Alebrije’s Is My Taco Truck and Also My Office | Bon Appétit

"A Pepto-Bismol–pink lonchera off Main Street in Santa Ana, this beloved taco truck draws long lines of locals and visitors who eat on curbs, milk crates, rickety chairs or even police hoods. Its slogan, “Coma Como en el DF,” signals a Mexico City–style menu that includes alambres (meats bound with melted cheese), mulitas, and picaditas, but the showstopper is the taco acorazado: a giant fresh corn tortilla layered with Spanish rice, crunchy buttery beef milanesa, grilled onions and cactus, fresh tomato, diced cabbage, avocado and a blizzard of cotija, finished with habanero-spiked pickled onions and green or red salsa from the salsa bar. More than just food, it functions as a neighborhood hub and the writer’s decade-long “office,” hosting friends, sources and TV producers, and it has been a civic leader—successfully suing the city in 2006 to defend lonchera vending rights and helping rally the truck community against restrictive regulations. Expect generous portions, bold, homey flavors, a festive, informal atmosphere, and a fiercely proud, community-minded crew." - ByGustavo Arellano