Tacos Quiroz, Three Rocks
Tacos Quiroz
Truck Info:
16039 S Derrick Ave, Cantua Creek, CA 93608
In Front of Three Rocks Market
Metrics:
Tortilla Type: Corn, cooked of lightly and steamed through until very soft
Garnishes: Lime, onion, cilantro, chopped radish
Salsa: Red: A solid kick, very pepper forward and a bit intense
Green: Very fresh and cooling, a good complement to the meat
Meats: Asada, Adobada, Cabeza, Chorizo, Tripa, Pollo, Lengua
Spice Level: Green: 1/5, not much spice, Red: 4/5, pretty spicy but not insane
Payment types: Cash
Ok, do I have a deep cut for you today. If you take the 33 down from Mendota towards Coalinga, you will pass through a small town called Three Rocks. Blink and you’ll miss it, as it has a population of around 250. But if you are a weary traveler like I was going through a foggy night, the light on the Three Rocks Market will be a beacon in the distance, and as you approach it you’ll see a taco truck right outside. Tacos Quiroz. I actually passed by it at first, but doubled back out of sheer curiosity and I’m glad I did.
This is what I call a “cafeteria” style truck, in that you order the type of meat, and they give it to you on tortillas, then there is a row of trays on the truck for you to add toppings as you with. That night they had onion, cilantro, radish, and cups or red or green salsa, all made and served by a very sweet lady running the truck.
The tortillas were extremely soft, yet surprisingly didn’t fall apart. They did not feel greasy at all, so I’m not sure if they were even cooked in fat, or just warmed up on the plancha with some water. But with all the parts together, the taco tasted like a warm hug feels. Imagine this: You’re 10 years old and your cousins are over for the weekend. You’ve been playing outside all day, but the sun just hit the horizon, and as soon as it does you feel the temperature start to drop. You run back inside, suddenly noticing how cold your fingers got as you were running around, and of course your abuela has some tortillas warming up on the stove ready for you kids. This is that taco you had.
It is truly weird to say something tastes like a memory, but there is no better way for me to describe it.
If you are ever on the 33, keep your eyes peeled for this truck so you can see what I mean.