What Have I Had From The Trucks?
Sorry all! I haven’t posted much in the last little bit. I have to admit that my darn day job has had me a bit slammed. As things start to slow down, I’ll hopefully get back to posting more!!!
At any rate, I realized that I haven’t really posted anything about lots of the foods that I’ve had in the past several months. So here we go!!!
DoughWorks – Tuxedo Burgers
Back in February, Jim and I headed down to Jackalope for their weekly Sunday “Drunch”. I was pretty excited because Doughworks was going to be there. They had only been out for about a week or two at that point. Plus donut truck! Who wouldn’t be excited!!! I opted to get the Tuxedo Burger. The donut batter that they use creates a thicker yeastier donut than the stereotypical donut. So it makes it a perfect donut for savory foods like burgers. The burger was grilled to perfection. And I’m a fan of sweet, so the slight sweet from the donut was perfect.
Biscuit Love – The SEC
Biscuit Love is hands down one of my favorite food trucks in Music City. And The SEC is another check in the love love love column. This isn’t some flat piece of sausage. This is a thick cut piece of local sausage. THIS is how you do a breakfast sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit!
Biscuit Love – Family Reserve Blueberry Biscuit
I apologize for this picture. I forgot to get a picture of the biscuit before it got demolished. If you are lucky enough to see the blueberry family reserve biscuit or the family reserve biscuit on the menu at Biscuit Love, I don’t care what else you order, you need to order this. Share it or over eat, but don’t miss out. Chef Karl has biscuits down to an art and the Family Reserve biscuit is the Mona Lisa of biscuits!
Smokin’ Thighs – Chicken Wings and Bacon Mac & Cheese
Smokin’ Thighs hit the streets back in December of 2012, but rest assured, Matthew and company will be around for a good long while. Smokin’ Thighs is a chicken truck and chicken they do well!!! The wings are pretty hefty sized. For the amount of wings you get, they are a steal. And the bacon mac and cheese is a must. I was almost tempted to JUST get the bacon mac & cheese because it is just so darn delishus. Back to the wings. They were hot. They were juicy. They had just the perfect hint of spice for me. They were…well…Smokin’!!! On a side note, we all know that Jim is a major hot chicken aficionado. When it comes to hot chicken, he’s gonna let you know if it is legit. And while he enjoyed the wings, he felt Matthew could go just a bit hotter on the hot chicken.
I’ve got more to come from the Biscuit Love and the Riff’s Cooking with Yazoo dinners and even more from DoughWorks, Dixie Belle’s Cupcakes, and more food trucks. But it has been a while, so I wanted to make your mouths water a bit. Going on longer would only be torture…for all of us, because now I’m hungry for wings, bacon mac and cheese, and a biscuit!
Hope you all make it out to the trucks! Check our locations page for food trucks with windows up near you!! What new food truck item will you try today? Get out and try a new food truck!!! TODAY!!!
-FTJ Julie
El Kimchi is El Awesome! And I’m Throwing a Tantrum They Aren’t In Nashville!
El Kimchi Food Truck, Asheville, North Carolina
Back at the end of January, Jim and I headed to one of our favorite destinations, Asheville, NC. It was our 3rd visit in the last year and a half or so. We seriously love this city. The vibe, the beer, the support for everything local, and most importantly, the food. Now we have our favorite restaurants that we like to hit. Mayfel’s for breakfast (their bacon is stupid ridiculous delish), Doc Chey’s Noodle House (the wok seared green beans are a MUST HAVE), and Asheville Brewing for their dough knots (sorry Barley’s. Your fiddle sticks just don’t even compare). However, we had never had a food truck experience in Asheville. I had commented to Jim months ago that I saw a site that showed quite a few food trucks in Asheville despite that we had never seen one.
On the last visit to Asheville, we didn’t make it to a few breweries that Jim really had wanted to go to. Mainly, Wedge Brewery. So this visit we were going to make sure we hit their taproom which is in the art district of Asheville. In the process of looking up the time they opened on Saturday, I noticed that Wedge had listed the food trucks that they have on each day they are open. Saturday’s food truck happened to be one called “El Kimchi“. I think I may have actually squealed in delight when I told Jim that a food truck was going to be at the taproom! Finally, we were going to have a food truck experience in Asheville!
