If you're headed to the Tacos Ruben y Mulitas truck (parked in SanTana on either Bishop and Main during the day or behind the Pep Boys near First and Main at night), chances are, you're likely ordering an oozing, gooey muilita or tacos al pastor on handmade corn tortillas.
These items are wonderful, as are the paltry prices, but if you're a Ruben's fanatic and find yourself always coming back for more, you'll eventually tire of these staples and stray toward the more intriguing menu items. Once we found the volcán, a sort of super sope, we nearly forgot about everything else that's available.
]
See also:
Corn masa is flattened out to the width of a CD and pressed up around the edges so the doughy disc has a lip to hold in the ingredients. The base gets a run through the fryer before the toppings are loaded on. A splatter of creamy pinto beans and a handful of crumbly, tangy queso cotija become the glue for a steaming pile of lean, salt-lick-salty cecina de res. The sodium is counterbalanced by a heap of pickled red onions that have a sweet-tart pucker more indicative of sour orange juice than straight-up lime. A generous sprinkle of Mexican oregano adds a herbal finish to the forceful flavors.
Sometimes the shell isn't crisp enough. Sometimes the volcan comes with chips (the better to scoop up the spillover with), and other times with just grilled onions. Half the time you do get the chips they're cold. The consistency is spotty, but if you're lucky enough that everything lines up just right, you're in for one of the best bites you'll find on any lonchera around.
The list:
59. The Burger at ARC
60. Chocolate Chip Cookie at Crave
61. Lime Curd At Playground
62. Every Damn Thing at Mochi Cream
63. Most Things at Devilicious Donuts
64. Robiola Bosina at Provisions Market
65. Bite-Sized Stinky Tofu at Tofu King
66. Tacos Dorados at Tortas Ahogadas Los Primos
67. Tlacoyo at El Rincon Chilango
68. Whole Pig Roast at Haven Gastropub
69. Chingaderas at Smoqued BBQ
70. The Continuous Ramen Chronicles at The Playground
71. Shrimp & Grits at Slapfish
72. Bacon Cotton Candy at Biggy's Meat Market
73. Urban 3b at Urban Seoul
74. Waffles & Chicken from The Slummin' Gourmet & Waffles de Liege
75. Ahi Tuna Tartar at Nieuport 17
76. Chicken Wings at Hashigo Korean Kitchen
77. Brussels Sprouts Pizza at Pizzeria Mozza
78. Breakfast Sausage Hash at Thasos Greek Island Grille
79. Chocolate Doughnut with Jacobsen Sea Salt at Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee
80. Loco Moco Dog at Dogzilla
81. Fruit Tart at Le Croissant Dore
82. Daing Na Bangus (Marinated Milkfish) Silog Breakfast at Chowking
83. Strawberry Basil Lemonade at Mick's Karma Bar
84. Lemongrass Chicken Salad at Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop
85. Tofu Soup at Tasty Thai
86. Take-Out Dim Sum at Capital B.B.Q. and Dim Sum Express
87. Hodo Gwaja at Cocohodo
88. Popcorn Chicken Salad at Guppy House
89. Fried Okra at Memphis Soul Cafe & Bar
90. Salted Egg With Bitter Melon & Scrambled Egg at Tasty Noodle House
91. Boysenberry Lemonade from Bautista Creek Local Produce at SOCO Farmers' Market
92. Scallop Carpaccio with Curry Oil and Yuzu Vinaigrette from Cafe Hiro
93. White Board Specials at Taco Adobe
94. Coney Dog at LinX
95. Halal Pizzas from San Giovanni Pizzas
96. Clayuda at El Fortín
97. Lunch Buffet at Dosa Express
98. The Meats at Darya in Orange
99. Panocha at Taquería Zamora
100. Bean-and-Cheese Burrito from Del Taco
Follow Stick a Fork in It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook!
