If you had a food cart/truck...
Ok, so my husband and I were in NYC last week, and saw all the food carts, 80% of which seemed to be halal food carts (gyros, chicken over rice, etc.). The remaining were hotdogs, several ice cream trucks, a couple of Jamaican, and a couple dessert trucks. I think there may have been a crepe cart. So I started thinking if I had a cart/truck, I would have a baked potato truck. So what would your truck of choice be?
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57 Comments:
Baked potato is a great choice. I'd have a grilled chicken cart, which must sound so boring. The chicken would be marinated and I'd wrap it in a toasty flour tortilla with red leaf lettuce, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, tomato slices, and a sauce of some kind, maybe hummus or a dill-spiked mayo.
PumpkinBear at 12:47AM on 05/25/09
Well, since becoming a "lessmeatarian," I've been having a food riot with the million or so meatless recipes I have encountered in the How To Cook Everything series (and they're not all in HTCE Vegetarian, either!). So, yeah, I'd offer things like bulgur chili, mashed potato cakes, salads, cauliflower flatbread, carrot/raisin/garam masala salad, spicy coleslaw...
Have I mentioned how much I love Mark Bittman?
gentlyferal at 4:01AM on 05/25/09
In England, jacket potato trucks are the norm, and in my more indulgent days I used to love the combination of potato with butter AND cheese.
I would love to see more Halal food trucks with veggie options like falafel.
I wonder why there are few French Fry or onion ring carts.
Good fruit vendors are nice, too.
When I was in grad school, I remember a truck that served 7-11 type food (packaged cookies, cereal) in single-serving size containers.
HeartofGlass at 5:33AM on 05/25/09
Korean fried chicken
bessfour at 7:57AM on 05/25/09
Are we talking in NYC here? If so, I'd do BBQ because I'm sure that there isn't "real" BBQ to be found to readily! Being that I'm from Texas and my husband is from NC, I'd do brisket and pulled pork, coleslaw and baked beans. Simple, but filling and yummy!
dharmon at 8:28AM on 05/25/09
One thing I'm going to miss when I return to the US are the dukbukki food stalls. mmmmm rice cakes
machellebelle at 8:41AM on 05/25/09
dim sum truck..all types of dumplings, steamed or fried, different meat fillings, vegetarian fillings. Also steamed buns with different fillings...
same goes for noodle trucks with different mix-ins..udon, rice, mei fun, chow mei fun etc etc...
Italiancupcake at 9:13AM on 05/25/09
when i had my food truck, i'd make wednesday "ravioli day" -- i'd make a ravioli salad of some sort every week.... along with burrito's, hummus & tabouleh sandwiches, hot dogs, fresh fruit, brownies.... it was lots of fun.... nice being your own boss.
pooch at 9:23AM on 05/25/09
I'd have a peanut butter truck. I guess it'd be kind of like the Peanut Butter & Co. cafe in Greenwich Village, but in cart form. Anyway, it'd sell a variety of peanut butter sandwiches (including a "build it yourself" kind), snacks, desserts, and drinks/smoothies/milkshakes, etc.
Or I'd have a chocolate truck. I would focus on one specific recipe for several different categories, and change them out probably weekly - as in one particular type of cookie, one brownie/bar, one cake, one frozen dessert, one pudding/mousse/trifle, one candy, etc.
kimberlymac at 9:35AM on 05/25/09
kebabs lamb chicken goat beef and pork. all marinated and grilled to order served with pita, and whatever sauces seem appropriate. also veggie kebabs seperate from the meat and never grilled together.
huneybumper at 9:36AM on 05/25/09
Donuts.
andshewas at 9:51AM on 05/25/09
I think I would have to try okonomiyaki. It's a meal that can be tailored for any time of the day. I think what is really neat about a cart in NYC is that the best of everything is always available there. There would never be a problem getting what you need.
Grumpy Old Man at 10:10AM on 05/25/09
Tonkotsu ramen, somen, beef curry rice, chicken curry rice, unajyu, gyudon, oyakodon, tendon, and, of course, gyoza.
Actually there is/was a truck similar to this at UC Berkeley. Oh how I loved it!
Cassaendra at 10:22AM on 05/25/09
Baked potato is a great choice.
I think I'd have a fry-cart. Home-style fries with all sorts of mixins and fixins.
- poutine
- chili-fries
- curry ketchup and mayo
- malt vinegar
- flavoured salts (dill pickle, jerk, ketchup, cheddar, etc)
I could go crazy! I'd be my best customer too ahaha
*sigh* I can't wait to visit the Big Apple someday!
hungrychristel at 11:01AM on 05/25/09
Love the baked potato idea!
