Sometimes the most flavorful, hearty tacos can be found in such mundane places, in this case that place is a gas station off of Grimmer Blvd. in Fremont. Let’s see what this five star food truck (according to Yelp) has to offer.
The Place
La Chilindrina food truck, the truck’s namesake deriving from one of the main characters on the popular Televisa sitcom El Chavo del Ocho, is an establishment that brings the ultimate Mexico City street food experience to the Warm Springs District of Fremont. The “Chilango” pride typed on the exterior of this truck is paying homage to the owner’s Mexico City roots, and ultimately to the city’s exquisite cuisine. Parked on the side of the Fremont Gas and Food, this little hidden gem was a pleasant surprise to find in search for great tasting tacos in the Bay Area.
The Goods
From left to right: carne asada, al pastor, and cabeza
When I walked up to this quaint taco truck, I was surprised that they had so many choices of meats for their tacos. Besides the meats pictured, La Chilindrina also offers: lengua, tripas (tripe), pollo (chicken), and suadero (brisket).
The tacos were served with just the meat, but the truck has a little cupboard on the left side where the customer can grab onions, cilantro, limes, radishes, and sauces which gives the customer an opportunity to make the tacos to their liking. This was new for me to see on a food truck as I’ve only seen this at local cantinas, but I took full advantage of this little condiment bar and added onions, cilantro, and lime to my tacos.
The carne asada (left) was well-seasoned, tender, and also well-marinated in a citrusy and spicy blend. The al pastor taco (middle) was mixed with sautéed pineapples as well which made the taco sweeter, but took away from the taste of the pork which unfortunately was a bit overcooked. However, the pieces that were cooked up to par were savory and juicy. Lastly, the cabeza taco reminded me of a hearty beef stew in taste and in the mouth feel of the meat, which left me wanting more of the succulent shreds of beef head.
What I adored about these tacos was the two thick yellow corn tortillas used for the base of each taco. The tortillas held up well against the stemming hot meats and stayed intact for the entire meal, even between sips of their perfectly sweet yet mildly gritty horchata.
Carne asada huarache with red sauce
Although our audience is here primarily for all things tacos, what actually sparked my interest when researching this taco truck was the huaraches on the menu. Huaraches (which means ‘sandal’) are a Mexico City street food made with an oblong fried yellow corn masa topped with a protein, red or green salsa, cotija cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.
The masa had a great taste and smooth texture. What really stood out was the freshness of the cheese and sour cream, as well as the spiciness of the red sauce. Overall, it was a great dish but next time I’ll get the tangy green sauce instead since the red sauce packs quite a punch.
The Details
The address is 43250 Grimmer Blvd in Fremont between Yellowstone Park Dr & Doane St, parked to the side of the Fremont Gas and Food. They’re open Mondays through Saturdays 10:00am to 9:30pm. Parking might be difficult considering its at a gas station, but at least you can get a fill up on gas while enjoying some delicious tacos. Also, this taco truck is cash only!