Fans of Mo’Tacos food truck may have Netflix to thank for their flavor favorites. Owner/ operator Devin Homsher was inspired by shows he watched on the streamer to launch the enterprise.
“I wanted to get into food for while, originally a small restaurant, partly due to watching the series Midnight Diner,” he recalls, referencing the Japanese TV series that depicts the lives of a chef and his regulars at a small Tokyo izakaya that’s only open from midnight to 7 a.m.
“When the movie Chef came out, I was entranced and a friend of mine was in the process of opening a climbing gym. He suggested that I open up a food truck and park it outside the gym.”
And, just like the protagonist in that culinary film, Homsher got to work to make his dream a reality.
“I started building the cart in January and opened up in late May,” he explains.
The truck is outside HiClimb in Kakaako (825 Ilaniwai St.).
Homsher says it was his friends who inspired the name for his truck.
“When I had friends over for dinner and I made tacos, the joke was that they always wanted more, and so the name Mo’ Tacos was born,” he explains.
The menu is pretty straight forward; there are only three items and everything is $3 each.
Barbacoa tacos feature pulled brisket on a corn tortilla with salsa, pickled vegetables and pineapple. The brisket is slow-roasted in a number of spices at 220 degrees and pineapple juice. Homsher explains that it was his Texas upbringing that motivated him to include this taco on the menu.
“I wanted to bring part of Texas to Hawaii, and brisket is one of the most important cuts of meat in Texas barbecue.”
The carnitas taco features pulled pork that’s made of pork shoulder and pork belly that’s been slow-roasted in spices and the broth left over from the beef and pineapple juice. The savory combo, along with salsa, pickled vegetables and pineapple, fill a corn tortilla.
“The slow-roasted pork has a special place in my heart and the way the pickled vegetables cut through the fat of the pork is always amazing.”
Vegan tacos feature sweet corn, black beans and mushrooms on a corn tortilla with salsa, picked vegetables and pineapple.
“Many of my friends complain about having few vegan options at restaurants and I wanted to help alleviate some of the headaches of having to choose a place to eat,” Homsher states.
Keep up with Mo’Tacos at motacos.square.site or on Instagram
Mo’Tacos
825 Ilaniwai St., Kakaako
motacos.square.site
Instagram: @motacotruck
How to pay: Cash, all credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo
How to order: through BiteSquad, phone, online