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Food truck faceoff

El Estoque’s Arts & Entertainment section reviews three local food trucks

Dylan Nguyen and Benjamin Zhang • March 4, 2025

Graphic | Benjamin Zhang

Spartan Taco Truck

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Overview

In the heart of San Jose, Spartan Taco Truck — an offshoot of the primary restaurant, located right across E. William St. — offers a casual late-night experience with dynamic and flavorful Mexican street food. Open two hours past the main restaurant’s hours of operation, the truck attracts families and friends who come to order a variety of dishes, ranging from their famous crispy tacos to unique fusions like peanut butter horchatas. Although they take cash only, Spartan triumphs in the hearts, or stomachs, of those who give it a try.

RATING: 3.5/5

PRICING: $/$$$

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Little Crispy Tacos ($4.00 each or 3 for $11.00)

These tacos are small, deep-fried tortillas layered with a customizable protein and served with cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream on top. The marinated steak and tender pork have an incredibly smoky flavor while the tortilla remains crispy, adding a crunch to every bite. Each taco has just the right balance of each ingredient — no one flavor overpowers the others. Adding Spartan’s special orange and green sauces takes the tacos to another level — the orange sauce is rich and spicy while the green sauce is tangy and fresh, both deepening the already flavorful dish. However, the sauces are undeniably required to bring this dish to its full potential, which can be a bummer for people who struggle with spice. Thus, while with the sauce Spartan’s crispy tacos are a transcendent experience in your mouth, the tacos standing alone might provide the same experience for everyone.

RATING: 4.5/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Super Soft Tacos ($5.00 each or 3 for $13.00)

In contrast to the deep-fried tortilla, the super soft tacos contain all the classic taco fillings atop a soft and pillowy tortilla. The avocado, which is absent from the crispy tacos, adds a light and fresh flavor that cuts through the dish's potential heaviness. Spartan’s seafood options are not bad either — the shrimp is tender and just as flavorful as the meat. Unlike its more popular counterpart, however, the super soft tacos suffer from the textures of the different ingredients blending into one — without a crispy shell, the taco struggles to separate itself from a mundane texture. In addition, the chicken wasn’t tender, causing an unwanted texture in addition to the sogginess. While the super soft taco still packs the same flavorful punch as its counterparts, it suffers from a lack of textural variety.

RATING: 3/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Nachos ($15.00)

While Spartan is a taco truck, it offers other Mexican dishes like burritos, quesadillas and nachos. However, the nachos fail to live up to the quality of Spartan’s tacos. While the nachos share the smoky and fresh taste of the crispy tacos, the texture and balance of flavors seem to get lost in the sauce — literally. Not only are the nachos challenging to eat with the packaging making it difficult to grab the chips, but the abundance of meat in the dish drowns out the other competing flavors. People who order this must eat it fast if they want to enjoy the crispy tortilla chips — otherwise, the wet toppings quickly make the chips soggy. It’s clear that Spartan specializes in their tacos for a reason.

RATING: 2/5

The Panas Parche

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Overview

Located next to S. First Street in Central San Jose, The Panas Parche is a Venezuelan food truck that serves traditional classics alongside fusion dishes. The area is populated by more than 10 Latinx food trucks, which together form a mini food court in the heart of San Jose. Featuring strong flavors and an incredible sauce, The Panas Parche is an easy gateway food truck to the Latin American cuisine found all around San Jose.

RATING: 3.5/5

PRICING: $$/$$$

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Cabimera Arepa ($18.00)

An arepa is a type of flatbread commonly found in Venezuela, and the Panas Parche undoubtedly serves it well. With beef, ham, cheese, egg, tomatoes, lettuce and salsa assembled on top of fried arepas, each bite is a fantastic mix of flavors that leaves you craving more. The meat’s marinade is the most significant aspect — it’s so full and rich that the sauce is quite literally dripping from one’s fingertips. It is also incredibly tender and not dry. However, because the meat flavor is so strong, it can overpower the other elements of the dish, leaving the cheese virtually undetected. Thus, the fried arepa stands out as a good contrast. Crispy on the outside but still soft, it retains a perfect consistency despite absorbing the flavor of the meat. Though the portion is huge, the absolute excellence of the flavoring means no crumbs get left behind.

