On Feb. 16, 2011, Jim Tabilio died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 59. This taco truck was one of Jim’s original recommendations at http://www.atLarrys.com
I spend a lot of time on I-5 between the Bay Area/Sacramento and Los Angeles. It’s six hours of mostly culinary wasteland, dominated by Denny’s, McDonald’s and the leathery, seemingly week-old hot dogs spinning on roller grills at a dozen AM/PM Mini Marts.
Some people set their sites on Andersen’s Pea Soup Restaurant in Santa Nella, or Harris Ranch, almost exactly at the halfway point of the trip. For me, however, there are a couple of other things to which I look forward.
One is the taco truck (it does have a very nice awning and a few wooden picnic tables) next to the Chevron station at the Buttonwillow exit on I-5 (exactly 125 miles north of Los Angeles, according to the official CalTrans freeway mileage sign). This truck does not offer any unique items. What is unique, however, is the quality of great and freshly-made versions of Mexican street food standards – tacos, burritos, chalupas, etc
Jim Tabilio’s taco truck is located on the east side of the I-5 at the Buttonwillow exit. It’s the junction of the I-5 and State Route 58 – 26 miles west of Bakersfield – next to the Chevron Station.
(Since Jim’s original recommendation of this taco truck, the owners have erected an attached shed type structure to provide cover from the weather.)
