MUCH AS A FEW EATERIES in New Mexico claim to have conceived the breakfast burrito, many Texans will attest to the idea that their state invented—or at least perfected—the breakfast taco. Austin native Nathan Mayes, however, is giving the Lone Star State a run for its money by putting an Albuquerque spin on breakfast tacos at his Mañana Taco food truck.
Open since January, the shiny vessel parked next to Little Bear Coffee’s patio in Nob Hill churns out seven kinds of breakfast tacos, as well as five lunch variations. “I prefer breakfast tacos to burritos because of the variety,” says Mayes. “You can really only eat one burrito, but with tacos, you can try several different kinds in one sitting.”
For Mayes, working in the smaller tortilla medium allows for more creativity and a better balance of ingredients, as opposed to a burrito mostly filled with eggs. Start with the Rancho: A gooey stratification of fluffy scrambled eggs and potatoes, chopped green chile, melty Monterey Jack cheese, and slow-braised beef barbacoa sandwiched inside a griddle-toasted tortilla. Follow those decadent three or four bites with the more health-conscious Verde. In this vegetarian-friendly option, eggs, cheese, and avocado play second fiddle to a steamy bed of sautéed mushrooms and spinach.
According to Taco USA author Gustavo Arellano, breakfast tacos should be “the next great Tex-Mex hit, but haven’t really caught on across the United States.” While Mayes agrees that some Burqueños are still getting used to his Austin-style breakfast taco concept, he believes that Mañana’s tacos are equally New Mexican. “It’s a nice clashing of both worlds.”
Opened since January, you can find the Mañana Taco truck parked next to Little Bear Coffee's patio in Nob Hill.
One way Mayes brings New Mexico into the breakfast taco fold is through locally sourced ingredients. Beyond the requisite use of Hatch green chile, the chef marinates his barbacoa in red chile. He procures other produce and proteins from farms throughout the state, including mushrooms from La Mesa, pinto beans from Bosque Farms, and habanero peppers from Corrales. He sources corn tortillas from beloved Albuquerque eatery La Mexicana Tortilla Co.
“They’re such sweet people,” Mayes says of the family-owned La Mexicana. “It’s also one of the few places here that nixtamalize and grind their own corn.” The process of soaking and cooking dried corn kernels in an alkaline solution brings a richer flavor, softer texture, and increased nutritional value to tortillas. Mayes’s chewy flour tortillas are made in-house using an ultrafine ground and high-protein flour, which creates a soft yet pliable dough that stands up well to juicy proteins and New Mexico chiles.
Mayes’s care and creativity should come as no surprise to Santa Fe diners, who may recognize him as the former chef and partner at Paloma, an upscale Mexican restaurant with its own top-notch tacos. After opening both Paloma and its next-door artisan pizza spot, Esquina, the award-winning chef began to tire of the fine-dining grind.
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Mayes embraces the challenge of a small kitchen, finding comfort and convenience in running a food truck; Mañana Taco owner Nathan Mayes.
“It’s more casual and fits my lifestyle better,” he says of Mañana. Although Mayes says working in such a tiny kitchen has been an adjustment, there’s a “comfort and convenience” that rolls along with operating a food truck.
“Especially when you’re parked next to an establishment that complements it—you see that a lot in Austin,” he says. “Coffee goes with breakfast, of course, but our food also fits in with the fun and laid-back social environment created on Little Bear’s patio.” With summer around the corner, Mañana is preparing to expand its service days, giving locals more mornings to relax in the sunshine with an iced coffee and warm tacos.
“I love grabbing a Number 11 breakfast burrito at Golden Pride as much as the next person,” says Albuquerque resident Guy McClellan, “but Mañana has become my weekend go-to.” His testimonial begs the question: Could the breakfast-burrito-obsessed Land of Enchantment come around to a more Lone Star state of mind?
Read more: Fusion Tacos has won over New Mexico by promoting big flavor and a balanced diet.
