tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73479757094028882642024-03-13T03:20:34.317-07:00I'm Usually HungryFood brings me entirely too much satisfaction.kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-90853557054614106342012-11-13T10:15:00.001-08:002012-11-13T10:16:44.074-08:00The Big Cheese<span id="internal-source-marker_0.4426920669377322" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When
it came to The Big Cheese, the biggest decision to make was actually
choosing The Big Cheese over all the other trucks requesting my presence
at Truckeroo (we did several complete laps evaluating our options).
When it came down to it, I really just wanted a “normal” dinner. Not
some weird fusion meal that didn’t exist five years ago, just something
that I’d normally eat, but couldn’t make as well on my own limited
cooking abilities. And The Big Cheese granted me just that. Sure a
Korean Taco is a novel dinner, but as I was on my way to an All-American
Nats Game in the capital of the free world, I really wanted to embrace
something that fit with the theme. And after a hot dog or hamburger, a
grilled cheese with apples seemed right on target. Classic. American.
Simple.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Props
to The Big Cheese for making me want every sandwich on the menu. Of
course I had to seek guidance from The Big Cheese employees to help me
make the second biggest decision of my day, and they steered me toward
the Mt. Fuji: MT Tam brie (should I know what “MT Tam” is? Am I not
cultured?), fuji apple, and honey on multigrain (as I’m sure no one was
wondering, I added bacon as well). I’m fairly sure none of the choices
would have been bad (and I’m looking forward to trying the others) but
the combination of melted cheese and sweet apples was pleasing
nonetheless. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMRrd_No8AA/UKKOGud_4LI/AAAAAAAAANU/OEdvrmXabeI/s1600/bigcheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMRrd_No8AA/UKKOGud_4LI/AAAAAAAAANU/OEdvrmXabeI/s1600/bigcheese.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Honestly,
I probably could have made this sandwich myself in my top of the line
George Foreman panini maker from Overstock.com (highly recommended), but
that would suggest I 1. am willing to exert that much effort 2.
purchase cheese that doesn’t come pre-sliced or shredded in a bag 3.
know where to find and how to distinguish a fuji apple. I am not
willing to do any of those things, but since I am gladly willing to sit
in a parking lot full of drunk Nats fans amidst a dozen food trucks,
purchasing this sandwich was the better life choice. In short, the
sandwich is good, but you could probably make it on your own. What
you’re paying for is the convenience and selection of ingredients you
probably don’t have on hand if you’re a yopro living the dream. By dream
I mean paying half your monthly salary towards rent, and spending the
rest on simple pleasures like going to Truckeroo and Nats games with
your friends. America. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<a href="http://bigcheesetruck.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://bigcheesetruck.com/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-63425714431198249582012-10-03T13:24:00.002-07:002012-10-03T13:24:49.599-07:00Dangerously Delicious Pies<span id="internal-source-marker_0.7391962462500022" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dangerously
Delicious Pies wagers their Baltimore Bomb pie could be “the ultimate
of decadence”. Personally I find this to be quite the statement. I eat a
lot, and I eat frequently, so I’ve had my share of decadence. Could
Dangerously Delicious Pies back up this rather extravagant claim? The
website sure makes this sound like a world-class dessert: “This pie has
quickly climbed to a top selling position. Created especially for
Baltimore by one mean Dangerously Delicious Pie slinger, it’s loaded
with Berger Cookies (a local specialty) that melt down and swirl into a
sweet vanilla chess filling. This pie could be the ultimate of
decadence. Featured on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Guilty
Pleasures””. The anticipation was almost too much to handle and I was
left wondering whether my tastebuds would agree with this bold
assertion.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m
not from Baltimore, so quite frankly, the term ‘Berger Cookies’ has
little meaning to me and does not further sell me on the item (however,
an accomplice who also ate this pie and grew up near Baltimore felt
great joy about the presence of these cookies). I’m embarrassed to
admit I consider myself a dessert fan, and initially thought a ‘chess’
filling was a typo for ‘cheese’. Lest you are in the same boat I was
in, I’d hate for you to think I made a typo as well, so I’ll clear this
up: chess filling is real and a term used to describe the filling of
butter, eggs, sugar, and other variations (consider yourself newly
informed). Regardless, I interpreted the above description as “dessert I
most likely will enjoy” due to the fact that it is a pie containing
cookies, resulting in two desserts in one. No complaints about that.
Upon placing the first forkful of pie in my watering mouth, my senses
were enveloped in a smooth, velvety texture releasing a sweet cream
flavor with bursts of chocolate. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2C3BA9ijqEs/UGye8u6k11I/AAAAAAAAANE/A574rUQ766Y/s1600/Baltimore+Bomb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2C3BA9ijqEs/UGye8u6k11I/AAAAAAAAANE/A574rUQ766Y/s320/Baltimore+Bomb.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
truly unique aspect of this pie is the texture. Usually I’m a
taste-oriented eater, and while this was also a strong suit, the texture
was the more overpowering feature. I researched how these pies were
made (to understand the definition of chess), and learned that the
Berger cookies are all heated together with the other ingredients to
form the filling. Something about these cookies shedding their own
original agenda and being melted together as one, rich oozing custard
being, really spoke to me. Individually each cookie is a duck, but
together, they form a V flying in perfect formation. Gordon Bombay would
be proud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Would
I call this Baltimore Bomb “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” or the “ultimate
of decadence”? Not quite. Would I say it danced on my tastebuds enough
to get me to return for an alternate pie slice out of curiosity? Yes.
Would I say I enjoyed each bite and was sad when it was over? Yes. Was
I ultimately satisfied? Yes. Did I care enough to write a blog about
it? Guilty.</span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-21563139597601805502012-08-26T15:41:00.000-07:002012-08-26T15:45:56.330-07:00D.C. Slices<span id="internal-source-marker_0.6203623589076936" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
short version: D.C. slices is hands down the best food truck I’ve been
to when it comes to customer service. Their food is good too, but never
have I ever left feeling quite as pleased, happy, and newly loyal as I
did after paying D.C. Slices a visit. Let’s review how they hooked me,
shall we?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Originally
I was on my way to my competitive Cornhole league, and while caught off
guard, pleasantly surprised to see a food truck set up post-lunch hours
(I work in Alexandria were <a href="https://twitter.com/foodtruckfiesta" target="_blank">@foodtruckfiesta</a> informed me they are
banned. I am coping with this on my own terms). Thank goodness I was
early to Cornhole so I could stop and inspect this potential snack
provider. I decided mozzarella sticks were an appropriate pre-game
snack that would give me the proper energy needed to win. D.C. Slices
was quick and efficient, and the mozzarella sticks were satisfactory and
nutritional. However I had this gnawing feeling at my insides that I
hadn’t made the right life choice, similar to how Mrs. McCallister felt
on her first-class flight to Paris as she began to process she’d left
Kevin home alone. After all it’s called D.C. Slices, and one would
assume that pizza is their pride and joy. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tragedy
followed. My emotional distress mounted as I came to terms that I’d
made the wrong choice. My concentration was broken the whole Cornhole
game. The slices kept haunting me with each toss of the beanbag.
Without a doubt this accounted for my subpar tosses, as usually I am the
backbone of the team and can be heavily relied upon to score the most
points. You can imagine my euphoria when I emerged from a harrowing and
extremely close Cornhole game to find the D.C. Slices truck still
parked outside. With no reservations on being gluttonous, my teammate
and I ordered ourselves two cheese slices. I immediately felt at peace
and a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders. I knew I’d made the
right choice. Not to mention the pizza was quite satisfying with just
the right amount of grease to cheese to sauce proportions.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktMD6W3PQRI/UDqlBFiIvAI/AAAAAAAAAMk/pUI9AyeYbXQ/s1600/D.C.+Slices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktMD6W3PQRI/UDqlBFiIvAI/AAAAAAAAAMk/pUI9AyeYbXQ/s320/D.C.+Slices.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here’s
where the plot twist occurs. Upon presenting our two slices, the
slices provider declared, “That slice is smaller than the other, so
we’ll knock a dollar off that one.” My jaw dropped almost as much as
the judges did during McKayla Maroney’s fantastically perfect vault.
The slices looked pretty much the same size to my untrained eye, and I
wouldn’t have even thought to complain about this minute detail. The
slices man had nothing to gain from this immensely selfless act besides
satisfied customers (and an adoring blog post, but he couldn’t have
known this at the time), so I applaud his beneficent deed. A regular
Mother Teresa. What a guy. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just
when I thought things couldn’t get any groovier, I was proved wrong.
My other teammate was waiting for a pepperoni slice and the pizza guys
were making a whole fresh pie. I admire and respect D.C. Slices for not
giving us junk that’s been sitting around under heat lamps. As we were
milling about reveling in our $1 of savings, the pizza guys shoved some
tots out the window and explained “You guys have been waiting awhile,
here are some tots for you.” Stunned. Speechless. Awestruck.
Ecstatic. These words barely capture the tidal wave of emotions
coursing through my cheese filled belly at the prospect of free tots.
