This morning I craved laksa asam. I really hadn't given Malaysian food much thought since we left KL a week ago Thursday, but when I woke up I was seized by a longing for something soured with tamarind and spiced with chilies, with a saucer of belacan stinkiness on the side. I know I won't find it here (in Michigan where we are now), or in New Mexico, where we're headed next. I know I'll have to wait till we're back home.
That's not to say we haven't been taking advantage of all the delicious things easily found in (parts of) the States, that we can't eat in Malaysia. Sweet, juicy, heirloom tomatoes. Cheese - blues, cheddars, buffalo mozzarella, goat cheese in various guises - sold at prices that won't send us to the poorhouse. Interesting Italian wines that we can afford. Big glasses of cold skim milk (sorry - I happen to love skim milk). Porchetta. Good artisanal breads, many made with sourdough starter. Pizza and wonderful handmade pastas. And tacos.
Earlier this week we hooked up with a blogger based in Oakland (formerly Bangkok). After I read his most recent taco truck post I dropped him a line: Hey, want to take us to an Oakland taco truck or two? That's how friendships are forged, over common interests. These days, more of our friendships have been made via food blogs than not. (Is that weird?)
We started at Tacos Sinaloa, two trucks situated in a parking lot on International Boulevar at 22nd. One truck specializes in meat and meat product tacos etc., the other in seafood. The fish tacos were fine, albeit not transcendent. A noted that the edges of the tortillas were dry. The fish was nicely smoky and seemed fresh enough. Coming from Malaysia, with its dearth of taco trucks, we were a bit more appreciative of the basics than most California taco connoisseurs probably would be.
We also popped for a shrimp cocktail, which arrived as a sort of michelada (Mexican beer cocktail) with large, perfectly-cooked shrimp and chunks of avocado in it.There was the tomato juice-y base, the bit of Worcestire, the lime. Lots of chopped cilantro and tortillas on the side. This we were impressed with. While it could have used a bit more chili bite for our taste (yeah, we're chili addicts), the shellfish were surprisingly plump, fresh, and plentiful. After we finished dipping up solids with our tortillas I drank the liquid down, wishing I had a Negro Modelo to add in.
We saved the best - A's favorite taco truck - for last.
Tacos Alonzo's menu offers a whole host of meaty options, but we were really there for the tripe tacos.
And they were excellent - fried till cripsy and golden, a masterful blend of texture (crunchy and chewy) and just enough funky tripiness to keep the taste buds interested. Easily our favorite taco of the day.
Of course, one is never enough, so cabeza (head meat) - meltingly soft, a bit fatty, very meaty tasting - and spiced pork chunks (pastor) also found their way onto our taco platter.
All well and good (Alonzo's pickled carrots are a cut above, by the way), but it was the tripe that we talked about on the way back to our respective abodes (by way of the Berkeley Farmer's Market and the Phoenix's incredible macaroons).
We've heard tell of a Tex-Mex taco truck somewhere in the vicinity of Lansing, MI. Further investigation will be warranted.
Thanks A, for the all-too-short taco truck tour.