Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Gourmet tacos at this Flint food truck offers customers an ‘experience’ they can’t get anywhere else

FLINT, MI — A taco that takes hours to prepare and years to perfect is highly sought after at this food truck in Flint.

Mr. Prince Gourmet, stationed at the Flint Farmers’ Market, features gourmet tacos, foot-long tamales, quesadillas, crunch wraps, fish tacos, Impossible tacos, woodles, chicken Philly cheesesteaks, chicken wings, French fries and flavored lemonades.

The food truck parks under the pavilion at the market, 300 E. 1st St in Flint, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Owner Teresa Chapman started her business six years ago with inspiration from her late grandfather Harry Prince Sr., who she credits as the foundation of the business.

The gourmet tacos are prepared with fresh ground turkey that has been cooked with 17 different seasonings and spices and placed inside a fried corn tortilla.

The taco is topped off with fresh lettuce, pico de gallo and paired with corn salsa, red salsa, and beans and rice.

“It’s a lot of work that goes into that one taco in order for you just to have an experience that you can’t get anywhere,” Chapman said.

Chapman offered that the flavor of the meal as ‘indescribable and bursts in your mouth.’

“I have these 17 different seasonings that I prepare and then after I mix them all together it has to sit for an additional 14 days in order to get all those spices together,” Chapman explained. “That’s why it’s so difficult to repeat it or to duplicate it because of all these spices.”

Customers can get a gourmet taco for $4.25 each.

Chapman said it took her about five years to come up with the perfect recipe for the tacos. She noted her grandfather started making tacos in the 1960s and she has since added several ingredients to create the taste it has today.

Chapman’s grandfather and uncle Harry Prince Jr. opened a store in a neighborhood on Flint’s north side called Mr. Prince Groceries.

At some point, the pair grew a following for their tamales, sloppy Joes and other hot plates.

The store closed when Chapman’s grandfather retired from General Motors in the late 1970s.

“Six, seven years ago, I began to think about all those recipes ad as I would venture out into other restaurants in the city of Flint, in the community or out of state I was beginning the trend was changing as far as quality of food, especially fast food and the customer service,” Chapman said.

Those observations and memories of recipes prompted Chapman to open her business and rekindle that customer service in the community. For example, employees are trained to count change back into customer’s hands.

Next year, the business will be expanding inside the Flint Farmers’ Market with an indoor space. Chapman said the plan is to open during the first week of January 2022.

Chapman’s brother and sister currently help to run the business and will be a part of the expansion effort.

“We were offered a post inside the farmers market and that’s really going to bring the brand to an awesome level and I’m just so excited about that.” Chapman said.

The business also offers catering services for various events and celebrations.

To stay connected with Mr. Prince Gourmet and view the full menu, visit here.

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