Tacos y Gorditas Correcaminos is one of many incredible taco options located along Airline between Tidwell and Aldine Bender, and it’s serving some of the best, must-try tacos de trompo in the Houston area. Specifically, owner and taquero Daniel Zarate’s upgraded food truck (after years of service, he just got a new one) is located at 10423 Airline in the parking lot of the Super Party supply store (across from the Little York Fire Department).

As soon as you get out of your car, take in the aroma and hear the faint sound of cumbia playing on the bluetooth speaker, it starts becoming apparent why Zarate’s food is so popular. He grew up in Nuevo Leon, Mexico and operated his own food stand there for a number of years. Over time, he learned different styles and recipes for many Mexican staples that he would later bring with him to the states when he opened Correcaminos (Spanish for “roadrunner”) nearly a decade ago on Houston’s north side.

While so much of the Houston scene is currently hyper-focused on Jalisco-style birria tacos, Zarate’s specialty at Correcaminos is still tacos de trompo (though his tripas are also very popular) — which is part of the family of tacos including árabes, al pastor, adobada and many other regional variations that evolved from Lebanese cuisine, including shawarma, that immigrants brought to Puebla in the late 19th century. Tacos de trompo, anglicized as trompo tacos, are consist of paprika-seasoned pork butt adobo layered onto a spit, trimmed and shaped for even heat application and cooked on a vertical rotisserie called a trompo, or “spinning top”. (It’s named after its resemblance to the colorful, wooden toy of the same name.) In the case of Monterrey-style trompo, the shaved al pastor meat is finished on a griddle, rendering crispy, smokey little bits with charred edges that really puts it over the top. The red, meaty morsels are then piled onto grilled corn tortillas (Correcaminos uses locally-owned tortilleria La Ranchera) and finished with diced white onions and cilantro on top and limes on the side. 

Besides tacos, Correcaminos also offers gorditas, quesadillas and tortas with your choice of protein including trompo, fajitas, Mexican longaniza (pork sausage), tripas, barbacoa and chicharrón en salsa verde. Pro tip: be sure to request the frijoles charros and chiles serranos y cebollas toreados that come gratis upon request. As for beverages, guests can choose from horchata, Mexican sodas, aguas frescas or bring their own libations (I suggest popping over to Micheladas El Guero next door). Most of the tacos are two dollars or under, and there aren’t any individual items on the menu that cost more than eight bucks.

Along with  replacing his old food truck, he also switched from a mesquite charcoal-fired trompo to gas. Luckily, the quality of the food remains as it was before, if not slightly better. The only other noticeable change came with the free-with-purchase charro beans, which are now served with bits of chicharrón mixed in rather than a large scoop of trompo, as was done previously. 

Correcaminos has full use of the Super Party parking lot when the store closes at 6 p.m. and an enclosed patio with four picnic tables inside to protect guests from the elements while they order and eat. It can get pretty busy late in the evenings, especially on the weekends. Fortunately, if the line seems longer than you’re willing to wait, there are plenty of other options within walking distance — but it IS worth the wait. 

Tacos y Gorditas Correcaminos is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6 p.m. until midnight. 

Mario-Sebastian Berry

Mario Sebastian-Berry is a wine and spirits vendor who has been in the hospitality industry since 2002. Currently, he represents Blanco, Texas-based Andalusia Whiskey Co. and multiple wine labels. Somehow, he also finds time to be Houston Food Finder’s social media manager.