Wednesday, June 29, 2011
It was proposed to me recently that it is a waste of time writing about small taco stands. The philosophy behind the remark was that they are all more or less the same. Whatachon is an example of why such ideas are utter nonsense, and evidence that the person speaking hasn't been eating at enough food trucks.
The truth is that almost every taco truck is different, and you can often find items at one truck that you’ve never seen before, or even heard of. The salsas are completely different; the items are assembled in vastly different ways; and, well, the food tastes different.
For instance, at Whatachon, they serve an item called a Lorenza, which I haven't seen anywere else. It's a crispy tortilla covered in melted cheese and piled high with carne asada. It is gooey and crispy and meaty all at once, and a steal at $1.75 a piece.
Whatachon also has a built-in salsa bar that can hold court with any condiment bar in town (except for Aqui Con El Nene, which reigns supreme). It is at this salsa bar that I first had serrano peppers soaked in soy sauce, which, if you’ve yet to experience them, are pure heaven.
Whatachon — which, according to the owners, means “big shoes” — is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Most of the tacos are less than $2, and a fat torta will set you back about $5.
Tags: food truck diaries , tucson food trucks , Whatachon , Lorenza , tucson taco stands