I would have two - kebabs and crepes. Crepes with nutella, jam, yoghurt, fruit, whipped cream... whatever.
tatianak at 3:10PM on 05/25/09
I would get an ice cream or froyo truck, hands down, but I do like the idea above of having a dim sum truck...yum!
runnereater at 3:21PM on 05/25/09
Soup! Probably mostly Asian too. My dad always threatens to become one of those soup vendors that carry it on their back and walk around serving it.
swampyankee at 4:12PM on 05/25/09
ever since i visited tahiti i've dreamed of running a crepe truck specializing in the style of crepes that were served there in little crepe stands all over the place. paper thin, sizzling hot, with melted chocolate, nutella, cheese, or fruits and with ice cream (coconut most often or vanilla). yum. similar but different from the "polish crepes" (nalesniki) i grew up with in poland (of course) ;oP
gypsykid at 4:58PM on 05/25/09
A Kimbap cart!
you can create endless filling combinations if you get board of the same old fillings.
crumbles at 5:17PM on 05/25/09
since i was little, i have always fantasized about have a chowder stand. i guess a truck would do.
dearrie at 5:30PM on 05/25/09
A rice truck could work. Rice is almost as versatile as the potato. There are plenty of Cajun, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Latin American, Caribbean and Middle Eastern rice dishes to put on the menu. I'd be sure to have both vegetarian and meat options.
Susquehanna at 8:34PM on 05/25/09
Yes I would eat at a rice truck;
would you serve any wild rice recipes?
hungrychristel at 8:50PM on 05/25/09
What a reat question, @beth1. I'd run a breakfast truck! Would anyone besides me eat there? I don't know. Hopefully! I'd serve a variety of unusual pancakes (inspired by Shopsin and others) w/ maple syrup to dip in, as well as some common--and some unusual--breakfast sandwiches, from a classic ham/egg/cheese on a bagel to a Gaeran Tost-u Korean or a Malaysian Roti John.
maxcriden at 9:15PM on 05/25/09
I'd seriously consider a cart that provided Longos, a central European treat that is a fried dough (not too unlike fried elephant ears that make the fair circuit) but are not sweet; slathered with minced garlic in oil and dusted with finely grated jack-type cheese.
czken at 5:07AM on 05/26/09
In Toronto, it seems all we have are hot dogs and sausage carts. The first "ethnic" cart just started operating (it was on the news): Ethiopian/Eritrean food... looks like they'll give you a piece of injera wrapped around cooked veggies/curry/etc...
I would like a satay cart. Lamb, beef or chicken. Served with homemade peanut sauce, cucumber pieces and rice cakes. There's nothing quite like walking along the water and smelling the satay vendors' smoke in the wind...
bearsarefree at 11:24AM on 05/26/09
@kimberlymac, I love the peanut butter idea! I'm pretty sure I would be at your food cart every day.
I think a granola cart would be cool. Have a big bin of plain granola, and then options to add in whatever nuts, seeds, and fruit you wanted. Or a trail mix cart could be done along similar lines.
I also think a pasta cart would be awesome, where you could get a little bowl of spaghetti and there would be different sauce options, but I'm not sure how that would work logistically, since the pasta would probably either get overdone and mushy, or it would all stick together.
cycorider at 11:44AM on 05/26/09
Ooh, just thought of something...can I change my entry? :) I want a cereal cart! I'd have a bunch of cereals, fruits, and toppings that could be mixed like those cereal restaurants, and then a couple of different milk selections (skim, 1%, 2%, whole, chocolate, and a couple of non-dairy options).
cycorider at 11:59AM on 05/26/09
In this city? Breakfast tacos. Migas, chorizo, bacon, egg and potato. With plenty of horchata to wash it down!
James Boo at 12:07PM on 05/26/09
Pho cart for sure. I am in San Francisco where it is cold all year round, so a nice hot bowl of Pho will really warm you up and get you ready for the day. It's a breakfast cart, did I not mention that?
jedcancook at 1:01PM on 05/26/09
I would have a meat cake trailer. We'd offer a few different kinds of meat loaves in cupcake form with different varieties of mashed potatoes piped on.
Sweet E at 1:23PM on 05/26/09
I'd love to have a trailer like Skillet Street Food that I read about...different menus every week...simple, good food...seasonal....like a rolling upscale diner....that would be my dream job!
mepolo at 1:33PM on 05/26/09
Hong Kong street food, for sure! Skewered meats, curried fish balls, noodles, cheong fun....God I'm hungry...
hungryhungryhippo at 1:36PM on 05/26/09
crepe truck; they are so good! plus they are so fun to make with endless variety
jo_wang at 3:12PM on 05/26/09
I'd have a pierogi truck. I'd blare polka music as I drove around.
ewg109 at 3:23PM on 05/26/09
Perhaps a curry truck. There used to be a guy who ran a curry stall out on the corner near the student union at RPI, but then the school offered him space in the union, probably after observing how popular and delicious his food was.