RATING: 4/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Classic Hot Dog ($8.00)

A fusion twist on the classic American hot dog, the Panas Parche Classic Hot Dog uses a salchichón sausage — a cured sausage made of pork — and adorns it with cabbage, cheese, salsa and lettuce. Interestingly, small crispy fries are also tossed on top of the bun and give the dish a satisfying crunch. But even the most powerful fries aren’t able to save the soggy bread. The flavor, which was the strongest aspect of the Cabimera Arepa, is toned down but still packs a punch. Each bite is only an experience of the sausage and barely anything else — the vegetables and ketchup exist just for an enjoyable texture and a hint of tomato aftertaste. While the dish is a unique twist, it doesn’t offer much more compared to the average frankfurter.

RATING: 2.5/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Venezuelan Burger ($18.00)

With another fusion dish, Panas Parche blesses an average hamburger with the unique style of Venezuelan cuisine. Whereas the previous dishes were drowning in sauce, this burger balances the cohesive flavor across its ingredients. The sauce brings out its depth when paired with grilled onions, lettuce and avocado spread across the buns. The meat, while just as tender and savory, allows the paired vegetables to shine through as well. This dish maintains a delicate equilibrium in flavor and texture, inviting diners back for bite after bite. One of the only drawbacks comes from the fact that the burger is so stuffed with ingredients that it may be hard to pick up and eat. The bottom bun also turns soggy after a few minutes, but due to the dish’s delicious nature, it would be surprising for any of the burger to remain by then.

RATING: 4/5

Momo Grill

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Overview

Located in the same parking lot as the Sunnyvale Costco, the Momo Grill food truck specializes in Nepali and Himalayan cuisine, and is especially known for its Momos, a popular Nepali dumpling dish. In the crimson red food truck, patterned with the Momo Grill logo and chef hats, a cook prepares a variety of dishes, ranging from chow mein to chicken lollipops. With its convenient location, the Momo Grill food truck is a must-try for any Costco shopper tired of the same food court options.

RATING: 3.5/5

PRICING: $$/$$$

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Chili Lamb Momo ($17.99)

Instead of being steamed, these circular filled dumplings are fried and smothered with a hot chili sauce. When opening the takeout box, the customer is greeted by glimmering orange Momos, topped with sauteed bell peppers and scallions, that emit a wave of fragrant spices. There is an ample amount of filling within each Momo, and each bite contains a pleasing amount of lamb. The chili coating has a punchy and numbing kick to it, and it is rich in flavor. With a hint of citrus, the chili sauce is sweet but smoky — albeit so smoky that one might choke on the abrupt aftertaste. One of the only cons is the outer momo wrapper, which is too thick — a thinner, crispier outer jacket would’ve done the inner bliss more justice.

RATING: 3.5/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Gobi Manchurian ($14.99)

On first impression, the Gobi Manchurian, despite its flashy name, looks the same as standard popcorn chicken. In reality, this mouth-watering dish is made from deep-fried cauliflower tossed in Manchurian sauce — a spicy, tangy and sweet dressing. At the first bite, the flavor of the sauce bursts and feels reminiscent of an acidic teriyaki chicken. Similar to the Chili Lamb Momo, it exudes the smoky scent of a freshly grilled dish. However, the crunch of the cauliflower is disappointingly non-existent — the whole plate feels soggy instead of crispy. The soft interior of the cauliflower is certainly enjoyable, but a crunchy outer shell would elevate this dish to another level. For vegetarians craving the mouthfeel of meat, this dish could be a potential substitute.

RATING: 3.5/5

Photo | Benjamin Zhang

Chicken Lollipop ($15.99)

Just like the name suggests, the chicken lollipop is a chicken drumstick made to look like a big piece of candy. And eye candy it is, as the chicken — adorned in a vermillion red sauce — shines beautifully in the sunlight. Unlike the previous two dishes, the Chicken Lollipop fully embraces itself as a meat dish. Although it maintains a similar punch of sauce, it is the most well-balanced of the items and contains all of the flavors that a customer may be looking for. Much like the food truck’s other dishes, the Chicken Lollipop presents customers with a perfect combination of both sweet and sour flavors. While the meat is definitely on the drier side, pairing this with a bubbly drink would make for an amazing afternoon snack.

RATING: 3.5/5

About the Contributors

Dylan Nguyen, Head of Design

Dylan Nguyen is currently a senior and Head of Design for El Estoque. His hobbies include listening to R&B soul, binging comedy dramas and setting up last-minute hangout plans with friends.

Benjamin Zhang, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Benjamin is currently a junior and an Arts & Entertainment editor for El Estoque. In his free time, he likes to play soccer, collect vinyls and review bad movies.