And let it be known, the wait wasn’t even that long! I’ve waited
plenty longer at other food trucks (i.e. <a href="http://nyfoodnomnom.blogspot.com/2012/03/calexico-cart.html" target="_blank">Calexico Cart</a>), with not so
much as a “thanks for the wait.” Again, I wouldn’t have thought twice
about this wait, and the kind sir had no ulterior motives except the
goodness of his heart to provide us with such a prize. Here’s to you
D.C. slices, for putting me in a far better mood after visiting your
truck than I was in before I met you. You are the Miss Congeniality of
food trucks. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://dcslices.com/menu/" target="_blank">http://dcslices.com/menu/ </a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Update:
Obviously I returned to D.C. Slices after this first satisfying
experience. I am pleased to report the service remained excellent, with
a side of friendliness and tastiness. And I got these delicious pizza
tots.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vKH5vTHWviM/UDqlHOiulZI/AAAAAAAAAMs/0ET1jE46jNo/s1600/D.C.+TOTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vKH5vTHWviM/UDqlHOiulZI/AAAAAAAAAMs/0ET1jE46jNo/s320/D.C.+TOTS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-52060914015794228132012-06-25T19:50:00.001-07:002012-06-25T19:57:41.102-07:00Hula Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.17985968166480093" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I
can write your Hula Girl post for you, MEH,” declared my friend who had
accompanied me to Truckeroo (a food truck festival for those of you
less cultured than me), as I pondered what to write about my unmemorable
experience. In a word, she was accurate, but of course I’ll elaborate a
bit. It was an amorphous meal really, comparable to when you go on a
job interview or apartment hunting and leave with your brow furrowed
saying, “I guess that works?” Which really means it doesn’t at all and
the said job/apartment didn’t sell you hard enough so you’re back to
stalking Craigslist ads dreaming of your knight in shining armor a.k.a.
job posting to rescue you from a PR firm that thinks it’s acceptable to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: line-through; vertical-align: baseline;">ask</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
demand employees to scrub the walls with Bon Ami and dress in elf
costumes and then giggle about it on Facebook. But I digress.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
my fantasy world I want every meal I consume to coincide with me
rapidly rubbing finger grease all over my iPhone while I joyously tell
everyone who will humor me about what I am eating. I want to eat a meal
so great I don’t even have the self restraint to use a napkin before I
find myself shouting from the metaphoric social media rooftops
(Instagramming). If the meal is stupendous, I won’t need prompting on
its quality, I’ll volunteer that all on my own. But alas, this was not
the case, and while the anticipation and romance of Truckeroo had me
giddy, the meal did not. I thought I had buckled up (or rather </span><a href="http://whatshouldbetchescallme.tumblr.com/post/25462615804/when-i-need-to-unbutton-my-pants-half-way-through-a-big" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">unbuckled my belt</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) for a scrumptious Hawaiian meal of chicken teriyaki, sticky rice, and...macaroni salad? </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oeYH1rqVaXk/T-kc15qWf0I/AAAAAAAAAMM/8pKd1d-JTK0/s1600/hula+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oeYH1rqVaXk/T-kc15qWf0I/AAAAAAAAAMM/8pKd1d-JTK0/s320/hula+girl.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Hawaiian. Really.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.17985968166480093" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Traditionally
I have associated macaroni salad with American holidays, barbeques, and
mayo fermenting in the sun. It wouldn’t be a proper barbeque without a
big plastic spoon you have to smack against your paper plate a few
times for the sun-solidified macaroni to fall into place next to your
hot dog. In order to solve this authenticity mystery, I had to
investigate and Google “Is macaroni salad Hawaiian cuisine.” The
results weren’t as plentiful as many things I’ve Googled such as “is
Pedialyte a good hangover cure” and “Brian Boyle NY Rangers girlfriend”
(devastatingly </span><a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/well_fed_rangers_0toIGbVioRgEz88VaIaAuO" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NY Post</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> says yes as of May 26, but I’ll change that, soon enough I’ll have 12 in-laws). However, Google did find this quote from </span><a href="http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2009/12/4/hawaii_style_plate_lunch_macaroni_salad_recipe" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Hawaii Magazine</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">concluding
that “Macaroni salad is a staple of the Hawaii-style plate lunch” way
back in 2009, and a delicate lady by the name of “Iron Woman” posted a
recipe on </span><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/hawaiian-macaroni-salad-232435" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Food.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
titled “Hawaiian Macaroni Salad” with the note “this salad is usually
served on the plate lunches in Hawaii.” Based off this thorough
research, you can now cite my blog as a credible source any time you are
asked if macaroni salad is Hawaiian, which I imagine occurs quite
frequently to everyone reading this. And that friends, is the takeaway
point from this post: you can stop wondering, macaroni salad IS
Hawaiian. And probably don’t get too excited about Hula Girl, because
in order to craft a post about it I just wrote a lot of nonsense barely
related to the actual meal.</span><br />
<a href="http://hulagirltruck.com/hula-girl-food-truck-dc.php?Page=hula-girl-food-truck-menu"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://hulagirltruck.com/hula-girl-food-truck-dc.php?Page=hula-girl-food-truck-menu</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-57414903703225533442012-05-29T06:37:00.001-07:002012-05-29T06:37:56.776-07:00Curbside Cupcakes<span id="internal-source-marker_0.5271434886765801" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Curbside
Cupcakes was fighting a losing battle from the start. Despite the fact
that it was my inaugural D.C. food truck, it faced the disadvantage of
an aggressive and judgemental reviewer. It’s really rather unfair for
Curbside Cupcakes to have such an </span><a href="http://nyfoodnomnom.blogspot.com/2011/08/cupcake-stop-including-detailed.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">experienced professional</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
judging them, but that’s no excuse for mediocrity. Would an Olympic
judge cut Kerri Strug any slack just because she was obviously injured
while competing for the glory of her country? Absolutely not, they gave
her the gold because she was an excellent gymnast (not to mention
warrior, hero, and true American). Similarly, my standards are
paramount, and as an esteemed judge I will not be cutting any slack if
baked goods do not perform to the highest standards.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEynRlgcSEg/T8TO7SD4rCI/AAAAAAAAAL0/PANphRRYcBM/s1600/Cookies+and+Cream.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEynRlgcSEg/T8TO7SD4rCI/AAAAAAAAAL0/PANphRRYcBM/s200/Cookies+and+Cream.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
inquired what Curbside Cupcakes’ best flavors were and was directed to
try the Cookies & Cream. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The cake was subpar and I could have
easily made something better from a box from the grocery store. The
rich and creamy frosting was the one redeeming quality. For the cake to
taste as bland as it did, I’d at least hope for some fancypants
frosting job (including, but not limited to: sprinkles, flowers,
rainbows, or a monogram of my initials), for aesthetic pleasure, but I was
not indulged. If the Cookies & Cream is what Curbside Cupcakes has
to offer at its best, I’m not impressed. Naturally I had two cupcakes
to properly research, but the Strawberry was even worse. It tasted like
a strange muffin with frosting. Regina George described this
pseudo-pastry best as “kind of socially retarded and weird.” This was a
social outcast in the cupcake world. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, I’m frightened to think
of what the others tasted like (and I certainly won’t be finding out.
