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RIO Eats Tacos From a Truck

Food & Drink | 11.05.09 | by Matt Harrington

Everyone knows that the Richmond Region has great restaurants. But let’s be honest – you can’t pop into a restaurant for a quick lunch every day of the week. Sometimes you just need to grab a quick bite and get back to work, or maybe your our running errands and don’t really feel like hitting the ol’ standby fast food joints. You want a taste of Richmond, and the many street vendors are perfect options for your on-the-go lunch.

The subject of a recent Question of the Week here on RIO was favorite street food in RVA. Three street food vendors dominated the postings, Christopher’s Runaway Gourmet, Ronnie’s Ribs and Nate’s Taco Truck.

I, having never tried a taco from a truck, decided to see what all the hubbub was about with Nate’s. I know that Nate’s is a VCU staple, usually serving up tacos on campus in the afternoons. I looked for a parking spot as close to the campus as possible (not an easy task on an afternoon when school is in session), and walked through the commons, following my nose to the sweet smell of Mexican spices and looking for the friends I was to meet for a quick lunch.

I arrived smack-dab in the middle of the lunch rush and had to wait in line for a little while before it was my turn to order. Luckily, I had some time to decide what I wanted. The options are simple – beef, chicken or black bean, $2.50 each. The man in the truck quickly put together the ingredients together and handed me my two beef beauties, tightly wrapped in foil. I grabbed a soda and looked for my friends, who served as the testers for the black bean and chicken varieties. We sat in the commons and chowed down.

I was surprised that my beef tacos were made with shredded beef, not ground beef. Nicely spiced and covered in cheese, lettuce and a glob of sour cream: Just the way I like my truck tacos. And it was packed full, stretching that little tortilla to capacity. There wasn’t much time for socialization because, you know – some people have to work around here – so we ate quickly and messily. Thankfully Nate’s Taco Truck doesn’t have a napkin limit.

In all, I spent more time in line at the popular VCU lunch truck than I did actually eating my tacos. But I hit the line smack-dab in the middle of the rush. By the time I was done eating, the line was gone and the commons was quiet. If you only have a few minutes to grab lunch and you’re near the taco truck, try to hit it at an off time – either right before or right after the big rush. There weren’t many people in line at 1pm.

Being a taco fiend, I will definitely be back to Nate’s – wherever the truck rolls up. Usually you can find them on the VCU campus at the corners of Park, Grove and Linden from 11:30 – 4PM. You can also catch them at the South of the James Market on Saturdays until 1PM.