In which I watch a Tacomentary and eat not the greatest tacos from a taco truck

I spent all day huddled over my computer working on a NEW blog where I am posting free mp3s of songs I consider to be perfect for weddings! Have a look, won't you?

I was in the mood for an excursion and remembered that one of my favorite local blogs, Carpe Durham (they describe it as "Ramblings about food from the basement of Duke Law School by people who know nothing about food or the law" was throwing a party at the Pinhook.

The Pinhook is a lovely retro bar in downtown Durham. Retro meaning, not that some expensive designer tried to make something new look old, but rather that something old and on the verge of collapse has miraculously been made whole again. The wood floor is really old, the place has that grungy ambience I like...

Anyway, back to "Carpe Durham." If I were guessing, I'd say there are three bloggers at Carpe Durham. One likes fancy food, one likes southern food (hush puppies and barbeque), and one likes downhome Mexican places. I've tried a few of their recommended establishments and loved them...

... and two of them had made a documentary about taco places for a class at the law school which demanded that they "do something you've never done before." They were showing it last night at the Pinhook.

I parked and walked up to this huge long line at the taco truck which was parked outside the bar for the occasion. I stood in line for quite a while, but then the movie was starting.

The guy behind me had seen it already and was engrossed in some game on his phone, so he said he'd save my place.


I went in and saw the movie, which was short, and which featured many of these people in the audience (which was much larger than I could capture in this picture) absolutely stuffing their faces with messy overflowing tacos, so they were very enthusiastic.


When the movie was over, my place in line had moved almost to the front. There was a reduced menu posted on the side of the truck and it had a quote from one of the restaurant owners in the film: "Chicken is the favorite of children and Americans."

It turned out the guy in front of me was ordering vegan tacos! He asked anxiously, "there is no butter in these, is there?"


Here are my tacos de asada. They look good, but the meat was very fatty, not nearly to the standard I've come to expect at the local places. I wonder whether the guy knew he was going to be selling to gringos all night so he decided we wouldn't be so particular?

No matter, they were tasty. I sat down on a narrow bench to eat the tacos and watch the crowd. As I sat there stuffing my face, a passing car slowed and the driver (a woman I know only slightly) rolled down her window and said, "Melinama, your chickens' eggs are GREAT!" and drove away.