Food Trucks

If you have been following my blog/are friends with me, then you know how much I love the food trucks of Atl.  While my work usually hinders me from being able to venture to the food trucks for lunch in midtown and at the Stoveworks, I finally was able to find time to go to the truck stop in Virgina Highlands.  A couple months ago the trucks started gathering every Wednesdays in the parking lot right next to the CVS and across from the American Roadhouse on North Highland, and last Wednesday a few friends and I met up in said parking lot to feed our faces.

We started off at Yumbii (the old faithful) because they really are the first food truck I knew of in Atl before the fad exploded in this city.  I am such a fan that I tweeted them almost every day for a few weeks or so to try and get them to drive waaaaay OTP to John's Creek where I work, so I could get some yummy tacos, but unfortunately my witty, charming tweets was not enough to haul ass out to the JC.  So after Yumbii's brutal game of playing hard-to-get, I finally conceded and came to them and got me a pork taco. And boy was it delicious.  I honestly don't remember what all was on the taco because I was soo hungry and as you can see above the line was insanely long, so by the time I ordered, was complimented on my ring (smile), and rushed to get my taco when I heard my name called I devoured my food just slow enough to savor the tastes.  The marinade on the pork was so sweet but also spicy and I added some extra sriracha to kick it up a notch.  It was a simple pork taco but with such deep flavors that made me want 5 more tacos, however, I had other trucks to go to and only so much room in my stomach, so I powered on!

The next truck we tried was new to the lot and called Ibiza Bites.  From what I could tell by the menu and obviously the name, this place had a Spanish influence.

My eyes immediately went straight to the fried green tomatoes on the menu, but after we stood in the second long line of the night and we were 2 people away from ordering, the dreaded "Sold Out" sign was laid over the FGT, and I about cried!  So I pulled myself together and decided to order the Ibiza Signature Bite which was basically some beef brisket over some yummy, creamy stone ground cheddar grits.

I have to say the dish was much more than a "bite," which was good since I paid a whopping $7 for it, but it wasn't the best brisket ever.  Everything was cooked perfectly, but I think it could have used a little more spice and the grits could have been a little more cheesy.  I like my cheese grits super cheesy and creamy like one of my favorite restaurants in Athens, The Last Resort, which has some of the best grits I've had and these just did not cut it.  But next time I would REALLY like the try the FGT.  Let's make that happen people!

So of course the next stop was dessert and I really wanted a cupcake, but that food truck was all sold out too!! Not a good night for me, but again I sucked it up and headed over to Honeysuckle to get some gelato.  I got a scoop of the Dock of the Bay which was salted caramel and a scoop of the Chock Full which was roasted hazelnut gelato.  I liked both, but you just can't compare to the salted caramel from Morelli's.  There is simply nothing else like it.  Period.  But I still enjoyed the gelato and finally had to stop eating because I was so full.

I hope to have another food truck night out soon and next time I will have to get there early to avoid the crazy lines and to get the food that I want!

Holy Guacamole!

One of the many things I love about this great city of Atl is the fact that there are so many different areas of the city. You can travel 5 minutes and be in a totally different culture from where you came from.  East Atlanta is one of those neighborhoods that has grown vastly over the past few years and a place that I have come to love for its food and especially its nightlife!  Let me just say Graveyard will take you in and spit you out and leave you wondering the next day what the hell happened the night before, but you somehow know you had a great time.  Sorry, I just had to share my thoughts on Graveyard because I love that place.  Anyway, we did not make it to Graveyard last weekend, but my friends and I did travel to the Eastside to engorge ourselves in some tacos at the taqueria that focuses on using sustainable ingredients, Holy Taco.

We sat outside on the huge patio because it was a cool summer night, and we started off with the guacamole which was so fresh and the chunks of avocado were insane!  Not only was the guac delicious, but the chips were super thick that when you got one stuck in the guac because you were being too greedy (you know what I'm talkin about) not only did it not break, but you came up with a big freakin piece of avocado!  My fav! So of course, like all mexican dinners, I ate so many chips and guac I was practically full before the tacos even arrived, but that did NOT stop me.

