Lance’s office has been having a “Food Truck Frenzy” for the past two weeks. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons famous food trucks of New Jersey and New York have parked themselves right outside office windows, their tempting, meaty scents filling the air and their colorfully marketed trucks drawing the eye of those with a window seat to distraction by this lunchtime event. I’m fortunate that my husband enjoys my company and also likes to share in new food experiences with me. That said, he invited me to come enjoy the food truck experience.
I wish I could have been there for every single truck visit, but a visit to hubby’s work is a 2-hour round trip, not one that I want to make twice a week only for lunch (even for an insanely delicious food truck lunch).
Here’s the problem with multiple food trucks in one location: it is impossible to go to only one. If you have the willpower to visit only one food truck, I put you in the same category as people who tell me they ‘forgot to eat today’. Yeah, that happens to me all the time. As in, never. It happens to me absolutely never.
On my first visit, there were only two food trucks. This was a good introduction to this Food Truck Frenzy. I also arrived closer to the end of the average working man’s lunch time, so we didn’t have a long wait at all. Mobile Mardi Gras had been there earlier in the week, so Lance knew their po boys were more than worthwhile. We ordered the shrimp po boy and Lance’s buddy/coworker/partner-in-crime, Jason, ordered the catfish po boy, which he so generously allowed me to try. Both the catfish and shrimp were lightly breaded, and cooked to perfection. The sandwiches were composed exactly the same, with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and a subtly spicy remoulade sauce. It was a refreshing sandwich.
Luke’s Lobster, an NYC truck serving up Maine lobster, had three offerings: lobster roll, crab roll, shrimp roll. With a truck called “Luke’s Lobster” we naturally had to try the lobster roll. This was my first experience with a lobster roll, so I was surprised to discover that the lobster in a lobster roll is typically served cold. There was a lot of lobster packed on the bun, but for the whopping cost of $16 something seemed to be missing. The lightly buttered toasted bun was the perfect envelope to hold all the lobster together, but I think the sandwich as a whole lacked a little flavor that could have been given by another smear of mayo or a drizzle of butter.
On Tuesday, Lance brought me home an empanada from The Empanada Guy. Being someone who not only grew up with a Spanish teacher who made incredible empanadas, as well as, someone who does not like leftovers, I didn’t have high hopes. However, I was a greasy mess of happiness as I ate my empanada the next day for lunch.
On Thursday, I was spoiled with three completely different trucks, one of which I had been seething with jealousy over missing the previous week: Cheezen. Seriously, can there be anything better or easier than a grilled cheese truck?*
*Alright, these other trucks are some fierce competition, but a grilled cheese truck?! Come on now!
Hubby ordered a bacon mac and cheese grilled cheese. It was as fattening and delicious as it sounds. I went Italian and ordered the prosciutto caprese grilled cheese loaded with mozzarella and Gruyere, prosciutto, Jersey tomatoes, and basil pesto aioli. I was very pleased with my choice.
Don’t be shocked, but I have never had a falafull before. So our stop at the Falafull Gourmet truck was a completely new experience for me. While the chickpea patties are tasty, my mouth seems to know I’m not eating meat. It was a new and flavorful experience, but probably one I won’t return to simply because I love all the other non vegetarian things that life has to offer. (Also, and completely separate from my opinion of the food, the characters on the side of their truck creeped me out).
Dark Side of the Moo was perhaps the most unique truck. It is an exotic meat emporium whose path I hope to cross again soon. We were so intrigued by the gator sausage that we had to give it a try. They were out of gator quesadillas, which is what I really wanted to try. I should have known better when I saw that it was Cajun. I’m a bit of a wimp in the spice department and could only handle one bite. Lance noticed a hint of fishy flavor, but to me it had the same flavor and texture of a spicy Italian sausage, something which I don’t ordinarily eat. Next time we hope to try the Yak or Kangaroo burger. Then again, there is always the Four Horsemen of the Aporkalypse which involves bacon, bacon jam, pulled pork, pork roll, and three cheeses. Sounds divine!
I think I could definitely become the type of person who stalks her favorite food truck and follows it to all locations within a reasonable distance from home. The definition of reasonable being one that is up for debate.
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