Why Gas Station Tacos?

I really don’t know. I suppose it started with the hilarity of going out with some unsuspecting co-worker to a great Mexican restaurant and pulling into a BP Gas Station on Ford Road in Dearborn. I love the idea that I can get a full tank of gas and fill my own tank with some really good authentic Mexican food.

My love of tacos grew out of living in South Pasadena, California in high school and stopping by the “Taco Truck” that sat in a parking lot near Fair Oaks and California Boulevard late Friday and Saturday nights.  The tacos were something I had never seen before, since a taco in a gringo’s life include hard shells, ground beef, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and chunky salsa.  Such a description now makes me ill. I’ll take a more authentic taco: corn tortilla, some kind of meat, chopped onions, cilantro, squeeze of lime juice and a couple drizzles of hot sauce.

What I’ve found is that gas station taco stands are really authentic with the chef and waiter (usually the same person) speaking English as a second language.  The setup is mostly the same everywhere. It’s a separate kitchen near the gas station’s register. There is a simple griddle, a small refrigerator, stacks of tortillas, and a few bins of various meats and prepared extras like onions and cilantro.  The hot sauce often comes in green (medium) and red (hot) already in small plastic containers.

This blog will share my adventures with gas station tacos and hopefully get those of you on the fence open to trying foods at gas stations. Perhaps you’ll take a moment and reconsider your fear and give the place a try. Who knows, you may enjoy some really amazing food.