I ordered the skirt steak taco with cotija cheese and the fish taco with swordfish, slaw, and chipotle aioli. One of my favorite past times when going out to eat is looking up the restaurant's menu and "deciding" what I will order.  I use quotes because I am so indecisive that I rarely actually decide what I will eat beforehand.  I usually want everything on the menu and make a last minute decision with the waiter standing over me.  So the point of this aside?  I of course looked at the menu beforehand and was rather disappointed that the fish taco consisted of tilapia, but when we got the little paper menus in our hands at the restaurant, low and behold they had swordfish instead!

I really like how they cooked the tortillas.  It seemed they pan fried them which made the tortillas warm and somewhat crispy so they weren't so soft and mushy.  The steak was perfectly marinaded and so juicy.  I think the flavors and spiciness on the steak taco beat out the fish taco; however, the fish definitely stood on its own flavor-wise.  The aioli was perfectly spicy and I just love slaw on tacos.  The breading was great on the fish and it wasn't too heavy or overly fried which I hate when it comes to fried food.  All in all it was a great meal with a yummy margarita (you really think I got tacos and did not order a marg?  You should know better by now) on a great summer night with good people.  My advice: go to East Atl if you have not ventured out there yet.   You will definitely not be disappointed.

Atlanta Street Food

I recently went to the Midsummer Music Festival at Candler Park where they lined up the food trucks of Atlanta to feed the drunk and hungry.  It was like Christmas morning for me!  I freaking love food trucks!  The food is quick, cheap, and delicious.  What more can you ask for?!

As you probably have noticed, food trucks have become a new fad born out of California and making its way across the country to Atlanta.  Some people may not like the idea of eating food that was made inside a truck.  They might think it can't be as clean as a kitchen or that there's no way the food can be tasty and exciting.  Well I can tell you this. Some of the best BBQ I have had has come from a little shack at the Greenville exit off of I-65.  Every time my family went to visit my grandparents in Mobile, Alabama, we would stop at this gas station which had a BBQ stand attached to it.  At first you think it was abandoned, but then you see a line of people waiting to order at the tiny window where the little old country woman takes your order.  I would get a huge pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw and baked beans, and we would eat in the car with our dogs going crazy for our food.  Good times, good times.  OK, back to my point...after eating at this place for years as a child, I have always had the opinion that little rundown places can be some of the best food.  They may look dirty as hell, but as long as the food pleases my taste buds and I don't find a cockroach on my plate, I honestly don't care.  While food trucks aren't necessarily shacks on the side of the road, they are little engines that could.  They are a chance to get something different and affordable while gathering with other food lovers.

Take the Pup Truck for example.  They specialize in making fancy dogs and different kinds of fixins.  Now I may have been a couple of beers in at this time, so this was somewhat of an impulse buy, but I have to say the Dalmatian Dog was a little delight in my mouth.  I usually just douse my dogs in ketchup, but with the black beans, onions, and sour cream, nothing else was needed.

One thing I love about Atlanta is the metropolitan feel the Midtown area exudes.  My office is also located downtown; however, I've noticed there are not many places around to eat cheap and quick, which is why I believe street food would do wonders in this ever growing city.  In order to advocate for all street food alike in Atl, a group was formed called the Atlanta Street Food Coalition.  Their main goal is to see to it that we get to enjoy fast and affordable food other metropolitan cities have had for years, like New York and Philly.  Atlanta ordinances have banned street food for now due to health concerns, but advocates are still trying to convince otherwise.  Even the food trucks are limited to where they can park.  In my opinion food trucks and street food are just another way to experience food and be with friends.  I mean, my job is to sit at a computer for 9 hours every day looking at excel spreadsheets, so if I can take 30 minutes out of my day to walk down the street and get me a mighty fine hot dog, I say, "Amen, sister friend!"