El Kimchi – From the Side of the Truck
I have to say that I have been on quite a Korean/Asian food kick lately. Nashville’s food scene has just boomed with a variety of trucks offering Korean varieties from Korean Fried Chicken and Kimchi Waffle to Bulgogi Kimchi Fried Rice to the awesomeness that is the InterAsian Market. So when I saw it was a Korean/Mexican fusion truck, I was pretty excited. Jim is not only a fan of Korean food, but this kid could eat California burritos like all day long. He loves his Mexican food and more than that, he loves his taco trucks! So to have a truck melding both worlds at a brewery with ridiculous good beer? Fuhgettaboutit!!!!
We got there shortly after the brewery opened at 3. The truck was set to open their windows at 4. The aroma coming out of this truck was making me starved. After watching the initial rush of people go through the line, Jim and I finally sauntered up to the truck to check out the menu. Tacos, Tortas, Burritos, Quesadillas to the Asian style rice bowls and Bibimbap.
El Kimchi – The Menu
We perused the menu for a bit and then introduced ourselves to Jimmy Lee, who helps his parents (both born in Korea) and his sister, Iris, run the truck. First off, you know that I’ve said how important it is to have personality. Jimmy has the perfect food truck personality and was super friendly. So even before eating from the truck, I was already happy with the experience. Jimmy let us know that they actually do make their own Kimchi. He has been quoted (via Mackensy Lunsford on Mountain Xpress) as saying that his mom makes the best kimchi in the world! And she tries to use as many local ingredients as possible to do so. He did mention that there are about a dozen or so trucks there in Asheville.
El Kimchi – Daily Specials
After reviewing the menu, I decided to go with the Bulgolgi Bibimbap and a Kimchi pancake. Jim went with Spicy Pork Burrito.
Let me talk about the pricing for just a quick tangent second. While sometimes, when I walk up to a food truck, I think that perhaps they could come down $1 sometimes $2 on pricing. I did not have that feeling with El Kimchi. I felt their pricing was spot on. The more affordable the food, the more you’ll sell. Especially when it’s kick ass food!!! And El Kimchi is kick ass food at a decent price!! It’s like a one-two punch!
Now back to the food. A Kimchi Pancake is not something you see normally. Or at least I don’t. So I immediately knew I wanted it. While I think Jim was a little shocked and/or wary, he ended up eating 3/4 of the pancake in nearly one breath. It was THAT good!! Nice and a little crisp on the outside and perfectly pancakey in the middle. Kinda wish I had gotten two.
El Kimchi – Kimchi Pancake
I ordered the Bulgolgi Beef Bibimbap. To the non-Asian eater, it is basically rice with your meat, carrots, cabbage, scallions, and then topped with lettuce, a fried egg, and chili sauce. As marked on their menu, this is an authentic Korean dish. My taste buds felt like they had died and gone to heaven. It’s an explosion of Asian flavors. Well worth the $8 for all the food you got. I was full and had leftovers that were enough for a second meal.
El Kimchi – Bibimbap
Jim ordered the Spicy Pork Burrito. When he brought the food back to the table and he opened his burrito, the first thing he said was “Man, that’s a legit Cali burrito right there.” Grilled to perfection with the tortilla crispy and the inside hot, again, the size of this burrito was worth every penny. Jim only ate half and had more for another meal.
El Kimchi – Spicy Pork Burrito
I was lucky enough to have one bite of his burrito. I’m actually shocked that he offered to let me have a bite. But I will say, that the one bite I had was Korean-Mexican burrito perfection! Just know that this burrito is roughly the size of a little baby’s head. So make sure you 1. want leftovers or 2. have someone to share with.
El Kimchi – Inside the Spicy Pork Burrito
There are so many menu items I would like to try. I’m really wanting to try the Kimchi Quesadilla or the Bulgolgi Beef Torta. I’m a total bulgolgi girl. I can’t help myself!!! I would have liked to have tried their dumplings as well which were the special of the day. But there is only so much food that Jim and I can reasonably split in one sitting without splitting our sides!!!
Even though Asheville is a healthy 4 hour drive (and you lose an hour, so technically 5 hour drive), it is a city that I plan to visit again before too long. So hopefully, I won’t have to wait too long until my next meal from Jimmy Lee and the El Kimchi truck!
If you are planning a visit to Asheville, or if you live in Asheville (lucky dogs!!!), I cannot stress ENOUGH how much you should follow them on Twitter or Like them on Facebook, and STALK them for lunch or dinner. I can tell you that they are Wedge Brewing Taproom on Mondays and Saturdays.