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vY1gpNLXQPw/T8TOukQLKTI/AAAAAAAAALs/hNL4lI6MjOg/s1600/strawberry2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vY1gpNLXQPw/T8TOukQLKTI/AAAAAAAAALs/hNL4lI6MjOg/s200/strawberry2.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> See you soon Crumbs). For the sake of this review, Curbside Cupcakes
would have been better off if I’d ignored the advice of what was “best,”
and ordered </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">something else. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At least then there would </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">have been a
small shred of hope that I was to blame for not heeding their advice and
that there were greener pastures ahead. Unfortunately I can’t even
give them this small piece of credit. The only reason to go to Curbside
Cupcakes is if you’re not passionate about your cupcakes and have low
standards (hopefully this is no one I associate with).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Curbside
Cupcakes was kind of like going on a first date with someone you met at
the bar over the weekend. At first, the idea of going on a date with
the person you made fun of for two hours while sloshing back Bud Lights
seems exhilarating and adventurous. However, as the date progresses and
you realize you’d rather be playing back your Draw Something
competitors, the excitement wanes and you realize you could care less if
you ever see the said date again, or eat another Curbside Cupcake
again. It was fun while it lasted (debatable) but you certainly won’t be back for a
second date, or cupcake. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.curbsidecupcakes.com/menu-schedule/all-the-flavors/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.curbsidecupcakes.com/menu-schedule/all-the-flavors/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-53101480563659237682012-03-06T07:28:00.001-08:002012-03-06T07:28:50.114-08:00Calexico Cart<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eikvee_6Rs0/T1YtIhEIpwI/AAAAAAAAAKY/xTuBbnpopG4/s1600/calexico.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 48px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eikvee_6Rs0/T1YtIhEIpwI/AAAAAAAAAKY/xTuBbnpopG4/s320/calexico.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716806401331341058" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.9984139825607683">Calexico Cart originally weaseled its way onto my radar because I found it rather enigmatic that a food cart (and not a truck which would have more cooking space), could yield 4 stars on Yelp with nearly 200 reviews. Obviously I had to see for myself. Upon arrival there was a sizable crowd of people waiting for food, which I tend to take as a good sign. Logically, the food must be semi-decent if so many people are dedicated enough to put up with the wait. The man taking orders warned me it would be about 20-25 minutes. This did seem a bit long, but I decided to live life on the edge and take the alleged 20 minute plunge.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Turns out the joke was on me. Apparently 20-25 minutes means an hour on the Calexico clock. As the minutes dragged on, there was no way to tell if my order would be called soon because there was no system in place. The receipts weren’t numbered and the cooks would just yell out a name, thus giving you no concept of when you’d be called. I began to wonder just how long I’d be waiting there, and grew increasingly anxious that my supervisors would question where I’d been on my lunch break. However, I’d already paid for my meal, and figured by the time I walked anywhere and ordered something else, my ticket would be called. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Just when I thought my situation couldn’t get any more dire than Snooki’s unborn child’s future, as I neared the hour mark I heard the burrito-wrapper utter the tragic instructions “hold off on pork orders,” shortly followed by “we only have enough for one left.” Of course I’d ordered a burrito bowl with pork, and my heart sank to my growling stomach. The injustice of it all! Waiting for an hour to be denied the meal I’d ordered and paid for! Life just doesn’t get any worse than revoking the meat you ordered from a food cart after a one-hour wait. Somehow, by some karmic food-god measure, I realized the burrito-wrapper was making my bowl. I inhaled sharply with every ingredient he scooped, hoping against hope. I realized that bowl had to be mine as he skipped the beans (which I’d requested), and shoveled the last bits of pork onto the plate. Eventually, just over an hour after I initially placed my order, my name was called. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">While feeling immensely relieved that I’d snagged the last pork, my miserly self naturally questioned whether my pork portion was short-changed due to the lack of available meat resources. My skepticism turned into self-disgust for being so concerned about the pork quantity when I recalled there were starving people who would have been grateful for any meal, regardless of the pork. My relief, doubt, and disgust eventually turned into anger that I was even subjected to all of these feelings in the first place, for a situation that should never have existed at all. The lack of apology, combined with the anxiety and irritation of being kept waiting over double the time I was baited with, has resulted in a scar that cannot be healed. Realistically, I should probably be seeing a therapist for the range of emotions I was exposed to that day (I’ll accept cash or check to foot the therapist bill, Calexico Cart).</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Because I’d already wasted so much time being deceived in the meal-preparation phase, I was completely rushed during the consumption phase. Objectively speaking, the food from Calexico Cart was fantastic, but I barely had time to enjoy it. I’d gotten the Chipotle Pork burrito bowl, which had rice, cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese, pulled pork, pickled red onions, and “crema.” I’d added on the Chipotle crack sauce because nearly every Yelp review told me I’d be doing myself a disservice to overlook this condiment. The pork was juicy and flavorful and the crack sauce lived up to the hype. This burrito bowl had a significant edge over the burrito bowls I’m accustomed to (Chipotle and Qdoba). Maybe it was the crack sauce, maybe that insane pork, or maybe the combination of it all. Even the pickled red onions were good. However, my memory of that meal is growing increasingly fuzzy, but due to my initial experience I refuse to go back for further research. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Some of us have jobs that we feign concern about, and taking an hour away from the office, along with another half hour to eat the meal blows our cover. While I of course understand there is no science to predicting how long it will take to scoop bits of rice and pork into a foil bowl, Calexico Cart should have come clean about the wait time, or communicated to patrons in line where they stood in the stack of orders. At least apologize and thank the customer for waiting. Call me dramatic, but I cannot return to Calexico Cart both on principal, and based on the fact that I have a life and therefore don’t care to waste an hour standing around Soho. For those of you who have an hour of your life to burn standing on the corner of Wooster & Prince with the waif-like creatures floating down Spring Street, I say have at it and go wait for pork out of a glorified wagon on the street. I, on the other hand, will choose to patronize one of the many other food trucks or local establishments who have provided me with average, or dare I say it, outstanding experiences. Calexico Cart dug its own grave through poor customer service, lies regarding wait time, and unclear communication. I’d been betrayed, and I absolutely will not patronize this establishment again and use my hard-earned money to support such duplicity. I even tweeted my unsavory experience at them and Calexico never responded. Not surprising, given how they handled everything else regarding customer satisfaction. But even a response apologizing would have gone a long way and perhaps I would not be where I am now, aggressively sabotaging them on my blog. As they say, fool me once, shame on on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I won’t be fooled twice, Calexico Cart.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.calexicocart.com/cart_menu.html"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#1155cc;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.calexicocart.com/cart_menu.html</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-79995253066874085942012-02-17T09:01:00.000-08:002012-02-17T09:04:01.258-08:00Bongo Brothers<span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.2647555957951977">While I’ve never really dabbled with Cuban cuisine and I don’t have much to compare Bongo Brothers to regarding authenticity, I can compare it to past food truck experiences, and Bongo Brothers delivered exactly the experience I seek when trying a new food truck. Bongo Brothers presented a break from the ordinary, and therefore boring options (really, who wants an overpriced prepackaged sandwich from Pret?). With pleasant Cuban musical jams emanating from the truck, this without a doubt beats patronizing Subway and hurriedly shouting out your sandwich toppings while stealthily following your sandwich down the line like you’re playing Shell Shuffle at Comcast during halftime. Due to the rapid service at Bongo Brothers, my moment with the Cuban tunes was truncated and I was back in my office within 20 minutes of leaving. While mildly disappointed in myself for not being more strategic and buying more time away from my desk, this naturally spea</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.2647555957951977">ks well of Bongo Brothers service, as well as resulted in a more thorough sandwich appreciation experience.</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBw5T6dmm_M/Tz6ICA_dLTI/AAAAAAAAAKA/CCATNHF0_ac/s1600/bongobros.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBw5T6dmm_M/Tz6ICA_dLTI/AAAAAAAAAKA/CCATNHF0_ac/s320/bongobros.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710150945759636786" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">My inspection of the Mojo Chicken A La Plancha yielded pleasing results. Consisting of fresh citrus and garlic marinated grilled chicken breast, lettuce, plum tomatoes, onions, and mojo aioli sauce, my first bite was all I needed to decisively realize what a keeper this sandwich was. The effect of the citrus and garlic marination combined with the zesty mojo aioli sauce transformed this from a potentially mediocre chicken sandwich to a flavorful mouth tango. The selling point of this sandwich was that Bongo Brothers took a generally familiar grilled chicken sandwich, but added its own unique twist so that it tasted completely memorable and adventurous. The traditional lunch options of BLT’s and chicken caesar wraps can get boring and stale, much like Adam Sandler’s career post-Happy Gilmore era. The Mojo Chicken A La Plancha has solved this conundrum. This is a lunch complete with Jennifer Aniston’s 15 pieces of flair, while an ordinary sub is a suspender sans flair pieces.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">My experience at Bongo Brothers was just enough for me to self-righteously pat myself on the back for being a lunchtime pioneer and trying something new. I was more than happy to give myself credit for trying such exotic cuisine and pushing my comfort levels and boundaries to the next level. Thanks Bongo Brothers, for providing me with a piece of flair during a monotonous lunch routine.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.bongobrosnyc.com/#%21menus"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#1155cc;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.bongobrosnyc.com/#!menus</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-55482799518843292042012-01-24T11:52:00.000-08:002012-01-24T12:00:44.599-08:00Sweetery<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CKG_8OVcf-Y/Tx8NbLJhfEI/AAAAAAAAAJI/B1DHwNORz7Q/s1600/SweeteryTruck.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CKG_8OVcf-Y/Tx8NbLJhfEI/AAAAAAAAAJI/B1DHwNORz7Q/s320/SweeteryTruck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701290413774699586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.8017754297468657">Until today, I hadn’t worked up the courage to publicly declare my love for Sweetery. I hesitated to write about it for so long because I was fearful I couldn’t do Sweetery the justice it truly deserved. But the time has come for me to confess how I feel, and the truth of the matter is that I’ve fallen hard for Sweetery.