Novi, MI — When I hear the word ‘tacos,’ consider me there. It usually doesn’t take much convincing, and whenever I hear about an upcoming taco fest, I’ll dedicate a few extra workouts to the treadmill days in advance in preparation!

Tacos are a street food favorite for many. With the surge in food truck popularity over the last ten years or so, food truck festivals and pop-up events have become common in many metropolitan areas. For example, I recently covered the Royal Oak Taco Fest in downtown Royal Oak, which was a pretty rad time! So, this time around, I had the utmost faith the Novi Taco Fest would be just as epic. Because who doesn’t love not only a food truck festival but one dedicated to the specific gathering of taco food trucks?! As the youth say: say less fam.

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This year, the Novi Taco Fest was located at 12 Mile Crossing, the area across the street from 12 Oaks Mall. It was centralized in that shopping area, just south of 12 Mile Road and west of Novi Road. The event kicked off Friday at 5 p.m. and went through Sunday night. I rarely go to Fountain Walk, save for the occasional movie at the Emagine theaters or a bite to eat at Buddy’s Pizza or Ford’s Garage with friends. But this was indeed an occasion worth making the drive for, even through all of the westbound I-696 and I-96 construction woes.

On top of the excitement of getting to gorge on some delicious tacos, I also met up with my amazing friends Dylan and Nikki, who are soon to be married! They’re absolutely wonderful and kind human beings and always a joy to be around. Plus, I got to meet some of their other cool friends (a couple I already had the pleasure of meeting a few times prior).

I quickly navigated the lively parking lot, found a spot rather far back, and briskly headed for the nearest entrance checkpoint. Even from as far back as I had parked, the scents of heavenly seared and grilled meats reached my nose in no time, and my steps increased in rhythmic speed with haste. I had done my due diligence to keep my stomach pure for the event, withholding from eating the entire morning. I arrived at the event promptly at 1 p.m. I met up with one of the event’s directors, Bart, and chatted for a few minutes to learn more about the event before adventuring in. I was surprised at how large the outdoor venue ended up being and was delighted to learn about 40 food trucks had signed on to participate. There would be no stomachs leaving this event unsatisfied!

On top of the food trucks, there were a lot of other cool vendors for clothing apparel, jewelry, drinks, teas, and more! This massive space also contained various entertainment options and contests, including live music, hot pepper eating contests, taco-eating contests, Pro Wrestling, cutest puppy/dog contests, magicians, and more. Between the food trucks, entertainment, and beautiful afternoon weather (the clouds cleared after about an hour of being there), this event event was shaping up to be spec-taco-lar!

While shooting some initial b-roll video after walking in, I spotted my friends Dylan and Nikki, who informed me that their squad had established a base of operations at a table under one of the large canopy tents on the other side of the venue. I continued my content gathering, promising I would find their table later once I had shot enough video and was ready to start focusing on the eating portion of the adventure.

FULL SECTION: MI Foodie Adventures Taco Series

I wasted no time, noticing I had chosen the entrance near the food truck for Tacos Del Barrio. I was very excited for this food truck because they had taken home the honors of Best in Fest of the People’s Choice Awards at this year’s Royal Oak Taco Fest! I jumped into line, eager to place an order for two street tacos. I went with the birria and Al Pastor, which was cleverly advertised with a large photo right next to where you ordered. While birria has become relatively common essentially everywhere, I haven’t been able to find Al Pastor all that much as an option around Metro Detroit (help me out!). So, I was excited to see what these tacos had in store!

Let’s taco ’bout everyone’s favorite taco — birria! This juicy and tender beef slow-cooked in a stew (sometimes goat or lamb) has found itself under the street taco spotlight in recent years, rising in popularity through food trucks and taquerias. The dish originates from the Jalisco state in Mexico and is known for its delicious, fall-apart meat, which is still saturated in broth when plopped onto a taco. Tacos Del Barrio has everything right with this taco; the flavors were immense, and the meat was insanely good and pull-apart. I noted that the seasonings and broth really made the beef explode in its flavor. With the onions and cilantro (even a bonus grilled onion and jalapeño slice), it’s no surprise as to why this food truck captivated the hearts and stomachs of so many at the Royal Oak Taco Fest!

It pains me that I can’t find Al pastor around Metro Detroit as easily as I did when I lived in Phoenix, but it be like that sometimes. So whenever I do find it, obviously I am thrilled! Al pastor is commonly seen on a vertical rotating spit at taquerias or sometimes food trucks. It’s boneless pork shoulder and is typically sliced off in thin triangle strips right into a tortilla. It’s also served in little chunks (like seen above) if the pork shoulder gets sliced and diced. Tacos Del Barrio did a stellar job marinating their Al pastor, which contained a depth of flavor and hint of sweetness from being grilled alongside pineapple. I LOVED this taco and continually urged my friends at the event to stop by and give that taco a try. Marinated expertly and grilled to perfection with the slightest of chars, I could have eaten four of these tacos without thinking twice, but alas, I had to adventure on in search of more tacos to try!

As I ventured on, I quickly stumbled upon a familiar sight: the Peace, Love, & Tacos food truck! I first discovered their truck at the Royal Oak Taco Fest, and while I didn’t sample any of their food at the time, I stopped to admire their truck and to pass along good vibes! Those who know me well enough know that I have an inner hippy side, so I’m all about the aura put out by Peace, Love, & Tacos. But this fest around, I was determined to check out their tacos, which are unique in the sense that the tortilla is actually fry bread! I first learned about fry bread through my first relationship in Arizona, where my girlfriend at the time was Navajo. Fry bread, which is also sometimes called Navajo tacos, is a dish of indigenous people of North America and is flat dough bread that is fried or deep-fried in oil or lard.

