Street food — especially that of taco trucks — holds a special place in my heart. There’s something about getting local food and eating it in five minutes that really hits home. It is my mission this year to try all of the Winston-Salem favorites in an effort to broaden my palate, but I keep finding myself returning to my first great find: El Taquito Taqueria.

Parked in El Rincón Latino’s lot on Akron Drive, I found this gem after googling restaurants on a random Tuesday night while driving with my friend. I was starving and wanted something other than Cookout, but I didn’t want to take too much time. The universe must have been looking out for me because the food truck popped up after many minutes of scrolling through restaurants like Bojangles, Waffle House and McDonald’s. My friend and I decided to drive by and check it out. When we arrived with only a 10 dollar bill to our names, a selection of tacos, quesadillas, gorditas, sopes and drinks greeted us, but I obviously had to try the tacos.

I must warn you, however, that you can only buy four tacos at once. Do not try ordering three, it just doesn’t work like that — I learned the hard way. Nine dollars for four tacos, or you go home. Even if you’re only hungry enough for three, just eat the fourth — trust me. I would also like to honorably mention the quesadillas before I continue providing my taco wisdom — they are huge and served with rice and sour cream. As you can tell, this establishment has the potential to demolish my bank account; however, they only take cash, which is a saving grace because I rarely carry cash.

My go-to order is one barbacoa, carne asada, chorizo and pollo tacos with hot and mild salsa on the side. Like any taco truck worth its salt, El Taquito serves the tacos topped with onions and cilantro in a corn tortilla. Once you’re comfortable in the car — or if you’re strong-willed and can wait until you get back to campus — squeeze the limes onto the tacos and add the caramelized pepper-onion mixture on top. 

Before you dig in — and I cannot stress this enough — make sure you grab a drink from the market and lots of napkins while you wait for your food. I’d like to think I have a decent tolerance to spice, but if the guy manning the window makes you verbally confirm that you want hot salsa, you should be cautious. The first time I had tacos from this truck, I poured the salsa with a heavy hand because I was far too confident in my ability to tolerate spice. Suffice it to say, I was basically crying with a running nose and a burning mouth. It was not a pretty sight, but I only regret that I wasn’t properly equipped. Just make sure to learn from your losses. Splurge on the Jarritos and load up the napkins when you go — it’s necessary. 

With that in mind, I definitely recommend stopping at El Taquito Taqueria sometime in the near future. It’s about a ten-minute drive from campus and can make your night. Good luck and take my knowledge into the taco-truck world. It has served me well.