Running out of food is good, actually, at Taqueria La Nortenita

-- Great food takes time, so call ahead at this northeast OKC taco trailer!

OKLAHOMA CITY — Like almost all human beings, I want what I want when I want it. And while that might work for, like, buying a coat or having a surgeon remove an arrow from your knee, it’s not necessarily great when we’re talking about restaurants.

Frustrating as it may be in the moment, we should all want restaurants to sell out of food. It’s good for a few reasons:

  1. Food waste is a killer, driving up prices and driving down quality.
  2. Food that sells out fast is in high demand, usually because it’s delicious.
  3. Food that is always ready is not fresh. What good is it for a restaurant to always have lasagna ready to go if that lasagna is old and sad and gross?

All of that is to say that I didn’t get any of what I planned to have at Taqueria La Nortenita taco truck in northeast OKC and I loved it.

tacos
La Nortenita menu (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

Asada? Gone. Barbacoa? Gone. Al pastor? Enough for one taco. The women working inside the truck were apologetic, but they didn’t need to be. Eating at a restaurant where the popular items have sold out quickly is proof you chose a good restaurant.

Besides, what I ended up with might not have been my first choice of meats, but they won me over instantly.

The al pastor taco had that gorgeously dyed-red pork, sliced into tiny chunks, and served on a freshly made and grilled tortilla. The flavor was spot on: some sharpness from the onion, some heat from the spice paste, and a hint of sweetness to balance. The meat was tender and juicy and the tortilla held together impressively.

Carne Asada Tacos at La Nortenita in OKC (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

At $3 each, they’re not the cheapest tacos you’ll find, but the size, the freshness of the ingredients, and the amount of filling made it clear I was still getting a good deal.

I almost always skip chicken at taquerias. Chicken is a wonderful meat from a so-so animal, but it’s rarely the best taco filling available. Bland, dry, boring—it’s a problem.

But with so many choices gone at Nortenita, I jumped at getting pollo in my second taco and I’d jump at it again. The chicken tasted like chicken, which doesn’t seem like a big deal until you think about all the chicken you’ve eaten that tasted like nothing. It’s still a subtle savoriness, but it was moist without being wet and it paired well with the included hot sauce.

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Chicken al pastor tacos at La Nortenita in OKC (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

Oh, right, watch out for this hot sauce. It’s not going to be featured in a hot wings competition or anything, but it definitely had more kick than what I usually get from a taco truck.

For the burrito, I got green chili pork. Once again, the tortilla was fresh and fluffy with lovely patches of browning from its time dancing cheek to cheek with the griddle. Inside was a very simple pairing of refried beans and big chunks of well-seasoned pork. The meat had been stewed in green chili sauce, soaking every fiber with a welcome sharp heat. The way the chunks broke down, some tiny slivers of meat and others large cubes threatening to fall apart, made for a texturally engaging lunch.

The key, the ladies on the truck told me, is to call ahead. Even just calling at 10:30 or 11 a.m. is enough to nail down some carne asada or brisket barbacoa.

La Nortenita Barbacoa tacos in OKC (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

In fact, I think I was one of only a handful who hadn’t called ahead because the ladies were cooking non-stop and calling out orders that were quickly paid for and spirited away by hungry customers.

Subsequent visits have taught me that chorizo and potato burritos are a must-have, with potatoes dyed so red by the sausage that I thought they were carrots, and that the brisket barbacoa is great in a taco and even better in a torta, layered with ham and cheese and lettuce. 

If you’re in northeast OKC around lunchtime, do yourself a favor and grab some cash (no cards at this truck) and your phone and call ahead to Taqueria La Nortenita.

  • Taqueria La Nortenita
  • 2928 NE 63rd Street in Oklahoma City
  • (405) 821-6585

Watch for our weekly column by one of OKC’s best food reviewers, Greg Elwell focused on locally-owned restaurants serving great food by neighbors you want to know.


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Long-time food enjoyer Greg Elwell writes about food, restaurants, and trends. He has his own blog "I Ate Oklahoma" and has written for The Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, and others.