Looking for outdoor dining? This Coast food truck has ‘killer-good’ tacos
There is a very cool little food truck court in Ocean Springs in the 1300 block of Government.
The number of trucks has varied over the last few months, but I stopped by the other day with Mick Hartfield, and had lunch at Captain Coconut’s, which is one of four there now. We both were extremely impressed.
Freddy Eckles, a boat captain that tired of being away from home for days at a time, is the owner, and, let me tell you, this guy knows something about putting a taco together.
The menu is small, something that always encourages me, as I know the owner has not tried to cover all the bases but is just doing what he does best. It’s broken down into two categories, north of the border, and south of the border. I think that’s pretty cool as well.
The north of the border menu is made up of sandwiches and wraps. Most are Philly cheese steak in one form or another, one is a mini, and there is also a sausage dog. All looked good, but we were both hankering for a killer-good taco, and that is exactly what we got.
The tacos range in price from $3 to $6, and you have the choice of a corn or flour tortilla. The corn tortilla is the most traditional, and is my favorite, although flour tortillas certainly have their place. Mick and I both ordered corn.
I got a carnitas taco and a chicken taco, and they were sensational. Made to order, fresh, with exciting flavors in every bite. The carnitas and chicken were tender and flavor packed, but the toppings are what really killed it.
All the tacos are topped with a Caribbean-inspired slaw, Pico de Gallo, Captain sauce (don’t even ask!), cilantro and lime. Wow, I could have gotten a bowl and eaten it with a spoon.
Mick got the shrimp and steak and had the same reaction I did. Wow! Mick also ordered corn as a side, and it was exceptional as well.
We talked about it for a long time, and just couldn’t figure out all the complex and delicious flavors. I finally asked Freddy Eckles about it, not expecting to get any secrets out of him, but to my surprise he told us he marinated the corn in mayo and a fajita seasoning. Never had anything like it but am certainly going to order several next time.
Captain Coconut’s get high marks on all counts, from prices, freshness and being just plain delicious. There are several picnic benches to sit on and you know to expect a crowd around lunch time.
If you want to avoid the rush, show up around 2 p.m. Put this place on your short list!
Captain Coconut’s Tacos and More
Where: 1316 Government St., Ocean Springs
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Call: 228-365-5334