Nolensville Rd Taco Truck Tour #1

I went on a taco crawl with the Nashville Meetup Group "What the Pho?" sometime in April, and discovered more taco trucks than I knew existed on Nolensville Rd. I love street food. I am often on Nolensville Rd eating from small hole in the wall places, and a couple taco trucks, but because I am usually driving, I have not seen some of these taco trucks before because I am usually concentrating on driving. There was once an India food cart on Nolensville Rd once, it is gone now, but it was the best deal and quite tasty. The elotes taco truck is also missing now. Even with a couple of my favorite taco trucks gone, there are other trucks that are delicious.

Street food is the mainstay for many Asian cities including cities in India all the way to Malaysia and the Philippines. I love county fair food, which is an American version of street food. I love the fish taco hut at the beach in Laguna Beach. I love a good hot dog stand. I love the bull cart street food at Feneuil Hall in Boston. I heard that a lot of young professionals in Singapore don't use their kitchens because the street food is so good, abundant and less costly than trying to cook it at home. Street food is so good, cheap, and tasty. When I saw a chance to go with a group to taco truck hop, I hopped on that opportunity.

How Rose found the taco trucks is that she went to the Tennessee Restaurant Health Score website and typed in Taqueria, Nolensville (for the road name), and Nashville and a list of many of the taco trucks popped up with addresses. Some were labeled "green" or exists, and some were labeled "red" meaning they are out of business. I am really looking forward to trying taco trucks on M'boro Rd and Charlotte Pike, and using the same method of finding the locations of the trucks. One note that I would like to make about the Taqueria trucks is that all of the ones on Nolensville Rd have excellent health scores of 90 - 99. This is better than most brick and mortar restaurants, and most likely better than my own kitchen.

Here are some of the tacos and taco trucks we went to, some better directions and landmarks to find the taco trucks, and my impressions of the taco trucks.

Taqueria el Recodo
3500 Nolensville Rd
in the BP parking lot (formerly Citgo)
southeast corner of Harrison and Nolensville
south of McCall (and Siam Cafe)
north of Harding Rd, south of Thompson Ln on the east side of Nolensville Rd

el Recodo al pastor taco

I believe el Recodo is my favorite for al pastor of all the other taco trucks. It was the most greasy, but also the most flavorful. I got an al pastor taco with everything, which means onions and cilantro with a lime and radish slices on the side. I used the sauce that was offered, and that was red chili pepper sauce. The tacos were the cheapest $0.99 including tax, but when I handed over $1, they just kept the penny. There are also tortas and culupas available here too, but I was on a taco crawl, so I got only chorizo or al pastor tacos to try and compare each taco truck fairly. This is one taco truck that I have not "seen" before because I am usually just whizzing by in my car and I have not seen it, even though it has been there for a good while. Since this is my favorite al pastor, I have been back a few times for a little snack. The downside is, there is no table or place to eat the tacos, so the cooks pack up the tacos for take-away, or to be eaten in the car. My only word of caution is be very careful parking and backing out onto Nolensville Rd. There are a lot of people driving and whizzing by (like me in the past) and the drivers on Nolensville Rd may not be able to see you backing out.

Taqueria Express Mobile Truck

4225 Nolensville Rd
in the K&S Market parking lot
just south of Harding Rd

I knew of this taco truck for years, have snacked from this taco truck many times, including tacos, tortas, and burritos. I get snacked from this truck because it is convenient to do before or after shopping at K&S market. Many people shopping at K&S get snacks from this truck, so on weekends in the afternoon, this truck gets really crowded, and the wait can be long. Some patrons have ordered food from the truck, gone shopping, and the come out and pick up the food on the way out. There is no longer a table to eat at, so during this taco truck tour, we and all the other diners were mulling around and standing around the parking lot eating food, and getting in the way of cars trying to get to the K&S market. This was my least favorite al pastor taco. The meat was bland. The side salad of pickled pepper and radishes were the best, and quite tasty. Given that I know more taco trucks closer to my house, I will likely not snack from this truck anymore.

Taqueria Ino Taco

4650 Nolensville Rd
just north of Haywood Ln
behind a small orange building with Tennessee Cash in it
across the street from Bank of America


Ino Taco (Tennessee Taco) chorizo, al pastor and shirmp tacos

Tennessee Taco is my 2nd favorite taco truck. This one is set pretty far back from the road, and I had no idea it was there until the taco crawl. This one looks as if it is woman owned. There are really nice clean tables under a tent, there are very nice and clean tupperware bins with napkins, and plasticware to use, and there is a little permanent structure with a bathroom symbol on it. The little bathroom was very clean, plumbed with running water, soap, TP and paper towels. Some in my party used the bathroom, and were able to wash their hands before eating. I believe this place has tortas and tacos, and this is the only place with shrimp (camaron) tacos. When we pulled up to a parking area near this taco truck, a waitress came out being a car-hop, and offered that we could eat in our car, or sit outside under the tent at the very clean tables. We opted for the tables. I had a chorizo taco during the crawl, but I went back for dinner and got a camaron, chorizo and al pastor tacos with everything on it, which meant onion, cilantro and lime. This truck has a green hot sauce which looks like a combination of avocado, creme fresh, and hot jalapenos. The tortillas were griddle fried, so they were nice and crispy on the outside, just like I like them. I like this place because it is so clean, set back from the road, and they have chorizo. The price here is $1.25 per taco, and I think $1.75 for shrimp.

Taqueria Mexico Linda, 5303 Nolensville Rd
corner of Brewer and Nolensville
in front of JR Market
just north of Tusculum Lanes

Mexico Lindo chorizo taco with everything on it

The last taco truck we went to is Mexico Lindo and it is down near the Tusculum Lanes. I can see myself bowling, and then walking next door to Mexico Lindo for a few taco snacks. This taco truck offers tacos and tortas, is in front of JR market. Some in the group went into the JR and got some soft drinks. I got a chorizo taco with everything which is with onion and cilantro. This truck offers two types of sauces, one is green and one is red. The green one I believe is avocado, creme fresh and jalapenos, and the red is some form of read hot sauce. On the back side of this truck was a table an a few chairs that were a bit weather worn. I may be inclined to go back, but this one is so much further away form my house than the other 2 I like, so that is really the only reason why I may not visit Mexico Lindo more.

Taco crawl, street food, taco trucks, inexpensive, flavorful, and fun describes my taco truck tour. So, up next, taco crawl Mboro Rd, Charlotte, and Antioch/Richard St. I will keep you posted whether I do that, or if Rose organizes another taco crawl.