Bayou Eats | Tacos The Guero

article by VANELIS RIVERA | photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

COME CINCO DE MAYO, Americans of all backgrounds enthusiastically crowd Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants to celebrate Mexican American culture and heritage, much in the same way that St. Patrick’s Day celebrates Irish American culture. Of course, these celebrations are often associated with the promise of cerveza (beer) and margarita happy hour specials. And while there are few and far between who would deny themselves a refreshing margarita alongside cheesy nachos and salsa, there are other ways to embrace the unofficial United States holiday. For example, savoring traditional Mexican dishes that represent the kind of food passed down from one generation to the next. A taqueria in Ruston, Tacos the Guero, is serving just that and executing each dish with the care and attention a home cook serves their family.

Armando Ayala left his hometown of Mexico City for Utah at the age of 17 ready to work. He found employment managing a Japanese restaurant where he would meet his now wife Elida Ayala who hails from Guatemala. Married for a year and ready to start a family, he began feeling a gnawing desire to build something that could belong to him and his family. With extensive experience in the food industry, his first attempt was a catering business, which unfortunately did not pan out. Undefeated, he tried again, this time opening a food truck, only to meet with another disappointment. Around this time, a job opportunity arose in Louisiana, and the couple decided that a fresh start could be fruitful. The transition proved challenging, as the couple were away from family and friends, and while Armando worked long hours managing a restaurant, Elida was cooped up at home. The opportunity for an eatery emerged when the couple were asked to provide street tacos for a church lunch. He brought his grill and she prepared the salsa along with chopped onions, cilantro, and limes. At the end of the church service, the congregants gathered at their table until no tacos were left. That is when the couple realized that they may finally have a customer base for their home-cooked meals. So Armando started to search for a food truck, finding one for sale in Junction City, Arkansas, a mid-sized red vehicle that would become the first iteration of Tacos the Guero.

The setup was simple. The name of the business was displayed by way of a large banner that was hung at the front of the mobile eatery. His menu consisted of three items—street tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. Thanks to a close friend, he was able to find a commissary kitchen for his food preparation and stationed the truck close to a restaurant, opening every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night between 10 PM to 3 AM. Naturally, their sales spiked during peak bar hours when customers, mostly Louisiana Tech students, sought to satisfy the voracious cravings resulting from a long night out. The results were promising and after three years of consistent sales, they began getting contracted for private and public events around North Louisiana and Southern Arkansas. Finally, Armando was closer to his dream of opening up a brick and mortar.

On December 28, 2019, Tacos the Guero opened its doors to a supportive Ruston community. Its interior boasts brightly painted walls of canary yellow, lime green, and tomato red. Wanting to resemble the Mexican fonda, a small restaurant comparable to the European bistro or the American mom-and-pop diner, he kept the interior simple, a few square tables featuring live succulents in authentic Mexican pottery, surrounded with deep red diner chairs. On the walls, haphazardly hang Mexican fare such as elaborate sombreros, colorful straw palm fans, and even a classical guitar. Most important for the couple are the Bible verses they incorporated into the decor, a sign of their devotion to their faith and gratitude for the success they have been able to experience.  

Armando inherited his fondness for cooking from his father who was also a cook and worked at a restaurant in Mexico which he often would visit after school. Currently, the Tacos the Guero menu offers eight options for street tacos—steak (carne asada), chicken, seasoned pork (al pastor), shredded pork (carnitas), shrimp, fish, chorizo, and ground beef. While street tacos are traditionally simple, the perfect street taco is a result of attention to detail. First, the meat must be tender, ideally medium well. Seasoning is scarce. In fact, only salt is used in Mexico. Corn tortillas are a must, though the couple has discovered that the American palate favors flour tortillas, which is what they now only offer. As far as taco toppings, the ingredients are straightforward—finely chopped white onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. To accompany the street tacos, the restaurant offers three house-made salsas, each created by Elida. Though admittedly not a fan of the kitchen, her salsa recipes are inspired by her mother who she observed intently as a child during dinner preparation. Each salsa is characterized by the pepper used. The “regular” house salsa used for their chips and salsa is known in Mexico as salsa de árbol which uses chile de árbol, a potent red chile much hotter than a jalapeño pepper. However, Elida only uses a small portion of it to keep the house salsa at a tangy mild flavor. Customers will also be pleased to know that Elida only uses fresh tomatoes for her sauces. The spicier salsa is the habanero, using the strong and zesty habanero pepper, and the green salsa features the bright and citrusy flavor of the serrano pepper. “Lo hago de corazón” (“I do it from the heart”), she says, adding that the success of her sauces is also due to God’s grace. 

A menu item that some may not be familiar with is also Armando’s favorite meal—the Mexican torta, a massive and hearty sandwich packed with hardy fillings. “Tengo que traerle con hambre porque está grande” (“I have to bring the hunger because it is very large”), he says. Traditionally they contain seasoned meat, mayonnaise, cheese, refried beans, and fresh vegetables piled on a flakey bread. However, sometimes Armando gets creative like his “Torta Neza” made with breaded meat, chorizo, eggs, ham, cheese, jalapeño, and avocado slices. Specialty items are always posted on a separate board and currently include quesabirria (tortillas filled with birria beef [a rich meat stew] and melted cheese, served with a dipping sauce), quesatacos, consomé (tomato broth), and chilaqules (salsa covered tortillas and melted cheese, topped with scrambled eggs and sour cream). Whether you opt for menu items or specials, Tacos the Guero is the kind of place where you’d be remiss not to work your way down the menu.

At the heart of Armando’s business is his family, which is represented in the restaurant’s name. In Mexican Spanish, güero refers to a person who has European physical traits, such as blond hair or light skin complexion. “Y eso ya lo traíamos desde México” (“And that we brought from Mexico”), he says, explaining that his grandfather was a tall man with blue eyes and when they moved to Mexico City, that’s what people would call him. Additionally, his son, also referred to as güero, now works in the business. Many of his longtime clients remember him from the food truck days when as a little boy he would hang from the window observing customers. On any given afternoon, you may also see their younger daughter arriving at the restaurant hauling in her school gear. Considering the presence of their children and their Christian faith, the couple decided to keep the restaurant alcohol-free. While this may be alarming for those who associate Mexican restaurants with the presence of Corona Extra or Modelo Especial, Elida counters that many taquerias in Mexico don’t serve alcohol. On the menu, however, are traditional drinks that complement the food without masking its taste like horchata (white rice soaked in water and mixed with milk, sugar, and flavored with cinnamon), agua jamaica or iced hibiscus tea, and agua fresca (fruit blended with water and mixed with lime juice and sweetener). 

From Elida’s rice and beans to Armando’s savory meat preparations, each dish is an extension of the pride they have in their joint traditions and heritage. After thirteen years of serving the North Louisiana community, the Ayalas are grateful that God has allowed them to create a local business that is in service to people.