Pera Turkish Tacos @ Tavern on the Green, Central Park
Pera received attention for being the first truck to serve alcohol. Apparently this is what has been missing from the gourmet food truck trend. I'd argue that food is central to the truck phenomenon, and that drink becomes burdensome. That's what bars or picnics are for. At a truck, I just want one hand free to hold my napkin while I shovel something awesome into my mouth. This "Mediteranean Brassiere" on wheels features Lavash Bread Tacos, Zucchini Pancake tacos, a hummus bar, sides, desserts, and beverages. I ordered the Smoked Lamb Lavash Bread Taco and the Mediterranean Fries. While this was a satisfying enough meal, it could have been better. The taco was weak (not enough filling), while the flavor was vaguely Mediterranean but not particularly spicy or smoky. A container of chicken-and-rice from 53rd and 6th would be more satisfying, especially for the carnivorous. The fries were nothing to write home about - only a dash of herbs to distinguish them from McDonald's. I'm not sure what I had been expecting, but "Turkish Tacos" had sounded really enticing. I would have a taco there again, but to satisfy my hunger and not my need for cheap food thrills. This one gets a B.
Korilla BBQ
It is unfortunate that my experience at Kimchi Taco truck was defined by - the tacos. They didn't exactly live up to my expectations. When I spotted Korilla BBQ on the UES, it would have been a good opportunity to compare their version with Kimchi Taco's. Alas, this experiment made too much sense and instead, I veered toward the numerous bowl options - rice, a protein, various types of kimchi, sauces, cheese, etc. Looking at the website, it was hard to tell which one I actually had because I don't remember there being so many options at the truck itself. I believe I had the "Superbowl" version of the "Chosun Bowl," with pulled pork, bacon & kimchi fried rice (drool), and several kimchi varieties. If I could find this truck more often near my office, it would be my new winter comfort food. This bowl of Korean-Mex goodness was simply amazing. There was nothing wrong with it. Perfection. Spicy and piping hot, with lots of texture between the juicy pork, crunchy kimchi, and creamy cheese and crema fresca. With any of the 3 sauces available (kBBQ, korilla sauce, and korean hot sauce), you just cannot go wrong with these. I now believe that all the tacos at all these trucks are a bit overrated and that the real sensation are the bowls, so I really do need to try Korean Taco Truck's version. A couple of suggestions for those with an entrepreneurial spirit (because mine is a spazz): 1) Including Korean meat and kimchi options would update Chipotle's rice and salad bowls and at long last, give us a chain of Korean-Mex food! 2) Someone needs to start a truck that sells fried rice varieties. Korilla BBQ earned a solid A with this one.
Taim Mobile: Falafel & Smoothie Truck
My falafel sandwichThis was one seriously great falafel. It may be the best I've ever had. It's true that I usually order shwarmas over falafels at Middle Eastern joints, so perhaps I don't have the best examples to compare. But after I inhaling one from Taim, I wondered why I don't have them more often. This truck is worth stalking for the Falafel Sandwich, which is made with an amazingly flavorful green falafel that manages to be both tart and savory. I didn't know that green falafel existed, and I'm not sure if they are traditionally green or not. They are, however, spectacular, especially with the combination of tahini, hummus, and a surprisingly bright Israeli salad expertly rolled into a warm and non-soggy pita. Although Taim had a number of sauces and sides to try, keeping it simple was more than rewarding. I plan to return for some interesting ice tea and lemonade flavors (ginger/mint and pomegranate/honey), as well as healthy doses of feta and s'rug (cilantro-garlic-chili sauce). Extremely impressive for a dish commonly found on NYC streets. Grade: A+
The Taco Truck at the Highline's The Lot
The Lot Here is the dependable taco truck that we on the East Coast are so unfortunate to not have more of. Not only is it one of the few, it also seems to be a step up from the average. Why is that? Because despite being named The Taco Truck, TTT makes one mean torta (Mexican toasted sandwich). Like, mean. As mean as Num Pang's Cambodian 5-spice glazed pork belly sandwich (note to Num Pang: please start a truck). One splendid summer evening after a walk down the entire length of the Highline, I came up The Lot, a temporary plaza with a roller rink, food trucks, a bar, and benches. With no more fantastic way to conclude my Highline stroll, I took to the trucks. After surveying the taco, soup, salad, sides, and sandwich options, I chose the Barbacoa De Costilla torta ($7) at TTT. Now, sandwiches are a funny thing. They are so simple and can be so right, and yet so much can go wrong - they can become so average so easily. Which is why I appreciated the robustness of my torta. Shredded beef, chipotle salsa, white onions, pickled jalapenos, avocado, a crema and black bean spread, and queso between two slices of bread - all that, and you could still taste every part of this well-constructed sandwich. Especially the beef. It's disappointing when meat just functions as something fleshy and mushy to shred between your teeth. This beef actually functioned as the star of the show, both in terms of flavor and texture. Washed down with an orange Jarritos (Mexican soda), this was a fabulous truck meal. Grade: A.
My Torta (front)Sweetery NYC
A short 'n' sweet nod to this surprise of a truck for a late summer afternoon snack of Salmon and Dill quiche and a red velvet whoopie pie. Especially since I'd already had an omelet earlier and really didn't need much more egg in my day. I happened to be on my way home when I saw the Sweetery NYC truck, and so was able to warm up my quiche a tad bit and sip some coffee with my cookie. While the temperature certainly did help, there's no doubt that this quiche was packed with flavor, freshness, and identifiable as well as tasty chunks of salmon with just the right amount of dill (which I'm not a huge fan of). It was also a substantial portion - maybe a little over 3 inches wide, with sturdy, flaky crust. The whoopie pie was also surprisingly good. In case you didn't know, a whoopie pie is two soft cookies with a filling. In this case, the filling was the the cream cheese frosting that usually goes on top of a red velvet cake or cupcake. I'm still not sure what the difference between whoopie pies and macarons is. Call me unsophisticated. It doesn't really matter, because I'd take this whoopie pie over an over-priced macaron any day. Sweetery NYC has a lot of sweet and savory options that work as both large snacks and small meals. A great treat, and definitely a step above from the Cinnamon Snail. One sweet A for Sweetery.
