El Parícutin Food Truck

Ana Delia_Alejandro Mendoza_Castaneda

★★★☆☆ 2 months ago

We had driven past Paricutin a bunch of times and kept doing the usual “we need to try that place someday” routine. We finally did, and my review is basically this: Paricutin is either capable of greatness or complete confusion, depending on what day you show up and what you order. Let’s start with what they absolutely nailed. The carne asada burrito is flat-out ridiculous. It is that good. The meat is flavorful, cooked right, and they give you plenty of it. No scavenger hunt required to find the protein. But the real star might be the flour tortilla. I’m 50 years old, and I can only remember two flour tortillas in my life that were on this level. One was in 2009 in Puerto Nuevo south of Tijuana. The other is here at Paricutin. This tortilla is so good it could probably improve your mood, your week, and maybe your credit score. You could practically stuff a dirty diaper in this flower tortilla and it would be excellent! I asked where they got them, and they told me they bring them across the border. That made perfect sense, because tortillas this good do not feel domestic. The cabeza sopes are another big win. Very good, very worth ordering, and one of the reasons we keep coming back. And then there’s the side salsa, which looks like a tatemada and tastes like somebody in that kitchen knows exactly what they’re doing. That sauce is outstanding. We liked it so much I asked if they would sell me some. They said no, which is unfortunate, because if they bottled that stuff and put it in stores, I’d probably be funding somebody’s retirement. Now for the part where the wheels wobble. The torta de carnitas was a miss. The meat seemed off, and not in a “maybe this just isn’t my thing” way. More in a “what happened here?” kind of way. The puerquito pibil burrito was excellent one day, but the pibil on a sope another time was nowhere near as good. So either the kitchen has multiple personalities or consistency is an issue. The huevos rancheros were forgettable. Not offensive, just disappointing. The chimichangas were sad. Not “could use improvement” sad. More like “somebody gave up halfway through” sad. So that’s Paricutin in a nutshell: when they’re on, they are really on. The carne asada burrito, cabeza sopes, and that incredible tatemada-style salsa are absolutely worth the trip. But the rest of the menu feels a little like gambling. You might hit the jackpot, or you might end up staring at your plate wondering why you didn’t just order the carne asada burrito again. In the end, we’ll definitely go back — but with a strategy. Burrito de carne asada, sopes de cabeza, and the salsa. That’s the move. Stick to those, and Paracutin is excellent. Start wandering around the menu too much, and you may begin asking hard questions.

Poziden

★★★★★ 2 months ago

Affordable, great service food is the best in town. Call to order just to pick up

Roger P

★☆☆☆☆ 4 months ago

This used to be one of my favorite places in Nogales but like many they all end up falling off. I hate to say this but parícutin isnt how it used to be. They are really known for theyre burritos but now they are cutting down and making them much smaller. It seems like the love of theyre cooking isnt there anymore. I have to note that they dont put the side cut cucumber anymore, also they are using a different tortilla (smaller) and different flavor. Meat tastes like it's been refrigerated for a long time. HONESTLY SO DISAPPOINTED.

Kevin Seston

★★★★★ a year ago

The carna asada burrito was very good. Tortilla was soft yet the right amount of chewy. Salsa had the right amount of kick. Food was fast.

Alex Kolkena

★★★★★ 5 years ago

I wish I could give this one a 6th star: great prices, great selection, great flavor. The tables are super janky, but this place is top-notch. Better than going to a restaurant, that's for sure. If you're in Nogales and need a quick bite, look no further.