El Jalapeño

"West Coasters, this is the Mexican food truck you’ve been looking for. Everyone else, pay attention. Parked on 4th and Grove, El Jalapeño sees the most action after midnight, when the bar crowd gets in line, looking for a burrito, torta, or taco that’ll soak up the night’s tequila and transgressions. But this food isn’t just beer-goggle good, it’s some of the city’s best Mexican food at any time of day. The spicy pork burrito is something of a signature: the tender pieces are coated in a tomato-chili sauce, and, if you ask them to make it extra spicy, they’ll throw in a mix of jalapeño, green peppers, and sichuan pepper. Rice, beans, lettuce, pico, and crema fill out the rest, resulting in a delightfully greasy, $9 parcel of food, soaked in chili oil and pork fat—can of soda included. Whatever you order, though, you really can’t go wrong. Every flavor is accounted for, every flauta is carefully fried, and all the meat has crispy, caramelized edges and just enough fat. photo credit: Neha Talreja El Jalapeño is open until 4am on weeknights, and 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s cash-only, but happens to be parked right in front of a Chase atm. If you want to sit down somewhere with your food, there are some benches inside the Stonewall park across the street. Food Rundown photo credit: Britt Lam Spicy Pork Burrito Any burrito they make here is top notch, and loaded with rice, beans, crema, pico, lettuce, and cheese to bind it all together. The spicy pork is our favorite, with tender hunks of meat coated in a red sauce that’s more savory than straight-up spicy. If you need more heat, ask for it extra spicy. photo credit: Neha Talreja Flautas You might not realize how much you like flautas until you try these flautas. One order comes with six rolled tacos, each one the size of two cigars, deep-fried until ultra crispy. They’re filled with a generous amount of juicy, spiced (but not spicy) chicken, and topped with a medley of fresh ingredients: lettuce, avocado, radish, cilantro, crema, salsa verde, and a mild hot sauce. photo credit: Neha Talreja Torta Cubano El Jalapeño’s Cubano isn’t a traditional Cubano, but a Mexican-style torta filled with shredded pork, thick slices of ham, chorizo, eggs, stretchy white cheese, and all the fixings. The bread seems to have a supernatural ability to stay toasty, even as the underside of it soaks up a bunch of hot sauce and chorizo grease. Tacos These are classic taco truck style: browned meat on a double-stack of soft and chewy corn tortillas, topped with a handful of cilantro and onion. The roast pork is a particularly excellent combination of flavor, fat, and smoke—but we’re also into the al pastor, topped with pineapple, or beef tongue that’s been softened to a velvety texture." - Neha Talreja