Chef Marko Ramirez-Pursley, who is from Puerto Rico, graduated from culinary school in Costa Rica and started his food truck, El Chifrijo, in his hometown in 2015. He often set up his truck near a beach with tall palm trees arching overhead. He had a booming beachside business until 2017, when Hurricane Maria devastated the island.

Two months later, with Puerto Rico facing a long and complicated recovery, Marko moved to Dallas to start over. He got a job at the Dallas Farmers Market while living in a small one-bedroom apartment with four other Puerto Ricans and two dogs.

As of 2023, he has a bustling food truck business serving some of the best Puerto Rican fare in the city. Start with an order of the empanadas, which comes in single or double packs. Choose between a hearty empanada — stuffed with meat, cheese and sweet plantains — or a vegetarian option. Both offer a crispy pastry fried to a golden caramel color that quickly flakes when bitten into. Inside the flavors are a mix of sweet, savory, tangy and everything in between with an ideal crust-to-filling ratio.

El Chifrijo's Puerto Rican nachos come with a slightly caramelized blend of roasted meat or vegetables, dotted with avocado cubes, pico de gallo and sweet peppers. It's served with fried plantain chips incorporating uniquely Puerto Rican flavors into an American classic. El Chifrijo’s nachos successfully capture the same crunch that makes the American version so popular. The address listed is Klyde Warren Park, but be sure to check their website for daily locations.