Street Food!

I love trucks. Food trucks. I was just about to say that my first experience eating from a food truck was last summer in Boston, but I realize this is not true. My first experience with a food truck was Mr. Softy Ice Cream, way back in the day!

I love street food. The first street food items that come to my mind are pretzels, hot dogs and knish from NYC push carts. Even if you’re not hungry, there is something about needing a NYC pretzel at the first scent or sight of them. Am I right?

Of course food served from mobile kitchens has been around for many centuries and it has come a long way since the chuck wagons of the Wild West. Many of the carts, trailers and trucks that we see today serve food that is as global, creative and homey as it gets. Dishes like schnitzel and crepes, lemongrass pork banh, escargot drenched in garlic butter wrapped in puff pastry, braised lamb cheeks sandwiches, buttermilk fried chicken and the ever so popular…gourmet grilled cheese.

 

 

We had the good fortune of dining at a couple of our favorite ‘Restaurants on Wheels’ this past weekend. Boston is one of those city hubs that has a huge variety of trucks to choose from. Of course, we couldn’t just walk by Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Truck without stopping to say hello. Innocent enough, right? I mean, it’s just hello. Okay, maybe we got a sandwich to share…we didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings…

 

 

Good call!!!! Good call! We got their Rookie Melt…Vermont cheddar with sliced tomato, and the crunch on that bread, oh man…to die for!

 

 

The sandwich took roughly 8 minutes to go from griddle to mouth…Good things do come to those who wait!

 

 

Thank you, Roxy…you’ve changed my life!

 

 

In the bigger cities, trucks tend to congregate, like a mobile food-court you could say. This particular location, just outside Faneuil Hall was no exception. As you can see, on this day, you could have your sandwich then follow with a little dessert…cupcakes to be exact!

Trucks can be found in different locations at different times on different days. The beauty of wheels! They’re also very good about shout-outs on Twitter and some trucks have websites showing a calendar of times and locations.

Now, we did show some restraint when it came to the dessert truck (I know, I’m a little shocked, too, now that I think about it!) However, we have something new to look forward to for our next visit! Always planning ahead!!!!

 

 

The other truck that we made a pit stop for (I swear it was a different day) was, Clover. This is the first food truck experience we had last year, and we try to make a point of finding it whenever we’re back in town. Clover holds the largest fleet of food trucks in the country, with 8 total, and a couple brick and mortars. Very impressive! I bet you can guess how absolutely delicious their food is! And it’s healthy – all vegetarian/vegan, all the time!

 

 

My first (and usual) lunch experience with Clover includes their chickpea fritter sandwich, rosemary fries and lavender lemonade. Picture this: pita filled to the rim and packed with flavorful goodness…it includes a perfectly fried chickpea fritter covered in tahini sauce, pickled red cabbage, purple onion, and hummus. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the pickled cabbage – I’m not usually a pickled food kinda girl – but this works! The combination of flavors are really perfect.

 

 

And the rosemary fries…dreamy. Mine were crispy and hot and sprinkled with just enough rosemary and salt. Rosemary goes a long way…

 

 

The sandwich Chels always gets, and again, I can’t say enough about how divine the combination of flavors are, is the Egg & Eggplant. Eggplant, tahini, sliced hard-boiled egg, and a little pickled cucumber salad…all this busting, just enough, out of the pita while still being possible to eat without a fork…YUM.

Isn’t that pretty?

 

 

And on a final note…because it must be said…the sweet folks from each truck were so warm and so friendly – both creating cheerful atmospheres based on their hospitality alone – making it very easy to go back. I dig that.

 

 

So until next time, Clover…I’ll be seeing you…in all the old familiar places…

Ciao!