First Recognized Food Truck In Detroit Helps To Set Precedent

Author: Gabriella Muñoz
Image: Gabriella Muñoz

Food trucks are the latest craze to be sweeping cities across the United States. Detroit is no exception—with the first city-sanctioned food truck opening this summer: El Guapo.

Now, some of you might be wondering how it is possible for El Guapo to be the first food truck in Detroit, when many of us know that Southwest Detroit is filled with taco trucks and has been for years. It is the city’s first “recognized” food truck because it worked with the city for months to get the proper permits and license. Until El Guapo came along, the city did not have a permit process for food trucks in place.

Since the recent opening of El Guapo, it has been the talk of the town. I, finally, decided to try it and see what the hype was all about. I needed to see if it could even come close to comparing to my beloved taco truck off of Springwells I often frequent. I grabbed a couple of friends and we headed downtown for lunch.

As we approached the truck, it held great promise. It was sparkling clean and has a menu consisting of tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, side dishes, cupcakes and beverages. My friends and I ordered a few items to share that included: the burrito de asada, burrito de pollo, burrito bowl (burrito without tortilla), green chile queso & chips, and an order of arroz and frijoles. We all had Faygos to drink.

As I took my first bites of burrito, I knew this food truck would not stand a chance next to my taco trucks. It was mediocre. The steak was okay, but the rice and beans inside of it reminded me of Lipton’s instant rice and bean mixtures. The burrito de pollo tasted just like the asada one only it was chicken. The queso and chips was the item we all agreed on that we liked the most. The melted cheese had a really good flavor and the chips were pretty decent. The burrito bowl that we shared wasn’t anything to write home about.

I think the idea of El Guapo food truck is a great one. I give the owners a lot of credit for making it happen and, hopefully, opening doors for other food trucks to come downtown. I, also, like how El Guapo uses fresh, local food and partners with other Michigan businesses such as Faygo and Pink Elephant Cupcakes.

El Guapo sits on the corner of Monroe & Randolph streets in downtown Detroit. It is located between Campus Martius and Greektown.

I would give this food truck 3 out of 5 stars. It is not a place I would crave like I do some of the other restaurants around town. If you want authentic Mexican food, stick to places you already love. However, if you’re looking for tacos and burritos in Downtown, then, this might be your spot.