.000-06:00

Look familiar? The old Tacos DF trailer has reopened as "Antojitos La Raza!"

Same great location (see map below) but under new management, and a great opportunity to see how it all starts. A genuine "neophyte" business, La Raza seems to be doing very well, without taking any business away from the new Tacos DF restaurant.

Operated by sisters Chelo and Rocio, friends of Adrian, the menu derives from DF or Mexico City regional cuisine, but there are some notable differences between La Raza and Tacos DF.
But first, note that the La Raza menu has been tacked up over Adrian's old Club America emblem, but doesn't quite cover it. [g]

The first item, the "bisteck" taco, is actually a whole steak, served in a large tortilla. If you want what we think of Mexican style tacos, you order the Tacos de Guisado, which are available with chicken, beef, and a mixture of potatoes and chorizo. I had two beef tacos de guisado, and the meat was what I would have called suadero, or steamed, shredded beef with onions and spices. Very tasty! They were served on double tortillas with lettuce, and next time I will ask them to leave out the lettuce. That's if I don't try the enchiladas, which I haven't seen at a taco truck before.

Chelo makes her own salsas, and I tried both the red chile sauce and the green tomatillo-- both excellent.

Chelo took a break from her hot stove so I could take a picture of her with her granddaughter Adriana.

Antojitos La Raza is located on the south side of S. Parker Rd, just north of Iliff, in the liquor store parking lot. Hours are 10-6 Tuesday through Friday, 9-7 on Saturday, and 9-3 on Sunday.

Tacos DF 2 !

2006-09-24T13:11:00.000-06:00

Tacos DF has a new home!

As of yesterday (9/23/06), Tacos DF is no longer a "taco truck!" Toni and Adrian have moved their operation indoors, BUT... it is set up like an indoor taco truck, and if you want you can close your eyes and pretend you are standing outside in the weather.

And they have regular hours! For the time being Toni intends to be open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 7pm, but closing time will depend on business.

The food is great, the decor is wonderful (based on the same menu), and the prices are the same! I'll write more when I get a chance, but obviously a first priority has been to get these photos posted and give you the map!

The new location is just up the road from the old one, at 2200 S. Parker Rd (see map below). There's plenty of parking, unlike the old location which was tucked into the parking lot of a busy liquor store!).

Yes, they're still next to a liquor store!

The decor is bright and colorful, with some surprises like the watercolors by Toni's uncle Pedro Tenorio (they're for sale)...

The opposite wall is decorated with black and white photos, the obligatory sombreros, and congratulatory messages from friends and family (and yours truly).

The menu is pretty much the same-- but they have added some specialty meats (cabeza = head, lengua = tongue, and tripas = tripe -- all three are beef, what our hotdog makers used to call "byproducts."). They don't have it on this menu yet, but the barbacoa (steamed lamb) is now available every day, along with the "consomme" or lamb broth with rice served as a soup. A "proper" menu is in production, but meanwhile the whiteboard will do....

Serving size is very generous, as shown in this unretouched photo of a burrito. All the ingredients are prepared fresh by Toni and condiments include home-made guacamole, chilpotle and tomatillo salsas.

Toni has more kitchen than she knows what to do with right now...

But she's getting plenty of help from Adrian's cousin Sarahi and Toni's brother's girlfriend Beatriz...

Here's the whole crew...
From left: Toni, Sarahi, Jose, Adrian, and Betty. When interrupted by the photo, they were preparing servings of homemade flan made by Toni's sister.

2200 S. Parker Rd, at the intersection of Parker and S. Dayton. Entrance from Dayton is easiest.

SpotRep: Federal Blvd & 7th, Denver

2006-09-24T12:55:00.000-06:00

Spotting Report:

At 10AM on Saturday, 9/23/06, I saw a taco truck at 700 Federal Blvd, Denver, but did not have time to check it out. It's on the west side of Federal, across from the end of 7th Ave.

If you have visited this truck please feel free to post a comment!

Denver Taco Trucks

2006-05-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

Metropolitan Denver is a huge area, and there are probably a couple hundred taco trucks scattered around.

