Bites Nearby: Taco Bus Lives Up to the Hoopla

The long lines that kept busy since it opened last month in St. Petersburg also have kept some diners away.

But venturing to the open-air eatery on Central Avenue is worth the hassle of waiting 20-40 minutes to place and get your order. The place is super casual, and just getting your food requires some initiative.

When we arrived on Saturday afternoon, there was a line along Central Avenue, even though it was getting late in the day. We observed the startup businesses that seem to be opening around Taco Bus, at 2324 Central Ave., since it attracts crowds of people at all hours of the day and night. All of a sudden, this Grand Central block did not seem like such an outpost from downtown.

A Taco Bus employee made his way down the line taking orders to shorten the time it takes to get food. He wrote ours down on a slip, which we held until we made it to the front of the bus, where the counter service is located.

We handed over our lunch orders, which included a carne asada burrito ($5.99), a chicken and cheese quesadilla ($4.99), and a butternut square tostada ($2.69), along with some freshly made guacamole and chips for an appetizer and arroz con leche (sweet rice pudding, $2.25) for dessert.

We then sat and waited on wooden benches for our order to be completed, which took about 20 minutes. The tables, outside and under an overhang, were taken. The inside area, which did not seem to have air-conditioning, was a little stuffy and crowded. So we watched the people mill around outside until we snagged our food, to go. Although we intended to head home with our lunch feast, we instead cranked up the car, turned on the A/C and ate our meal right there, in the parking lot.

Everything was cooked to order, using fresh ingredients. The burrito wasn't huge, like some places serve, but it was big enough for a meal, filled with spicy chopped beef and cheese. The tostada was small, but covered with diced squash in a sweetened sauce that almost tasted like a chutney but milder. The quesadilla had plenty of meat and was not too heavy on the cheese, like some chain restaurants prepare it. Instead of having a giant grilled cheese sandwich, this quesadilla was on thin bread, and contained spiced meat, flavored with cheese.

There were plenty of people ordering Dos Equis beers, in giant plastic cups rimmed with red chili powder. But we sampled the Hibiscus Lemonade, a sweet concoction that will likely appeal to youngsters. There also was made-in-Mexico colas, sweetened with sugar and not high fructose corn syrup.

The special of the day was beef stomach soup ($4.91 cup and $6.54 bowl), a menu item that prompted discussion but little interest in ordering. The extensive vegetarian choices were more our speed, with Rajas con Queso (Strips of roasted poblano pepper, with Mexican cheese, salasa ranchera and sweet corn kernels) 0r Tofu Fajitas (strips of marinated, grilled tofu).

Our meal was so simple and satisfying at the same time. We shared dishes and marveled over every bite. It's clear to see why Taco Bus already is popular with locals. The wait was well worth it.