In all the years since the award for Charlottesville’s Best Food Truck began, Tacos Gomez has neverfailedtobeafinalist. Just as nineteen-time nominee Susan Lucci eventually won an Emmy, the taco truck’s steadfast consistency has propelled it to the top.
Launched in 2015, Tacos Gomez was originally a part-time gig as a way to bring the food of the Gomez family to the public. “We grew up with women who could really cook and wanted to share that with Charlottesville,” said Miguel Gomez, whose parents Miguel and Leticia own the business. “After trying it part time, we realized that other people really enjoy it as well.” And so, the Gomez family went all in, leaving their other jobs to focus exclusively on Tacos Gomez.
This was an excellent development for Charlottesville diners, as the truck now sets up six days per week at the bottom of Pantops Mountain, where Long St. meets High St. There, they dole out tacos, tortas, and platters drawing on old family recipes that Leticia brought with her to Charlottesville from Mexico City. Almost everything is made from scratch, from the tortillas to the meats that fill them, and even the chorizo.
For tacos, cabeza is a standout. A slow braise breaks down beef cheeks until they are meltingly tender and rich with beefy flavor. Stuffed into handmade tortillas, and topped with cilantro, onions, and hot sauce, morsels of the unctuous beef cheeks anchor one of the most satisfying dishes in town.
But, as good as the tacos are, many regulars are partial to the tortas – ovals of fluffy bread piled high with Swiss cheese, mozzarella, onions, tomato, jalapenos, and avocado, and pressed on a griddle. Customers have their choice of proteins or vegetable fillings, though it’s hard to beat the combination of chorizo and lengua. A side of house hot sauce offsets the richness while adding heat to taste.
Among a stellar group of finalists, the 2022 Charlottesville Best Food Truck is Tacos Gomez.
The 2021 Charlottesville 29 is coming soon, answering: if there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville would be the ideal 29? But first up is recognition of our area’s great food trucks and stands. 2020 was a challenging year for the food industry, but many trucks thrived in the Culture of Takeout, helping Charlottesville enjoy chef-prepared meals while remaining socially distant.
Monday, March 15, The Charlottesville 29 2021 Best Food Truck/Stand will be awarded. Among a great group, the finalists are:
Charlottesville lost a beloved member of its food community this week. Noah Comarovschi cooked all over Charlottesville, at places like Oakhart Social, Public Fish & Oyster, Bizou, and Brookville. In memory of Noah, today’s Five Finds on Friday are some of his favorites, as remembered by friends and family. Noah leaves behind his seven-year-old son Isaac, who suddenly finds himself without a father. As Isaac was the light of Noah’s life, in tribute to Noah, friends have established a fund for Isaac’s education and well being. Help Isaac here.
1) Cabeza Tacos at El Tako Nako and Tacos Gomez. “We all loved Noah and we are all heart broken. He was such a fun, loving person and truly part of our Oakhart family and DNA. He was the kind of guy who let everyone know how much they meant to him. When I think about Noah, I think about us laughing a lot. I think about us arguing about whether El Tako Nako or Tacos Gomez has the better cabeza. I think about listening to the Jesus Lizard way too loud and sharing a hidden a box of cornstarch in the walk-in (IYKYK). I think about us having a couple too many shifties after long, hot services. One particular memory that stands out, because of how it encapsulated his love of family and of food, was the day that he brought in a few beautiful Cherokee Purple tomatoes from his dad’s garden. He was so proud of these tomatoes and of his dad who he was very close with. Honestly we all agreed that they were the best tomatoes we had all tasted that summer. He cut them up, sprinkled a little Maldon, cracked a little black pepper on them and insisted that we all try them. Then there was the mayo pairing. Hellmans? Not a f-ing chance. Dukes or Kewpie, nothing less. He beamed with pride sharing his dad’s ‘maters and it was a really happy afternoon. He is loved and missed.” – Tristan Wraight
2) Bagels with Lox and Herb Cream Cheese from Bodo’s. “We are far from a religious family, but Sunday meal was always sacred to us. As Pops always says, ‘It is not a Comarovschi get-together unless there is too much food.’ Those family dinners are some of my favorite memories with my brother. It didn’t matter what we were noshing on, as long as we were all together. The simple stuff like a spread of Bodo’s bagels with herb schmear and lox, or a heaping pile of all beef Hebrew National hotdogs were just as enjoyable as a decadent pork belly or butter braised ribeye. I think at times he saw being the chef in the family as a blessing and a burden. He always volunteered to man the grill, or slice the turkey and ham at Thanksgiving, or pick the restaurant that we would go to when he and I went to shows in other cities. And even when his annoyance at a request to cook our step-mom’s steak to well done was palpable, Noah still did it because he knew we appreciated his culinary prowess and he just wanted to contribute something that everyone could enjoy.” Anna Comarovschi
3) Sesame Chicken at Ming Dynasty. “The classic Ming Dynasty of the 1990s was a favorite spot for Noah and I back in the day. I remember he always got the sesame chicken. We would go there after we got paid working at Cooper and Seacrest doing political surveying. All the old crew worked there at one time or another.” Jaison Burke
4) Empanadas at Guajiros Miami Eatery. “We went later in the evening towards their closing time. No one was in there but us. We pored over the menu and couldn’t decide, so naturally we ordered half of the menu. While we were waiting we began to chat with the owner. Noah may have been a chatterbox — never met a stranger — but I am certainly not. The owner was so friendly and kind that we ended up just talking for another thirty minutes after our order was ready. Even though we ordered half the menu, I forgot to try their fried cheese, and upon mentioning this the owner went and dropped some in the fryer for us to munch on while we waited. Noah was very excited about the Maduros served with crème fraiche, and they were great. We also got the Cuban and Pan Con Croqueta, all great. But what really blew us away were the empanadas. What makes these empanadas truly spectacular is that they are both crispy on the outside but the dough remains perfectly soft. The texture, filling and the house made sauces are all flawlessly executed and wonderfully brought together to bring the best empanada I have ever had, and one Noah could not work out an equal. Truly a rare feat. – Robbie Hall
5) Traditional Chinese at Yuan Ho. “Noah absolutely loved Yuan Ho when we lived together in the early 2000’s. They were the first Chinese restaurant where I ever encountered the ‘Non-Western’ menu. Noah knew the owners personally, and they would let us in the back area where the kitchen was. It was my first time seeing a few traditional Chinese dishes and my first time seeing chefs use a wok station and a cleaver. That sparked my obsession with Asian culture and cuisine, and I’ll always remember that day.” – Mitchell Beerens
