Taco "trucks" or roadside stands - WPB, Boca, Delray
Visit California or Texas and everywhere you go you'll find roadside trucks and various similar shacks and dives offering cheap "Mexican" fast-food.
Many of them serve the most outrageously fantastic tacos and other related food you'll ever enjoy. Fish tacos, etc.
About five years ago there was a good one in West Delray, around Atlantic and 441. Heck, that's when it was still farmland and not condos and developments out there.
Anyone know where this guy went, and/or where I can find other, similar ones?
CFByrne
Apr 05, 2008 08:29AM
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I know there is a taco truck in the parking lot of a gas station (I think) in WPB just off of Parker Rd. If you take Okachobee (sorry, I butchered the spelling), take a right on Parker just after the train tracks. From there, continue until you get to your next major intersection (approx 1mi) and make a left and it should be on your left tucked away. The gas station(?) is just before the entrance to 95N. I havent tried the tacos yet but every time I visit my cousin in WPB I always say, "we gotta try that sometime" haha.
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My favorite tacos in Hotlanta were served from a taco truck. I ate there twice a week for several months until Gwinnett County shut them all down due to an ordinance. It was the only place that served these Mexican spicy pickled carrots with jalapenos and onions with their tacos. I make the pickled carrots myself at home now.
Have you been to Tacos al Carbon taqueria? It's mainly an all Latino clientel, which says quite a bit about the food. They have a take out window or dine in. Al pastor, which I absolutely love, is just OK. I'm still searching for al pastor that is better than I can make myself at home. I've heard very good reports about The Taco lady in LW but have never been. If anyone finds something better in the WPB/LW area, PLEASE post about it here so I can check it out. I am on a taqueria quest for the best.
Review from the past:
This place has some fairly good authentic tacos. They have all of the options like pollo, carnitas, barbacoa, al pastor, lengua, and more. Tortillas are not home made though. Green salsa was perfect and I had an al pastor, barbacoa, and a carnitas, all @ $1.50 each. Tacos with everything are served with cilantro, onions, tomato, and cheese. I was surprised that they actually put tomato and cheese on them b/c that is Americano. Maybe I got them served that way b/c I am a gringo.
Don't expect anything more than a roadside shack and I had no problems with it. You know the food is authentic when most patrons are Latino. I ordered from the takeout window and next time I might eat inside.
Tacos al Carbon (takeout open 24 hours)
4420 Lake Worth Rd.
Lake Worth, FL 33461
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freakerdude - I know this is a little far-a-field for you but you really should try Taqueria Dona Raquel (793 S. Dixie Hwy., Pompano Beach, 954-946-4490.) I'm no expert but I thought the tacos al pastor were very good as were the cabeza. Search the Florida board, you'll find lots of comments about this place, some from people in Miami who drive up to Pompano for the tacos.
Here's a link to a New Times review by S.M. Koppelman who was a frequent contributor to this board before moving to NYC: http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2006-02-23/dining/mex-mex/
You can find the menu here: http://snipurl.com/23kyc [southflorida_menupages_com]
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Mexican street food is what a taqueria should be all about. I'm not sure if people realize how much better homemade tortillas really are. I've read about this place on Broward-Palm Beach's Best of 2007. Maybe I can work this into a Gerogia Pig double header when I head down to a Braves/Marlins game in a few weeks.
Thanks for the rec.
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Looks like Tacos al Carbon is near Military Trail? Which would be what, about 4 or 5 miles West of 95?
And looks like the Taco Lady is E of 95, over in the "cool" artsy/music nightlife section of town?
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So I went to Tacos al Carbon tonight. It was just what I was looking for!
There's an regular indoor building but it seemed much more interesting to eat outside in the tree-filled parking lot, where the "take-out" truck seems to be a semi-permanent fixture. The steak burrito was fantastic and appx $3.75. Tacos were very good, appx $1.49 and they had chix, beef, barbacoa, all the usual. Plus various items this gringo hasn't tried yet...
