Orlando Gluten-free Food Truck Adventures (Featuring Wako Taco and Sweet City Gelato)


After having so much fun at my first Food Truck Bazaar in Sanford last month, I knew I couldn’t stay away from these travelling culinary events for long. After all, being around so many different types of trucks and people made for a fun outing. Wanting to discover more gluten and dairy friendly food trucks, I did some more digging around and question asking to determine what my next food truck tasting would be. After picking out some possibilities, I checked local Food Truck events to see when would be a good opportunity to try them out. Thanks to Florida’s reliable, but plan-ruining afternoon thunderstorms, my plans got scratched out several times before I finally caught an afternoon primed for Bazaar-going. This time, I caught the event at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando which hosted and impressive 25 food trucks. 


The truck that drew me out to this event in particular was Wako Taco. Catching a random flurry of comments on a Food Truck Bazaar Facebook post, I learned that Wako Taco serves up gluten-free fare. Wanting to investigate a bit more, I emailed the truck’s contact and sure enough, they are gluten-free offerings and they can make any entree dairy free by withholding cheese and/or sour cream. Specifically, their gluten-free offerings are their tacos (corn tortilla), taquitos and nachos. Between the two, I had my heart set on the tacos.




Once in front of the truck, I scanned the menu again to determine what toppings I’d add to my tacos and decided to go with grilled chicken, lettuce, grilled onions, and pico salsa. When I ordered, I brought up that I was both gluten and dairy intolerant and requested that the team change their gloves before handling my order. Without missing a beat, my request was noted and I was assured that it would be handled with care. This one simple step allows me to cut the potential cross contamination risk from the staff handling wheat and flour tortillas interchangeably. As I stepped out of line to allow others to step up and order, I made sure they did follow through with the change of gloves and sure enough, they did. When my tacos emerged, I was impressed by the amount of food that was there. Each taco was double wrapped with two warm corn tortillas which allowed for mess-free consumption thanks to the ability to bear the weight of the meat and veggies. The pico salsa on top was noticeably fresh and flavorful with strong hints of lime making the tomato, onion, and cilantro mixture pop. I’ll even go as far to say it was a formidable competitor for Chipotle’s mild pico, which ranks pretty highly in my book. The lettuce was fresh and crispy and finely shredded- just the way I like it. The grilled onions added crunch and a kick to the tacos as well. Bottoming out the taco was the grilled chicken, which was tender and had a touch of spice to it. Altogether the combination hit the spot and won me over completely to the soft taco fan club. Next time I’m in the mood for this delicious street food, I’m ditching the hard shells and seeking out Wako Taco! 




Walking around the truck circle with my family after we all ate our first course, it was fun to take in the different truck’s diverse offerings. Besides the Tamale Co. and Yum Yum Cupcake trucks (which I reviewed here), none of the other trucks were advertising their gluten free status. However, I did pause when I spotted a dairy free label on Sweet City Gelato’s flavor list posted outside their truck. The flavor in question? Blood orange sorbetto. Being a fan of these sweet, delicious fruits, my curiosity was peaked, but I was unsure if I wanted a whole cup of the sweet substance so late at night. Fortunately, my aunt was also eyeing the sorbetto and offered to let me have a taste of it. When ordering, she requested that a fresh scoop be used as to avoid cross-contamination from the dairy-rich gelato.



One taste of the the sweet and tangy sorbet had me dreaming of blood oranges. Incredibly authentic in its taste which was close to the raspberry/orange-like flavor of this type of orange, I fell in love with the rich and smooth dessert. We ordered the kid’s size in a cup which was more than enough for the two of us but definitely on the small size if you have a larger appetite. A good palate cleanser, the sweet treat was refreshing and a welcome relief from the humidity of a threatening rainstorm (but no rain ever appeared). It should be noted that the sorbetto is gluten-free, vegan, and non-dairy. Some of Sweet City Gelato’s dairy-filled gelato flavors are also gluten free, but you’d have to check with them to determine what is safe.



I’m so happy to report that my second food truck scouting mission was a success and have expanded my gluten safe options at food truck events around town. As I become a more frequent visitor to these gatherings, I hope to further uncover more gluten free treats and eats. Stay tuned! Know of any other hidden GF/DF gems? Drop me a line via email or comment below.


The Basics: Wako Taco

Address: Varies. Find their schedule on their Facebook page or Twitter
Website: www.wakotaco.com 
Cuisine: Tex-mex
Ideal For: Lunch, Dinner
Price: See menu board photo above
Accessibility: The crew set up a table in front to take orders so ordering was accessible.
Special Features: They offer catering for events or parties (contact info here)
Wako Taco on Urbanspoon


The Basics: The Yum Yum Cupcake Truck

Address: Varies. Find out where they will be at upcoming events using their calendar.
Website: sweetcitygelato.com
Cuisine: Gelato, sorbetto, and assorted desserts and drink options
Ideal For: Snacks, dessert 
Price: I can’t remember the pricing scale, but one scoop cup I had was $3. 
Accessibility: The counter is a little high, but I found it accessible. 
Special Features: They offer catering for events or parties. Find out more here
Sweet City Gelato and Gourmet Desserts Food Truck on Urbanspoon

Disclaimer: These reviews are based upon the information I have at the time of the review and do not reflect changes in ingredients or availability of items. Please contact the food truck directly for up-to-date information and feel free to to contact me with any questions or comments. I was not compensated for this review and it is a reflection of my personal opinion.

One thought on “Orlando Gluten-free Food Truck Adventures (Featuring Wako Taco and Sweet City Gelato)

  1. Unknown

    Many food trucks in Florida is providing food from street to street for people… I have seen many Food Truck in Miami.. I always check out mobile food truck events & schedule so that I can be at there wherever the truck moves.. Thanks

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.