Red Hook Lobster Trucks

I guess my review of RHLP doesn't say much, although I hope you can get the excitement from the "short n' sweet" nature of the post.  It is soooo good.  Really.  But I wanted to expand a bit after having lunch there again today.  My parents are both from Maine, thus I've spent more than my fair share of time there throughout my life visiting family and what-not.  As all good down-easters (and offspring) know, the BEST lobsters are the small ones because they are sweeter.  Yes, I know when you go to a fancy steakhouse, they highlight the grand size of the crustaceans, but you should be asking for the SMALL ones!  But don't worry, with the legal minimum size for fishermen to keep what's caught, even the smallest is about a pound.

With that "lobster-math" in mind, the rolls Red Hook serves have at least a lobster and a half of meat on each.  So now that you know smaller is sweeter, hopefully you can imagine how awesome the treats from this truck really are....  Better yet, you'll also figure out the $15 price tag is actually quite fairly priced.  (How much is lobster per pound in the grocery store which you then you still have to pull all apart and prepare perfectly...??)

Still Love Hula!

Hula Girl made it back to Farragut today.  Hip-hip-hooray!  I've been pretty vocal with thoughts on this truck, so I am pleased to say today went off without a single hitch.  Fair is fair.  They were on time.  My order was correct.  Makala was charming (although that has never been a concern ... she's been a sweetheart with every visit.)  The truck seemed to be all repaired and working properly.  NOM NOM NOM!  Please come back soon.

Back from Sin City

...and quenched my truck-withdrawl with visits to two new (to DC) trucks, Rolls on Rolls and Suburban Bros.  WELCOME!!  I know sometimes I sounds like a broken record about how nice some people are, but I do want to make a point mention some of the warm personalities I meet, and the folks on both of these trucks are obviously happy doing what they are doing, so kudos to them!  It is always such a pleasure to patronize people you don't feel like you're bothering when placing an order or especially making a small extra request.  Anyway, the reviews for both formerly Montgomery County trucks are below, and are including with pics in the first blog post, both under 3 honks:

Rolls on Rolls (@RollsOnRolls on Twitter) -- Serving "Kathi Rolls", purportedly the street food from from Delhi and Calcutta, they are flatbread sandwiches rolled up.  (Think Sauca or a gyro in the thickness of the bread, and a giant, not-fried taquito in "configuration".)  Kathi rolls are offered with chicken, vegetables, paneer, or channa and come with cabbage, carrots, and chutneys.  You have options for mild, medium, or spicy, the heat by which is created by the selection of chutney's offered.  For example, I ordered my chicken masala roll spicy, which meant it came with all three chutneys: tamarind, cilantro-mint, and spicy; so if I were guessing, I'd think ordering a roll mild would arrive with only the cilantro-mint.  In any event, the flavors were all quite lovely, although overall I found the package to be pretty dry.  Like a lot of Indian food, chicken masala is usually cooked in a sauce, so I'd love it if there were more of that sauce to compensate.  If not, more chutney would go a long way.

Suburban Bros (@SubBros1 on Twitter) -- Yet another transplant from Montgomery County to the District, and like all the other MOCO truck operators I've met after opting to move locales, the guys running the truck were a super-nice bunch.  The problem is, they are serving Potbelly on wheels, and frankly I think that works better in Montgomery County where most places don't have a Potbelly (or 3 as in my case) within a 2 block walk.  Don't get me wrong, my sandwich was fine, but even adjusting for sales tax which I'd be charged at Potbelly, I got one of the least expensive menu items, and it was still $1 more and a 4 blocks further away.  (It's a good thing it was a nice day....)  Except for maybe the novelty of a truck, they'll do better in areas where Potbelly isn't quite so prevalent, which isn't the immediate downtown office areas because there are as many Potbelly storefronts as Starbucks.

And, a shout out to BBQ Bus for getting in the holiday spirit.  I'm diggin' the get-up!

So I am watching Eat Street...

...and am wondering why we (DC) don't have an amazing burger truck? Everyone else does, and we seem to be a mecca for burgers lately. How come??? Just musing...I will be on my way now.

