Some of London's best Mexican food comes from a parking lot on Oxford Street

Ivanopoblano is tiny food truck — actually, more of a trailer — on London's Oxford Street E. that churns out a style of delicious, organic Mexican food that I've never experienced anywhere else.

Originally from Mexico, owner Ivan Santana-Barnes blends the dishes he learned to make from his mother with his talent for crafting brand new creations.

"I make all my food from scratch ... I use my Mexican roots," he explained. "When Mexican people come, they say to me, 'oh my god, I've never had something like this, even in Mexico!' — but they [still] feel like it's Mexican food."

Before moving to London in 2016, Santana-Barnes spent a decade and a half managing a Greek restaurant in Vancouver. Initially visiting the west coast to take a four-month English-language course before studying public relations in Madrid, Santana-Barnes fell in love with Canada and decided to stay.

At the Greek restaurant, Santana-Barnes worked in the front of the house, serving customers, deciding that he didn't want to work in a kitchen until it was one he called his own.

Instead, Santana-Barnes channeled his passion for cooking into a food blog called Ivanopoblano, all while working on his goal of opening a food truck. "I like to interact with people," he explained. "If I opened a [bricks and mortar] restaurant, I'd be [hidden] in the kitchen."

However, life — and business — in Vancouver proved expensive. So Santana-Barnes decided a move to London to realize his dream.

"My husband, he's from London, and I've been coming here for eight years [to visit family]," he said. "So I said to him, lets move ... we'll open a business, we'll buy a house — we'll have a better life."

The couple moved in February 2016, and Ivanopoblano changed from blog to real-world food truck in August that year. It's located in the parking lot of Lyn-Dys Health Food, a long-running store owned by Lynda Phillips.

"Ivan ... married my nephew," Phillips explained. "He said his dream was to have a food truck. So we talked a little bit, and I said, 'you know, I have a really big parking lot.'"

Tap on the audio player to hear more.

Unlike many outdoor food businesses, Ivanopoblano is open year-round. While acknowledging that it can get rather cold, especially compared to Vancouver, Santana-Barnes says that his love of dancing in the kitchen helps keep him warm.

Sometimes, he posts his dance moves on social media.

Ivanopoblano is located at 1016 Oxford St. E. in London. It's open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m and Saturday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cash and debit only.