Tasty Treats on Wheels in Rowan County

I do not want to brag, but experience has taught me that Rowan County has the best tacos!

Rowan County has many restaurants, which are definitely worth visiting and we will probably talk about them on another occasion. However, today I am focusing on one particular food truck that my hungry stomach discovered.

 

“The Yellow Truck” – Serving Up Traditional Mexican Cuisine

Taqueria Guanajuato, or better known as “the yellow truck”, is a food truck that serves a variety of Mexican food. Nelson Cortez is the owner of this delicious culinary paradise. He told me the story behind this bunker of taste.

 

 

Originally from El Salvador, Nelson began to discover his love for cooking when he was 18 when he started working in an Italian restaurant.

 

 

“By a twist of fate, I had the opportunity to start my own business, but I would no longer be cooking Italian food. This time it would be Mexican cuisine, which with the help of my wife and mother-in-law, who are Mexican, I learned to prepare all kinds of food. Since I am from El Salvador, where tacos and other Mexican dishes practically do not exist, I didn’t have the slightest idea of ​​how complex it can be to prepare a “simple taco”.

Nelson and his wife have worked in their business for approximately 3 years, but Taqueria Guanajuato has been around for more than 15 years. “The parents of my wife, Israel Guerrero and María Alonso, were the ones who started the food truck business in Salisbury back in the day when the health department did not know how to classify this type of business. During that time, there was no category, hence why many, if not most of the food trucks that we see in the area were made by them and then they sold them.”

Our chef, one of the main culprits why I continue gaining weight, loves all the types and styles of food, but his specialty is Mexican-Latin food.

When asked about traditional Mexican cuisine, Nelson says, “I love the diversity and the combination of flavors, colors, and textures that we can only appreciate in Latin food. From the preparation, to the mixture of smells, to the moment you dig in. I think that at the end of the day, Mexican food has some influence from other countries, which makes it pleasant for any palate.”

As described in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), traditional Mexican cuisine is “a comprehensive cultural model comprising farming, ritual practices, age-old skills, culinary techniques and ancestral community customs and manners.”

 

Food That Unites Us

Taqueria Guanajuato serves a large number of diners. Although you may think that the majority of their customers are Latinos, in reality that is typically not the case. Nelson explains “we have a good amount of Caucasian, Asian, and Indian customers. In fact, we have had days in which we serve more American clients than Latinos.”

This food truck offers a large number of dishes ranging from tortas, esquites, quesadillas, burritos, and waters made with natural ingredients such as pineapple, horchata and tamarind. Among the diversity of flavors and options, there will always be a favorite dish – the tacos! “What people like the most, undoubtedly, are the tacos, and I feel it’s because tacos are delicious at any time of the day – whether to eat at work or for dinner time,” explains Nelson.

 

 

 

“When we prepare food, we always select the best ingredients that we buy here locally in Rowan County. Tacos are made as you prefer, but for us this type of traditional cuisine is eaten with todo, meaning “all” in Spanish. The perfect Mexican taco is prepared with meat, onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa. Each and every one of these ingredients gives it that unique characteristic and flavor of a traditional Mexican taco,” says Nelson.

 

 

Salisbury, NC – The Ideal Location

Nelson and his family have lived in Salisbury for more than ten years. They have built their family, their heritage, and their home in this city. “I have made good friends and met many people who have held out their hands to my family. I personally consider Rowan a quiet county. I think it has everything to live well with the necessary amenities, without the stress of a big city. Plus, there are so many things to do as a family! For all those reasons, Salisbury was the right place to start our life,” says Nelson.

Have you ever heard the phrase “good food, good mood“? If not, I am sure you have heard of the term “hangry”. Fill your empty stomach with authentic and delicious food from Taqueria Guanajuato located at 3005 S. Main St. Salisbury, NC, next to La Alcancia Mexican Grocery Store. They are open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Your taste buds won’t regret it! It never hurts to try something new and local!

 

Rowan County Food Trucks

Mobile delights in Rowan County don’t stop at Mexican food. Check out these local food trucks!

Try a Hawaiian inspired dish called Poke Bowl at Mise en Place Food Truck which sets up outside of New Sarum Brewing.

Sink your teeth into authentic Cuban street food at Mambo on Ruedas, which features original recipes from Mambo Grill & Tapas in downtown Salisbury.

Making the county less “hangry” one person at a time is Yummi Banh Mi Food Truck. Must-trys are Pho, pronounced as “fuh”, and the BBQ Pork Banh Mi – duh!

The Hot Dog Shack of Granite Quarry, NC allows you to create your own dog with toppings including onions, slaw, chili, jalapenos, and more!

Seafood lovers will rejoice with calabash style seafood from Inland Point Seafood.