It’s soup weather in Sacramento; Here’s some solid barbacoa ramen from a taco truck
As wind gusts swell and rain falls by the sheetload, there’s little that accompanies Netflix and fuzzy blankets like a steaming bowl of soup. Sac Tacos’ barbacoa ramen is unfancy, unfussy and unquestionably Californian comfort food ripe for a downpour.
In Trini and Carlos Montoya’s taco truck, slow-cooked tri-tip mixes with instant noodles in an oily broth so confidential the lead cook — Carlos’ cousin — won’t even tell him all the spices.
All he knows is it has laurel, bell pepper, cloves, tomato and chilis. And that it’s helped the barbacoa ramen, affordable as well as unique at $10 for a 24-ounce bowl, become one of Sac Tacos’ most popular items since debuting six months ago.
Sac Tacos’ truck is stationed seven days per week in an O’Reilly Auto Parts parking lot at 10117 Folsom Blvd. in Rancho Cordova, and Carlos expects more of the same when the Montoyas’ second truck moves back into the Lowe’s parking lot at 7840 Greenback Ln. in Citrus Heights on Wednesday morning. All Sac Tacos items are also available via Postmates, DoorDash and Grubhub.
“It’s one of our top-sellers for sure. I can’t keep enough of it in the truck, especially now with winter being here,” Carlos said. “It’s so cold that everybody wants that big 24-ounce bowl of hot ramen.”
Sac Tacos might be the only spot in the area with such a soup, though a similar dishes has popped up in cities across California and Texas under the name “birria ramen.” That’s what Carlos came across while buying food truck equipment in Pacoima, a largely Hispanic neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Trini comes from a long line of taqueros and worked at her family’s Jalisco, Mexico, restaurant for more than two decades before immigrating to Los Angeles about 15 years ago.
She met Carlos, who manages Sac Tacos’ finances, marketing and customer service, shortly thereafter and they began feeding parties as Sacramento’s Best Taco Catering about 10 years ago. Though Trini developed most of the recipes for items like mulitas and tortas, her full-time job these days is taking care of the Montoyas’ four kids ages 4 to 11.
Barbacoa literally translates to “barbecue,” and Sac Tacos’ cooks over an open flame for up to 10 hours per 75-pound batch until tender enough to pull apart. They use tri-tip instead of the typical beef head or cheek (some traditional Mexican recipes also call for goat or lamb) because the cut stays moist and isn’t as chewy, Carlos said.
Ramen, meanwhile, originated in China and made its way to Japan in 1859, according to the Yokohama Ramen Museum. Instant noodles appeared a century later, the work of future Cup Noodles founder Momofuku Ando.
That’s what Sac Tacos uses. Yes, the wavy stuff that’s 50 cents or so per brick. Anything more would take away from the ingredients flown in from Guadalajara, and might feel out of place in such humble packaging, Carlos said.
“It just made sense for us financially, it’s easy to find and everyone likes it,” he said. “We’re not trying to infuse our barbacoa so much. We’re wanting people to taste it and really know it’s a Mexican dish, and the noodles are just part of it.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 5:00 AM.