This is a food truck I wish were in Nashville. El Kimchi is El Awesome! Amazing Korean-Mexican Street Food has arrived to Asheville and I wish I could eat their food everyday.
-FTJ Julie
5 Questions With Smokin’ Thighs
We know how busy the food truck owners are. So we are so greatful here at NashvilleFoodTruckJunkie.com to have trucks who take the time to answer our 5 questions!
Today we would like to thank Matthew Carney with Smokin’ Thighs truck! It’s super busy to get a new truck up and running. So we appreciate the time he took to answer our questions.
Now that you have a full month (plus some) under your belt, what is the most important piece of advice you would give to a new food truck owner?
Matthew: Starting up is very challenging as is any small business, but I would tell a new truck owner to get ALL of their friends & family behind the truck and begin challenging yourself immediately. In the beginning we considered having a “grand opening” in a dark corner waiting on a few customers shortly before going home for the day. With the likeliness of being bored I changed my mind and did the exact opposite of that. Every friend, family member, dog and chicken was invited to Elmington Park on December 1st, 2012 and we were slammed from the minute we opened our window at 11am till sundown. Not only will your friends will forgive you when you forget those celery sticks or that cheese topping that they ordered but they will open your eyes to the things you didn’t think about and prepare you for the future more easily.
What things can we expect to look forward to in 2013 from Smokin’ Thighs?
Specials, while we feel we have a great 4 step menu now, (http://www.smokinthighs.com/menu.html) we want to keep our foodies/customers coming back for more. We plan to add some special seasonal flavors for our smoked wings, legs and thighs and possibly get into a limited supply of “stuffed wings”.
How did you decide on the concept for your truck?
The concept of the Smokin Thighs Food Truck was born during a discussion at one of Nashville’s live music events (Live On The Green) in 2012. The already established food truck scene was doing great but it was missing one of our favorite foods… WINGS! With a bit of discussion and a few beers a truck that hadn’t even been purchased truck was named Smokin Thighs after a few casual jokes. Because I was becoming known for grilling some fantastic tasting wings I thought let’s build this thing and take it full scale. Weeks later I bought a truck, remodeled it, built a website (www.smokinthighs.com), added a few other selections to the menu and jumped thru a lot of hoops to bring our smoked and grilled wings to the streets of Nashville, TN. While at times our concept gets confused with being a BBQ Truck we proudly steak our claim that we are a chicken food truck and NOT BBQ!
What is your favorite item to have from your truck?
Wings, On The Bone, Perfectly Awesome with pineapple and the Bacon Mac & Cheese. Our favorite flavor was developed by experimenting with a barbecue sauce base and adding certain spices that’s well… Perfectly Awesome!
What has been your most rewarding moment in the last month plus that you have had “windows up”?
The repeat foodies/customers that smile when they return to the truck and say “I had you the other day and just had to come back because i’m craving more of your Smokin Thighs!”
Thank you again, Matthew!!!! Great insight into Smokin’ Thighs!!!
Want to catch Smokin’ Thighs on the streets??? You can check our Locations page or the Smokin’ Thighs website for their upcoming locations!
P.S. We’ve had the Bacon Mac & Cheese. It’s definitely a fave of ours!!!!
See you all at the trucks!!!
-FTJ Julie
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers Raises the Bar With “The Italian Job”
I’m a fan of Hoss’ Loaded Burgers. Burgers and fries are two of the food groups, right?
While Dallas maintains the good old standbys, The Old Timer and The Hoss, he is constantly rotating in a new burger about every 3-4 months. Back in December, he introduced “The King” which is a burger topped with carmelized banana slices, melted peanut butter, bacon, and jam. It’s an odd concoction to think of on top of a burger. And while sometimes many likeable items don’t go well together, this burger is different yet delicious. Now, I realize that it may not be for everyone. This isn’t your traditional burger. But, if you like carmelized banana slices, peanut butter, jelly, and a little bit of bacon together, then I urge you to give “The King” a try. I have a hunch you will be pleasantly surprised. And I urge you to try it soon. As it has been on the menu already 2 months, it will probably rotate off the menu in about another month or 2 based on the current rotation schedule. That is unless this burger becomes so wildly popular that they just have to keep it on the menu as a mainstay!
But while “The King” is tasty, Hoss’ is introducing another new burger called “The Italian Job.”