A somewhat random person with a used-CD Stand off to the side provides the "recorded entertainment" and a place to browse while you wait - and it can be a long wait - for the one cashier and one cook to process every order sequentially.
This is a classic sort-of dive with the eccentricities that only add to the charm.
I'll be back.
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I have eaten at Taco al Carbon for years and it is always GREAT and inexpensive. The owners are very nice too. They also have another restaurant in Texas.
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Whoa, hello? Tacos al Carbon's tortillas certainly ARE homemade. I've been eating them for years, and they're absolutely delicious, probably the best homemade tortillas around. Their tacos are excellent, I highly recommend this place. There are also several trucks on Lake Worth Road a bit further east, near the place that sells Latin american ice cream.
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So after reading this thread, I had to make a stop in at Tacos al Carbon. I was initially confused as to go to the taco stand or the actual building, but given the option, I chose the truck with the theory that everything tastes better out of a food truck! I got three tacos - carne asada, barbacoa, and beef tongue. I've actually never had beef tongue before, so I figured I'd venture out. I couldn't have been happier. For anyone who "thinks" they don't like beef tongue, please try it! You won't be disappointed. It was super tender, juicy, and tasty. The carne asada was good, and what I expected. The barbacoa had a nice mildly spicy sauce with excellent flavor. Out of the three, I liked the barbacoa the best. All came on a fresh tortilla, with cheese, tomato, onion, and cilantro with limes and a delicious green salsa. I haven't tried the Taco Lady yet, although it's next on my list, but Tacos al Carbon was on point. I'll definitely be back. Cost $5.50 for the three tacos. ($1.75 for carne/barbacoa $2 for beef tongue). They also had some other interesting choices like pork skin, which I may try next time after I was so pleasantly suprised with the beef tongue.
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I've got to get over to Taco Lady too - on Thursday nights during the Lake Worth Bike Night they have two tacos and a drink for $4. They also have a huge, wet burrito that I've heard is very, very good.
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So I was on 95 in Lake Worth last Saturday late morning and my car starts pulling over to the side of the road in the direction of Tacos Al Carbon... but I grab the wheel and say "no, we're going to try something different!".
Visited the Taco Lady in downtown LW based on several mentions here (albiet mostly second-hand).
Have to say I was disappointed. I got 3 tacos, a variety. The flour tortillas were not that warm and seemed thick and not that tasty. And the goodies inside and the sauces simply did not seem that tasty.
I WANTED to like this place, but I'm afraid I would have to reco Tacos A.C. about 10x higher than this.
Next stop, Dona Raquel in Pompano.
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Oh, that's disappointing, Byrne. I still may try it out though and post some thoughts as soon as possible. (I'm a Broward guy, trips to LW are few and far between.)
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After some disappointment at the Taco Lady last weekend, I hit both Dona Raquel AND Tacos el Carbon this weekend - and this only reinforced my impressions.
D.R. was super-tasty and a lot of fun. We spoke with the owner (Fernando?) and he mentioned he was bringing out new menus in about a week with English translations... that will be nice - so one can order "mystery items" at least with some clue as to what they are. My wife, who has "milder" taste than I, really enjoyed this place. The service is excellent and the place is clean. Check out the flavored water drinks - wow!
Then it was time for a trip to T el C. I had never been to both so soon together, so this was a bit of a taste test.
We ordered tacos: veggie; al pastore; barbacoa; and carne asada. Also got chips salsa and guac.
It was all extremely flavorful and confirmed "T el C" as the king of this category in this area, for me.
But other comments and opinions are, of course, what makes this all so interesting.
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John --
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned a hidden gem in Hallandale, Surf Road Tacos. While technically inside a building, the ambiance and vibe is that of a truck or trailer in a parking lot.
The tacos are all good -- especially the fried mahi with the cilantro/lime sour cream and fresh shredded cabbage. You can get flour tortillas, or soft or crisp corn tortillas -- and all are doubled-up for your dining pleasure. The grilled Mahi is equally as good -- but maybe too healthy for me!
