TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Most people are familiar with asada fries, but their Mexican counterpart, the papa asada, offers an original take on the combination of meat, cheese, chile and potatoes.
At El Tacoson, a food truck located right across the street from the rodeo grounds, the traditional dish is one of the restaurant’s top sellers.
The papa asada comes from the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa.
Inside the food truck, Alejandro Leyva works the grill, preparing beef for tacos, salsa, burritos and other traditional dishes.
“We have all the traditional plates,” Leyva said.
Among those dishes is the papa asada, which is similar to the Americanized version of carne asada fries.
Instead of fries, the dish starts with a baked potato mixed with cream and butter. It is then topped with grilled chuck steak and smothered in cheese and green chile.
“The papa asada is one of our best sellers and the people have really fallen in love with it,” Leyva said confidently.
For El Tacoson, bringing traditional Sonoran flavors to Tucson is at the heart of what the food truck offers.
“People in Tucson really love Sonoran food, so we decided to put a taco stand that brings those typical Sonoran flavors,” Leyva said.
The dish offers a taste of home for people from Sonora while introducing others to a traditional food they may know only through its Americanized cousin.
“People here consume food that is really traditional in Sonora and we are bringing that here to Tucson,” said Leyva
While carne asada fries may have become a staple on this side of the border, the papa asada offers a different look at the roots of that familiar combination of meat, cheese, chile and potatoes.
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