When you walk up to the El Taco food cart you will see Shantel, a fellow college student turned entrepreneur dishing up tacos with an authentic flare. And boy can this chick cook.
It all started when Shantel moved from Salem to Eugene to attend the University of Oregon. Coming from a city chock-full of authentic Mexican cuisine, Shantel was used to eating tacos on the daily. Craving a plate of traditional home-cooking, she decided to take the matters into her own hands and started El Taco with her friend from high school, Antonio. The duo shared a vision for a unique Mexican-Filipino cuisine and put the plans into action using their own resources.
Photo by Hannah Giardina
Shantel, with experience working at a restaurant and studying in school, has an understanding of business practices. She combined that with the instructions she received growing up in the kitchen with her grandmother learning that “food is an easy way to a person’s heart.” Shantel believes that putting extra time and energy into making food is worth it because the outcome makes people happy and excited to come back.
Photo by Hannah Giardina
El Taco is perfect for the college diet and budget. And we are going to give you a little insider tip: not only is Mexican food packed with tasty spices and flavor, it is the best hangover food for the best deal. Double whammy. The best part? El Taco is open early and closes late so it is the perfect fuel to your mid-day slump or late nights downtown.
Photo by Hannah Giardina
Since its grand-opening on Cinco de Mayo, the food cart serves $5 meals that include three tacos and a drink of choice. Along with the tacos, the menu includes authentic favorites ranging from burritos, nachos, quesadillas, burrito bowls and sweet horchata. Eventually, El Taco will introduce the Filipino touches of lupias and ponse and we will anticipate major food comas.
Photo by Hannah Giardina