Author Spotlight
Luciana Mendy
I have always loved trying new restaurants with all types of cuisines, from Mediterranean to Indian. However, my passion for food had never ventured into the world of restaurants on wheels — until last week when a green and white taco truck caught my eye as I topped off my gas tank.
Nestled in the corner of a Phillips 66 gas station on 756 County Line Rd, Kansas City, far from the glitzy chains and formal establishments, lies a hidden culinary delight: Taqueria El Resbalon. While the truck takes up only a bit more room than the average parking space, the food competes with any other “real restaurant”.
When I ordered at the window, the exchange was quick and easy. In less than 10 minutes I was driving back home with four fresh off-the-grill tacos.
I started off with the carne asada taco, served on a warm corn tortilla. I was delighted that the stereotypical “Taco Tuesday” hard shell was nowhere to be found in any of the tacos, so no need to worry about the taco breaking apart in my hands. The taco was simple, consisting of steak topped with a generous sprinkle of cilantro and diced onions.
Though the presentation may have been simplistic, after the first bite, I realized the flavors were anything but. The delicious smoky, char-grilled taste of the carne asada dominated the dish, ultimately overpowering any hints of onion and cilantro.
While the meat was very flavorful, it was slightly tough, making it difficult to chew. The lack of tenderness dampened the experience, the taco’s rich flavor definitely makes up for it.
The chicken taco was presented the same as the carne asada taco, with cilantro and onions. The chicken, however, was tender and the cilantro’s citrusy tangy taste wasn’t completely overpowered by the meat, unlike the Carne Asada taco. Instead, the cilantro and onions really pulled through in terms of flavor and complemented the savory meat immaculately, adding a very refreshing element.
The taco also came with a side of jalapeños and avocado salsa verde that I dolloped generously onto the taco. The addition of the salsa verde made this taco an all-time favorite of mine.
The sauce didn’t have a strong enough flavor to overwhelm the cilantro, but the kick of spice it gave at the end, truly elevated the taco and brought it all together.
The El Pastor taco is a staple filled with marinated pork infused with spices and pineapple — however, despite the promise of robust seasoning that is typically synonymous with this dish, the taco lacked any semblance of the expected vibrant taste.
The taco’s look was greatly misleading, although the meat was seasoned bright red, seemingly bursting with spices, it tasted remarkably bland — lacking the signature flavor of sweet pineapple along with the essential spices and chiles.
I used the side salsa verde again to provide some much-needed spice, but having to depend on salsa to salvage the main component of the dish is never a good sign.
The final taco I got was the chorizo — a highly seasoned pork sausage — taco, which I had never had before but the reference photo on the side of the truck drew me in.
As I took my first bite, the taste of intense seasoning and rich flavor was immediate. The chorizo was infused with spices and seasoned so strongly that it swamped any flavor of the tortilla, cilantro or onions. While the spices truly made the meat taste delicious, they also made the taco very filling, making one chorizo just enough.
The texture of the meat also threw me off. Since chorizo is sausage, the grounded meat had a coarse paste-like consistency that became more prevalent with each bite. I would not recommend this taco to anyone sensitive to textures.
Taqueria El Resbalon may not be featured on Yelp’s top lists, but within its modest setup lies a variety of delicious dishes to try. I only scratched the surface of what this restaurant on wheels has to offer, and if I hadn’t gone to that Phillips 66 for gas I would have never known about it.
So, next time you catch sight of a colorful food truck, no matter its unusual location, embrace the opportunity and you might discover a hidden gem that rivals—and perhaps even surpasses—dining in a sit-down restaurant.
Tune in next month for another Rolling Flavor review.
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