The beef, shrimp and pork tacos are very nice, as well. They have a salsa bar, with homemade pico de gallo and black-bean-and-corn salsa.
The owners, who seem like they are there 24/7, are imports from Hermosa Beach, CA, and claim their mission is to introduce SoFla to the SoCal fish taco style of tacos.
Their web site is http://www.surfroadtaco.com/
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S.O.-
I'm glad to see Surf Road is still around, actually. I did visit them two times when they first opened, and I found it to be very up and down. Mainly, I thought some of the tacos were woefully bland (shrimp taco), while others, like the fried mahi, were quit flavorful. Their salsa was so-so for me as well. I remember really liking the owners, though. They were a very sweet couple.
Next time I'm down in the area, however, I'll have to give them another chance. The last time I went was probably a year ago or more.
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Any specific times this truck is around, Blind Mind?
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Seems to be there on the weekends and looks like it may be a permanent fixture. I really dont know much since Ive never tried it and really only go there on wknds to visit my cousin from time to time.
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Taco Truck Alert! I was driving home from an event in Palm Beach tonight and, on Belvedere Road just east of the I-95 entrance ... Taco Truck! Parked in a gas station on the north side of Belvedere Rd. Barbacoa, pastor, lengua, cabeza, chorizo, pollo ... I tried the pastor and the lengua, both were quite good, thought their salsa could have been a little hotter, but for $4.50 for 2 tacos and a bottle of water, I'm not going to complain too vigorously.
Not sure what the hours are, but I was there on a Friday night around 8pm.
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CFByrne, There was an elder Mexican gentleman years ago that worked near me, He bought me 2 tacos and some other thing from Tacos al Carbon.. I went wild, I said where did you get these... They were so great., and so cheap....Forget the Morton's Steak House, I'll take the $1.49 taco any day
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Tacos al Carbon is the best taqueria in WPB I have come across yet. I was in the area today for a Bodegon supermercado run off of Forest Hill and planned on hitting up TAC, but got detoured by C&C BBQ,
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I believe this is the one I referenced before, Frod. Its just outside that Palm Beach historical neighborhood, right (I forget the name)? On the right as youre headed to 95? My cousin used to live around the corner and I stopped one time on my way back to Miami. Good stuff for the price!
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I don't know about a historical neighborhood, but it was in the parking lot of a gas station just east of I-95, on the right-hand side if you are approaching I-95 from the east.
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Yup, thats the one I tried for sure.
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I was in the area two weeks ago and while searching for C&C Barbeque I stumbled upon a taco truck in a Texaco station just west of C&C on Southern. The name on the truck was " Las Michoacanas". I ordered two al pastor con todo and had a seat at the plastic table and chairs set up next to the truck. The taco's were so good I ordered two more as soon as I was done with the first set. They had all the traditional versions available but I'm an al pastor guy. They had a choice of red or green sauce in a container sitting on a ledge attached to the side of the truck so you can serve yourself. I eat alot of street taco's on Roosevelt ave in Queens and these compare favorably to those, and were every bit as good as those served at Dona Raquels in Pompano. I was so impressed it is now at the top of my list of places to eat when I fly into PBI, dropping Havana to the number two spot. As for C&C, I found it and was not at all impressed but if i lived in the area I would work my way through the vast menu as there may be some gems I didn't find.
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I've eaten at this truck before! I found it once, but never spotted it again, I'm glad to see it's back. The pastor is quite good, as is the salsa. Great stuff, and super cheap!
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Las Michoacanas...I'll have to remember that. I'm guessing this is just on the west side of the Southern RR Xing bridge from C&C?
C&C was OK from my solo visit and I am wondering if you tried their ribs.