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sweetery is like a jolly puppy who is constantly wagging its tail in support of everything you do. This puppy is always happy to see you and has a calming</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> effect that makes you feel better about all of life’s hurdles. Dependable and reliable, you can count on it to soothe any anxiety you might have. Whenever I’m having a bad day at work, which is never, I can always depend on Sweetery to be waiting for me a few blocks away, calmly poised on the horizon, radiant in its bright blue glory. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It may be baffling that I waited until now to write about Sweetery since I feel so strongly about it. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s actually the food truck I frequent the most. I know this because my customer loyalty card says I’ve been ten times (I’m due for a free dessert, whi</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ch fills me with so much excitement I can hardly sit still while typing this). However, after sampling a “competitor” my feelings can no longer be kept inside.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Because Sweetery only serves dessert and not a full meal, it is much cheaper than other food trucks. As a consumer I don’t feel nearly as guilty paying $1.50 for a cookie or a few dollars for a giant brownie as I do dropping ten dollars on a meat patty from a van</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">. Another benefit of Sweetery selling only desserts is you don’t have to wait for the meal to be cooked, resulting in no line and an overall better consumer experience. Therefore you never feel rushed when ordering and can inquire about each and every dessert behind the glass encasement. This makes it much easier to go once a week because I don’t feel fretful about how long the line is and how likely it is that Outlook spontaneously combusted while I was out frolicking.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">While I’ve sampled the Nutella filled croissants, the quiche, and the Snickerdoodles, the chocolate chip cookie is my absolute favorite. Each time this cookie does not fail me and is reliably outstanding and consistent. It’s never had an “off” day, as I’ve disappointingly experienced at certain pizzerias when they sneakily sell you a burnt slice. I can say similar things about the brownie. Not too dry, not too moist, and each bite jam-packed with rich chocolate flavor. Much like Rihanna, I might have found love in the hopeless place known as “real life.”</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sSEJdRy3Zf0/Tx8NreEqItI/AAAAAAAAAJg/XiI6BVUC_Q8/s1600/sweeterybrownie.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 289px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sSEJdRy3Zf0/Tx8NreEqItI/AAAAAAAAAJg/XiI6BVUC_Q8/s320/sweeterybrownie.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701290693732475602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">On the other hand, The Treats Truck is like Billy Cundiff, a swing and a miss far to the left of its target goal. It’s a far cry from runner-up, or even Honorable Mention in the mobile baked goods arena. In fact, The Treats Truck shouldn't even be in the same sentence as runner-up or Honorable Mention. After sampling both a chocolate chip cookie and a cupcake from The Treats Truck, I was not so much disappointed as I was irritated that I wasted my time and money on this poor substitute for Sweetery. The chocolate chip cookie was nothing special, especially after conditioning my taste buds to expect only the finest in baked goods from Sweetery. Not bad, but why waste your time on sub-par desserts? The cupcake, on the other hand, was actually a disgrace to baked goods and food trucks. Sure the icing looked fun in its whimsical swirl, but the cupcake was garbage. Had I known better, I would most definitely think this atrocity of a cupcake came from a grocery store due to the repulsive cardboard taste. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Grocery store cupcakes are at the absolute worst end of the cupcake spectrum. Dry, mass produced, and not made with one ounce of love or passion. After one bite I knew that cupcake wasn’t for me. I didn’t really want anymore, but after having shelled out the cash for it and being raised by a father who has no qualms about spooning every last bit of marinara sauce (or gravy as he affectionately calls it) off his plate, I felt compelled to finish what I’d started. With each bite I was seeking some sort of reward for my cupcake crusade, hoping against hope that it would taste better and the invisibility cloak would be lifted, revealing the dessert I so desperately wanted to consume. Unfortunately, this gratification never arrived. Consuming a cupcake from The Treats Truck was like being in a crumbling relationship. I kept telling myself things would get better, to just stick it out a bit longer. But they didn’t, and I was left feeling hollow and empty inside. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Treats Truck is like that friend of a friend you get stuck talking to at a pregame. In theory, you have things in common (you both just graduated and hate your jobs and go to Fat Baby every weekend). However, once you cover these surface topics, you realize you can only say “LOL Lower East Side!” so many times as you desperately try to make eye contact with your actual friends across the room who you’d rather be talking to. Much like a young post-grad who likes Fat Baby is no substitute for your real friends, The Treats Truck is no substitute for the Henrik Lundqvist of dessert trucks: Sweetery. Stick with your real friends, stick with Sweetery.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://sweeterynyc.com/menu"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://sweeterynyc.com/menu</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.treatstruck.com/?page_id=2"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.treatstruck.com/?page_id=2</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-6991821059762061142011-12-26T21:48:00.000-08:002011-12-26T22:22:58.823-08:00Go Burger<span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.05739863346707719"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7J5KvqWhrDE/Tvlc71EfDJI/AAAAAAAAAIM/7vWkQdssSwM/s1600/Go%2BBurger"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7J5KvqWhrDE/Tvlc71EfDJI/AAAAAAAAAIM/7vWkQdssSwM/s320/Go%2BBurger" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690681787087260818" border="0" /></a>Much like most of my Saturday nights, Go Burger is a foggy mystery. Even though the website portrays Go Burger as a reputable brand with two New York restaurants, the truck itself remains enigmatic. It’s more difficult to find than other food trucks because the location of the truck isn’t regularly disclosed over Twitter, and it doesn’t seem to sti</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.05739863346707719">ck to a set weekly schedule. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On one of the off-days that Go Burger decided to do themselves a favor and tweet their location, I tried the BLT Burger: double smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and BLT burger sauce. Like usual, I was starving from being emotionally beaten by Corporate America and I wolfed the burger down so fast I could barely remember anything about it besides the fact that I liked it and didn’t feel ill after (Five Guys burgers are usually accompanied by a 2 hour reco</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">very period after consuming). I treated the BLT Burger like my cats treat a piece of turkey that has been accidentally dropped on the floor, and ate it so fast that I realized I had nothing to write about. The only logical conclusion was that I’d have to go back for further research another day. A sacrifice I was willing to make for the good of mankind.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52K6xucfSC8/TvljzPBikLI/AAAAAAAAAIk/OfVREiRcg7s/s1600/Go%2BBurger%2BImage"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52K6xucfSC8/TvljzPBikLI/AAAAAAAAAIk/OfVREiRcg7s/s320/Go%2BBurger%2BImage" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690689336016801970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Being a woman of my word, I next tried the Philly Burger</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: onions, peppers, pickled jalapenos (although I abstained from the jalapenos because I was not up for </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">such a physical challenge), and melted provolone. Again, pretty good, but nothing too distinguishable. Sure I liked it, but I couldn’t really figure out much more to say about it than “yeah, it was g</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ood.” This leads me to realize that perhaps my initial encounter with the BLT Burger was not necessarily due to the fact that I wolfed the burger down like a rabid dog, but was more due to the fact that these burgers are amorphous. There is no concrete redeeming quality about them and the burgers </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">need some sort of trademark that will really define the brand. They’re not that unique, and I’m certain you could find an equivalent option at many other bars or fast food establishments. If, for some reason, someone blindfolded me and force fed me a Go Burger (not that I’d really object to this scenario), I highl</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">y doubt I’d be able to differentiate and victoriously exclaim “By jove! That is a Go Burger!” </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eating Go Burger was kind of like making out with a stranger in a bar when you’re browned out. You know you had fun, but their face is fuzzy in your mind and you certainly cannot provide your friends with a name of the said creature. You know it happened, b</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ut there isn’t much more to say than that. Similarly, Go Burger is a good time, but if your friends started asking you to provide details, you’d probably be at a loss for words.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.e2hospitality.com/go-burger-truck/food-menu/</span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-16530083712678628342011-12-11T19:14:00.001-08:002011-12-11T19:16:08.314-08:00Schnitzel & Things<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sy2TZLyn-xo/TuVxqhdHN-I/AAAAAAAAAH8/AqJGsSEVo80/s1600/schnitzels.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 207px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sy2TZLyn-xo/TuVxqhdHN-I/AAAAAAAAAH8/AqJGsSEVo80/s320/schnitzels.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685075079974041570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.20503076087832894">I have a confession. Before investigating the Schnitzel & Things truck further, I had no idea what a schnitzel was, besides a funny sounding word. What usually comes to mind when I hear the word schnitzel are the terms bratwurst, sauerkraut, German bar-maidens with two thick braids, and Beerfest, because these are obvious symbols of Germany. Regardless, I saw Schnitzel & Things on Food Network, which completely legitimized it. Whether I liked this mystifying schnitzel or not, if it was on Food Network, it was my duty to find something on the menu worth trying. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I opted for the Chicken Schnitzel sandwich as it seemed the least intimidating. Mild conflict arose when it came to choosing my accompanying sandwich condiment. I carefully detailed to the schnitzel lady how I was a first timer on my maiden schnitzel voyage and explained my temptation with the Chipotle Sour Cream. I inquired what more seasoned patrons usually order, and I appreciated her honesty when she warned that the Chipotle Sour Cream was probably spicier than I could handle and that the most popular choice was the Spicy Sriracha Mayo. In that instant, a small seed of trust was planted with the schnitzel lady. A comrade navigating me and my taste buds on the right path on the rocky seas of schnitzel.