El Tonayense’s Tasty Street Tacos

Long before there were creme brulee carts, kitchenettes, and little skillets, there was El Tonayense.  Seriously tasty and seriously cheap street food.

You can play it safe and enjoy the traditional pollo: chicken; asada: beef; carnitas: fried pork; or al pastor: marinated pork. Or you can be less pedestrian and try the more adventurous lengua: tongue; cabeza: head and cheek; tripitas: tripes; or buche: neck.   These don’t actually faze me a bit since feasting on barbequed chicken intestines and sizzling chopped pig cheeks was part of growing up in the Philippines.  Either way, it’s all good Mexican street food.

$1.75 buys you a tasty taco.  Served on unpretentious paper plates with pickled peppers, these tacos are best enjoyed sitting on a pavement and watching the world go by.

Catch the taco truck right outside Best Buy at 14th and Harrison in SoMa or visit their shop at 24th Street and Shotwell in the Mission.