Tacos Acambaro Wagon, Salinas

[Melanie Wong]

Parked west of the freeway in front of Lamar Brothers (330 Griffin St.), the Tacos Acambaro wagon is the only rig of this kind that I’ve spotted in Salinas. Not self-propelled, I can’t call it a taco truck, but in every other way it’s self-contained.

Image from streetside –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1230/536700430_79861f9c44.jpg?v=0

Note the propane tanks that fuel its power plant if the batteries die down. It’s wider than the lunch trucks with more work space inside. The shiny stainless steel interior hoses down easily and the spic and span exhibition kitchen is completely visible through the wide windows.

Image of window-front kitchen –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/536352636_24ce29c3f7.jpg?v=0

The owner, F. Hernandez, said he’s had this business for two years and that his was the last permit to be issued before the earlier moratorium. When I asked him if he’d had another vending vehicle before, he said, “No, only this one. I just love tacos.” He invited me inside to take a look explaining that complying with the health regs is no problem. One concern raised by the county’s Environmental Health regarding catering trucks is the supply and temperature of hot water and waste water disposal. This wagon is equipped like an RV with an on-demand water heater and collection tanks. Sr. Hernandez turned on the hot water tap for me to demonstrate. I wish I had that kind of water pressure and instant heat at home! He uses Sal-Mex as his commissary.

Image of interior –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1088/536700420_1fc0673aa3.jpg?v=0

Acambaro has one employee who takes orders, cooks, and cleans-up. When I mentioned that I was disappointed to see the empty spit for roasting the al pastor, Sr. Hernandez explained that Acambaro-style doesn’t use a spit and has less sweet seasoning. In his tradition the meat is seasoned more lightly then grilled to show more of the pork flavor. He add emphatically that tacos should NEVER have shredded lettuce on them.

Image of cooking on the grill –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1421/536700426_33aba25d71.jpg?v=0

He said that in Acambaro in Guanajuato, pork reigns, but here he also has beef on the menu too. While he has considered adding tortas and burritos, for now, he wants to perfect the tacos and remain a specialist. He recommended the campechana, a Mexicali combination of beef steak and tripas.

Image of menu –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1081/536352614_ed897ea6cc.jpg?v=0

My first time here, a customer recommended the al pastor. His friend said he liked the steak prepared carne asada style. They said these were the best tacos around --- they drive over every week from Monterey to eat here.

I ordered an al pastor taco, $1.25, which was garnished with freshly chopped white onion and cilantro. The sweet braised onions on the side were a nice compliment. Also, the more refined and floral Key limes are offered here. The meat was a bit dry, but I liked the restraint and more nuanced seasoning blend. I tried the avocado sauce and the salsa verde of the four offered in squeeze bottles and thought they were both very good.

Image of taco al pastor –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/536352608_eab2d38920.jpg?v=0

Last night I returned with my brother, who ordered tripas, cabeza, and lengua. Cut in a small dice, the lengua was too firm for us. Rich and somewhat fatty, the cabeza was my favorite. William thought the tripas was noteworthy here, tender and crisp on the outside. He picked that as his favorite here, but he polished off that one while I was taking the photo and I didn’t get a chance to taste it.

Image of trio of tacos –
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1044/536700432_09ad211d07.jpg?v=0

Sr. Hernandez had some choice words about the specific restaurants pushing the changes in the street vendor ordinance. He shared the news with me that the vendors have recently retained counsel to negotiate with the city on their behalf. According to him, the current proposal is to allow a transitional period before permits are revoked of four years instead of the current three-year cut-off.

Tacos Acámbaro
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday: Noon to 9pm
Friday and Saturday: 2pm to 11pm

Google Map of Salinas Street Food,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/407568

[rworange]

Wow, great find !!!

Does anyone know of any other place ... not just Salinas that serves Acambaro-style al pastor?

Now I'll have to keep an eye out for it. I'll beat that guy who drives there from San Jose by driving there from San Pablo for this.

Have you ever had campechana before anywhere else? First time I've heard of it.

Taco Truck Row is a dream ... a quality of life ... apoligies to Steinbeck for restating the opening of Cannery Row.

[Melanie Wong]

Admittedly I was confused when I saw campechana on a list of carnes as a taco option. My exposure to campechana heretofore has been as a mixed seafood cocktail. And, it took me a bit to get my head around beef and triipe campechana.