I LOVE TACO TRUCKS! They range from tiny trailers like Tacos DF to gigantic RV-body "catering vehicles," just like the ones that used to appear at construction sites every lunchtime. There's a surprisingly wide variety of authentic Mexican food available, and afficionados know that dining at a Taco Truck is like having back-door access to the kitchen of a good Mexican restaurant.

For me they are an excellent replacement for your typical fast-food establishment. I'm often on the road at lunch time or supper time, and when a taco truck catches my eye I know I'm in for a treat.

But taco trucks can be somewhat ephemeral, and their mobility makes it tough sometimes to find one in an area that you're not familiar with. There is a desperate need for them to be cataloged and mapped, and that's what Denver Taco Trucks is all about. I can't take credit for the idea-- a friend pointed me toward a page featuring Seattle area trucks, and my search for a Denver equivalent was fruitless.

Our first three tacos trucks all have a regional identity that is reflected in their cuisine.

The D.F. in Tacos D.F. stands for Distrito Federal or Federal District, which encompasses Mexico City. So it's like the DC in Washington DC. The work-in-progress design visible behind Adrian in the photo is the emblem of Club America, one of Mexico's most popular football (soccer) teams.

Los Regio proudly wears a Monterrey emblem. Monterrey is the capital city of the state of Nueva Leon, which is in Northeastern Mexico, inland from the Gulf and actually having a very small border with the former Mexican state of Texas.

Tacos Ensenada is named for the third largest city in Baja California, which accounts for the seafood emphasis in their menu.

I'll probably expand coverage out from the center as time goes by, and it remains to be seen how much detail I'll be able to provide about the taco trucks that I visit.

Readers in the Denver metro area are most welcome to submit their own reports-- anything from a recommendation or "request for a visit" to a full blown article with pictures. Just send them to me at tdeden@google.com.

Taqueria Corona

2006-05-29T19:16:00.000-06:00

Taqueria Corona is a real sleeper! Tucked into an ordinary parking space in the middle of the shopping center at E. Mississippi Ave and S. Peoria St (southwest corner), it's real easy to miss, especially since they don't have any real signage. It's visible for a few seconds as you are driving East on Mississippi, but not if you blink. But it is definitely worth seeking out!

In fact, everything except the food is seriously understated.

The selection is perhaps a bit limited, but it is a tiny truck and the servings are generous. We enjoyed asada and adobada tacos and an al pastor burrito. Staffed by two women, and a young boy (12 or so) whose primary function seemed to be to interpret for us gringos, the service was fast and friendly.

Conveniently located about 30 yards away from a carniceria (Mexican butcher shop) this one is definitely worth another visit, soon.

--

Genuine Denver Taco Trucks

2005-08-12T11:55:00.000-06:00

There aren't any! At least not what we think of as taco trucks. There are very few of them, they are called "loncheras" (roughly, "lunch wagons") and they can only operate in one location for 4 hours-- which probably explains why there are so few of them. In fact, the city has issued 47 licenses, but there is no way to know how many or few of them are active.

In practice, loncheras can stay in one place for an extra two hours as long as they are not actually operating for more than four. As City Council President Rosemary Rodriquez explained it: "They basically get six hours now because they get an hour to set up and an hour to tear down as a courtesy from the cops."

The loncheras are allowed to operate a maximum of 13 hours in a day, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., which would require them to move at least twice.

Denver's City Council is considering a controversial extension of lonchera operating hours to six hours in one location. There is a lot of resistance from neighborhood groups who fear increased "noise and trash." And, after all, it was only four years ago that the loncheras gained an increase from two hours to four!

Loncheras are also prohibited from setting up within 100 yards of a restaurant.

In contrast, other mobile food vendors such as hot dog stands are allowed to operate in one spot for up to twelve hours.

If this situation sounds a bit bizarre, it is less so for us locals who have at least a rudimentary knowledge of local geography, politics, and Denver city government. Other city and county governments in the area certainly have their faults, but at least they leave the taco trucks alone.

The photo below is from the Denver Post-- front page on August 10th. If you want to read the whole story (and there is quite a bit more) click here.

It Had to Happen

2005-07-26T11:58:00.000-06:00

It had to happen-- I encountered a "bad" taco truck. Rather than post a review here, where it would probably influence the way you read the others, I've created a separate blog for Bad Taco Trucks. If you do happen to duck over there and read my little "horror story" please come back-- and don't let it put you off taco trucks. This one really was the exception.

