BY SARAH BARBAN, Eastern Shore Post —
Carmelita’s is more than your average taco truck. The Cheriton spot on Sunnyside Road features a market packed with drinks, groceries, and snacks, as well as a taco truck.
Whether you need a large bottle of Valentina hot sauce, a slice of tres leches cake, jewelry, or lunch, you’ll find it at Carmelita’s.
Orders for the delicious menu offerings and range of specials are taken inside the store, so there’s no reason not to browse while waiting for an order.
However, it is the cuisine that takes the cake.
Carmelita Diaz works her magic in the kitchen while her daughter Sarai Diaz manages the store and keeps the orders moving.
This has been her mother’s dream for a long time, Sarai said.
“Mom has always loved cooking,” she said. “Her dream was always to sell her food. She had seven kids and loved feeding us. When we all moved out, I think she missed cooking for people. She always told me, ‘It’s my dream,’ so I quit my job and we did it together. I helped her open up and here we are.”
Carmelita’s opened in May 2023, and with authentic specials, ingredients that are prepared fresh every day, and passionate cooks in the kitchen it is easy to see why Carmelita’s is popular with everyone from construction crews to tourists.
The tacos at Carmelita’s are built on what appeared to me to be extra-thick corn tortillas that were beautifully leopard-spotted from being thrown on the grill. They were perfectly pliable and filled with incredibly generous portions of delicious proteins.
In my opinion chicken is the hardest taco truck protein to make well. It tends to be drier and packs less of a punch than fatty slow-roasted pork or meaty grilled steak, but even the chicken shines at Carmelita’s.
Moist, tender chunks of chicken are loaded into sturdy corn tortillas. The luxuriantly smooth green salsa adds a bit of kick, but the chicken itself is also perfectly seasoned and has a bit of spice all on its own. It’s not plain chicken by any stretch. The onions and cilantro on top round out the dish with freshness.
I also ordered the campechana taco, a combination of steak and chorizo. Like all of Carmelita’s tacos, it was generously filled and featured a perfect tortilla. The steak was tender and the chorizo added a wonderful richness. The filling itself wasn’t spicy, but the salsa verde added some heat.
Carmelita’s salsa verde is perfectly smooth and has a heat that makes itself known but also slowly builds. It is perfect for adding a little something extra to the truck’s already delicious tacos.
Carmelita’s features a variety of specials and it is well worth checking their Facebook to see what is featured on any given day. Her mother’s specialty is home cooking, and the specials reflect that, Sarai said.
“Mom wanted to cater to working men and make sure they can have a heavy meal to sustain them,” she said. “We do really authentic plates like mole, enchiladas, or pork in a sauce … Her specials are honestly what sets her apart. Tacos and gorditas are good, but the specials sell out in an hour or two most days.”
On Fridays cochinita pibil is on the menu — tacos filled with pork that is seasoned and slow braised before being topped with a red onion and habanero relish. That’s what I got for my third taco.
The pork was perfectly tender and succulent without a hint of greasiness. It had a sweet, slightly earthy flavor that almost mimicked a char-cooked quality. The crunchy red onion and habanero relish added a nice hit of acid, as well as heat.
Don’t be too afraid of the habaneros — the taco I had definitely packed a punch and had me sweating, but it wasn’t so hot that I couldn’t enjoy the balance of flavors.
The fattiness of the pork amped up the deep earthy flavor of the seasoning, while the fresh relish added a high note of acid and heat.
For authentic flavors, hearty home cooking, and friendly service, look no further than Carmelita’s. The charming shop and bustling food truck are worth a short jaunt off U.S. Route 13.
Carmelita’s is located at 4297 Sunnyside Road in Cheriton. It is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
