Tacos with a twist
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When the weekend rolls around, it’s difficult to find a flavorful late night meal besides the normal chain restaurants. Pico Norte has crafted their taco truck to be the new midnight bite.
Launched on Valentine’s Day, the truck is quickly becoming a popular sensation in Provo. Three BYU graduates, Anthony Felt, Rick Gooch and Michael Jenson have meticulously constructed plans for the truck this past year.
The three of them run all aspects of the company, from cleaning the truck to preparing and cooking their gourmet tacos.
Felt and Gooch, who served as mission companions in Monterrey, Mexico, were inspired to develop the idea by the cuisine in the area. They ate out nearly every night and ate a specific type of tacos called, “tacos al pastor.” The tacos’ filling involves cooking red marinated pork on a giant vertical skewer, and slicing it into thin strips.
The graduates’ goal going into business was to produce authentic Mexican tacos. The partners have made trips down to Monterrey to perfect their recipe and have produced a simple yet delicious menu.
Serving La Gringa (spiced pork) and El Guero (carne asada) you can get three tacos for $5. You can even compliment the tacos with an authentic bottle of Mexican Coke for $1.25. Customers don’t need to stress about having cash on hand, as the truck accepts both cash and cards for convenience.
Business has started booming even faster then Pico Norte anticipated. “We’ve had to double our initial quantity of prep. Sold out four or five nights. Had some great reviews from customers we didn’t even know,” said Felt.
Once I made it to the truck, I couldn’t help but understand the quick success the truck has had. Mexican food (specifically tacos) being my favorite, I had my first taco and couldn’t help but order a second immediately. I Topped mine off with some salsa and pico de gallo for the perfect touch.
In preparation for Provo’s unpredictable weather, Pico Norte has provided standing heaters for customers to stay warm and to increase the sociability of the experience.
The truck is currently operating throughout the weekends until late into the night. “People get sick of eating McDonalds and Taco Bell, because this is a college town. We got sick of a few choices eating after 10 pm. We wanted quality food open past 10 pm for options,” said Felt. “We want to be known as good late night food.”
Pico Norte’s days and hours are still being developed for a consistent schedule, but they are generally open anywhere from 8 pm-1 am, Thursday-Saturday. Customers can find out where the truck will be located by following them on their Instagram account @PicoNorte and their self-titled Facebook page. The social media includes updates like when they are wrapping up or what they have already sold out of. They are extremely personable and mindful of their customers.
Felt said, “After opening, we reached out to people and asked how did it taste? Tweaked and took a few minor things into consideration from customers.”
Pico Norte has plans of expanding business to be open throughout the week and for lunch hours, possibly on UVU and BYU campuses. All of these updates will be communicated through their social media outlets.
So the next time you and your friends need a late night eat, spend your night with Pico Norte and indulge in as many tacos as you can handle.