The "Mex Etc" food truck visited our apartment complex in Chapel Hill recently. This food truck had…read moreno online presence until now. ;)
I found a menu online for these guys, but it was posted by another apartment community. Most food trucks have at least one social media account to show off their menu and let customers know their schedule, where they'll be next, promotions, etc. I found it strange there was nothing like that for Mex Etc.
As you can see from my pictures, Mex Etc was actually a trailer hauled by a pickup truck; technically not a food truck and not uncommon. The trailer was painted black and had cool Dia de Muertos art (Day of the Dead art) on the outside. They had a "full" staff on-hand with two servers assisting customers outside and at least two cooks inside. The ladies outside the truck were friendly and attentive. When I asked the one who served us where Mex Etc was based, she told me they mostly serve in Chapel Hill and not to worry, they would be back.
The business is called "Mex Etc" because they serve "Mexican food and more" as the graphic on the back of their trailer states. We were handed a disinfected, laminated, color menu featuring starters like chips and dip ($3.00-5.50 each), Mexican entrees such as burritos ($9.50 each) and quesadillas ($10.00 each), "Etc Entrees" like the Mex Etc Salad ($9.50) and Loaded Fries ($9.50), and burgers ($11.50 each). Drink options included Mexican Coke, Jarritos soda, and agua frescas such as tamarind, mango, and pineapple juices.
My wife and I ended up going with:
* Beer Battered Fish Tacos (3 for $11.50) - corn tortillas filled with beer-battered white fish with purple and green cabbage, corn, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and creamy avocado sauce; served with black beans
* Pastor Burger ($11.50) - burger patty topped with pastor pork, pepper jack cheese, grilled pineapple, lettuce, pico de gallo, and fried jalapenos; served with seasoned fries
The food was good. It was delicious and hit the spot. We both really liked what we ordered. For me, it came down to Mex Etc's Chori Queso Burger, which is the same as the Pastor Burger described above except the pastor pork is replaced with chorizo sausage. I like chorizo better than pastor so if the Chori Queso Burger is at least as good as the Pastor Burger then I'm guessing it's pretty good. I went with the Pastor Burger because I was told it was one of the server's favorite burger.
The Pastor Burger was served open-faced on grilled and, I think, buttered buns. Yum. There was a decent amount of pastor pork on top of the beef patty with melted cheese. The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of grilled pineapple. I tasted sweet pineapple in only one bite. The rest of the ingredients were fresh and the quality was A-OK. The "seasoned fries" didn't look or taste seasoned except maybe with a little bit of salt. The fries were the smooth, thick-cut, golden kind. Packets of ketchup and mayo were included in our bag.
The Beer Battered Fish Tacos were tasty and satisfying. They were presented beautifully (so was the burger), colorful and chock-full of various ingredients. In addition to what was described on the menu above, the tacos came with a couple lime wedges. Good, meaty chunks of fish and a mouthwatering, well-balanced combination of fresh toppings. The black beans served on the side were a nice bonus. They were yummy with good flavor.
Both entrees were filling. They definitely don't skimp on the portions. You will be full.
Payments are handled via Square. When it came time to pay, I realized I forgot my wallet, but luckily, they accepted Google Pay so I used my phone. Using their touchpad, I typed in my email address to have the itemized receipt emailed to me.
There were only a few groups ahead of us. Our order was made fresh and didn't take long - about 10 minutes, 15 tops.
If you see Mex Etc make a stop near you, they're worth checking out. I'd order from them again.
