Wok-O Taco food truck has opened a kitchen at The Hill Food Co

Popular St. Louis food truck Wok-O Taco, which combines classic Mexican-style tacos with Asian spices and flavors, has opened a kitchen at The Hill Food Co, a ghost kitchen collective at 2360 Hampton Ave. in South City.

The Wok-O Taco kitchen, which launched this fall, takes orders for pickup and delivery, and is now the prep center for private events and catering. “One of the advantages [of the kitchen] is there's a little community in there of all of these different types of cuisines and people who’ve worked in restaurants their whole lives,” said owner Julian Engels. “It’s nice to have that and talk to people and bounce ideas and understand their ways or methods of cooking a little more.”

For Engels, Mexican food has always been at the forefront of his culinary journey. “My whole family grew up in Texas on the border of Mexico, so I think they inherited a lot of food traditions and cultures from Mexico and South America in general,” Engels said. “Growing up, that's all I was really exposed to. Most of our family parties were deeply ingrained with Mexican cuisine.” In 2022, Engels took the food of his upbringing and incorporated Asian styles of cooking to create the Wok-O Taco food truck, which has been highly popular at Sauce Food Truck Fridays in Tower Grove Park. Some of the most popular menu items include Thai chile chicken tacos (served in warm tortillas with roasted red peppers and pickled red onions), bulgogi steak tacos (served in warm tortillas with pickled red onions and kiwi slices) and esquites Mexican street corn. Wok-O Taco also added a new seasonal menu item. The Sake-To-Me Chili is authentic Mexican chili infused with Japanese sake.

Engels has used this new kitchen, as well as his partnership with longtime local chef John Komotos, to create new restaurant and catering concepts. DashBowls offers customizable rice bowls that also incorporate both Mexican and Asian styles and flavors. Their most popular offerings include Burrito Bowlito Carne, Burrito Bowlito Pollo and the Beach Bowls, which include kiwi, mango and grilled pineapple on a bed of white rice and your choice of protein.

With the help of Komotos, Engels is planning on several collaborations with other food companies, one of which is already completed with Pierce Creek Cattle Co., the owners of The MOObile smash burger truck. Together, they use the local beef in tasting menus for private dinners and events around the St. Louis area. “All their beef is ethically raised; it's humane,” Engels said. “I’ve had their product and it’s incredible. The plan is to fully incorporate their product into the food truck, ghost kitchen and any other ventures I have.” Their December tasting menu featuring Pierce Creek Cattle Co. includes roasted winter squash and poached pear, short rib beef bourguignon, roasted aged rib-eye (or strip streak) and buche de Noel with rosemary caramel.

In addition to these concepts and collaborations, Engels has two more projects that have yet to launch. The first, named Pizza’Rilla, features the idea of making quick pizzas with tortillas in place of normal pizza dough. The second concept, which is yet to be named, involves a food trailer that features seasonal ingredients sourced locally. Both concepts aim to bring culturally rich cuisines to the area. Keep an eye out online for the release of both concepts.

In terms of finding the Wok-O Taco food truck, updated locations are posted on their website and Facebook. The Wok-O-Taco kitchen is open from 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.