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I initially was against this notion that Spicy Sriracha Mayo was the appropriate choice, because my research (Wikipedia) clarified that Sriracha is of Thai descent. That is simply too much culture in one sandwich. Thai and German? Let’s not get carried away, I’m already about to eat a sandwich that I know nothing about because I am a sucker for Food Network. However, the seed of trust had been planted by the schnitzel lady (and the Yelp reviews), so I acquiesced. Much to my delight, this gem of a woman sensed my hesitation with her German superpowers and informed me she she’d throw in a Chipotle Sour Cream, just so I could try it anyway (Take notes Frying Dutchmen. Schnitzel & Things doesn’t even promote their sauces as a cornerstone of their brand, and not only did they have four available, but they gave it away for free. Schnitzel & Things 1, Frying Dutchmen 0. Ouch). </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">With the addition of my extra sauce, I was primed to enjoy this fantastic chicken sandwich. The chicken was perfectly cooked, with none of those unidentified crunchy or stringy lurking objects. The ones that you roll around your tongue trying to decipher whether it’s really part of the chicken, and then in a split second of shocked horror realize it is not and eject into a napkin. This prize piece of chicken was not too greasy or heavy, which is what I realistically expect when ordering a piece of meat from a vehicle. Not only could the Schnitzel & Things truck make a mean schnitzel, but they complemented it perfectly with the warm and flaky bread. The Chicken Schnitzel sandwich was really an ideal lunch, extremely tasty, not too heavy, and accompanying flavorful sauces. With regards to the sauces, the schnitzel lady was right. The Chipotle Sour Cream would have been too spicy to spread over a whole sandwich, but I did manage a handful of nice sandwich dips before my taste buds closed for business.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPvvW_7y9y0/TuVxmdscsQI/AAAAAAAAAHw/9QPu0_DKZco/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPvvW_7y9y0/TuVxmdscsQI/AAAAAAAAAHw/9QPu0_DKZco/s320/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685075010245144834" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That being said, I was a little bummed at the whole schnitzel concept. In reality, this was just a phenomenal chicken sandwich. However, this whole schnitzel thing had me thinking I’d be experiencing a new cuisine, or new flavor of sorts. In reality, after loo</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">king up the definition of schnitzel, it really is just a breaded chicken breast, so I only have myself to blame for setting my expectations too high. Putting the exceptional quality on hold, this sandwich could have come from a variety of other food trucks or deli’s, there was nothing about it that was particularly distinguishable as being from a German-themed schnitzel truck. On the other hand, I easily could have gotten a schnitzel platter with 2 sides such as the Austrian Potato Salad, Cucumber Salad, Roasted Beet & Feta Salad, Chickpea Salad, Mesclun Salad, Braised Sauerkraut, Red Cabbage Salad, Yukon Gold French Fries, or Sweet Potato Fries. I’m fairly confident any of these sides would have contributed to the German theme I apparently felt I was missing, but I was already braving a compl</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">etely unfamiliar food and didn’t have the courage to try anything even more exotic. I was my own worst enemy.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">If my mild disappointment with my lack of German culture is my biggest complaint, I think that speaks for itself. Exceptionally tasty, friendly service, and you aren’t faced with the predicament of gracefully launching questionable pieces of meat out of your mouth. I’d call it a win.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://schnitzelandthings.com/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://schnitzelandthings.com/</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-46730468049050455692011-11-22T20:43:00.000-08:002011-11-22T20:45:28.835-08:00The Frying Dutchmen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtdkcPu9oQA/Tsx6G5p0ZzI/AAAAAAAAAFI/iNokakj1ai4/s1600/Frying%2BDutchmen"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtdkcPu9oQA/Tsx6G5p0ZzI/AAAAAAAAAFI/iNokakj1ai4/s320/Frying%2BDutchmen" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678047489181378354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.15768514048817017">The Frying Dutchmen is a Pommes Frites wannabe. Pommes Frites is a well greased (pun intended) machine dominating the french fry market. I give The Frying Dutchmen credit for capitalizing on the success of Pommes Frites and blatantly stealing such a successful enterprise idea and taking it mobile, but it needs some serious revamping. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I often struggled with the concept of eating only french fries for lunch. I spent many minutes that should have been used stomping around my office and power walking to and from the water cooler to amplify just how much busier I am than my colleagues, instead debating if I really could eat just a plate of fries and call it lunch. This is probably extremely surprising as my eating habits are unparalleled and display how concerned I am about health and wellness, but even I have to draw the line somewhere. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Naturally, I began to casually date the truck. I’d find excuses to walk past it and steal a secret glance at my crush. What was really going on with this mystifying creature? After courting the truck for awhile I finally saw “chicken tenders” scrawled in untidy handwriting on the menu, at which point I decided chicken fingers and fries was a socially acceptable lunch. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">This brings me to my next point, which is that The Frying Dutchmen is a disgrace to social media. On their website and Facebook page it says “Our Current Location - we will be back on the street soon!” The website has said this since about April. So if you didn’t stalk them for a hobby like I did, you might think they have been under repair for months. The menu on the website also said nothing about chicken fingers. So I could have initiated my relationship with the truck and eaten there about three months earlier than I actually did, but instead I was forced to agonize over the inner turmoil of whether it was appropriate to eat a lunch consisting entirely of french fries. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">While the menu on the website looks like it offers a treasure chest of sauces, the truck only had four when I went, one of which was already sold out. Weaksauce. I was sure to check in on foursquare to unlock the “Newbie Special” which allegedly grants customers one free dipping sauce. Allegedly being the operative word. I only got one dipping sauce which came with my combo, even though I made a point of proudly displaying my phone to the bro taking orders and announcing “I get a free sauce because of foursquare right, so that’s two total!” Now that I have already checked in once, I am no longer a newbie, so I am disqualified and can’t unlock this special on foursquare ever again. I’d been duped.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">To unleash my dismay, I tweeted my disappointment at them, but got no response. This is foolish because I’m sure it’s no trouble to either 1. apologize 2. offer me a free sauce 3. offer me a free meal (the chance that a normal customer, and not a weirdo like me, would actually find the truck again and remember to get their free meal is probably slim). Instead I just got no response, which made me bitter and resentful as evidenced in this forum. Gorilla Cheese answered my tweet within an hour when they accidentally gave me the wrong sandwich. Just sayin’.</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The bros (and I don’t use the term lightly but this really was a truck full of bros in BU t-shirts playing with deep fryers) on the truck didn’t have a system down. The charismatic front man tried to pep up his crew and fake out the crowd by urging his french fry creators onwards and upwards, but it was literally transparent as you could see the crew mosey around the back of the truck unperturbed. I think it’s safe to say the moseying crew was where the ball was dropped and the failure to pack my second sauce occurred, as ringleader bro did in fact write the names of two sauces on my bag. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">As for the food itself, this was your average chicken fingers and fries meal. Certainly tasty, but I’d only go back if I happened to walk past and there was no line. The fries were a little dry and nothing special. I’ve had better at plenty of other restaurants. The Sweet and Spicy mayonnaise sauce was decent, but there certainly was not enough of it to properly coat each french fry and chicken finger, leaving my needs unsatiated. Therefore, I found myself resorting to ketchup, although this was also because they forgot my extra sauce I was promised via foursquare. Did I mention I’m bitter? </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Frying Dutchmen recently added burgers and chicken sandwiches to their menu. Good for you guys, but that really defeats the purpose of their tagline: “FRYING DUTCHMEN: the best fries you can find, with some INSANE and DELICIOUS dipping sauces!” You mean those dipping sauces you only have three of and casually forget to give your customers? Perhaps it should read “Frying Dutchmen: moderate fries with enough semi-interesting dipping sauce for half your plate of fries at which point you’ll have to move on to ketchup.”</span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Frying Dutchmen is on the outside looking in. When I go to Pommes Frites, the friendly employees give me a napkin of fries and let me try each and every sauce like a hobo trying to manipulate them into a meal. These fries are of a high enough quality that they can stand alone and don’t even need sauces. Pommes Frites is the jock quarterback sitting at the coolest lunch table dating the cheerleader. The Frying Dutchmen is that chubby waterboy who didn’t make the team, but desperately wants to sit at the cool table. The quarterback is a good guy, so the football team lets the waterboy sit at the cool table because they don’t have the heart to say no. A nice effort, but The Frying Dutchmen will always be second string. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fryingdutchmen.com/our-menu/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.fryingdutchmen.com/our-menu/</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.pommesfrites.ws/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.pommesfrites.ws/</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-21372048921929796092011-10-07T06:28:00.001-07:002011-10-07T06:31:25.676-07:00Green Pirate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXCPltOvnVs/To7-lNa69MI/AAAAAAAAAEs/ahAp4Au1Y1o/s1600/gp_logo_sticker_reasonably_small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 128px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXCPltOvnVs/To7-lNa69MI/AAAAAAAAAEs/ahAp4Au1Y1o/s320/gp_logo_sticker_reasonably_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660741696862483650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.4341249916454659"></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.4341249916454659">Green Pirate, based in Brooklyn, is a truck selling freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. I figured it might be fun to trick myself into thinking I was healthy and consume some nutrients disguised in a pleasant tasting beverage. However, my apprehension grew when I saw some of the juices had ingredients like kale and beets, which I am not mature enough to try. After discussing with the hipster juice lady what a rookie should start with, I was steered towards a simple classic, the Green Pirate Lemonade. </span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The truck’s wide window allowed me to watch the juice chef select all of my fresh looking ingredients and put them into the magic juicer. I liked that I could actually see the beverage being made with real ingredients, thereby assuaging my concerns that I was being scammed with some prepackaged concoction.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Upon initially sipping the juice, I wished it was bit colder. But then it dawned on me what a lucky customer I was. While most movie theater snack bars and fast food joints hustle their patrons by filling fountain sodas with one ounce of soda and three tons of ice, Green Pirate gave more real ingredients and less filler. A breath of fresh air in this greedy society.