The fat man (yours truly) and my girlfriend were out running errands a few weeks ago when the pangs of lunchtime hunger started rumbling from down in the deep.
And when a pregnant woman says “I hunger” in a cute voice, time quickly becomes of the essence. Why? Because that polite declaration of needing to eat can quickly turn into hangry—and no one wants to see hangry.
I remembered reading about a food truck serving tacos in the Wheeling area, originally along Washington Ave., but now with a spot out in Elm Grove.
So we traveled to Elm Grove, to the location of a former Marathon Gas Station, across the street from Arby’s.
The lot that day at 2061 National Road? Empty. Was it closed? No, but it forced me to remember one key element—it’s a food truck. Food trucks are mobile.
So I quickly hopped onto Facebook and visited the page of The Gringos Tacos to see where they were set up that day.
Alas, we were in luck. Owner Josh Broverman was camped in the Lowe’s parking lot in South Wheeling from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
So to South Wheeling we traveled, both hungry and excited as we made our way up and over I-470 to Lowes.
I’d read and heard good things about these street tacos with a gourmet flare and it was finally time to try them ourselves.
Gringos Tacos is set up in a little red towable food truck. The menu, while not large, is quite varied and offers something for everyone.
It also is subject to change, featuring specials.
I felt quite hungry and wanted some variety to gauge just how good these tacos were.
I opted to get a Carnitas with Pineapple Salsa and also one of The Gentleman tacos. The gentleman consists of beef, cheddar, queso, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
The nearing hangry GF wanted a little more standard with two beef tacos.
We placed our order and, seeing as it was a chilly day, went back into the car to wait.
The Verdict
First off, the staff was incredibly friendly and patient as we took a moment as first timers, deciding what to order. The other folks in line clearly had been here before and knew what they wanted.
The wait wasn’t long for the food to be ready either.
It was well packed so that it didn’t lose an ounce of heat or freshness traveling back to the car.
Now for the moment of truth. I’ve had carnitas on several occasions at Mexican and other restaurants around the Ohio Valley, so I opted to try The Gentleman taco first.
I love mixing the cooling sensation and flavor of guac with the flavors of still hot beef of the taco.
I was right, it didn’t disappoint. The flavors meshed incredibly well together.
More than pleasantly surprised, I then tried the carnitas with pineapple salsa. Again, not disappointed. The pork was so tender and had the right amount of flavor.
As I look over, I see someone enjoying her second beef taco, and signaling her approval with a thumbs up and a mouth full of food.
More Info:
Gringos’ Facebook page holds a wealth of information and should be your first stop shop before ordering.
It features numerous pictures of the various tacos served at Gringos. It also alerts customers if the truck locale will change from its home in Elm Grove.
Gringos Tacos also does larger-scale catering events, and customers can also place orders ahead of time online by messaging the Facebook page via messenger.
I look forward to returning and trying something with a bit more heat. The flavor is definitely on point. Now I’m looking forward to something with a little more spice.
