Monday, June 09, 2008

Taqueria La Poblanita


Tacos al Pastor times three!



I found myself in Jessup, Maryland today picking up some equipment and spied this taco truck on the side of the road.

Now, I know on the West Coast the sight of a taco truck is no cause for excitement or concern, but out here in the land of Taco Hell, flour tortillas and lots of grated cheddar cheese, a proper taco truck is quite notable indeed.

The menu is simple: tacos, quesadilla, menudo, flautas and a few other items. I decided to go for the tacos al pastor. Unlike the pastor the taqueros make in Mexico City, these are not roasted on a gyro machine. Sliced pork is cooked in a salsa rojo for the unique flavor and finished on the plancha. Serve with two tortillas, chopped white onion, lots of chopped cilantro, a wedge of lime and a side of salsa verde and puta y madre are they good. I had three.

I was greeted by an elderly man originally from Mexico City but who's been in the United States for 25 years. He's been in Maryland for only 8 months but doesn't quite like it here. He spent the better part of our time together telling me about his journey across America in five buses over four and a half days, interspersed with ten minute breaks for meals, no seat reservations, endless prairies, mind numbing boredom and smelly passengers. It reminded me of my own Bus Trip From Hell and being held and interrogated by the DEA and BATF in the middle of the California desert. Not pleasant.

Turns out his niece is from Puebla (hence the name) and this is her taco truck. She's the one doing the cooking and he's out front entertaining guests like me.

I don't get out to Jessup much, but Taqueria La Poblanita will be on my stop list the next time I'm out that way.


Taqueria La Poblanita
East side of Route 1
About halfway between Route 175 and Route 32 on Route 1
Jessup, MD