La Marqueza Taco Truck

Last week, Chau was talking smack on the Garces Guapos Tacos truck, so perfect timing to come across this real taco truck parked near the Art Museum.


I was on the drive home from a failed pre-memorial day Tomato Pie/Hoagie mission, pretty bummed and hungry (place was closed) but this brightly colored soccer ball and skull covered taco truck saved the day.


The carnitas were delicious and tender and unlike some in these parts pleasantly free of gristle. Although the lettuce and sour cream is less than authentic ( "Lettuce?!?" groans my outraged friend from San Diego, who insists there's "no good Mexican food in Philadelphia") it tasted great as did the orange carnita grease dripping out of the end of the taco mixed with sour cream.


And a complimentary bag of homemade tortilla chips. Awesome.


This place gets my vote for real deal Philadelphia taco truck made by real Mexicans. A notch above Taco Loco, but not quite as good as the unlicensed tamale/taco car that used to park on Moravian street every saturday.

No twitter or internet presence I can find (unless it goes by a different name?) but it was parked on 22nd & the Parkway on the weekend, and word is they set up near Phila Community College (15th and Spring Garden-ish) during the week.

Norristown-Style Mexican Hot Dog - Or Not

For years I've been meaning to check out Montgomery Lunch, an old school luncheonette and "Texas" style hot dog joint in Norristown that's been around since 1940.


In the last couple years the place was bought out by some mexican cooks who fused it into a sort of "texas lunch tacqueria" keeping the american classics on the menu (hot dogs, burgers, breakfast, cheesesteaks, hoagies, zeps) along with tacos, tortas, sopes, carnitas, and supposedly a "secret" menu of mash-ups like a chorizo hoagie and, in my dreams, some sort of MIND BLOWING, never before seen "norristown style mexican hot dog".


So imagine my hot dog dreams shattered before my eyes seeing the place empty, with a big "uninhabitable" sticker slapped on the door. Apparently there was some sort of explosion under the restaurant earlier this year, and it looks like they actually closed a few weeks before that.


I'm bummed to have never tried this one-of-a-kind place, although on the bright side my visions of jalapeno-hotdog-greek chili-cheesesteak-gordita fusion will never be tarnished by what in reality might have just been a sad, weird diner in a run down neighborhood.

Or more likely, a great spot for mexican food with OK hot dogs. Anyway, if anyone out there has more photos of this place, especially the food, I'd love to see them... I think the first time of heard of this place was a comment right here on drawing for food.

•Montgomery Lunch Menu at allmenus.com
•More photos including interior at norristown patch
•Montgomery Hot Lunch at alleewillis.com

Elote Corn

See the Magic of Summer's best treasure via the Wheat Beer fest at the South Philly Taproom.

Grilled Corn + Stick + Limes + Mexican Cheese + Mayonaisse + Chili Powder = So Stoked

Summer Means Truck Eatin'

Guapos Truck

 

I admit, the Guapos Truck is not my favorite. To me it's something to fancy in a guise of a lunch truck. Before I realized it was a Garces Truck ( and I LOVE Jose Garces mind you ) I thought it seemed a little tooo nice, and it was fishy that the people inside weren't excited about the line of people wanting tacos.

And of course its because its not their truck.

What makes a lunch truck so so so great, is that it's cheap, and it's so so so good because the people in it, LOVE their food, and maybe can't afford a restaurant. So you get excited people serving you what they love. it's a whole experience.

With my lunch truck theory said, the food was a little too expensive for what it was, BUT it was delicious and beautiful and made with care. Skip the guac and chips and get the warm corn salad instead and spoon it onto your tacos. YUM.

Corn Salad, Fish Tacos, Chips and Guacomole, and Pork Tacos

 Memphis TapRoom Beer Garden

This charmer of a place really kicked my crush on summer and Philadelphia hardcore.

Charming, well done, beautiful outside seating and totally loyal neighborhood place. Nothing is better than hot dogs and canned beer in the sweet warm nights of Philadelphia.

Memphis Taproom

2331 East Cumberland Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125

215-425-4460

La Copine Brunch Truck

This now, is killing the brunch game. These charming charmers Clare and Nicki run this darling little truck every Saturday and Sunday at 2nd and Poplar across from the Standard Tap. The patio area is absolutely lovely and I can't say more about how great of an experience this is.

I love love love supporting people who want to make something awesome happen through hard work and passion. I would do anything for these ladies. They still have day jobs and then work all night long prepping the truck for the weekend. I told them pretty soon they are going to have to quit because the word is out, the food is toooooo goood.

 Homemade Hibisicus Tea and Iced Coffee 

VIP seating.

Homemade breakfast sausage with local pork from Meadow Run Farms. Hash Browns cooked in butter and spicy tomato jam. Killin' the game. Best Hash Browns in the city hands down.

Grilled Homemade banana bread with peanut butter and jam. SOOOOO secret genious.

And with that this summer is too rad.