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Yes, the other side of the bridge, north side of the street. I could not find C&C when I "discovered" the taco truck and hence, my four taco meal. As luck would have it as I left the truck I was headed to S.Dxie to Havana for a cafecito when I spotted C&C. I decided to grab some takeout for later and I have to say I was very dissapointed in my meal. I had a pulled pork sandwich and it had no discernable smoke flavor or bark. I had the sauce on the side as I always do at a real Q joint but the sandwich still came with sauce. I understand that in a Carolina pulled pork sandwich the sauce is an essential element of the overall meal but I wanted to taste the meat. The meat was served on French Toast, not something like French Toast but the real thing. Some kind of bread that had been dipped in a sweet egg mixture and then cooked, it was bizarre and a terrible accompaniment to the meat. I think the menu described the food as twisted soul food, I guess this is why they had such an odd pairing. As I went to my car in the back parking lot I saw the smoke operation. They had sitting out on a patio area, outside the restaurant, one of the large, the size of a refrigerator, silver boxes with the swing open front door. I spoke briefly with the pit man and when asked what type of wood he uses he was not specific. He said he uses different types of wood including a palmetto he had recently cut down. As I said above, further investigation is warranted.
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Hehehe, I could have sworn mine was on french toast but I swore up and down that there was no way as I was eating it. I even inspected the bread and felt that this could not be. I thought maybe I was just high but realized I gave that up over two years ago. After reading your post, obviously it was real deal french toast and I didn't want to post about it b/c I wasn't 100% sure. The combo of sauce stewed Q and french toast wasn't a winner. Only places that don't know the traditional way of serving Q mess up and thoroughly douse it in sauce. It's either from just not knowing or an attempt at rehydating dry Q. As you said, zero smoke flavor and not impressive by any means. If the pork Q has no smoke, neither will the ribs or anything else on the smoker.
My C&C review on another thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/551802
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tacos al carbon is really good
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441 and atlantic ave on weekdays lunchtime, there is a lunch truck that is pretty good!!
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441 and Atlantic - I wonder if that is the man and his wife, that I originally opened this thread asking about? They used to be there Saturday as well. Anyone know for sure?
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I am in that neighborhood most weekdays at lunch time, and that truck is there. they have been there for at least 5+ years. not sure if the same people though.
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on okeechobee west of 95, south side of street across from Roger Dean Chevrolet, I have eaten at another taco place. it was pretty good.
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Today there's a "Cinco de Mayo" festival in downtown Delray. Hard to find details on the web. But anyway... I was just down in the area and they are setting up, my eyes opened wide when I saw one truck pull up. "Tacos Al Carbon". Okay!
Cinco de Mayo Festival
Date 2 May 2009
Time 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Location Old School Square Entertainment Pavilion 51 N. Swinton Avenue
Contact Janie Ramirez
Presented by the Hispano-Latino Cultural Alliance; food, entertainment, kid's activities and dancing, third annual Chihuahua Race, $5 admission, 276-3396
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Taco Truck on Northlake blvd in West Palm west of the Beeline hwy. it's parked right across from Ibis Country Club and it's really good. try the longaniza (mexican sausage) and the pork, obviously. simple, real Mexican tacos are the best. no melted cheese and sour cream!
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ok so i went to tacos al carbon
and my sis is a vegetarian. we ordered off the veggie menu but i got the feeling they add lard/pork to their beans. i asked them and didnt get a straight answer.
can anyone who speaks spanish find out"?!!!?!?no one speaks engish there!
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in response to most everyone that mentioned tacos a.c....so yeah...what IS that mystery meat in the "meat taco"? that is actually one reason i still prefer the taco lady! maria serves up amazing west coast style tacos that you can identify the ingredients of.
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From what I have seen on the taco lady's offerings, hers is exactly what you said, west coast cali style. TAC is authentic mexican taqueria food and there is a big difference. You won't find al pastor or cabeza (head meat) at taco lady. Head meat....mmmm!
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Don't forget the tripe, tongue, and chicharon!
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There is a pretty good truck on 441 and Atlantic Ave, in very west Delray Beach!!
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