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Green Pirate Lemonade was delicious. The cucumber flavor really balanced out the potentially tart lemon flavor. The lemon and cucumber combined with apple, created a very unique taste that I’ve never experienced, leaving me curious to try the other exotic juices on the menu.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Green Pirate Lemonade was actually the cheapest option at $5 and some of the others were pushing $6 and $7. I found this rather ridiculous as that is equivalent to the cost of an entire lunch. However, Naked Juice, which is the same idea, but prepackaged and loaded with sugar, goes for about $4. Most Starbucks beverages push $5, and I’d definitely pick this juice with real fruit instead of the syrups pumped into Starbucks beverages. With whimsical names like “Canteloupe Creamsicle” and “Hot Pink Limeade,” I’ll most likely be back at some point. Definitely worth a try, and if debating between Green Pirate and Kelvin Slush for a fun beverage, I’d definitely vote Green Pirate.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.green-pirate.com/juice_truck</span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-79578310761967524602011-09-29T13:49:00.001-07:002011-09-30T09:47:44.016-07:00Rickshaw Dumpling Truck<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nKJDPJP8vqY/ToTZ5Rr0m0I/AAAAAAAAAEk/mLg_wPaH8a8/s1600/RDB-Logo-for-Gmail.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 107px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nKJDPJP8vqY/ToTZ5Rr0m0I/AAAAAAAAAEk/mLg_wPaH8a8/s320/RDB-Logo-for-Gmail.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657886609907161922" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7748542111849267">One lunch hour I was perusing the Soho food truck scene to see if anything piqued my interest. I didn’t have much time to mess around, but then I saw the Rickshaw Dumping Truck with no one in line. Jackpot! Luckily the only decision-making required of the soon to be dumpling consumer is to choose which type of dumpling they desire: Pork & Chinese Chive with soy sesame dip, Chicken & Thai Basil with spicy peanut sate dip, or Vegetarian Edamame with lemon-sansho dip. The soy sesame dip sounded most appealing, so I chose the Pork & Chinese Chive. I enjoyed the simplicity of only choosing between three kinds of dumplings and I opted to add a side salad to experience more tastes for my refined palate.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Rickshaw wins the award for most creative packaging. Opening my meal was significantly more fun than opening meals from other establishments. The dumpling box had an “eat me” sticker on it, and the soy sesame sauce had a “dip me” sticker on it. I thought this was a very nice personal touch. It dawned on me that some minimum wage employee had to put all of these stickers on the packaging in the event that my intelligence level was equivalent to Sarah Palin’s and I wasn’t sure how to correctly maneuver my food. I didn’t realize it was possible for food packaging to elicit a smile, so I must give credit where credit is due. </span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The dumplings were relatively average and could have been a little warmer, but overall they made for a satisfying lunch. The “salad” was some lettuce thrown in a plastic bowl with a peculiar dressing. Barely worth mentioning, except to suggest that you don’t order it.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Because the dumplings were prepackaged, it resulted in a rapid transaction time and a lack of customers in line. This is by far the quickest I have ever gotten a lunch meal from any food truck, let alone an Asian establishment. Normally my experience with Asian lunch cuisine involves at least a 30 minute to an hour wait while an Asian delivery man navigates the streets of Manhattan on his bicycle muttering “scuse me” and endangering citizens almost as much as when they’re operating a motor vehicle. Then I pray to the Lunch Gods that whoever I spoke to on the phone actually understood my order. After battling these Everest-like hurdles, I’m forced to do one of my least favorite activities, math, while straining to read whatever number was scrawled on the grease-stained order ticket to figure out how much I need to tip. These astronomical stress factors bring me to the conclusion that, in the event that you are debating between mundane options such as a sandwich or slice of pizza, the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck is definitely an easy way to switch up your lunch routine.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://rickshawdumplings.com/RickshawTruck_Menu.pdf"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://rickshawdumplings.com/RickshawTruck_Menu.pdf</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-12230366287201304932011-09-15T07:52:00.000-07:002011-09-15T07:53:27.780-07:00Wafels & Dinges<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dhE3SLHmaHw/TnIRVywgtzI/AAAAAAAAAEc/qjEJz9K-8no/s1600/Waffle%2BTruck.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 128px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dhE3SLHmaHw/TnIRVywgtzI/AAAAAAAAAEc/qjEJz9K-8no/s320/Waffle%2BTruck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652599548403562290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.2944012846779065">The Wafels & Dinges truck gets a hefty amount of press in the food truck world and repeatedly gets great reviews (4.5 stars on Yelp out of 630 reviews). Naturally this sparked my interest, but I was struggling to find an opportunity to try it since I never saw the truck parked in my neighborhood. </span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">One joyous evening on my way to meet my friends for happy hour, I passed the waffle truck. I was tempted to try it right then and there, but I was already late and didn’t want to ruin my impending buzz by coating my stomach with food. This resulted in me spending the majority of the happy hour fixating on the waffle truck and repeatedly saying, “I hope it’s still there when we leave,” to the annoyance of everyone forced into my company. Thankfully when I left it was still parked where I originally saw it and I exuberantly shoved my mildly tipsy self up to the truck and aggressively began rambling about how I’d been looking forward to this day and had heard lots of great things but didn’t know where to begin. To their credit, the waffle men were extremely warm and friendly to a seemingly deranged and overzealous stranger. They patiently explained the difference between the two types of waffles: the brussels waffle was light and crispy and the liege was more soft and chewy. </span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">To be honest I wish they only had one type of waffle, because that just meant another choice I had to make in addition to choosing toppings. I’d heard talk of the signature spekuloos spread, but then there was also dulce de leche, butter, bananas, strawberries, walnuts, belgian chocolate fudge, nutella, maple syrup, and whipped cream. In the end, I decided to heed the wise words of King Curtis, and realized, “bacon, is good for me.” I ordered myself a brussels waffle with bacon and then proceeded to pace in circles like a caged zoo animal while I waited for my made-to-order waffle.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Shortly after, the waffle men slid my golden-brown companion into its cardboard tray, or waffle Snuggie as I like to think of it. They called my name and I proudly pushed my way up to the window, much to the jealousy of the other customers. One of the more embarrassing moments of my life occurred when I saw my waffle for the first time. I did not see any thick strips of juicy bacon on top of, or next to my waffle. My confusion must have been evident as the jolly waffle man reassured me that the bacon was, in fact, baked into the batter. I’m not sure what expression one gives off when showing severe dismay due to a lack of bacon, but I was apparently transparent. The waffle man was simply too genuine to play cruel mind games with me, so I placed all of my trust in him that the bacon was present, seized my waffle in its Snuggie, and strolled off towards the subway with my new prize.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">This waffle was above average, but not quite as amazing and life-changing as Yelp and Twitter had me believing. Definitely a good waffle, but not anything too different than I’ve had in most diners. However, I don’t consider myself to be any kind of waffle expert so perhaps I haven’t developed strong enough analytical skills when it comes to waffles. The bacon baked into the batter was a nice touch, but I love bacon almost as much as King Curtis loves chicken nuggets, so I would have appreciated larger bacon bits. They were a bit hard to taste since they were so small, so it mostly just tasted like a salty waffle. </span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The strength of Wafels & Dinges is the fact that it quickly provides waffles from a mobile location. If I wanted a decent waffle with tasty toppings, my first instinct would be to assume I’d have to sit down at a crowded diner and wait around for the server to bring me my waffle. Wafels & Dinges takes out the middle-man and the waiting game and cuts to the chase. Additionally, they provide a wide variety of toppings that aren’t available in diners. While I haven’t had the spekuloos spread myself, it receives high praise - enough so that Wafels & Dinges sells it in individual jars for retail. Most diners provide fruit and ice cream toppings, but Wafels &d Dinges provides all of these and more, even pulled pork.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">And even though I said this waffle wasn’t life-changing, I did in fact go back for a second mini wafellini with strawberries and Nutella a few weeks later. Wafels & Dinges isn’t something I’d necessarily go out of my way to hunt down, but I surprised myself and inadvertently proved that I would succumb to the power of Wafels & Dinges in the event that I walk past it.</span><br /><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/menu.html"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000099;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;">http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/menu.html</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-58464026956521450182011-08-09T20:18:00.000-07:002011-08-09T20:19:54.367-07:00Big Gay Ice Cream Truck<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6XrkG6Snfb8/TkH4slyvXaI/AAAAAAAAAEA/-mlt0HG_F4U/s1600/Big%2BGay%2BLogo"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 153px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6XrkG6Snfb8/TkH4slyvXaI/AAAAAAAAAEA/-mlt0HG_F4U/s320/Big%2BGay%2BLogo" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639061653387435426" border="0" /></a>
