Enjoy tacos and more from Fernando’s food truck

It’s difficult to miss the pink and black trucks of Fernando’s in Champaign-Urbana. The pink truck can be found at Neil and University, and the newer black truck can be found in the heart of Campustown on Wright and Green. The trucks also spend their weekends right in Downtown Champaign at the intersection of Main and Walnut. Having seen it around town and heard a lot about it, I decided to grab some food to go at the Main Street location along with a couple of my friends. 

Their tagline of Tacos and more is as apt as it is succinct. They have a very simple menu that makes it easy to choose from their delicious offerings. Each item comes with an option of various meats (steak, beef, chicken, chorizo, al pastor), or just veggies.

We decided to start the order with tacos ($9), which was three tacos on corn tortillas. There is the option of Mexican style (with cilantro and onion) or American (with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese), but thanks to this review tip, you can go ahead and ask them to add all the toppings to get a combined fusion of the two. Diners can also pick a choice of meat, so we got one order with chicken and one with just the veggies. For me, the cilantro was the secret ingredient in making this go from delicious to amazing. If you like spice, I absolutely recommend getting both the spicy green sauce and the red one. The tacos came nicely packed in foil to keep in the heat, so that we could enjoy it at home.

I had always wanted to try tortas but usually play it safe by getting a burrito or taco at any Mexican place, so this time I decided to try this Mexican sandwich. The torta ($8) was amazing, and I will definitely be making this a staple of my Mexican food experience. The bun was really soft and fluffy, and it came with avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeños, mayo, and cheese and also choice of meat.

The one complaint I hear about burgers is that they can be tall instead of wide, and this torta solves that issue where it was flatter, all the fillings were spread out, and I could taste the flavor in each bite.

As a corn lover, I had to get the Mexican corn ($3) that you can have with any of the other dishes to switch up the flavors. The corn provided a great base and texture for the mix of creamy mayo, cheese, and the spicy taste of chilli pepper. It came in a styrofoam cup with a lid, so that I could save some for later.

For drinks, there are plenty of cold beverages to choose from here. In my opinion, Mexican soda beats American versions because they use real cane sugar. You can get various flavors of Jarritos ($2.50) as well as Coke products or just bottled water. We decided to get the pineapple, tamarind, and mandarin flavored Jarritos. I never had the tamarind flavored version before, and I think I found a new favorite. The pineapple and tamarind flavors came in glass bottles, while the mandarin was in a disposable plastic bottle. They don’t stock all the flavors everyday, so you may have limited options based on what’s available.

For the price and flavor, Fernando’s just can’t be beat. I highly recommend Fernando’s any time you get the cravings for Mexican food or even a quick bite. With so many options and good size servings, it’s a nice take out location to pick up with friends.

Fernando’s Tacos & More
Wright & Green
Champaign
M-F 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Neil & University
Champaign
M-F 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Main & Walnut
Champaign
F+Sa 11 a.m. to midnight

Top image by Shrivatsa Ravikumar.