Taco Trucks in the Boston Area?

[Passadumkeg]

I'm planning a taco truck tour this summer and wonder if there are any taco trucks in the Boston area? We also often pass through the area, but know of none; the closest being in Manchester, NH. A brief review and the address please. Thanking you in advance.

[River19]

In the mid 90’s there was a great little burrito cart in Downtown Crossing that would turn out some pretty decent burritos if I remember. Served in tin foil by to I believe 2 brothers. They would always be in the same area and they would have a decent line, but for under $5 back then it was a meal without sides required. We would get one and head the lawn at MGH to check out the med school “talent”.

Are they still in existence?

[9lives]

That was/is Herrera's. They've got a store on Temple St and a few carts around Downtown Xing.

They were very good in their day. I haven't tried them lately but they had gone severely downhill. I keep meaning to retry them.

Great in the 90's

[River19]

Thanks for the update. I was wondering if they were still around.

I hesitate to ask what happened for them to go downhill, let's be clear here, making a decent burrito isn't exactly like launching the space shuttle.

[Passadumkeg]

When one gets greedy and starts adding rice and beans (or too much beans), the flavors are lost. Made some al pastor pork this week. Had al pastor burritos w/ guacamole, w/ a side of pints for breakfast yesterday.
Rico! Suave! Delicioso!

[steve999]

There's a taco CART inside Back Bay station on the Dartmouth Street side. I'm never there at lunch time, so I can't provide a review. Perhaps someone else can provide more information?

The menu lists tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.

[yumyum]

I'd like to hear about that too. Having just returned from the wild West, where there are taco trucks galore (and having a fleeting fantasy of opening my own fish taco truck here) I am so sad we don't have taco trucks in Boston. Seriously guys, don't you think a killer fish taco truck would be like printing money here?

[Passadumkeg]

I'll be your first customer! When I visited my daughter last Feb vacation, I ate over 50 tacos in six days; all from taco trucks! Heaven.

[kate used to be 50]

My H and I will be you third and fourth customers!! Love fish tacos off taco trunks. Went to San Diego this year. I swear that is fish taco heaven! Can't get enough.

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry fourth & fifth. My W is also a fish taco junkie. We found a couplee of places in Costa Rica last April w/ fantastic ones! Tere are even 3 places in Portland (3 1/2 hours away!) to get 'em.

[wilbanks]

It's not that great. I've gotten one en route to an Amtrak, and it's a hell of a lot better than the fare on the train. It's also better than the other food carts in BB Station and than getting a flatbread monstrosity at Dunkin.

But it was pretty bland - I'd rather eat at Chipotle or Qdoba, if that's a reference point, and I'm not a big fan of either of those places compared to Tacos Lupita...now, if the Lupita folks would open a truck at MIT, I'd be in heaven.

[yumyum]

Thanks for the report. Maybe the Lupita folks will partner with me on my taco truck? But then they might have to smile at me. Ever.

[wilbanks]

Closest thing to a good taco truck taco is the stuff at Tacos Lupita in Somerville, IMHO. Search this board for info. I love the chorizo and the al pastor there.

Closest thing to good truck food is indeed Speed's dog. Good stuff. There's also a BBQ truck somewhere in Roxbury that I've driven past once but haven't been able to get to for eating purposes. Anyone?

I love the stuff at Clover at MIT, but although it's served in a truck, it's closer to a gourmet fast food store than a "taco truck". Soy BLT and fries FTW.

[9lives]

The bbq truck is M&M Ribs...addy and ph# are on the flickr site. I don't know about his winter hours so call first.

He's a quick bike/car ride from Speeds.

http://flickr.com/photos/61246842@N00...

[fredid]

(Re-post, modulated!) Passadumkeg - There just ain't trucks in Boston! See http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/540905. (Here's a thread on Boston street food, such as it is:http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/477982

)

BUT, having said that, here are some more ideas: We had a GREAT crawl in JP (Jamaica Plain, large nbhd in Boston) of Latino food last summer: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/432652.
Eastie (East Boston, nbhd) has a ton of taquerias, but the food is just OK. Better: Angela's Cafe in Eastie has a wonderful cook from Puebla, who is known for her mole made from scratch, and she has very good tacos, gorditas, pozole, and so on! Eastie has other great Latino food (non-Mexican), including the best ceviche in town!

