In recent years, many new taco chains have opened here in Houston – imports from cities like Austin and Dallas are charging up social media and flexing their corporate muscle. And there is an audience for that. But is it really Houston? Houston has many, many great local spots (both storefronts and trucks) where you can grab a taco late at night or early in the morning. Have the homegrown, mom-and-pop options in Houston failed to catch the eye of locals? Absolutely not! In fact, it may be that imports like Taco Deli, Fuzzy’s Taco, Velvet Taco and Torchy’s all have to work extra hard to impress discerning Houstonians.
With the recent influx of bedazzled gringo taco chains pushing into Harris County, we found ourselves gravitating to eating at more taquerias that are less buzzy but high quality and rooted in Houston.
It’s not new, but we think it’s underrated: We’re talking about you, Taqueria Barba.
Enjoy a Mexican Squirt in the blazing heat (or your air conditioned car) while Taqueria Barba prepares your food.
The taco truck has been posted up at from 8 am to 3 pm daily on Washington Avenue (currently near Catalina Coffee on Hemphill) since October 2015. Taqueria Barba isn’t in the close radius of the My Table magazine HQ or our in-house staff – we’re all Montrosians and can throw a stone at our standby truck, Tacos Tierra Caliente – but a few of us frequent Grand Prize and first tasted the goods one night, where TB serves its menu from a stationary kitchen Monday through Saturday, 4 pm to 2 am.
The menu at Taqueria Barba
A few months ago, while en route to a 3D downtown viewing of Beauty and the Beast (no judgement, please), we stopped at the TB truck on Washington Avenue and loaded up on breakfast before two hours of dancing candelabras. I scarfed down a paper plate piled with freshly fried plantains and queso fresco and a chorizo breakfast taco. That day, I vowed to expand my personal taco destinations, and now I find myself trekking to TB and Villa Arcos on Navigation once every few weeks.
Yesterday, a craving hit me. Between meetings, my colleague and I needed to grab a bite, and I suggested TB since we weren’t far from its daytime location. There aren’t any tables — this is a true taco truck — so you can take it to go and nosh elsewhere, unless you’ve already bought coffee from Catalina Coffee and choose to fuel up on one of the few tables on Catalina’s patio. Here’s what we ate:
Tacos from Taqueria Barba
The carne asada taco ($2.50, on left in photo above) and a chorizo breakfast taco ($2.50, on right in photo above). This isn’t a greasy, heavy breakfast taco but instead a medium-sized, protein-packed smoky “dry” chorizo taco, which of the two we’d rate the better. TB serves breakfast tacos all day, so if you’re a breakfast-for-lunch fan, you’re in luck. The carne asada left us ambivalent. The beef wasn’t overcooked, and the onions and cilantro were plentiful, but it didn’t wow us, possibly because flank steak is an underwhelming cut of beef.
But in the case that you’re searching for the real ‘dilla – we’re talking about quesadillas, here – TB’s comes out steaming hot and the entire chicken-and-cheese treat tastes like a crisp of nutty, burnt cheese ($5, photo below). “This thing has a layer of perfectly fried cheese in it,” my colleague said peeling back the tortilla and poking around the interior contents. “I needed this.”
The chicken and cheese quesadilla at Taqueria Barba.
Readying ourselves for the finale, an order of elote ($4, photo below) we were pleased to see that when we unwrapped the little foil-covered paper boat at the bottom of our bag, it was a full cob of corn, smothered in a tangy sour cream and mayo sauce and sprinkled with chili powder. Luckily for two women eating in the car, the cob came split in half, which made it perfect for sharing and easier to eat without making a complete mess on our faces.
TB’s elote arrived split in half, making it ideal for sharing with a dining companion
One thing to note about Taqueria Barba are the very fair, if not downright cheap, prices. All of the items above including the Mexican Squirt ($2) and tip came out to $19.20.
What should we try next? Who makes your favorite tacos in Houston? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. (Or, be old-school and send us an email.)
Taqueria Barba | Find them on Instagram at @taqueriabarba
Hours: Daily 8 am-3 pm at 2201 Washington behind Catalina Coffee; Monday 4 pm-2 am at Grand Prize Bar (1010 Banks)