June 29, 2023

A Mexican food truck making its debut this week features several dishes that might be hard to find anywhere else in Sioux Falls.

Ricardo Gonzalez, who grew up in the state of Zacatecas in central Mexico, has started Taqueria Gonzalez. It’s based in the parking lot of Food-N-Fuel at 100 N. Kiwanis Ave.

Along with the usual tacos, burritos, quesadillas and quesabirria, Gonzalez makes mulitas and vampiritos.

The “vampire” is two corn tortillas grilled with melted cheese, choice of meat, avocado and cilantro. Mulitas starts with a fried corn tortilla that’s topped with melted cheese, choice of meat, onion, avocado and cilantro.

One of the meat choices is discada. “That’s also from where we’re from,” said Audrey Chavez, Gonzalez’ sister-in-law who is working part time at the food truck. “It’s chorizo, asada, pork, sausage, bacon, onions and tomatoes. It is absolutely amazing. It kind of surprises me how a lot of Mexican restaurants don’t really have that. It’s something a little bit different that we wanted to try out, and I think people will really like it.”

The menu includes a hamburger and hot dog, but they’re nothing like the American versions.

“The hamburgers, they’re made kind of how they are over in Mexico because in Mexico, we absolutely love meat,” said Chavez, who was born in Dallas and grew up in Sioux Falls. “What we will add is sausage, bacon, ham, so they really are loaded up, which would explain the price.” They’re $12.

The hot dogs are wrapped in bacon and topped with grilled onion and pico de gallo.

Instead of french fries, Gonzalez serves seasoned potato bites.

Gonzalez moved to Sioux Falls from his Zacatecas four years ago and worked in a Mexican restaurant.

“He really enjoyed cooking, and he kind of wanted to do it on his own,” Chavez said, translating for Gonzalez.

A lot of the recipes are his mother’s. As Gonzalez was working on his menu, “he was constantly calling his mom like, ‘Hey, Mom, do you remember how to make this salsa, that salsa,” Chavez said.

There are two green salsas – one that’s spicy — and one red that’s not hot.

Taqueria Gonzalez is starting off with hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Eventually, delivery through DoorDash will be added, along with picnic tables for people who want to eat on-site, Chavez said.

It’s also available for public and private events.

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