Last week a Donald Trump surrogate predicted that out of immigration control policies could lead to a taco truck on every corner.
That is already happening in the brick and mortar restaurant business on Main Street in Newark, where independents, Santa Fe, DelPez and El Diablo go at it with Chipotle, California Taco, Del Pez and later this year Qdoba.
DelPez and Santa Fe are full-menu restaurants, while the other four lean toward a selection of burritos, tacos and bowls.
Still, it it’s a crowded market and California Tortilla, a smallish chain on the East Coast is working hard not to be left behind.
The franchise operation is getting a bit of a break, thanks to a decline in business at Chipotle, due to worries about sanitation. (Few restaurants were affected).
The downturn in business exposed Chipotle’s weaknesses – overpriced food and a limited menu.
California Taco, meanwhile, is making street tacos permanent. The tacos, popularized by food trucks and cable TV food shows, tend to smaller, but have more intense flavors, a company release noted.
Limited-time offers, like Korean BBQ and Carnitas Verde tacos, now have a permanent place on the menu; rounding out the expanded taco menu are the Screamin’ and California Sunset tacos starring signature made-from-scratch sauces, and the ever-popular Blackened Fish Tacos.
Tacos will be offered in both flour as well as corn tortillas. Quesadilla offerings have also been expanded.
Lunch bite of the week
Speaking of tacos, you can’t go wrong when stopping at a real taco truck (actually a trailer) at Riviera Taco Express.
Riviera has locations off Route 40 in Bear and Route 273 in the undefined between New Castle and Christiana Mall.
It also has a brick and mortar location in Hockessin known as Riviera Famous Grill.
All types of tacos are available, including tongue and Cabeza (head).
My favorite is Carnitas (pork), wrapped in two corn tortillas. Two tacos will set you back a total of $4. All the fixins’ run $2.50 a pop. If you are truly hungry, a large burrito will set you back $8.
Picnic tables are available at the Bear location.
Riviera is not the only family owned trailer with great tacos. But finding a better place may not be easy.
