Alebrijes Grill Food Truck: Still the Best in Orange County

By Farah Sallam

I’m still fairly new to Orange County. I grew up in Sacramento, and then headed for college in San Luis Obispo. While I was off discovering who I was, my family moved to Irvine. Something I quickly discovered once I came home for a visit, was that Southern California was far more diverse, and full of rich culture; far different than the north. 

I’ve been spending more time here in Irvine as of late. One night, I was craving tacos, as you do. Upon my intense Google Search, I discovered that Santa Ana was home to one of the best taco trucks around: Alebrijes Grill. If you’ve read the LA times or Bon Appetite’s reviews, you may already be aware of Alebrijes. And I’m sure the locals of Santa Ana also are more than enough aware of the pink taco truck parked right outside Northgate Market, as Alebrijes has become an on-the-move growing empire. As someone who’s last trip to Santa Ana was about three or four years ago, I decided to travel the 20 minutes and have a taste for myself.

Upon arriving to Santa Ana, I was welcomed by beautiful graffiti walls and the Downtown Water Tower in the far distance. On the way, I saw other food trucks as well. But none are quite like Alebrijes. Just off of main street I saw the bright pink taco truck to my left. When you approach the truck, their slogan, “Eat like you’re in Mexico!” is written across its side; it's inviting and encouraging, welcoming both Mexicans and non-Mexicans alike to experience food far different from the standard American dish. And honestly, that slogan couldn’t be truer. 

I knew immediately what I was going to get: their famous Taco Acorazados.

(Farah Sallam | La Tonique)

I realized very quickly how big the Hispanic population is in Santa Ana. Frankly, it excited me. Despite only knowing standard high school Spanish, it was nice to see a thriving community, especially during these quarantined times. Alebrije’s Grill’s entire menu is written in Spanish, but it isn’t hard to figure out. I knew immediately what I was going to get: their famous Taco Acorazados.

Now, you’ll definitely need a fork to tackle this beast. It’s loaded with ingredients. Simply carrying this taco in your hands is a feat, so I don’t recommend attempting to eat it like a meal from Taco Bell.

The Taco Acorazados starts with tortilla and spanish rice at the bottom. After that, it's just piles of fried breaded beef, onions, avocado, tomato, jalapeños and pickled nopales. And of course, sprinkled queso for good measure. 

Each ingredient both contrasts and complements each other in such beautiful ways. The nopales and jalapeños brought some heat, but the sweet freshness of the tomato helps cool each bite down. But the main star is the beef; each strip was perfectly crisp and tender. The meat is salted evenly, and beefy flavors really comes through, especially when you pair it with the onion and tomato. Frankly, I shouldn’t be surprised that this dish stays relevant. It is balanced perfectly and leaves you wanting more. Alebrijes Grill is definitely a must-have if you ever go through Orange County.

Farah is a culture writer for La Tonique.