Chelsea and Lynn are two other working-class, immigrant communities nearby that have great hole in the wall places, but not much in the way of Mexican, specifically. (We'd be happy to do a Crawl, and a couple CHers know this area well.

)

Waltham, west of Boston, by 128, has some great, sit-down Mexican places that are homey places where everyone (well, almost!) speaks Spanish...

Have fun, and let us know if you'd like company! Fredi

[Bob Dobalina]

Passadumkeg - maybe you can sub in a Speed's dog instead of a truck taco?
The Speed's dog is pretty much the best wheeled food you'll find in the area.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/537508

Search the board for more thoughts.

[Passadumkeg]

Thanks. Yes, I know of Speeds, are they worth the money? I am a dog hound too. We hit Georges Coney Island Dogs in Worcester and Spikes Junkyard Dogs in Providence when driving through. I went to high school in NJ, arguably the epicenter of the hot dog universe. We love dog wagons. I'm just trying to broadin my horizons!

[Bob Dobalina]

I think it's definitely worth it, if for nothing else but the experience. Personally, I am more a fan of NY-style dogs for everyday eating, but Speed's is not to be missed, especially if you are passing through on a chow tour.

[TPistrix]

Absolutely in my book. I used to go to Spikes a lot when I went to school in Providence, but personally I think Speed's dog is superior. Then again, Spike's strength, to me, was always the choices in toppings, whereas Speed's is just a great, massive dog with a few toppings choices (try asking for everything, it's probably the best way to go but bring a towel).

[jgg13]

Getting all of the toppings is definitely the best way to go unless you absolutely hate something.

[MC Slim JB]

I can't find it now, but I know someone here had mentioned worthy taco trucks in Chelsea and some nearby communities (maybe Everett?) I would love to pick up that thread again.

It has always slightly bugged me that no ones knows of a single good taco truck in Greater Boston. I'm hoping that's just an issue of our not having been relentless enough in uncovering one. As a rule, Chelsea seems to be largely unexplored here; I would love to get some good pointers to worthwhile low-end Chelsea joints (of any cuisine) here.

[Passadumkeg]

There is a good Mexican restaurant in Chelsea that I found from an earlier post, Mexican Food Heaven. Cruised the area is sept looking for a diner for my son's last US breakfast before moving to Thailand. Had to settle for DDonuts, but I did notice the heavy Hispanic influence.

[Luther]

There is a truck at MIT (Jose's) that serves various types of tacos and burritos, but it sucks.

[Passadumkeg]

Why does it suck?

[Luther]

The meats are poor quality and underseasoned, the salsa is not fresh, etc. It's as good as any of the other trucks, which is to say that it's not any good, but it's close to a lot of people's offices and it's cheap compared to the standard Kendall Square options.

[Passadumkeg]

What other trucks, please?

[Luther]

Goosebeary's, Jerusalem Cafe, and this new foofy Clover Food Lab thing. As I said, they do a lot of business because there's a lot of desperate people who don't want to walk all the way over to Mass Av to get a burrito at Anna's. The lack of CH-type "cheap ethnic eats" of any significant quality in this area is unfortunate, because there's a good audience for it.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mit-trucks-cambridge
http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/

[kobuta]

Don't disagree with your assessment of the food trucks in that area, but I think Jose's is actually one of the better options of the lot (at least most consistent and you know what you're going to get). Goosebeary's has a ridiculously long line for some downright nasty food. I've tried about 5 things from their menu,. and I only find one to be edible. I've pretty much tossed out the rest after one or two bites.

My dream is for the displaced bahn mi cart from the Chinatown Eatery to set up shop next to these folks.

[enhF94]

This seems ripe for a board-sponsored crawl.