Press
Press
Los Angeles Times
‘Mexican food always wins’: José R. Ralat on his new book ‘American Tacos’
A married couple — a native Memphisian and a Mexican immigrant from Oaxaca who met in Austin, Texas — moved to Memphis because food trucks were legalized and they saw an opportunity to integrate elements of their upbringings. The Southern culinary tradition and the Mexican culinary tradition are both rooted in corn.
They called me last week and said, “We’re just trying to cook us. We’re trying to be us.” I think that’s what tacos should be. So they have a fried chicken taco, which has become very Southern. What’s more Sur-Mex is the albondigas with collard greens taco. I think it’s a natural pairing that expresses the beautiful integration of the two traditions to create a third that is valid, delicious and worthy of respect.
Commercial Appeal
New book on the history of tacos in the US features Memphis taquerias
According to Ralat, Memphis’ El Mero Taco is the greatest example of that style of the two cultures coming together.
“They go to great lengths to create dishes that not only represent each culture but represent the integration of each culture,” he said.
El Mero Taco started as a taco truck. In summer 2019, husband and wife team Jacob and Clarissa Dries opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 8100 Macon Station in Cordova.
The Austin Chronicle
Texas Monthly’s Taco editor on the past, present, and future of american tacos
“In Memphis, my favorite example is El Mero Taco which started as a truck but is now a shuttered restaurant, like everything else. El Mero, it translates to "the best." And it's really great! The couple who own it, he is from Memphis but she is from Oaxaca. They met in Austin and moved to Memphis once the city began to permit food trucks. They wanted to open up their own food truck that offered their take on Mexican and Southern foods. So they have a really great fried chicken taco with buttermilk salsa, and they have collard greens with albóndigas, meatballs in a chipotle salsa, using tortillas that are sourced locally – and that is the physical manifestation of everything the book is about. It's delicious too. It doesn't always have to be! This isn't just a "best of" that I wrote, it's a history.”
Memphis Magazine
El Mero taco Opens in Cordova
“Fried chicken taco fans, don’t despair. The customer favorite from El Mero’s taco truck still leads the menu at El Mero’s new restaurant, located inside a Cordova shopping center off Macon Road. Chef/owners Jacob and Clarissa Dries understand the taco’s appeal: “Southern fried chicken, white queso, and jalapeños pickled in-house,” Jacob says. “Now that’s happiness.” Clarissa smiles but adds this: “Our sister tried to get the recipe. She didn’t get it.”
Along with the restaurant, the El Mero taco truck is still rolling, as is the couple’s catering business. Within a year, the chefs hope to offer grab-and-go options like smoked chicken enchiladas and seasonal soups. And in October, look for the start of a different taco each month. Up first: albondigas, or small Spanish meatballs, topped with collard greens, queso, and roasted tomato chipotle sauce.”
commercial appeal
Award-winning food truck El Mero Taco to open a restaurant in Cordova
“The award-winning food truck El Mero Taco will soon have a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Owners Jacob and Clarissa Dries will open El Mero Taco at 8100 Macon Station Drive in Cordova on Tuesday.
It’s been a dream that the couple have had for years.
“My wife was raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, while I was raised in Memphis. We feel that our food is a representation of our two cultures colliding,” Jacob said of their taco offerings.
El Mero Taco was featured on Food Network’s “Big Food Truck Tip with Andrew Zimmern” last year. The taco food truck has been nominated as “Best Food Truck” by The Commercial Appeal the past two years and is on numerous “best of” lists in the Memphis food scene.”
DAILY MEMPHIAN
New Eats: El Mero Taco
“El Mero Taco opened a brick-and-mortar location last month in Cordova that's a bit hidden but worth finding. And if you want a really good fried okra taco, you'd better find it while our favorite Southern pod is still in season. Now is the time to tell you that it’s really just fried okra, not a taco, but you could turn it into one like I did.
Jacob and Clarissa Dries launched the El Mero Taco food truck about four years ago, a natural way for the couple, who met in culinary school, to start their own business. The food was mostly tacos, reflecting Clarissa’s Mexican heritage, but with some Southern influences, such as Jacob’s fried chicken – inside a taco.”
Vegan Crunk
Memphis Vegan Food Trucks: El Mero Taco
“It's hard to believe that just a few years ago, food trucks were illegal in Memphis! But it's only been since 2011, when the Memphis City Council passed an ordinance allowing mobile food vendors, that food trucks have even been a thing here. Now, there are food trucks EVERYWHERE! And surprisingly, many offer vegan options.
I was just turned onto El Mero Taco, a taco truck with vegan options. My friend Ranise works on the truck, and she gave me a heads-up that they were offering a seitan taco special tonight. And it just so happened that they were conveniently parked just down the street from my house. It was a lovely, warm spring day, so I walked over to check them out.”
choose 901
Where to Get Your Food Truck Fix in Memphis
“Memphians love some food trucks, and we’ve got plenty of options.
Here is a list of currently active trucks”