And, talking about taco trucks and the social spaces created around them, I saw the guy from Monterey on Saturday. Actually I recognized his shiny black Escalade as we were crossing the street on Del Monte Ave. and when I looked at the driver, he was waving at me!

Salinas Chowdown Report: Venimos, Vimos, Comimos Tacos,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/409977

[Tripeler]

Fantastic post, and the photos an excellent addition.
There should really be some sort of Chowhound Award for posts this perfect and concise.
Great work Melanie, as always.

[Ruth Lafler]

Now I'm sorry I didn't get an al pastor taco from them on the Trek yesterday. How was the tripas?

I was really impressed by the beautiful copper pot they were cooking the tripe in -- only people who really love and care about food have pots like that. I hope you got a picture!

[Melanie Wong]

That is indeed a beauty of a pot, here's the photo taken through the glass pane,
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1109/5...

Just before our team left the scene the first time, the pork chitterlins were done boiling and were scooped out into a strainer to drain. Then they were dumped onto the hot griddle.

The campechana combining the tripas with carne asada was sauteed together on the grill. The tripas were white and soft, creamy-textured in this combo. Quite tasty with the salsa verde.

I've looked at the photo of the tripas taco in Williams' hand linked in the original post, and those tripas appear to be golden brown. So, there may be two styles of prep here.

Also worth noting that when we found the wagon around 6pm, it was just setting up, so on Saturdays it might start up later than the 2pm I'd been told before.

[Melanie Wong]

Friday afternoon I was back in Salinas, this time with a friend who has lived and traveled in Mexico extensively. He had requested a visit to this taquero because he'd spent 4 months in Acambaro. He liked the al pastor here very much, and while he wouldn't say that griddled was Acambaro-style, he did mention that he'd only had spit-roasted in the northern parts of Mexico and DF and griddled elsewhere.

I ordered the tripas taco, wanting to try the pork chitterlins by themselves and not as part of the campechana reported earlier. This didn't quite hit golden or crispy and I didn't like it as much. Also, it was a little gritty.

Image of al pastor (left) and tripas (right) tacos -
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/5...

It was fun to listen to David and Sr. Hernandez talking about their favorite places in Acambaro and the changes due to foreign immigration that small town has seen. They agreed on the best place for al pastor there, and Hernandez said he had tried to purchase the recipe from the owner, but no luck. So, he's been tweaking his own preparation.

Also, we had the Times article with us. Hernandez had been aware of it, but this was his first chance to read it. He was quite upbeat with the progress the vendors' attorney has been making and the call he received from a childhood friend now lawyer who also offered help. He was also amused by the Times photograph of Mayra's truck, "who is that dude? looks like some kind of desperado or something!"

[rworange]

Maybe an off day for the tripas since on your visit with William you seemed to like them.

You know, I was thinking the same thing about the guy in the picture. But on reflection ... that picture says a lot ... sort of sums everthing up in a photo.

First of all ... where's the congestion? I almost expected to see a tumbleweed blowing by. I mean it looks like a place in the middle of nowhere with no nearby restaurant or high-class business .. and no trash.

[Ruth Lafler]

No trash -- note the nice trash can right next to the truck. <sarcasm> This truck is obviously causing parking, trash and congestion problems. BTW, the landscaped embankment behind it is the freeway -- obviously in a neighborhood like that, noise from a taco truck is a huge problem </sarcasm>.

[Melanie Wong]

Updating this thread, Tacos Acambaro wagon has moved to another location in the Alisal District. It's on Grandhaven St at the intersection with Willliams Road and parked in front of the Quick Stop (a good place to fill up your tank at low gas prices). Still has Mon and Tues off, and due to the city's ordinances, is a night time only truck, starting at 6pm and staying open to as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday.

I haven't tasted it yet, but the al pastor is now prepared on a rotisserie spit and is a thing of beauty viewed through the wide glass windows of this wagon. Acámbaro now also offers bacon-wrapped hot dogs and baked potatoes with various offerings, but tacos continue to be the main draw here.

Tacos Acambaro is a partner in Monterey County's smoke-free entryways program.

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Tacos Acambaro
Grandhaven St and Williams Rd, Salinas, CA