Mexican
Lunch Review
When I received an email from Mr A-List himself, Paul Kitching (PK), to join him for lunch at the new Mexican Food Truck that roams the streets of 'RADelaide' my eyes lit up and my excitement erupted. Mobile catering and food trucks have always been an interest (and dream) of mine due to their ability to be a portable presence of provisions to a varied clientele that can follow the demand whilst maintaining lower overheads.
With the team from Burger Theory already well grounded and affectionately respected on the scattered Squares of Adelaide streets, it was only a matter of time until someone took up the opportunity to add to the procession. There aren’t too many menu options that would fit the food truck kitchen space; the model requires swift service and an ability to meet eclectic punter requirements - but Mexican Street Food is the perfect addition.
The bright orange truck stands out like Fanta at a Lemonade stand, which instantly created interest. As I walked over to the van there was a generous gathering of around 8 people (compared to 20+ people at the Burger Theory truck) which seemed pretty acceptable for only 2 weeks on the road. As I stood back and observed I noticed that there was a steady turnover of orders and new Gringo’s entered the line maintaining the momentum; there were even some gate-crashers from the Burger Theory line-up.
The menu is simplistic yet covers all bases. There are options for the carnivore or vegetarian, with soft shell taco’s encasing choices of beef, blackbean and chorizo, smoked chicken, spiced pork or zucchini and mushroom. At a mere $5 each or two for $9 this is definitely something that won’t empty the peso’s from your pocket or purse. The front counter was also loaded with spicy sauces to heat up the temperature for those who like a volcano in their mouth.
In order to get the complete mobile Mexican experience, PK and I decided to share the entire suite of soft shell tacos matched with an imported Jarritos soft drink chaser available in mandarin, guava, pineapple or lime flavour. I couldn’t go past a matching shade of mandarin, whereas PK chose pineapple as his lunchtime tipple.
The light, crunchy, toasted outer casing of the soft taco was the perfect shell to hold the fillings in place with no splatter or spillage for the concerned corporate customers. The meat was well marinated, tender and cooked to perfection with fresh flavoursome accompaniments to keep the taste buds dancing; the sides included pint-sized pineapple cubes with the pork or the pico de gallo (fresh salsa) and sour cream on the smoked chicken. Most surprising was the earthy intensity from the zucchini and mushroom taco with zingy lime which offered vegetarians a great alternative that wasn’t bland or boring.
With 3 staff monitoring the border the food was served piping hot within 5 – 10 minutes and came with a free side of by spritely smiles. 2 soft shell tacos left me feeling content, although a fistful of crunchy corn chips and pico de gallo would have been the perfect treat.
If you are looking for a swift, savoury lunchtime sensation that will almost come to you, keep an eye out for the La Cantina truck or follow them on Facebook and chase them down for a satisfyingly healthy alternative. Don’t jump the queue illegally though, because that’s just downright ill-mannered. Gracias!
Darren Richards
(AKA Dougal McFuzzlebutt)
Soft shell tacos: $5 each or $9 for 2
Jarritos soft drink: $4
Where: Roaming the streets of Adelaide
Trading: Mon – Fri 11:30am – 3:30pm and Fri – Sat 9:00pm – 12:00am
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaCantinaCo
Contact: 0419 707 300
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Photography by Darren Richards
