FoodTruckEmpire

I know, I know, It's almost the end of food truck season and just now I am writing an entry. Good news is, I have been visiting new food trucks, taking pictures and notes of what I've eaten. I have not had the time to upload the reviews, but I will soon. In the meantime, I did an interview with Brett from foodtruckempire.com. FoodTruckEmpire is a site that is the "ultimate resource for food truck entrepreneurs". It was a great interview where I discussed why I started this blog, my favorite truck and what I look for when deciding what truck to purchase from. Check out the podcast here: FoodTruckEmpire. Also, be sure to check the site for an inside look at the food truck business.

New Rankings, New to DC

Thanks to www.new-todc.com for the feature on the site! Check out the site by clicking on the banner below:



Also, I made an update to the Rankings page after some readers feedback. I understand that it may be tough ranking all the trucks against each other when they are so different. So it is now broken up into categories, so if you're looking for the top BBQ truck or top halal cart - I got you covered.

Day 29 - @BasilThymeDC - Lasagna truck!

WHAT:

http://basilthyme.com/

The menu:

WHERE:

Farragut Square

HOW:

This is probably the most overdue review to date. There has been abuzz around the area about this truck lasagna truck that I had yet to review. I've had comments that I HAD to review this truck as it has won awards. I actually find this truck a little tough to find during the week at my homebase of Franklin/Farragut square as it only shows up once a week. Because of this, the line is usually long and thus, the reason why I have yet to review it. Luckily, on this day the line was fairly short, probably because we get out of the office early...

The review

Not really sure where the naming conventions came from for the menu (perhaps real people who inspired the recipe?). Either way, I found it useful for ordering purposes. Lisetta really peaked my interest, but that would've went against the whole ideology of this blog to always go for the first item on the menu. And for $1 extra, why not go for the combo (drink & cannoli) So thus, I went with mama Linda. I was hoping that the *yawn* description actually had a punch to it and brought something different to the table. I was mistaken. It was as bland as my mothers lasagna. If I wanted bland lasagna I could've went to the grocery and heated it up in the oven. The salad was just a tad bit less bland than the lasagna. My coworkers and I wondered how this truck won these awards? Definitely a disappointment, although I will say, the cannoli with the combo was a good compliment to the meal and it did fill me up (doesn't all pasta?)

WHY:

6 wheeler review. Maybe I chose the wrong menu item - but this did not live up to the reputation I heard about. I probably have tasted Safeway lasagna on the same level as this. Although I would probably buy the cannoli by itself as a desert dish - it's saying something when the best thing about the meal is the desert. Don't believe in the hype!

Day 28 - @philliesphamous - CHEESESTEAK TRUCK

WHAT:

https://twitter.com/#!/philliesphamous

The menu:

WHERE:

Franklin Square

HOW:

Now forgive me if I am a bit giddy about the regular attendance of a CHEESESTEAK food truck roaming DC. There is a food truck, Badabing that is a regular in Arlington that I haven't made the trek to try, but to have one frequent DC is a godsend. Childhood Thursday Lunch special of cheesesteaks in middle school hold a special place in my heart (and stomach). The best i've had, as not surprisingly, in Philly. I am on the Pat's bandwagon, although I rarely make the trip to Philly often so I haven't had all the choices that the city presents. So, to find a cheesesteak truck from PHILLY, the inner child in me couldn't resist. The first time I THOUGHT about trying this truck was at Farragut Square where the line wrapped around K street that was too long to wait for if i would like to have kept my job. As with most things desired, my plan to finally taste these cheesesteaks is to beat the crowds. Luckily a few days later, I check my tracker and see it is at Franklin - so I plan on leaving for lunch at 11:30AM (which, by most standards will mean you won't have to deal with ANY lines at a food truck)

The review

I got the beef (DUH!), 6 inch special, which at $8 is a STEAL for food trucks standards, coming with chips and a drink. Now, the amount of meat they give you is not sparingly, definitely your moneys worth. What is a big lacking is the condiments that they add on it. I'm sure if you ask them to put a little more mushrooms or lettuce, they'd do it, but it was disappointing to see so little placed on the sandwich. While the steak was just a bit dry, the taste and seasoning definitely made up for it. My middle school self was in heaven. The bread was nice and soft, definitely a proponent of having soft over hard bread for sandwiches. After devouring this delicious sandwich, I felt satisfied, but definitely not stuffed - which is a good thing. Unless you are STARVING, go for the 6 inch - especially if getting the combo - it is more than enough lunch for you.

WHY:

8 wheeler review. The only improvement needed is the amount of condiments, and to keep the steak nice and juicy. Other than that, it's much better than you'll get from Quiznos or Subway, so don't think twice about trying this out. Definitely recommend you give this truck a taste - your middle school self will thank you!

Day 27 - @kravingkabob - Kabob Truck!

WHAT:

https://twitter.com/#!/kravingkabob

The menu:

WHERE:

Farragut Square

HOW:

I'll admit that this was not my first choice, but when a beautiful day presents itself, so does extremely long lines at Farragut square. Analyzing the sea of lines and strategically choosing a new truck to post on the site weighing the length of the line and the type of food i was in the mood for today, Kraving Kabob won! One of the shorter lines at the square and if it is at all in the same level as tasty kabob, I was in for a great lunch.

The review

What immediately caught my attention is that it had one of my favorite side dishes (french fries) was an option to get with kabobs. That was immediate plus. The fries had some old bay type seasoning that was reminiscent of popeyes cajun fries. The kraving chicken kabob sandwich wrap had seasoned chicken with lettuce and tomatoes. While I enjoyed the fries, the combination of the two didn't really blend well. It's another example of the golden rule that pairing two delicious things doesn't necessary equate to something delicious. As for the wrap itself, it was not very memorable while I won't say that it was bland, it didn't have the flavor that I would krave with Tasty Kabob. I did enjoy the pita bread, however the wrap did not fill me up and if it weren't for the fries, I would've had to grab a snack mid afternoon.

WHY:

6 wheeler review. If this is the only kabob truck around you and you are in desperate need of kabobs, it is a decent option - but with the many choices of kabob/halal type trucks that are usually found in close proximity to each other, I'd skip this one.