Writer samples local eateries of the Fresno area

There are many different types of food in the Fresno area that are popular, such as hamburgers or pasta. But there is nothing that compares to the street taco. I am not talking about the Taco Bell corporate taco. I am talking about the original, food truck, family-made taco.

But with so many trucks in the area how do you find the perfect one? I took on the challenge of searching all of Fresno, looking for the perfect street taco. I took a couple suggestions and took to the streets to review these trucks and their tacos. The tacos and trucks were judged four main catagories: taste, location, atmosphere and staff.

La Acapulquena #3

My first stop, located at Jensen and Hwy 99 was La Acapulquena #3. This taco truck was amazing and I anticipated nothing special based on the location of the truck, but they were awesome. The truck was kind of in the middle of nowhere, but the food and the people were great.

This truck is family run and offered a variety of Mexican food. The food included tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas and even tostadas. They offered a variety of chips and drinks which included Pepsi, Fanta and Doritos. There was not much of a sitting area except for one table which was usually crowded.

Despite this the tacos were amazing. They offered several meats such as asada, chicken and pork. However, they were out of asada and guacamole though which was a huge bummer for me. The taco came loaded with salsa, lettuce, other vegetables and a secret sauce. There was a lot of rich flavor in the taco but it was very messy. However, there were plenty of napkins and silverware available.

Leslie Gonzalez works at La Acapulquena with her mother and grandma. She describes her job and how she loves her grandma’s tacos.

“What I do here at the taco truck is come here and work with my family,” Gonzalez said. “I ask the customers what they would like; most of them want asada. I also go in the taco truck and make some tacos while taking orders from the customers. I love the tacos here because my grandma makes them and she makes them very good.”

Overall it was an great truck. The people were awesome, the food was great but I was not really feeling a busy atmosphere. The tacos are a little under two dollars there and I would definitely recommend this truck for as a rest stop on a trip. Just pull of the highway and get yourself a tasty taco.

Tacos Rodriguez

My second stop was Tacos Rodriguez. They are a food trailer located at Second and Tulare. The staff was all male and they did not speak English, so there was a language barrier, but the tacos were great. The tacos were a dollar and fifty cents each. There was a selection of meats to put on your taco. It came with the meat, a little bit of lettuce and two tortillas on the bottom.

There was a toppings bar which allowed you to garnish your meal with more lettuce, guacamole, salsa, vegetables and pico de gallo. On the menu there were also burritos and quesadillas. There were a variety of drinks including Sprite, Fanta and a selection of beers for adults.

Just like La Acapulquena there was no real atmosphere. There were no tables and chairs and the staff did not really engage with their customers, but the food was still amazing. Definitely a good spot to go before a movie or some other type of activity with friends.

Tacos Rodriguez can be contacted at their phone number (559) 389-8231.

Mariscos Calimos

My third spot was Mariscos Calimos. This amazing place is located at Chestnut and Clinton. Interestingly enough, in 1999 Mariscos Calimos was founded as one taco truck. It became so popular that an additional truck was commissioned. The sales grew, enlarging the business and the menu. Today, Mariscos Calimos is two taco trucks surrounding a covered patio area for dining. There are multiple sets of tables and chairs with TV screens surrounding you as you eat.

The staff spoke English so it was very easy to order. The tricky part was deciding what to get as the menu was huge. They offered a range of food from seafood to tortas. This was the only taco truck I went to that offered seafood dishes and tacos, which was very impressive. I ordered the regular taco which was just under two dollars. They also had a huge selection of drinks such as soda, lemonade, beer, margaritas and my personal favorite, the horchata.

The taco was very tasty; they gave it to you with meat and a little bit of lettuce on it. There was also a salsa bar where you could set up your meal with over six different salsas ranging from moderate to spicy in flavor. The taco I got was amazing with guacamole and lime juice squirted on it. What even made it better was washing it down with some fresh horchata.

The only thing I really noticed was it was kind of quiet. For all the decorated environment there was not a lot of activity. However this may simply have been a week day lull. Mariscos Calimos offers a different special deal every day. This place is perfect for a date night, or just a family dinner. While it is a sit down place, you can also get your order to go.

Mariscos Calimos can be contacted at their phone number: (559) 456-0043.

Tacos Landios

My last destination, Tacos Landios, is located on Cedar and Clinton and is awesome. The staff speaks English and is super fun. They have mariachi music playing from a jukebox, creating an exciting atmosphere for customers. This truck provided a variety of Mexican food.

Their tacos were just under two dollars, but they came with some type of bean nacho. This consisted of a couple chips with pinto beans on top of it. The taco was super good with a lot of flavor. What they lost in spice they made up in the flavor of the meat.

Out of all the trucks I went to this was probably my favorite. The location and atmosphere was awesome. There were tables and chairs to sit down in while eating. The staff and tacos were awesome. I definitely would recommend this place for a group of friends going out for a late bite of authentic Mexican food.

Feather staffer Carston Saelzler, ‘21, ventures around Fresno seeking the best street taco, March 12. Check out his article on #thefeather posted later this week to read about what he discovered. @fresnochristian @CityofFresno #tacos pic.twitter.com/p5n3MPDfYV

— The Feather Online (@thefeather) March 13, 2018

For more articles, read Romeo and Juliet enchants audience with renowned cast or The Feather takes NYC 2018: Day 4 Recap.

Slideshow below includes images of several street tacos from various local eateries.

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Carston Saelzler can be reached via email.