When it came time to put my order where my hunger was, I happily selected the shredded chicken taco with refried beans, jalapeños, and queso cheese. I was excited to finally check out PLT’s food and decided to take this taco for a stroll as I went to find my friend’s table. As I walked through the fest, I stopped to take in some of the sounds of a local band playing at one of the stages on the north end of the venue and explored a couple of vendor booths selling goods and various apparel along the way. I eventually found my friends and chatted/caught up with some I had previously met in the past as I sat down and snapped some photos and videos of my taco.

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This taco was downright good, and the crispy, crunchy, yet flexible fry bread as a tortilla made this a fun foodie experience. Initially, I was worried the weight from the hefty portions of juicy shredded chicken would collapse or break through the fry bread, but its light frying kept its composure and everything in place! And I didn’t have to worry about it being too much of a hard shell shatter situation because it held together perfectly well, had a slight crunch, and was very tasty on its own accord. The copious amount of shredded chicken was very moist (not pictured that well below; it’s underneath the plethora of toppings), further topped by the shredded lettuce, cheese, diced jalapeños, queso sauce, and refried beans. I wolfed down bites between conversations, enjoying a little bit of everything with every bite. This taco certainly got the job done, plus it stood out for its ingenuity to utilize and highlight other methods for a tortilla.

After leaving no trace of that shredded chicken taco, my adventure continued as I picked up my gear and set off to explore the second half of the venue. I walked around the entire outer perimeter of food trucks and shot a long walking video. I also made sure to inspect all the bright and colorfully displayed menus along the way as I determined which food truck would ultimately serve my final round of tacos. After a full lap and before I headed back for the truck I decided upon, I happened upon a wonderful tea booth in the back corner. The True Honey Teas vendor was very kind, and we discussed our appreciation for tea at length as she assessed my tea interests and recommended two of the four free sample offerings to try based on my preferences. I really do enjoy all teas, but I love Jasmine, white, and most herbal teas. I was a huge fan of the Lavender Lemonade sample and the Hibiscus Lemon Lift. These teas were fruity but masterfully tamed and delivered a refreshing, sweet, uplifting finish. I’d definitely recommend checking out their website; they have quite a few varieties of tea you might enjoy if you’re a fellow tea enthusiast!

Now that I was rejuvenated, my foodie adventure could continue! I circled back over to a flashy truck that had caught my eye early in the stroll and shoot that had a very consistent crowd: KG’s African-American Grill. As I took my place in line, I immediately knew I had made the right choice. The special event menu featured some of their classics and most popular items, like the Jerk Chicken and Dibi Lamb, but in taco form. Obviously, I went with those two options! As seen below, aside from the meat, the chicken taco came topped with a blend of diced sweet peppers, tomato, and red onion, as well as a delicious Jerk BBQ sauce, cheese, and lettuce. The Dibi lamb taco came with the same garnishing, except it had a different but similar sauce.

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I got to hand it to the folks at KG’s African-American Grill because WOW! Their food truck, an extension of their restaurant in Garden City, is serving up some outstanding African cuisine, with dishes like the Dibi Lamb, which originates from Senegal as a traditional street food. Both of these tacos blew me away; both were absolutely stuffed and hit high points across the board in terms of taste, presentation, and concept for me.

The Jerk Chicken was zesty, grilled perfectly, had some kick, and the Jerk BBQ sauce really shined as the driving flavor force. The colorful veggies were very fresh; you can even tell from the photos below. The Dibi Lamb followed up with just as much WOW, bringing a unique crank up in heat and spice but tangy in a way as well. As I savored every bite, I quickly realized these stuffed tacos were taking up more room than anticipated, and I quickly had reached max capacity. Even though I couldn’t finish the last three bites of the Dibi Lamb taco, I set the remaining portion down very pleased and satisfied. Until the next time I happen upon the truck, or make a pit stop in Garden City, I’ll definitely be telling everyone else to give KG’s African-American Grill a try as well!

I finished off as much as I could of the Dibi Lamb taco above and chatted with my friends for a bit before heading out for one last swoop through the venue’s mid-section of trucks. I gathered a bit more video and checked out a few other trucks, wishing I had more room to squeeze in another taco or five. I was happy to see Conchy’s Empanadas in attendance; people of the Metro need more empanadas in their lives! Conchy’s makes Puerto Rican-style empanadas, which are made with thicker dough, tend to be a bit larger, and are fried. Before leaving, I stopped by the Pro Wrestling match and caught a few minutes, albeit I’m not that crazy about that stuff. But the dozens of people around me seemed amused and entertained, and that’s what is important!

I eventually returned to my car and set off for my nearly twice as long journey home. At least my stomach was full for the return journey! My final thoughts as I drove home were that Novi really stepped up to the plate and delivered in terms of an overall great event. They had a wide range and variety of food trucks in a spacious and easily accessible area, great entertainment for everyone, and fun contests to partake in if one was feeling up to the challenge. As our summer creeps toward a close, it’s great to have events like these to get folks and families out to enjoy what’s left of our warm weather. If you see/hear of an upcoming food truck event, check it out if you can, and look for some of the trucks and vendors mentioned above!

For more information about Novi Taco Fest, click here.