<br /> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck had been high on my to-do list for quite some time. Besides the intriguing name, I was curious to see why this ice cream truck had such a solid reputation when there are ice cream trucks all over Manhattan. Luckily Groupon had an offer of $5 for $10-worth of ice cream, which my inner-jew couldn’t resist. This sent Big Gay Ice Cream truck to the top of my priority list to make sure I used the Groupon before it expired (I shudder to think of expired coupons). One hot summer’s eve I made the commitment and ventured to Union Square to try it out with one of my extremely good looking friends. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">For once I was decisive and knew I must try the Salty Pimp first. Not only did the name make me giggle, but the flavors tempted me the way HGH tempts guidos. The Salty Pimp consists of vanilla soft-serve ice cream, dulce de leche drizzles, and sea salt, all dipped in chocolate. Try as I might to resist eating my cone before we sat down, I am only human. My lack of self-control, combined with the heat, proved to be a fatal mistake. The salty chocolate flavor was wonderful, and unlike any ice cream cone I’d had before. However, after one bite, you really need to put your game-face on and consume the rest of the cone as fast as possible because it started melting faster than Britney Spear’s marriage to Jason Alexander. As each piece of the scrumptious chocolate shell broke and fell onto the table, my heart broke with it. So much joy, and yet so much pain. If you ever try this (and you should) I’d recommend a training-wheels approach. Learn from my mistakes, and put that sucker in a bowl. Regardless of the melting situation, the cone itself was really unique and delicious. My taste buds were almost confused. Salt? On an ice cream cone? But it worked. Big time. While the actual ice cream was pretty standard and had nothing distinguishable about it, the combination of sea salt, chocolate, and dulce de leche far overshadowed this. Once my taste buds adjusted they only wanted more. They begged me to pick the chocolate pieces off of the table, but as I like to pretend that I have a certain level of class (not really) I refrained. I wistfully stared at the fallen soldiers. If picking chocolate shell pieces off of a public table in Union Square is wrong, I don’t want to be right. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">After I carried on about how great the Salty Pimp was, my other extremely good looking friend decided she wanted to see what the fuss was about too. I’m not one to turn down excuses for ice cream, so being the selfless humanitarian that I am, I graciously volunteered to go back to the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck. A brilliant opportunity to try a new flavor. This time I opted for the Bea Arthur - vanilla soft-serve, dulce de leche, dipped in Nilla Wafer crumbs. This cone wasn’t quite as good as the Salty Pimp, but I think that’s only because I am more passionate about chocolate. It was a little lighter and a little less intense. One key engineering aspect that the Bea Arthur had going for it was the lack of chocolate shell. The Nilla Wafers allowed the ice cream to maintain its majestic swirl structure, even in extensive heat. So while I love the chocolate taste, if you’re trying to do yourself a favor and not look like a swamp monster covered in chocolate, try out the Bea Arthur. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">After these two cones I’m convinced you can’t go wrong here. I’m eagerly awaiting the opening of the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop in the East Village, which will feature more flavors and the Choinkwich, an ice cream sandwich with caramelized bacon (http://www.biggayicecreamtruck.com/blog/). Pure brilliance.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">http://www.biggayicecream.com/treats/ </span></p>
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<br />kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-76983917845072770422011-08-01T20:32:00.000-07:002011-08-01T20:41:45.863-07:00Cupcake Stop: Including a Detailed Comparison to Crumbs<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlYilbKN9eM/TjdxOlphTEI/AAAAAAAAADo/_l620TqnfFg/s1600/cupcake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 113px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlYilbKN9eM/TjdxOlphTEI/AAAAAAAAADo/_l620TqnfFg/s320/cupcake.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636097954115832898" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Upon initially hearing of the CupcakeStop truck, I thought to myself, “Good try, but I have Crumbs, cya never.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have always been beyond satisfied with each experience I’ve had at Crumbs, so what could possibly convince me to break my ties of loyalty to something I value and treasure so much?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Something that I hold on the highest pedestal and will drive 20 minutes one way to obtain?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Well, the answer was simple: location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One Friday afternoon I was strolling back to the office when I spotted the truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course I’d heard of it, as I like to consider myself a knowledgeable and well-informed cupcake connoisseur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was late in the day, I was fading quickly and needed an afternoon pick-me-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The price was right - $2.50 per cupcake (that’s equivalent to the price of one subway ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t know about you but I’d rather be stranded and with a cupcake instead of being where I’m supposed to be and without a cupcake).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had an in-depth conversation with the lady who was lucky to have a job which entails sitting in van full of cupcakes about which cupcake a person on their maiden voyage should try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sold me hard on red velvet, but obviously I’d already consumed a red velvet from Crumbs earlier in the week, so I went for plan B and selected an Oreo Crumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I exerted all of my willpower and waited until I got back to my office while I mentally prepared for what lay ahead on my cupcake journey.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Fret not my loyal readers - the cupcake was fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The cake achieved that ever-challenging balance between moist and dry (dry = that Baked by Melissa garbage) while being topped with a truly unique frosting, that was more sugary and sweeter than a cream-cheese based frosting. The perfectly textured cake combined with the silky, melt-in-your-mouth frosting blended together to form an unforgettable bite of dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The success of the balance of cake and frosting can be attributed to the perfect size of the cupcake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often, I find myself facing a challenge when eating the larger, gourmet cupcakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I end up alternating between bites of cake and frosting as the cupcake is too tall for my jaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The CupcakeStop chef has conquered this first-world problem by baking his cupcakes into an ideal size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are just large enough to satisfy your sweet tooth and your hunger, without being so large that the consumer overeats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On the other hand, they are big enough that they don’t blueball you into wanting more, like that sneaky betch Baked by Melissa (not that I’d ever want more of such nonsense).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The simplicity of this dessert is what really sets these cupcakes apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often I find that cakes try to hide behind their poor excuse for dessert through gimmicks like fancy frosting (see Dean and Deluca).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>CupcakeStop needs no fancy frosting or other disguises because they are selling a quality product.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Since my original Oreo Crumb purchase, I have obviously been back for more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here is a quick breakdown:</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Oreo Crumb: Vanilla cake with oreo frosting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Great for someone like me who wants the oreo flavor but isn’t a big fan of chocolate cake.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Chocolate Mint: The mint was a little strong, I would have preferred a sweeter mint frosting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, the contrast of the sweetness of the cake evened this out, so I’d say it’s solid provided your bite ratio to is proper.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Chocolate Caramel: Almost the opposite of the Mint Chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The caramel frosting was very sweet, and with a proper bite of cake it was perfect.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Cannoli: Amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Best, as well as most unique. Vanilla cake with chocolate chips baked in, with a ricotta cheese frosting (like the filling inside a cannoli, duh).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Beautiful.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Vanilla Chocolate:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A classic, done right.</li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p>After it really sunk in how much I enjoyed the original cupcake, I began to feel extremely guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I felt like I had cheated on my lover Crumbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crumbs has been there for me through good times and bad, celebrations and hangovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It felt like my identity was crumbling (pun intended).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And then I realized, Crumbs didn’t open a Soho location, but CupcakeStop is consistently parked on the corner of Varick and Vandam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who am I to say no to a midday dessert?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sorry I’m not sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p>So, I’m sure you are all wondering what the differences between these cupcake masterpieces might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As previously mentioned, the size difference greatly affects the entire cupcake experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Because CupcakeStop cupcakes are smaller, the ratio of frosting to cake is perfected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With Crumbs,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I sometimes face the aforementioned cake/frosting alternation process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On the other hand, I’ve found CupcakeStop cupcakes to be less travel-ready than Crumbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I recently purchased a Vanilla Chocolate cupcake when I passed the truck as a snack for myself during an evening showing of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The wear and tear of being tossed around my bag was entirely too much for the poor fellow, and the frosting slid right off, thus throwing off the cake to frosting ratio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A bit disappointing, but a valuable lesson learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crumbs cupcakes, however, have this magical protective shell on the frosting that keeps it intact through all kinds of terrain, including 4 hour drives to Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, this elusive shell layer does nothing to detract from the the taste or flavor of the cupcake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It simply provides for a less messy, neater eating experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like to think of this invisible shield as being similar to how Harry is protected from Voldemort through the shield of his mother’s love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We can’t see Lily Potters love, but we sure can see the results in a duel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A third key difference between these cakes is price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Cupcake Stop is $2.50 per cupcake, which I find rather reasonable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crumbs is $4.50 per cupcake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While the cupcake is also much bigger, I have a harder time digesting paying $4.50 for a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my mind, CupcakeStop is a reasonable snack, while Crumbs is a luxury treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Perhaps that is the intended message of their respective marketing departments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A final key difference, which coincides with my reasonable snack/luxury treat conclusion, is the amount of variety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crumbs consistently has a treasure chest of unique and magical flavors that I can barely wrap my dessert-fantasized brain around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>CupcakeStop sticks to the classics, most likely due to lack of space on a truck (although according to the website the store has many more options).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">What do all of these differences mean to the average connoisseur reading this extremely witty and well-written blog?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The cupcake you purchase depends on the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you need an aesthetically pleasing and tasty gourmet gift for someone I’d recommend Crumbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you are walking back to your office trying to find any way to salvage the torture that is the rest of your afternoon of doing an 18-tab spreadsheet, I’d recommend CupcakeStop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But either way you can’t go wrong (unless you go to Dean and Deluca).