With its popularity growing everyday, Mas Tacos is the word on everyone's lips (and the little spot of sauce on their chins), so the Fat Girl just had to find out what the fuss was about for herself.So you're saying, "Fat Girl, who cares about tacos? There's a Taco Bell down the street & they do just fine, when I want fancy ones, I'll go to Las Palmas or La Hacienda, I mean how good could they be?"
And I say unto you, so good you'll slap your momma or anyone else within arms reach, friend, relative or stranger...
It is hard to believe to look at them that these tacos, so unassuming in the their little red & white paper trays, could be so filling and have such a range of both bold and subtle flavors. They are not the unhealthy, mass-produced fair of fast food using lettuce for filler and banking on you being in too much of a hurry to notice that they don't taste very good. They are not even the sit-down Mexican restaurant standard overflowing with gooey white cheese and greasy ground beef. These tacos are fresh & light but hearty & filling at the same time. You bite into one and get a burst of cilantro as well as fresh squeezed lime juice and wonderfully creamy fresh sour cream dancing a jolly little jig on your tongue and that is just the beginning of what
makes these tacos the best. I revel in the surprised grunt from Mas Tacos virgins as they get their first bite. It is a surprise to most (myself included) that a taco could be so flavorful. I have tried the chicken (rich flavors without being overwhelming, moist and rib-sticking good), the Quinoas (seasoned potatoes and corn good enough for even the most stalwart carnivores to make an all veggie meal exception) and the fried Tilapia (I am not even a fan of fish, but these are amazing! there's a mildly spicy secret sauce on these that I would kill to get the recipe for). I have yet to try their grilled corn on the cob, but how could it be bad? Everything else is made with artistry their grilled corn just has to be great! At the delightful aqua and yellow "tacobego" you can even find a fresh and tasty beverage unlike most you'll find. For those of you old enough to remember when Coca-Cola was made with real sugar and not corn syrup (and actually tasted good) there are Mexican Cokes in the old school glass bottle, ice cold and ready to satisfy you with their bubbly goodness. They also offer home made agua fresca, water mixed with fresh fruit juice. Fresh is the word to describe everything that Mas Tacos offers. Fresh ingredients, fresh ideas of what a taco can be as well as the fresh & fiesty proprietress, Teresa. Quick with a joke & a smile and a friendly "hon" or "babe", it is her personality as well as the masterful tacos she creates that bring people back again and again. Mas Tacos even provides a feast for the eyes, you would never expect food from a mobile vendor to be beautiful to look at, but the purple cabbage along with the bright green cilantro on the back drop of sour cream are like tasty little jewels wrapped in wax paper! For such a tiny package to contain such a lovely, delicious and addictive payload must surely be magic of some sort, so I have set about asking Teresa (owner, founder and gourmet taco enchantress) some of the hard hitting taco questions that people are dying to know the answers to. (I left her capitalization alone as it lent an artistic e.e. cummings sort of vibe)Fat Girl: What inspired you to paint a Winnebago and sell tacos?
Mas Tacos: the winnebago was by chance, i had been looking around at old ice cream trucks and just anything that looked cool that would be big enough for a kitchen and ran across this truck on shelby for sale. its funny because i had been traveling all over tn looking at different things. i bought it from the band danger bear, they were trying to use it as a tour bus, but not having the best of luck on long trips.
(Their loss is our delicious taco gain!)
as far as the taco idea, i have always been crazy about street food, most bigger cities are full of vendors of all types. so its not an original idea, just new to nashville.
Fat Girl: Are these family recipes? created from scratch by you? found as a prize in a Cracker Jack box?
Mas Tacos: recipes came from a lot of trial and error and knowing ultimately what i wanted the food to taste like, so it was only a matter of time until i got it right.
Fat Girl: I know that something this delicious must be a closely guarded secret, but what would you say is the number 1 ingredient to a stellar taco?
Mas Tacos: i think what makes these tacos so good, is just that they are fresh, everything is homemade (except the tortillas..they do such a good job right down the street at la hacienda, why mess with a good thing) and simple.
Mas Tacos: i do want a permanent place..but its too soon. i love the idea of having a home base to work from though. it would be in the neighborhood for sure. maybe the truck could even still be the kitchen!
Fat Girl: What is the best way for our readers to track the Mas Tacos revolution as it feeds East Nashville and beyond?
Mas Tacos: twitter.com/mastacos facebook or myspace. i like myspace because you can put fun music and photos.
Fat Girl: What's next for Mas Tacos? Any Cinco De Mayo plans?
Mas Tacos: the cinco de mayo party is behind the alley cat, we've got a great indoor and outdoor space..full menu, live music. i'm really excited. if you mention it tell folks to bring thier lawn chair!
(of course I'll mention it, any reason to get these tacos is a good reason!)
oh and i definately am going to expand the menu soon. and you can look for me at movies in the park this summer. (in centennial park)
*****
My only complaint about Mas Tacos is that as a West Sider I have to drive across town to imbibe these little tortilla wrapped beauties. As complaints go this isn't a big one, as a lone tacobego, how many places could she be at one time? I am thrilled to see her at Movies in the Park this year, as it will open up her taco magic to my side of town and further the Mas Tacos Revolution.
Viva la Taco!
-Fat Girl
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