The Taco Truck: First Impressions

Have my taco dreams been answered? Quite possibly.

Before going to Austin for SXSW this year, I liked tacos well enough, but I didn't crave tacos. But ever since trying some of Austin's best (The Peached Tortilla, Izzoz, Chi'lantro), I've been wondering where I could find a Boston taco to satisfy my new obsession.

Then, Eater Boston brought good news: The Taco Truck was coming. Today. Originally from New Jersey, The Taco Truck has expanded to a cozy park-side spot on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, with Boston on the way soon. With the sun shining and a morning's worth of hard work behind us, Joel and I felt that this afternoon was the perfect time for a taco expedition.

Normally I wouldn't write about a place on its opening day, but, spoiler alert: I have only good things to say. As we walked down Flagg Street, we saw the bright orange truck from afar, and our stomachs began to growl. We arrived to find a short line - the secret's not out yet - and we placed our orders and were served relatively quickly. The goods: carnitas michoacan tacos for me, pollo asado tacos for Joel, two Mexican cokes (real sugar and a glass bottle? Oh yes.), and totopos (chips and salsa) to share. It all came to just over $20; initially, it seemed pricey, but the tacos are $2.25 - $2.50 each, which is actually quite reasonable, especially considering the focus on local and organic ingredients. (The tacos come in pairs, $4.50 - $5.)

We battled high winds to cross over to the river, take photos, and devour everything, but it was well worth the effort. The tacos were stuffed with just the right amount of ingredients, everything tasted fresh and full of flavor, and the meat was perfectly juicy. The corn tortillas were excellent - and this is coming from someone who greatly prefers flour tortillas.

The chips, while a bit on the greasy side, were very good overall; we were particularly fond of the lime seasoning. (I despise the "hint of lime" flavor of commercial tortilla chips; they have a weird fake lime chemically flavor. These, though, tasted of real lime and no chemicals.) We chose the roasted red salsa to accompany them, and it proved to be a solid choice. There are three other salsa available as well: a green salsa made of tomatillo, avocado, and cilantro; a spicy tomatillo and chipotle; and a spicier jalapeno, habanero, and chile de arbol. (Can you believe it? We actually weren't in the mood for spicy today. That's a rare occurrence for us.)

The Mexican cokes were, of course, refreshing, although Joel said his was a bit on the flat side.

So, it seems that my taco dreams have been answered. These are definitely on par with many of the tacos I enjoyed in Austin and better than any Boston tacos I've had in recent memory. The downside? Rather than satisfying my craving, this has only made me crave tacos even more. I'll be back. Very soon.

Like all good food trucks, The Taco Truck is active on social media, so you'll always know where to find it. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook to stay in the loop.