Doesn't sound very authentic.

No, the pasties aren't authentic at all—they actually have some seasoning in them! I don't think the owners are trying to duplicate what you'd find in the Upper Peninsula (or Cornwall). The flaky crust is different as are the chunky fillings. I also sampled a chicken curry pasty.

But seriously, a vendor selling pasties, empanadas, patties, etc. could do a ton without having to cook to order....

Yeah, for the time being at least, it makes a lot of sense to tailor your truck's menu to things that hold well instead of doing sandwiches etc that would be much better freshly made. Isn't there now some truck prowling the streets selling upscale tamales? I wonder if the Bridgeport Pasty folks have thought about a Jamaican patty-style pasty. That could be really good, though inauthentic.

Yep - there's Tamale Spaceship which friends just told me they saw on Armitage a few days ago. They were very excited but out walking their dog with no cash so no review yet:
http://twitter.com/#!/tamalespaceship

Isn't Jefe's truck supposed to feature Jamaican Beef Patties?

I do plan on serving Jamaican patties, tamales too. I imagine I'll switch up the menu pretty regularly. Right now I'm scheming up how to do salt beef bagels at some point.
Just put a down payment on my trailer. Plan to be up and running by snow melt.

It looks like The Southern is now starting a "Mac and Cheese" truck. Interesting...

P. Channon wrote:It looks like The Southern is now starting a "Mac and Cheese" truck. Interesting...

You mean like The Intrepid Cow?

Today I went to The Southern Mac and Cheese Truck. This is from the restaurant The Southern that is right next to Lillie's Q on North Ave. I've never been, but they do have pimiento cheese on the menu, a good sign I think.

I got Crawfish, Andouille, and Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese.

Slickly packaged. But bland.

I would have thought with that description they could have brought some heat, but there is barely any, not in the cheese or the sausage. Tasted a little like Kraft Mac and Cheese with frozen shrimp, some kind of plain sausage, and maybe a few red pepper flakes throw in.

And at $11, not a great deal.

Oh well. At least there is Meatyballs Mobile, not afraid to try anything.


Mac and Cheese Truck by dkoblesky, on Flickr

I echo the 'meh' verdict on the Mac & Cheese truck. I had the bacon & blue cheese mac, and for me, the issue was less about seasoning and more about texture. Prepared at the restaurant, then carted around the city, steeping in its own heat, does not make for a very good mac & cheese. The elbows were soggy, the cheese was slightly rubbery, and the bacon was limp. I felt like it might have been great at the restaurant, but it definitely wasn't from the truck.

If Chicago ever allows the food trucks to cook/prepare items in the trucks I will be slightly interested/intriqued. Until then I have zero interest in prepackaged, precooked items assembled in a kitchen/commissary.

What is Rahmbo's stand on food trucks? Sorry, Mayor Rahmbo.

GAF wrote:What is Rahmbo's stand on food trucks? Sorry, Mayor Rahmbo.

He's pro.

Every Friday evening (5-10 p.m.) San Francisco holds an event called "Off the Grid" at the Fort Mason Center, which is gathering of food trucks. Approximately 30 food trucks and tented vendors are present. It is something of a party atmosphere with trucks and vendors serving empanadas, samosas, fried chicken, creme brulee, pizza, haute hot dogs, Korean tacos, and banh mi.

Smaller versions are organized throughout the city.

Chicago should consider a similar gathering. What is crucial is a large parking area. It is a great way to introduce customers to food truck cuisine.

jimswside wrote:If Chicago ever allows the food trucks to cook/prepare items in the trucks I will be slightly interested/intriqued. Until then I have zero interest in prepackaged, precooked items assembled in a kitchen/commissary.

Last night at the Food Truck Summit, our clear favorite was a relatively simple chicken sandwich from Hummingbird Kitchen. We were able to do a side-by-side with Gaztro-wagon's prepackaged, precooked pozole naan-wich, and though the latter was more creative and in some ways more interesting, Hummingbird's freshly made warm item (especially given the inclement weather) had much more appeal.



I would not call this event a disaster, but several vendors ran out of product long before closing time. Not Hummingbird: they kept pushing and serving until the end (a capability supported by refrigerated units and other kitchenware that they had on board but which other vendors did not). Hummingbird can cook on the truck in the streets of Evanston -- and they're granted dispensation at special events in Chicago, which gives them a huge edge.

Food Truck Summit?
Was notice of that posted before the event? I would have loved to have gone, or was it invite only?

zoid wrote:Food Truck Summit?
Was notice of that posted before the event? I would have loved to have gone, or was it invite only?

It was open to the public, and I read about it in a few places. I wasn't going to go, but I had other biz downtown, so stopped by. The event was in part a book signing for Heather Shouse's Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels.