Goode Surfside

Two trucks today, Goode's Mobile Kitchen (again, yes, I know...) and Surfside Truck's debut at Farragut.  Nothing to update at Goode's in the review other than a better picture of the chicken cheese steak, although I did find the $.50 charge to use credit off-putting.  No other truck charges for credit, or they take cash only.  Especially when the charge from Square (for example) is $.22-.27 on Goode's average order, how come $.50?  I still like these guys -- they are pleasant and give samples, and although it takes forever, clearly I'm enjoying it because I've been several times recently.  I've stopped going to Basil Thyme because I think Brian's attitude needs adjusting, so I'd reconsider the substantial up-charge on the credit payments.  (Not that losing my personal business will cause a big fall in the numbers, it is the principle of it.)  :-/

Second stop, although first to eat, was the super speedy service from Surfside Truck.  The two entree menu options were chicken tacos or fish tacos made with tilapia, plus there was chicken tortilla soup.  While I LOVE fish tacos, after last week's well-repeated story on WTOP about how bad tilapia is for you, I opted for the chicken.  Both selections were $9 with a side of rice and beans.  I was all ready to slot Surfside in at 3.5 honks, until I got to the rice and beans.  Review with a picture has been included in the updated first post under 3 honks:

Surfside (@surfsidetruckdc on Twitter) -- Two entree menu options were chicken tacos or tilapia fish tacos, plus there was chicken tortilla soup.  Both taco plates, served with guac, lime crema, and pico de gallo, were $9 with a side of rice and beans.  I opted for the chicken where I received two tacos with a disproportionately large filling of delicious chicken, making them very difficult to eat; one more taco with the same amount of total filling(s) spread among three instead of two would have made more sense.  Not being one to particularly mind getting my hands dirty, the mess was fine and Surfside was headed to 3.5 honks, that was until I tried the rice and beans.  TOTALLY inedible.  There is something to be said for a little al dente or having a little bite, but both the rice and the beans were horribly undercooked.  Personally, I could have used some hot sauce for flavor as well, although honestly I can't remember if there was any available on the serving counter.  If not, it would be welcomed.

Bummed I'll be missing Truckapalooza tomorrow because I'm off, but everyone should check out the party over on the campus of GWU.  Then headed to Vegas next week where I have learned there are a healthy number of trucks to stalk....  Laterz!

Happy Farragut Friday

I am scheduled to work only every other Friday, and some of my working Friday's get disrupted but other events (including a good day for any possible liquid lunch) so I don't often get to experience the joy and convenience of Farragut Friday.  However today I hit 3 trucks, with thoughts to head back later for a 4th to get some ice cream from Sinplicity.  (Have I mentioned they have the best ice cream ever?!?!?)

With that, I tried AZN Eats for the first time.  First post updated with a 3 honk review (and pic): 

AZN Eats (@azneats on Twitter) -- If you've ever read this blog before, you know meat which is too fatty irks me.  So what do I do?  I go an order the Kalbi from AZN Eats containing short ribs, one of the fattiest cuts of beef I can think of.  Based on tweets and such from other folks, it seemed like the most popular thing to get.  It was quite palatable and not at all as fatty as I expected, although I did pull much (of what was there) off.  The kalbi was served on a generous bed rice which had almost a creamy-ness to it, and I know that sounds wrong or that it could have been overcooked, but it was pleasant.  I did not care at all for the vegetables and didn't quite understand the side of regular sliced pickles offered on the side.  Lastly I was disappointed they didn't have gochujang...only sriracha. 

Then I headed over to DC Slices to see if they had any sweet potato tots; I'd been trying for months to hit the truck when they were on board, but every time I found myself SOL.  Alas, NOT TODAY!  And with that, they get the bump to 3.5 honks with a slightly updated review (and pic).

Last stop was to grab a turtle cheesecake to bring home for the long weekend from That Cheesecake Truck.  

One truck I didn't hit today, but wish congrats on earning permits, popped their DC cherry at Farragut today too:

Maui Wowi

There was a sign on the side of the truck with a Nathan's hot dog logo, but the menu (which didn't appear to me to list any sort of dog) looked to be shaved ice, smoothies, and coffee drinks.  I did digg the palapa hood over the serving window.  Nice touch!

Yesterday I did make it back to Goode's Mobile Kitchen.  In addition to the jerk chicken, I put a combo together with the curry chicken.  ($15?!??!)  Flavor was still satisfying, but for both myself and my friend who joined me and just had curry, a "scoop" of curry was substantially smaller than a "scoop" of jerk.

Have a good long weekend everybody.  Only 3 days next week then off traveling to a conference the week after.  Does Vegas have any food trucks???  (Thinking I'll have to research....)

LATE BREAKING NEWS: Truckeroo for October just announced as October 28.  Don't forget Truckapalooza at GWU on October 14 too!  (Grrrr ... both Friday's I'll be off.)