19244 Sat Mar 30 19:38:08 -0800 2002 5 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 63688 With International covered, I started in on the main commercial cross-street: Fruitvale. Result: two more Oakland trucks down: Tacos Mayra (driveway, south side of 1500 block of Fruitvale) Truck proclaims itself "Estilo Jalisco". Huge menu including not only traditional taco truck fare but mariscos coctiels, fajitas, even rice plates. The benchmark al pastor taco was barebones but delicious, with an unusual touch of chipotle chile. A chicken sope was less sucessful: the crema on top was tangy in a way that made me suspicious that it was going off. I was glad I hadn't ordered any seafood! Horchata was awful: thin and so cinnamony it tasted like dissolved red hots -- I tossed it in the trash and bought a champurrado from the tamale man! Also at this spot: small but full service (including meat market and antijitos) Mexican market, a bakery (Los Mexicanos, 1522 Fruitvale) with a large selection of incredibly cheap Mexican-style pastries, and a cart offering Javier's tamales (I got a couple but I haven't tried them yet). Tacos Mazatlan (northeast corner of Fruitvale and Foothill) This truck has pupusas and "hamburguensas" on the menu, but was out of pupusas. Al pastor taco was generously topped with cilantro and chopped onion but still managed to be bland. This truck also isn't as clean and well-maintained as I would like, and the corner didn't feel as safe as the other truck locations. I was out of cash so I didn't check out the tamale cart on the opposite corner. This cart also offered champurrado. There seems to be a connection between making tamales and atoles/champurrado -- some kind of corn meal mojo involved? Sat Mar 30 19:38:08 -0800 2002 0 Ruth Lafler 1 63974 I recommend El Grullense taco truck, a block from Fruitvale on East 14th, in the Goodwill parking lot. There are often 2 El Grullense trucks there at once (confusing, I know) and the better one is the truck closer to the entrance of Goodwill. Their al pastor tacos are divine and the carne asada are also quite good! Wed Apr 03 18:39:09 -0800 2002 63688 0 Windy 1 3008155 Yep ... 2002 thread back from the dead. Ruth ... or anyone ... have you ever revisited Tacos El Mazatlan? I've been in Oakland lately and this truck actually looked like one of the nicer ones. They seemed more seafood oriented with a lot of seafood cocktails and catfish. They also had tacos durado. Didn't stop because I wanted to check out and see if there were any recommendations on the board. Didn't notice hamburgers or pupusas, but it is possible. Maybe new owners? Fri Oct 05 11:13:28 -0700 2007 63688 10264 rworange 2 3008191 I haven't revisited that one, since I didn't think much of it first time around. However, if you think there might be new owners (quite likely, since 2002!), I'll give it another look. If you're on Foothill, there's a Salvadoran pupusa/tamale wagon tucked between a couple of buildings a block farther east -- Lupita's, like the restaurant next to it. When I was out with the NPR reporter we also had some pretty decent ceviche at the truck next to the Hell's Angels HQ a few blocks farther down Foothill, which has a large, varied menu (also has tacos dorados, IIRC). Fri Oct 05 11:21:15 -0700 2007 3008155 10159 Ruth Lafler 3 3008336 Thanks !!! As long as I'm asking, have you ever tried the champurrado cart on International next to Smart & Final? It was just toooo hot that day and I was happily slurping my strawberry raspado from Nieves Cinco de Mayo. Funny, that place may ruin me for any other raspado. Melanie had a query on the chains board about Winchell's raspado (in Salinas). Initially it interested me, then I thought ... nah, I've had the real thing who needs a Winchell's fake slurpee, so to speak. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/445246 But I digress ... the question was about the champurrados Fri Oct 05 11:58:54 -0700 2007 3008191 10264 rworange 4 3008699 Yes, I've had her champurrado -- good but not great, is how I remember it. I often hit her cart for fruit or corn while I'm waiting for my order from El Gordo across the street. I think I bought a container of ceviche from her once that was pretty good, too. Fri Oct 05 13:39:26 -0700 2007 3008336 10159 Ruth Lafler