Fun fact: Empanadas 5411 came with enough servings for 400 people, and they sold out in 32 minutes. The parking lot at Goose Island was packed, and people hundled under tents, in pouring rain, in long lines, to sample what the attending food trucks had to offer. Clearly, there's a lot of pent-up demand for food trucks, and a lot of interest for what in Chicago remains a trend without a strong foothold (Shouses 200 page book devotes three pages to Chicago food trucks, which is not much of a shock).

The MEATYBALLS MOBILE hits Peterson-Pulaski Thursday!
Victoria Street near Pulaski
11:30 - 12:15

In the news I'd never think I'd see department, after some negotiation on the part of our local trade association Phillip Foss is bringing one of his trucks to the northwest side tomorrow. This is the first time one of the new food trucks is serving an area that actually has no other restaurant food options (worth a damn). I'd love to see more of this. I would actually hop on the food truck bandwagon if they gave the neighborhoods the service they deserve.

The Meatyballs Mobile is excited to bring their Gourmet Globes of Goodness to Peterson and Pulaski tomorrow! Not only will this be one of the first outings for their new truck, Mb3, but it will be the first time they launch their new “Sack Lunch” concept. The best way to try everything they have to offer, it includes at least one Torpedo or Grenade (slider-style Meatyball), a side and a drink for a great price.

There's a new truck out and about: Haute Sausage
http://www.hautesausage.com/

I tried to grab something yesterday at Monroe/Wacker, but the line was about 30 deep at 11:30. Crazy.

Is that pronounced Oat SAWsedge, or Oat SaSAHJ?

FYI to Food Truck aficionados (and food truck owners - I don't know how you get involved, but I'd call Evanston City Hall - PM me if you need more info) there are 2 upcoming food truck...festivals?...fairs?....aggregations? Anyway, they are:

1) The Evanston Parks Coalition in conjunction with Hummingbird Kitchen will be hosting a Food Truck Festival at Grey Park on Sunday, June 26th from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. This family picnic will be full of fun for the whole family - come check out the latest food trucks, sing along in the amphitheatre, climb a fire engine or dance some zumba! Make sure to bring your picnic blanket!

2) July 28 in Brummel Park (Brummel and Elmwood, Evanston.) Food Trucks at 5:30 and Expo 76 live in concert at 7:30. 4 trucks so far, including Hummingbird Kitchen, empanadas, cup cakes and tamales.

teatpuller wrote:There's a new truck out and about: Haute Sausage
http://www.hautesausage.com/

I tried to grab something yesterday at Monroe/Wacker, but the line was about 30 deep at 11:30. Crazy.

Is there a new sausage king in Chicago?
Is there a new sausage king in Chicago? Greg Jarrett sits down with Rich Levy, owner of the Haute Sausage food truck!

http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/gregjarre ... 60.mp3file

My favorite food truck is definitely Gaztro Wagon. Somehow even with the prepackaging the naanwiches are always warm and the meat inside delicious and well seasoned. I have liked all different naanwiches I have had from them. If only they would stop on streeterville more often.

Meatyballs sandwiches are a hit or miss, sometimes they taste good, sometimes they are a waste of money. For some of the sandwiches the bread is too soggy. Maybe if they could prepare the sandwiches in the truck they would taste better.

Hello All:
I just wanted to chime in and hopefully get some insight from your experiences on this subject. I'm currently working on an informal thesis/ short speech for one of my college classes on The Great Chicago FoodTruck Movement.

I will be collecting research and data over the next couple of weeks, but if there is anyone here that can provide any insight at all on the ins and outs of the Chicago Foodtruck I would be very interested to hear.

A few things that I'm looking for:

A) How many LEGAL food trucks are currently operating in the City of Chicago? I've heard that there are nearly 20, but with new ones popping up and others going under, I'm not sure what the current number is and am having a hard time finding a definite number.

B) Why is the city fighting the Food Truck Movement so? What is their angle in restricting legitimate people trying to run a legitimate business?

C) What are some of the struggles that the Food Truck owners have faced?

D) Why is it so important to them/ worth the hassle, to get their food trucks out there? Why not open a small restaurant instead?

This is all that I have for now, and as I stated earlier, I will be gathering more data and resourcing over the next couple of weeks. I hope that some of you will be kind enough to lend any resources and/or experiences that you may have, as you always do in this fine culinary community

I will add more as it comes to me, and of course suggestions are SO welcomed!!!

Thanks!
Bella

Bella,

I understand that the great (Southern) food writer John T. Edge will soon publish a book on food trucks. However, given that this is for a class the timing might not help you. Also our own Heather Shouse (of Time Out Chicago) has recently published a book on food trucks. I haven't read it, but it might cover some of the topics that you are writing about.

