Tacos Locos draws eager crowds in Apple Valley: ‘The best I’ve ever eaten’

The aroma of grilled carne asada and pork from the Taco Locos Estilo Oaxaca street vendor in Apple Valley permeated the air on Sunday night.

Nearly two dozen customers were lined up to purchase tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas, mulitas, alambre and papa asada at Tacos Locos, near the AutoZone on the corner of Kiowa and Bear Valley roads .

“I love tacos, and these are the best I’ve ever eaten,” said Scott Murphy, a frequent customer at Taco Locos. “The meat is so tender and flavorful.”

Under a nearly full moon, Murphy ordered six tacos al pastor and two carne asada burritos for himself and his wife, Brenda.

“The Oaxacan style soft tacos are the best,” said customer Carlos Pena of Apple Valley. “The tacos include marinated asada, and I ask for extra onion, cilantro, jalapeno, salsa and lime juice.”

Under a portable tent, Michael Pelasco was part of a busy vendor team that greeted customers, grilled and chopped meat, worked the grill surface, prepared menu items and assembled orders.

Sheila Norton shared how watching the "juicy pork" being cut from the burning spit and dropping onto the grill or into a corn tortilla for a taco was “absolutely mesmerizing.”

Customers told the Daily Press that the slab of marinated pork cooked on a flaming spit for tacos al pastor, which translates to “shepherd’s style tacos,” is an attention-getter from the street.

“We’re from Los Angeles and set up in different places in Southern California,” Pelasco said. “We’re here in Apple Valley from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends.”

Pelasco said his team started setting up shop in Apple Valley after visiting family members in town. The Tacos Locos team has been seen working through wind, rain and cold conditions.

“We’re always here to serve our customers,” Pelasco said. “We appreciate them all.”

For more information on Taco Locos, search “TACOS LOCOS Estilo Oaxaca on Facebook or instagram.com/locos4763 .

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Tacos Locos draws eager crowds in Apple Valley: ‘The best I’ve ever eaten’