Now you see, it now you don’t.

Months after the mysterious disappearance of the Cuban Taco Truck on Harrison there seems to be a reappearance…

…and indeed it’s true! Mission and Goodwill, just outside of The Mission, just inside of SOMA.

There’s something different about these burritos. Perhaps it’s the saffronated rice, or possibly the pico de gallo is just that much more chunkier and juicier, but whatever it is that distinguishes these burritos, I am pleased that they rolled back into my neck of the woods. The owner sold his last truck, which used to be located down on Harrison at Best Buy, but now he’s back with a new name at a new location.

The burritos aren’t spectacular, but it’s the difference that makes them good. Indeed the sole purveyor of this truck even wraps these differently; they are long and thin and seemingly held together with invisible toothpicks. Somehow they don’t fall apart, but I keep expecting them to. The choices are limited: chicken, beef and pork. I ended up trying all three. (Hey, it’s hard work, but somebody has to do it, right?) As it turns out, it is no surprise that the pork wins. The beef was fine, the chicken a little bland, but the pork is where it’s at. Even better, the guy not only sells burritos, but the famous Cuban sandwich too.

Cuban sandwiches may not be rare, but you won’t find them at your local Subway just yet. I mean they just caught up to the cheesesteak! But whatever, when Subway finally gets around to this, I’m sure they’ll ruin it. Meanwhile, this is a good thing. A balance of flavors, divined from a multitude of cultures, the Cuban is a masterpiece of a sandwich. The export consists of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles on buttered bread. It’s a combination that works great, hinged upon the quality of the pork and the inclusion of the pickles. For those strange folks that violently assert they have no appreciation for the pickle, this baby is not for you. This pork sandwich deserves its status as an apparent National Sandwich. It’s simple, yet fantastic, adding up to much more that the sum of its parts, much like the American classic, PB&J.

The availability of a Cuban Roast Pork Sandwich at a taco truck in San Francisco is not something I want to miss.  The bread isn’t authentic, it’s margarine instead of butter and it’s ham instead of the more traditional Serrano ham. However, these things matter little when you’re on the far side of the country. Perhaps if I lived in Miami I could complain about it in a blog called cubansandwichwings, but out here in the land of burritos, I welcome the return of this long-missed food option.

At the end of the day, I have to say it’s the sure-fire pork on pork action that gets my most respect. The burritos certainly are delicious enough, but the sandwich is the house specialty after all, and what I’m going to most often order. If I am the mood for a burrito, there are other places I’d go, most notably the Castillo behind Civic Center. However, if I am in the mood for a burrito with a little more of a Spanish influence, this taco truck is the way to go.