Dos de Oros

2005-06-30T17:14:00.000-06:00

Dos de Oros is located at the intersection of Peoria St. and E. Colfax Ave. It's in the parking lot just south of Colfax, on the west side of Peoria.

It's very busy, despite the Spanish-only menu, and so I didn't get to do my usual little interview about names and origins. Four tacos and a Mexican soda to go, and the tacos were great! She asked if I wanted everything on them, and that proved to be rice, of all things, and a pico de gallo sort of salad.

The name Dos de Oros means "Two of Coins" in the Mexican playing card deck, based on the Tarot, and it's also the name of a Mexican band.

Tacos Ensenada

2005-06-24T17:09:00.000-06:00

Located at 16700 E Mississippi Ave in Aurora (north side of Mississippi just East of Havana), Tacos Ensenada is an old friend we thought we had lost forever It may have had another name, but we called it the Pancho Villa taco truck because was a row of wonderful old photos of the Generalissimo. A couple months ago they had a for-sale sign in the window, and then Pancho disappeared. But now he's back in action, with a new name and under new management. I am delighted to report that the menu is virtually unchanged, the location is certainly easier to get in and out of, and prices, believe it or not, are lower. And the pictures are still there!

Marisella and Carlos are doing a great job and if the level of business this afternoon is any indication, they have plenty of customers.

One thing that distinguishes Pancho... er... Tacos Ensenada is that they offer really great fish tacos. The fish is battered and deep-fried (which is possibly why you don't find fish tacos at the smaller trucks). A generous portion of fish is smothered in salad and a Mexican style "tartar sauce," and served in a double tortilla. You can actually get the idea from one of the pictures below. Trust me, they taste as good as they look.

Tacos Ensenada is definitely worth going out of your way for!

Click the pic to view full size.

Two menus, Spanish and English--

Click the pic to view full size.

Click the pic to view full size.

A happy customer with Fish Tacos...

Click the pic to view full size.

Click the pic to view full size.

Los Regio

2005-06-17T17:19:00.000-06:00

Located at 1880 S. Havana St. in Aurora, Los Regio (The Regal One) is brand new, crispy clean, and very professionally operated by Hugo and Monica. It's located in the front parking lot of Plaza Latina and clearly visible from Havana St.

No need to translate the menu for you-- they've already done that. An interesting menu feature is menudo-- something of an acquired tatse for most gringos but the taste is acquired for life. Menudo is a soup or stew made with hominy and beef tripe. The perfect hangover food, menudo is available at Los Regio only on weekends.

The tacos come with double tortillas and a generous serving of meat; service is fast and friendly, and you just can't beat these prices.

Click the pic to view full size.

Click the pic to view full size.

Click the pic to view full size.

Click the pic to view full size.

Tacos D.F.

2005-06-09T17:18:00.000-06:00

First priority-- MY taco truck.

Ok, it's not really mine, but it's my all time favorite within lunchtime driving distance. Great food, great people, and they deserve more business than they're getting due to their almost invisible location.

Located on the south side of S. Parker Rd, just north of Iliff, in the liquor store parking lot, Tacos DF is one of the best kept secrets in town. A wide variety of menu items and fast, friendly, generous service at very reasonable prices make this one a keeper. I'll add more detail when I get a chance, also a general introduction to Denver Taco Trucks, and an invitation for you to send pictures and comments about your favorites.

But for now I'll turn it all over to Adrian, Toni, Andriel, and James....


 Click the pic to view full size.

From left:  Toni, James, Andriel, Adrian

Click the pic to view full size.


We'll translate the menu for you at some point, but one of the great things about Tacos DF is that they often have stuff that is not on the menu. Lamb soup, barbacoa, steamed lamb, cachetes.... The chorizo is home-made by Toni, and better than anything you can buy in the tiendas on this side of town.

Sorry we cut off the business hours sign-- Tacos D.F. is open from 10:00am to 5:00pm Wednesday through Sunday.

Updated 9/23/05! Toni's re-done the menu sign. The old one has a certain charm that this one lacks, but don't worry-- you can still get your torta with "letter" and "gren pepers".


 Click the pic to view full size.



Click the pic to view full size.

-----------------------------------------------------