Aqui Con El Nene

A food truck with an adjoining, fan-cooled, semi-al fresco eating tent and a newly-opened dining area with real air conditioning, Aqui Con El Nene is one of Tucson’s most compelling street-food purveyors.

Sonoran hot dogs come tightly wrapped in crisp bacon and served in big, soft bolillo rolls (or, if desired, toasted rolls) with all the requisite toppings, including beans, tomatoes, salsa, mustard, and mayo. If the usual constellation of condiments is not enough — or not hot enough — Aqui Con El Nene has a fantastic salsa bar with a virtual kaleidoscope of different options, hot and mild.

Tacos are available stuffed with carne asada, chicken, pork, beef head, or beans and cheese. A super-deluxe version includes green chiles, cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and beef. There even are “tacos lite” in which lettuce substitutes for a tortilla. They all come with lovely roasted green onions that are a sweet joy to munch.

Papanchas are not a typical Mexican food truck menu item in Tucson, but as proprietor Salvador Gastelum is from Ciudad Obregon in Sonora and papanchas are a local specialty, here they are: baked potatoes filled with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, and your choice of carne asada, chicken, or pork.

A broad menu and actual seating put this food truck a cut above the ordinary, but do note that business is cash-only. Prices are in the low- to mid-single digit range.