Jim and I had the pleasure of trying “The Italian Job” before it is released to the general public. Hoss’ had 10 “preview” burgers available this past Saturday at the Nashville Farmer’s Market Food Truck Event, and we were lucky enough to snag one.
First off, let me describe what “The Italian Job” is. Hoss’ has gone to Porter Road Butcher (perhaps the top butcher in Nashville!) and has created a burger which is a mixture of grass fed beef and hot italian sausage. This burger is then stuffed with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. But let’s not stop there. ”The Italian Job” is then topped with marinara, grilled peppers and onions, and Parmesan cheese. Let me give you a moment to soak that all in.
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers – “The Italian Job”
Jim took the first bite and promptly joked at me to go get my own which meant that this burger was awesome. And while he said it in jest, I knew that deep down he wished he didn’t have to share with me. When I finally got to get my first bite, it was a flavor explosion in my mouth. The burger mixture with the beef and the hot italian sausage is dynamite. It’s completely killer. But then you add in the slight spicy flavor of the pepperoni and a marinara that is spot on multiplied by the gooey, melty mozzarella and you have a winner winner burger dinner. One of the things I really enjoyed about this burger is that despite the marinara, it isn’t overflowing to where this is a messy burger. I mean. It’s burger messy, but it’s not “Red, White, & Blue” burger messy. Hoss fans know what I mean!
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers – The Inside of “The Italian Job”
Of all the burgers that I have had from Hoss’ Loaded Burgers, this has to be hands down the best I’ve had from the truck. I’m gonna be stalking the truck for the next few months as long as “The Italian Job” is on the menu. While I’m normally a little sad when Dallas announces it’s the last week of a burger, I’m normally also excited about what the new burger is going to be. I have a hunch that when Dallas announces it’s the last week of “The Italian Job”, I may throw a tantrum! Okay, maybe not a tantrum, but I might go into emo mode for a few days. But seeing as the burger is only on it’s first week on the menu, I’m being a little premature here.
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers will be back on the streets on Tuesday. So that will be the first day this burger is officially on the menu! I promise you will not be disappointed. Get one, get two…but just get it!!!!
Coming this week: I’ve got my recap from Saturday’s Nashville Farmer’s Market food truck event coming this week as well as hopefully another 5 Questions segment! I’ll also be at Yazoo on Tuesday night for the “Cooking With Beer” featuring Riff’s Fine Street Food! You can still purchase tickets to that event HERE.
I’ll see you all at the trucks!!!
-FTJ Julie
Yazoo’s “Cooking With Beer” Series Features Food Trucks!
So back in October, Jim and I came across Yazoo Brewery’s newest series of events called “Cooking With Beer.” The event in October was actually the 2nd in the series. Not sure how we missed the inaugural event. Yazoo invites a local chef to create a night of food utilizing the beer in the food as well pairing the courses with beer.
While Jim and I were unimpressed by the chef in October, we couldn’t have been more excited to discover that the November “Cooking With Beer” event was going to feature one of our favorite food trucks, Biscuit Love. I immediately bought tickets and I’m glad I did. Tickets sold out in like 10 days. Chef Karl created a menu based on “Scenes From A Redneck Childhood.” Country Pickled Plate, Fried Chicken, Mac and Cheese, Greens, and ending with the most dreamy buttermilk pie that he actually substituted Yazoo’s Beer Named Sue in place of the buttermilk (pie subsequently named “A Pie Named Sue”). Now THIS was what we were expecting from the chef at the Cooking With Beer series. Chef Karl ended the 2012 series on a high note (to say the least!). He also set the bar pretty darn high for this event for all future chefs at “Cooking With Beer”!
Biscuit Love “Buttermilk Pie Named Sue” from Yazoo’s Cooking With Beer, November, 2012
Well, it’s time for the first “Cooking With Beer” of 2013. The event is Tuesday, January 15th at 6 PM. The cost is $30. This includes the dinner AND the beer pairings!!! And guess what? Yazoo is featuring another of our beloved food trucks, Riff’s Fine Street Food!!! Chef Carlos has already stated a “Brewtastic Menu.” And frankly, I can’t think of anything from Riff’s truck that I’ve had that I haven’t loved. So I’m really excited to see what Chef Carlos and Chef BJ come up with.
Jim and I have our tickets! And if you would like tickets of your very own, you can visit Yazoo’s Official Store…or just CLICK HERE!
See you all at the trucks!!! (Or at “Cooking With Beer” on the 15th!)
-FTJ Julie
