MOVEABLE FIESTA

years ago, i looked out our 112th street window to see a bright blue taco truck parked on our street. there was no predicting its appearance; it seemed as ephemeral as the faint strains of mariachi music that sometimes trickled up our airshaft. in contrast, super taco, a.k.a. "sobre ruedas" (on wheels), seems like the mobile home of taco trucks. parked on 96th street for 12 years, it features a counter and, in bad weather, an enclosed area. while super taco used to cater

mainly to mexican delivery men coming off work late at night, a runner-up prize in the 2007 vendy awards catapulted it into the limelight and gave it a more diverse following.

on one of its rare afternoon appearances, i ate a gordito ($3), which means "cute little fat boy," an apt description for two thick slabs of fried cornmeal masa-think crisped-up polenta-enclosing, in this case, roast pork cooked with pineapple, "al pastor," and sprinkled with lettuce, queso fresco and a light sour cream sauce. mexican men chuckled as i immediately ordered another gordito, this time with suaderno (flank steak), and they handed me napkins to catch the green tomatillo sauce before it oozed onto my blouse. the next afternoon, however, the truck was gone.

*parked from 6 p.m. to the wee hours of the morning, but occasionally there in the late afternoon.

got a snack attack to share? contact nbrand@aol.com