I was quoted in an article in Salon, "So you want to start a food truck?" The article might be of use to you.
http://www.salon.com/food/feature/2011/04/07/lawyer_owned_food_trucks

There are a lot of articles on food trucks in the popular press that address some of the issues that you raise.

GAF-
Thank you SO much! I'm headed to NYC this weekend, and am going to try and hit up a few trucks while I'm there as well to get some "real" one on one opinions on how it works there. Maybe compare a bit?

It's such a broad subject, and there are SO MANY articles out there, it's really hard for me to narrow it down to facts right now, but I will definitely read the sources you suggested, and I really appreciate the help. This will be my first graded speech, and I'm already pretty nervous! I will be gathering facts for a couple of hours tomorrow in class, so I'll check out your links!

Thanks SO much!
~B

Things you never expect to see in Hyde Park:

the Meatyballs Mobile, Haute Sausage wagon, and Flirty Cupcakes truck all parked in front of the Regenstein Library (57th near University), doing brisk business.

Damned if I hadn't already eaten at Panda Express.

Santander wrote:Things you never expect to see in Hyde Park:

the Meatyballs Mobile, Haute Sausage wagon, and Flirty Cupcakes truck all parked in front of the Regenstein Library (57th near University), doing brisk business.

Finally! (Yes, Matt, not only did they let me into Mansueto, they gave me a library card! I've groaned repeatedly that only a means to beam studious patrons lunch would truly perfect Helmut Jahn's design.)

We encountered the Haute Sausage truck at Clark & Diversey on late Saturday morning. The best part was, they were handing out their whole menu for free, courtesy of ABC - they were promoting their new show "The Chew". Tried chicken masala, Boerewors Chakalaka, lamb & mint, and Moroccan lamb sausages, all of which were good, especially for the price Actually, I enjoyed all of them except the lamb & mint (which I thought was too dry) enough that I'd actually consider paying for them in the future.

Also, "Chef Suzy Singh of FOX's Hit TV Show MasterChef" (this is copied/pasted from her twitter info, as I didn't know who she was until just now - we were all just referring to her as "that nice Indian girl") was on the truck handing out her Phuket duck samosas, which I'm told were very tasty (I didn't get to try them). My mom instantly became a huge fan, because Chef Singh very respectfully called her "Auntie" and insisted she take extra food

Santander wrote:Things you never expect to see in Hyde Park:

the Meatyballs Mobile, Haute Sausage wagon, and Flirty Cupcakes truck all parked in front of the Regenstein Library (57th near University), doing brisk business.

\

Add to that list the Bridgeport Pasty Patsy, a welcome addition to the oft-dreary lunch options in the immediate area. This was in a slightly different spot--in front of the Administration Building on Ellis (5801 S, to be precise).

8 bucks got me a Yooper--essentially, an onion-studded beef ball with some chunks of potato and rutabaga, enveloped in a pretty nice pastry. As indicated by Rene G above, the crust itself is nice and buttery--tasting almost like Lou Malnati's buttercrust, but flaky. The filling was just alright--the beef was oddly spongy, and otherwise tasted mostly of onion, much like a hamburger steak. Potatoes and rutabaga were fine, if not very strongly flavored. The pastry crust was suitable as well, though not up to Pleasant House's lofty standards--tolerable, given that it had undoubtedly been held in its unsealed paper package. It was not as flaky and lacked the depth of PH's, but was redolent of butter and made for a more convenient package on the move, which I was, running errands after class.

All in all, I thought it was fair--I wasn't exactly stuffed, but it was an acceptable lunch, and it was not too much pricier than one of the nearby cafes, where foods have been held even longer in even worse conditions. Not Pleasant House, but it's a different medium, for which I happily grant this truck absolution. They're welcome in Hyde Park anytime.

It sounds like Justin Long's taco truck, consuela, will be out on the street soon breaking laws and serving some long overdue food truck fare. Personally I can't wait support the effortby eating from the big star truck.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/stew/chi-food-trucks-big-star-truck-ready-to-roll-20111006,0,3047619.story

I know it's bad form to whine about price, but... in my very limited sample size of two, it seems to me that the food trucks are overpriced by about 20%.

The Southern Mac & Cheese truck has a median price of $9. It might have once been decent mac, but by the time you get it from the truck, the pasta is soggy and overcooked, and the cheese is rubbery and congealed.

I just tried out the Meatlof Bakery truck on Randolph & Franklin at 1 PM. It was delicious, but... I just paid $9 for a cupcake-sized serving.

Should I give up, or are there any trucks out there which actually give a decent value? Haute Sausage parks near my office all the time - is it worth the $7 price tag?