La Carreta de Mi Tierra

I finally found the spot for great tacos in Salem. I been trying many place since arriving here from Los Angeles, and I happen to stumble by this place after a few years of searching. I notice that it didn’t have that many review in Unilocal,but thanks to a couple of reviews I just had to take a change.
«La Carreta» is in the same lot as the tires shop. My wife was hesitant at first from the looks of the place, but we sat down.
I had a couple of tacos with different meats and a «mulita» (two handmade tortillas with cheese and meat in the middle). The tortillas are hand made, and the «masa» use for tortillas seem to be from yellow corn which makes a different on the taste. My wife had the «sope» which she loved.
The sale a really good «Chapurado». It’s a hot drink which I will describe as a hot coco chocolate. If you never had this drink before you need to try it here.
To place your order will have to walk up to «La Carreta» and let the «taquera» know what you want. The service was friendly.
I’m really happy that I have a spot for tacos. I’m so excited that I’m planning to have a taco night added to my week.
They do take credit cards with Square but they have a convenience charge.
I didn’t see a schedule on Unilocal so I asked:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Open (4??-10??)
Thursday:Open (4??-10??)
Friday: 1pm to 3am
Saturday: 1pm to 3am
Sunday: 1pm to ???
Next time I go I will update the schedule.

Having been to Mexico City many times and eating street food, this place caught my attention immediately. Anywhere there is a line, your sure to find great food. Plus… all Spanish speaking clientele is also something I’m always looking for. These two things plus a cook who never stops moving and is happy? What more can you ask for?
Can I give them six stars.

If they would have remembered to serve me my food I, would have potentially enjoyed it. wow, knuckleheads :(

This place is pretty fantastic! The burritos are the best I’ve ever had and they’re consistent. Salem needs more restaurants with this kind of outstanding quality.
Este es sinceramente el mejor lugar en donde comer en Salem. ¡Los burritos son de lo mejor!

Authentic awesome Mexican food. I’m pretty sure my girlfriend and I were the only ones that didn’t order in Spanish, so you know it’s good, haha.

4.5÷5
Homemade corn tortillas pressed right before your very eyes.
Asada and Tripas are my favorites.
Lengua, Carnitas, and Chorizo pretty good as well.
Burrito comes with rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, pico, and your choice of meat.
Lots of salsas and condiments to choose from. The avocado one is my favorite.
Tacos $ 1.50 (1 tortilla)
Burritos $ 7.00

This is now my reigning champion of tacos in Salem! The woman who usually cooks is always so friendly and helps me with my horrible spanish. The thing that sets this place apart is their amazing salsa bar. It is two of those big rolling electric coolers with the barbecue style doors. However, this place has cucumber, radish, extra cilantro, onion, or cilantro/​onion mix for the lazy ones all in here. But wait, there’s more! At least four different types of salsa and a delightful avocado crème that goes great with everything. I haven’t had a bad taco here yet, and if you like to stay out late on the weekends and get pretty trashed, they are usually open well after the bars close… So there’s that. My favorite for sure.

Mexican food in Oregon, especially in Salem, is some of the best in the state if not some of the best out west. For a small city that is home to a sizeable Mexican community, the food options are as divey as they are impressive, with the perfect prices for all working class patrons, and strictly visited by the community it supports. There is no better taco cart right now than La Carretta de Mi Tierra, i.e. «The Cart of my Land.»
Situated in a parking lot that is shared with the Gavin Food’s convenience store, this gem sits beneath a tent like tarp where a family of 4 – 5 prep quality tacos throughout the evening. Someone will take your order, while someone else is simultaneously cooking your food on the grill, as someone else will pass along freshly made tortillas hot off the impression mold.
After a douse of fixins along the counter, which you do apply yourself, it was time for the taste test. A juicy, delectable bite of their carnitas taco, and I was hooked. The softness of the homemade tortilla practically melted with the meat and the tanginess of the accompanying salsas left my tastebuds wanting more. Best of all, each taco was only $ 1.50.
Another taco, the same foodgasmic-​eyerolling-​mouth-​steaming reaction, only this time it was an incredibly tasty lengua (cow tongue). The meat was like butter, which means the lengua was cooked perfectly. Even the chorizo and asada tacos were beyond bomb — they straight up delicious. When the impression from the taste still lingers to this day, it means the juicy food was worth it.
The late night crowd will almost always be completely Mexican. As the only Chinito of the bunch, I managed to get away with blending in the crowd as I ferociously devoured all of my food. I am not saying there will be any gringo stigma, but be prepared to stand out, especially if you’re not a Spanish speaker. While I’m sure English would be just fine, I can’t truly vouch for it because I haven’t seen it done before. Just let the bills do the talking, as this spot is strictly cash only.
There isn’t much in Salem that I can truly look forward to on a food front, but after experiencing multiple highs on their delicious home cooked tacos, this little carreta is definitely part of mi tierra and mi corazon. I’m proud to write about this in review #2300 and can’t wait to go back to experience it all over again.