Watching a seasoned taquero skillfully slice a trompo is a thing of beauty. Which is to say, the folks running the Tacos La Sultana taco truck in the East End really know what they’re doing. Served Monterrey-style, in which pork gets seasoned with nothing more than smoked paprika, slices are seared again alongside oil-warmed corn tortillas—the pork is juicy, with pockets of sweet, caramelized fat. Each bite tastes better than the last, so much so you almost forget about sprinkling on any fresh onion, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime. Change it up and order bistec, the tender chopped beef with wonderfully crispy edges. Or mix both meats together in a quesadilla campechana, where the meat is griddled again, smothered in cheese, and smashed together with a fresh flour tortilla. Wait for your order on the patio—or grab a cold beer from the adjacent bar—and watch everyone who steps up to the order visibly calculate how much they can possibly eat, maximizing their trompo intake. Luckily, Tacos La Sultana is open from 3:30 to 11:30pm everyday—sometimes later on the weekends. 

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Food Rundown

Trompo Tacos

Delivered directly from some kind of ethereal being (the taquero who works at Tacos La Sultana), these tacos are made of an otherworldly substance (high-quality pork) and have been magically imbued with mystical powers (expertly roasted and lightly charred). You don’t consume these tacos, you experience them. Order more than you think you can even stand to eat, because you will want more regardless.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Bistec Tacos

You may be saying, but this is a trompo truck. And to that we retort, Tacos La Sultana contains multitudes, so eat the bistec. The beef is chopped small, so every square millimeter of surface area is wonderfully crispy. Drown the tacos in tangy salsa verde, or don’t. Either way they are delicious.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Campechana Quesadilla

The Campechana Quesadilla is kind of like when the Power Rangers all link up, or Captain Planet combines all the elements, or a Transformers Voltron—but made of beef, pork, gooey cheese, and a griddled flour tortilla.