Red Mosquito

washing machine wrote:I've developed a taste for chewy and fatty taco meat over the years. Chiccarones and tripa are typically my go-to. With fajita or pastor tacos, I'll go for corn tortillas, but something about the texture of chiccarones and trips goes much better with flour.

Nate, have you had much experience with Latin American fast food chains in America? Pollo Campero, El Regio, El Rey...places like that? Are taco trucks and fast food spots any different than traditional American fast food? Are the ingredients any better?

http://remezcla.com/lists/food/latin-am ... s-we-love/

I've enjoyed El Regio quite a bit, I thought Pollo Campero was pretty shitty and wouldn't eat there again. That Nonos joint I posted about earlier does the whole chicken thing as well. It's one of my favorite meals, I can't wait to try their version.

The Tierras Calientes truck near me is not participating in A Day Without Immigrants, while several Americanized brick & morters like Torchys and Tacos A-Go Go were forced to closed when their kitchen staff went on strike. I'm choosing to take part in the protest by supporting the taco truck I go to three times a week anyway.

there are taco trucks in chicago, but they're overpriced like all the other food trucks in town. defeats the purpose of a taco, imo, so i skip em.

Could be a good business opportunity for RM. Trag will get you started on truck and gear, I'll consult on undercut pricing, Dev handles PR, wease and burt work the line. All you'll really need to do is scout locations.

lunchtime during the week, they kill at wacker and adams or at clark and monroe. thursdays, folks flock to a food truck roundup at the daley center plaza. winter weekends i'm not sure, but summer weekends, pull up alongside any major parkland or street fest and you're good. when should i see my first check?

Are street fests in Chicago summers as frequent as protests during weekends in Trump years?

washing machine wrote:Are street fests in Chicago summers as frequent as protests during weekends in Trump years?

pretty much

I'm waiting for a BBQ pork and pâté banh mi at this new spot near me right now. Even though this place is in an expensive neighborhood and has nice, new decor, the sandwich is only $3.50. Not many places around town ever charge more than that for banh mi. I wish more restaurants serving what amounts to international street food would take cues from the Vietnamese.

tragabigzanda wrote:

washing machine wrote:I'm waiting for a BBQ pork and pâté banh mi at this new spot near me right now. Even though this place is in an expensive neighborhood and has nice, new decor, the sandwich is only $3.50. Not many places around town ever charge more than that for banh mi. I wish more restaurants serving what amounts to international street food would take cues from the Vietnamese.

Oh god I love banh mi.

I miss my local banh mi up from my flat in London.

So good, amirite? This one forgot the fresh jalapeño, though.

tragabigzanda wrote:

washing machine wrote:So good, amirite? This one forgot the fresh jalapeño, though.

Dang. Hopefully the bread was good -- that can be a deal breaker on a return visit.

Bread was on par. I grabbed a second sandwich to munch on late tonight when I get hungry at work. I'll go back to this place and request the fresh jalapeño goodness next time.

There's a Honduran truck at the front of my neighborhood and I'm into it. Currently I am hooked on pastelitos (corn flour pouch full of rice and ground beef, topped with slaw.) The tacos are good too, but they're more like flautas than the Mexican street tacos I'm more familiar with. Filled with shredded chicken and also topped with slaw. Then there's the meat dishes served over sliced plantains, cooked sort of like potatoes au gratin. Again, with slaw. I haven't even tried the popular baleadas yet. This place being so close is dangerous.