But then, the Grease Trucks at Rutgers are pretty legendary, so maybe I'd open up something like that to pay homage. Ordering a hoagie roll stuffed with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, fries, marinara sauce, lettuce and tomato is scary enough without the whole monstrosity being called a "Fat Bitch" (or a "Fat Beach," as the signs started to read after the school complained) but they're surprisingly tasty.
myxomatosis at 4:36PM on 05/26/09
Noodles and dumplings and maybe congee too. Congee can be served in the morning. These are my comfort food and would love to have a cart to share my favorite food.
mcdoughney at 4:49PM on 05/26/09
This thread is the most hunger-inducing one yet. I swear I just ate!
hungrychristel at 4:50PM on 05/26/09
Totally dumplings. Soup dumplings, har-gow. Or even Banh mi would be awesome.
madebytam at 5:02PM on 05/26/09
Mmm.... a breakfast cart. Eggs made to order, pancakes, french toast, sausage and bacon
mandoopandoo at 5:30PM on 05/26/09
I am totally in with the breakfast truck...breakfast food is the best food in the world.
it would have to have good hollandaise to be poured over everything.
veggieout at 6:03PM on 05/26/09
I would have a Chips & Dip cart...chips of all shapes, sizes, flavors...dips of the world!
vadm130 at 6:30PM on 05/26/09
Suprisingly enough, I myself have always fantasized of having my very own spaghetti stand. I'd throw and squeeze in toppings and make sure people liked it.
bagel at 7:11PM on 05/26/09
Pancake Puffs!
germanbreakfast at 7:58PM on 05/26/09
I'd definitely have a van that sold hot chocolate during the winter and an iced coffee during the summer. I have perfected the art of making a great hot chocolate, and everyone can agree that nothing is more comforting during the harsh winter. Also, there are so many variations of iced coffees I would have to work hard to concoct new types of flavorful syrups to make mine different from the rest.
TaylorShocks at 8:33PM on 05/26/09
Toast! All kinds of toast with jam, peanut butter, eggs, nutella, anything!
Kinda similar to crepes, I suppose.
IbisFlight at 9:58PM on 05/26/09
it would have to be a gumbo cart..something u dont get everywhere but when done right is amazing. cheap and easy to make...can feed many people.
bidsa at 2:21AM on 05/27/09
I'd have a Fritto Misto cart....with lovely light batter-fried veggies like zucchini, cauliflower, button mushrooms, baby artichokes, squash blossoms, brocolli, green beans. served with either aioli or marinara.
juliebugsmama at 7:32AM on 05/27/09
Last year whilst visiting a market in Avignon, Provence, I saw a couple of trucks selling paella - the pans were HUGE, and filled with delicious looking paella complete with mussels on the top - the vendor would scoop some of the paella into a styrofoam cup, with a fork. I thought it would go over in North America.
bareneed at 8:06AM on 05/27/09
When I heard there was actually a Creme Brulee truck I thought that was the MOST marvellous idea! But the french fry Truck is where my heart would be, so my truck would be the Fry and Torch - Fries and Brulee!
TeriN at 9:13AM on 05/27/09
@bareneed: I'd definitely include paella in the rice truck's rotating menu. It's one of my favorite rice dishes. Would skip the mussels, though. I love 'em but quality is hard to find around here.
@hungrycrystal: Would certainly include a wild rice option at some point. This Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad from Simply Recipes is an example of a veg option I'd serve in the early fall. I'd likely limit the menu to three items a day, two meat dishes and one vegetarian. Got to keep costs down.
Susquehanna at 11:41AM on 05/27/09
@Bidsa: Wow a gumbo truck would be awesome. I'd work there part time just so I could sneak samples.
Cassaendra at 1:31PM on 05/27/09
I would love to have my own cart. I'd take a lead from the street vendors of the India and try a chaat cart that are found all over India. Or maybe a noodle cart like in Hong Kong? Ah... the possibilities are endless :)
shazza at 3:48PM on 05/28/09
NACHO CART!!!!
all you'd need is a steam table (and maybe some sort of toaster oven for the leets who can't deal with pump cheese goodness)
sloppy at 5:05PM on 05/29/09
I was gonna say okonomiyaki, but someone beat me to it.
I might do a congee truck, if only because I could eat that stuff every day. I'd park near dorms Fri-Sun to get the hungover crowd in the morning.
piccola at 11:39PM on 05/29/09
If I owned it, a dessert truck for sure. Lots of ice creams, cookies, a few cupcakes, some macarons, homemade candy...maybe with a rotating flavor theme (kind of a poor man's version of Pierre Herme's fetishes or something, I get easily obsessed with flavors). If we're talking something I'd want to eat at a lot, I like the idea of a spaghetti truck. Or just falafel or something.
VerySmallAnna at 2:14AM on 05/30/09
When I lived in Seattle, I would dream about having a lunch truck with several kinds of tamales, along with red and green chile sauces and chili con carne to top them with. Still appeals to me 20-something years later.
David in San Antonio at 8:49AM on 05/30/09
An everything chocolate truck. I'd park my trucks on Wall Street and other districts that are home to extremely stressful jobs. As the women get off work tired, mad and ready to scream, they'll be greeted by the mouth watering smell of chocolate that they can't resist.
QueenAlli at 1:15PM on 06/01/09