Today the taco travelers have stopped to satisfy their quest for the best Mexican food at Fuel City adjacent to the Dallas mix master in the center of the city. At this point you might be asking yourself, why have we stopped at a gas station for tacos? Aren’t we risking life and limb by eating food dispensed where truck drivers stop for Diesel fuel? The tacos at Fuel City are not what you might expect from your ordinary petrol station or convenience store. Read on to find out more…
From the highway Fuel City appears as pretty much any truck stop might appear along the highway. Cars and trucks stopped under a canopy with pumps next to a convenience store with beverages and snacks. If you did not look closely while driving by, you might miss some of the finer points about this unique travel destination. When you stop at Fuel City the differences between this highway oasis and other truck stops you have visited are more obvious. The first thing we noticed was the sign directing us to the Texas longhorn cattle in a pasture adjacent to the fuel pumps. Then there is the swimming pool adjacent to the beverage drive-thru. Finally, you notice the queue stacked up outside a window lit up by neon “Tacos” sign. One sack after another is passed through the small opening to hungry patrons. This is no ordinary gas station.
The menu at Fuel City is very simple – choose the number of tacos you want from any of 5 styles: Picadillo, Pastor, Barbacoa, Chicken Fajita, or Beef Fajita. Step up to the taco window, place your order, and in a few minutes you will hear your name called aloud indicating your tacos are ready. Tacos are served on corn tortillas with onion and cilatro accompanied by two different types of salsa and slices of lime. Step outside to the street cart and order a cup of elotes or roasted corn. Together these two items combine make a complete and delicious meal. The whole experience is reminiscent of border town taco stands.
During our visit to Fuel City I ate the picadillo tacos. The ground beef in the picadillo tacos is cooked a spicy tomato broth that gives each taco a bright red color and a crisp spicy bite. Chris tried both the barbacoa and pastor tacos. The barbacoa was also rich and meaty but with spicy shredded beef. Our hands down favorite, however, was the pastor taco which included less spicy shredded beef. Topped with sweet onions and fresh cilantro these tacos pop in your mouth – each bite delivering the richness of the stewed beef contrasted against the brightness of the onions and cilantro.
The ambiance is contemporary truck stop. There is plenty of open air seating along the curb in front. While dining at Fuel City may not offer five star decor there is a vibrancy and genuineness to the meal to make it worth a stop if you’re passing through downtown Dallas. The taco travelers give Fuel City four tacos out of five – it’s a recommended taco stop!
