El Sope, Merced
El Sope
Truck Info:
1050 West Olive Ave, Merced CA
In the parking lot of Chevron on Olive and R st
209-737-6974
Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:30am - 9:00pm
Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/El-Sope-103943571235046/
https://www.instagram.com/el_sope209/
Metrics:
Tortilla Type: Corn, fried off rather dry, very good intense corn flavor
Garnishes: Lemons or limes, onions, cilantro, sliced raishes, charred jalapeño
Salsa: Green, very light and acidic, fruity and vegetal flavor profile
Meats: Asada, Birria, Carnitas, Pastor, Pollo
Spice Level: 2/5, not too much spice, very approachable
Accepts card: Cash, Card, Venmo
El Sope has been a truck that I have followed with great interest for quite a while now. I first went to their older location near R and 11th street before they moved to their current spot on R and Olive. I can honestly say, they have only gotten better with age.
I definitely have to pay specific attention to their tortillas. They have a very complex and deep corn flavor that we don’t see too often in Merced. With many things in food, it all comes down to personal taste, but this flavor is exactly what makes a good tortilla for me personally. If you also enjoy tortillas with a very heavy nixtamalized corn flavor, definitely pay this place a visit.
But ending there would be doing this truck a disservice, because serves far more than tasty tortillas. Their asada is well seasoned and very juicy and tender. This style pairs very well with the rougher and dryer tortilla that I just mentioned. Their salsa verde also feels like it is specifically design to cut through the richness of both the meat and the tortilla, and it does this perfectly. There is a reason they sometimes have deals for 5 tacos at a time, these are way too easy to eat a lot of.
They also offer plenty of other street food twists such as Cali Fries, Birria Ramen, and their incredibly impressive looking Birria pizza. The quesabirria tacos are a solid choice, and their consommé pairs very well with it. Their aguas frescas are made in house and complement their tacos incredibly well.
Considering this is a taco project I won’t go too in depth on these offerings, but needless to say, they are more than worth a try.
In short, it has been a lot of fun to follow El Sope’s growth as an establishment and just how much of an integrated piece of the community they have become, and I hope this growth continues for them into the future.
Make sure to check out their socials! They post quite a few different deals, especially through football season. Or you can just follow to drool at their food pics like I do.
Date Visited: 8/31/22