</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">http</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">://</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">www</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">.</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">cupcakestop</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">.</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">com</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">/</span></a><a href="http://www.cupcakestop.com/menu"><span style="color:#000099;">menu</span></a><u><span style="color:#000099;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opYZ2q5lSvI/TjdwBEMY98I/AAAAAAAAADg/SroK-VJbvjQ/s1600/cupcake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-89687686392371729412011-07-15T07:41:00.000-07:002011-07-15T07:44:06.728-07:00Kimchi Taco Truck<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qSf_dI96lJA/TiBSHEON3vI/AAAAAAAAADE/0qhUs63_lmk/s1600/Kimchi%2BTaco%2BTruck.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 125px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qSf_dI96lJA/TiBSHEON3vI/AAAAAAAAADE/0qhUs63_lmk/s320/Kimchi%2BTaco%2BTruck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629589815559053042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.21577270928959558">My next lunch adventure took me to the Kimchi Taco Truck. I was rather skeptical about the idea of Korean and barbecue mixed together as I tend to think of Barbecue as a strictly American food genre. However, I saw the tweet announcing the truck would be in my neighborhood and my curiosity was piqued. I carefully researched the Yelp reviews, which convinced me enough to try this unlikely combination and when I arrived at the truck, the lengthy line confirmed this was worth a shot.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While the line was long, the service was good and the naive Korean taco-serving man apologized to me for the wait. I appreciated this, but little did he know that the longer the line, the longer I was spared from my estrogen-filled office.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My menu research had me somewhat torn between a “Kim-Cheesesteak” or the tacos. While I am very passionate about cheesesteaks, I realized it was probably in my best interest to try the trucks namesake. Furthermore, I realized if I got the tacos I could try each of the meats, Korean BBQ beef, seared pork, and pulled chicken (3 tacos for $7). Depending on how these meats satisfied me, I could get the Kim-Cheesesteak on a future visit with whichever meat excited me most.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It turned out the Yelp reviews were right. While sounding rather odd, the Korean Barbecue concept was quite delightful. I can confidently say it was unlike any other taco I’ve consumed before and I’ve consumed many tacos. When I initially opened my box and saw my 3 tacos staring back at me begging to be eaten, I was a little disappointed at the size as they were rather small. However, it turned out that this was actually a great serving size and to my advantage. For once I didn’t find myself secretly strategizing ways to possibly nap in the stairwell or storage room with the AC Unit because I felt too full and sick from overeating. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The tacos themselves were pretty messy, but I enjoyed the exotic flavoring. They were a bit spicy, but in a sweeter way than Mexican tacos. However, I ran into one gigantic problem. I wolfed down the first taco, then consumed a bite of each of the remaining two. Tragedy struck when I realized I had no idea which taco was which, and which meat was which. One taco was definitely the surefire winner and I am tempted to say it was the Korean BBQ beef. The other two were definitely good, but not as good as the maybe-BBQ beef. While I realize it’s absurd, part of me wished the tacos came with labels so I could properly evaluate my meats. My master plan of trying each meat and then getting a Kim-cheesesteak with the winningest meat was foiled! Perhaps it is all part of the Kimchi Taco Truck’s business strategy to lure me back...which they probably will. But only after I try Korilla BBQ and determine who is the master of Korean Barbecue!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://kimchitacotruck.com/menu.html"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://kimchitacotruck.com/menu.html</span></a>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-64765599308065434372011-06-02T09:06:00.000-07:002011-06-02T09:07:00.841-07:00Kelvin Slush Truck<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5y-fERM3XVNlD6TEt8C-rtM8BUJZ8PWkJRrzy-M_9w8bSgwm3AMW8WrVvQyO0P48Uq355bJ6uZ_FQdvMjOiEPiZr_ISspOukwVphha6nohl_pL5qWg" id="internal-source-marker_0.3999931136898959" height="86px;" width="275px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since it was a Saturday afternoon, I was feeling a bit dehydrated for obvious reasons. A nice beverage would have really hit the spot and given me the strength I needed to bring my A-game to the Trader Joe’s endeavor I was about to embark on. I began to crave a Slurpee from 7/11, which I firmly believe are one of the most underrated products in the market. So refreshing, and so cheap, that I never once have felt guilty purchasing one (and usually I feel a degree of guilt with most leisure purchases thanks to my ridiculously frugal father). </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As I emerged from the the subway, the Kelvin Slush Truck was beckoning towards me like a gorilla juice-head to Snooki. It was like captain Kelvin read my mind that I’d be too dehydrated to function at Trader Joe’s and in need of a nice beverage. I’d heard many positive things about the Kelvin Slush Truck (4.5 stars on Yelp!) so I gave it a go.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Luckily on the menu board I saw the special was the Arnold Palmer, which certainly appealed to me as I have a soft spot for Firefly and Lemonade, and I was able to decide on my flavor without too much internal struggle and anxiety. I got a medium (the small looked like it was fit for Victoria Beckham) for about $4. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All I can really say about this is “meh.” I didn’t find myself inhaling this Slush the way I might a Coke Slurpee from 7/11. It had this rather odd aftertaste, I think from the tea flavor, that I just wasn’t feeling. In fact, the Slush lasted me the entirety of the time I was in Trader Joe’s, because frankly I just wasn’t that into it (which as you might be able to tell is very odd for me when it comes to food). I found myself finishing it off more because I paid $4 for it and felt compelled to, than because I actually wanted to. Perhaps other flavors are better, but I’d much rather pay $1 and change for an artificial sugar-filled Slurpee from 7/11 where I can drink the whole top part, wander around the store, and then refill it again, than some “all-natural” overpriced concoction.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Only about a month til Free Slurpee Day at 7/11. See you there.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://kelvinslush.com/products"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://kelvinslush.com/products</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-61110450869978682422011-05-26T07:21:00.001-07:002011-05-26T07:21:35.507-07:00Eddie's Pizza Truck<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="internal-source-marker_0.9465158136518464"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After my success at the Gorilla Cheese truck, I was eager to see what else the newly discovered world of food trucks had to offer me. After poking around Twitter, I was pleased to learn Eddie’s Pizza Truck would be parked in my vicinity the next day. I did some research on Yelp, and read some rather questionable reviews. In the back of my mind I thought, “It’s only pizza, how bad can they really screw this up?” After all, this is New York, so maybe the reviewers were just very particular about their pizza.</span></p><p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="internal-source-marker_0.9465158136518464"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Friday morning arrived, and I purposely took the long way to work to do some preliminary investigating. Sure enough, Eddie’s Pizza Truck was parked exactly where Twitter promised me it would be. I spent more of my morning than is normal to admit polling friends on Gchat and internally debating whether I should give it a try. Finally, my curiosity was victorious and I told myself I might as well give it a go, at the very least to squelch any future time wasting on Gchat. As they say, knowledge is power, and I needed the knowledge of whether or not this pizza was something my taste buds would thank me for.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The first setback arose when I was tempted by the advertised special. I tried to place my order, but the gentleman in the truck, while extremely pleasant, informed me they were out of basil, so I could not get the special. Regardless of the fact that basil seems like a strange ingredient to be out of (it’s not particularly space consuming), you’d think they’d at least erase the special from the dry-erase board, to prevent future customers like me from having their hopes crushed. It seemed as though Eddie’s Pizza Truck could use a lesson from my old cross country coach. He was a strong advocate of reminding us of the 5 P’s: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Perhaps Eddie’s should bring more ingredients for something they are advertising as a special.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After my initial disappointment, I settled for a plain pie with garlic. I figured that I should just go with the basics, because if they can’t get that right, then what can they get right? Moving along, my pizza was made relatively quickly, I re-entered my dungeon office, situated myself, and opened the box to see what awaited me. The Yelp reviews did not lie. This was VERY thin-crust pizza. One review I’d read compared it to a tortilla, and I would have to agree. The overall quality was mediocre at best. Sadly, there was nothing particularly distinguishable to note about this pizza. It wasn’t bad…but it wasn’t good either. Certainly edible, but nothing I’m jumping up and down to try again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> While the product was sub-par, I will give Eddie’s Pizza Truck credit for innovation and creativity. I do think the concept of personal pizzas freshly prepared and made to each customer’s order is worth some recognition. The idea is there, just not the product to back it up. Additionally, it was significantly less greasy than a regular slice. For once, I didn’t feel the need to lie down and let the pools of grease and globs of cheese rearrange themselves into various pockets of my stomach as I do after most other types of pizza. </span><br /><br /><p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That being said, I’m perplexed as to how these guys stay in business. This is a pizza truck in New York! They charged me $8 for a rather mundane version of pizza with no noteworthy aspects, and yet there are amazingly delicious pizza slices to be had for $2 or $3 on nearly every corner! While my curiosity is now satisfied, I think I’ll be sticking to the comfort of grease dripping down my hand and Italian men calling me “Mi amore,” (I’m talking about you, Ben’s Pizza), as opposed to a lack of basil and stomachaches. I learned my lesson: stomachaches are equivalent to quality.</span></p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.eddiespizzany.com/truck.html</span>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347975709402888264.post-60174924478087607972011-05-24T07:47:00.000-07:002011-05-24T12:49:26.015-07:00Gorilla Cheese<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="internal-source-marker_0.32447656707660855"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My first food truck experience occurred on my walk to work one morning. Still half asleep, I was on autopilot walking from the subway to my office, when a brightly painted orange truck drove past and caught my eye. Much like when Pauly D made fun of J-Woww’s ex Tom for sending her flowers after she blatantly cheated on him and dropped this pearl of wisdom “He’s a sucker,” I was similarly a sucker to this glowing orange vehicle. I made note of the name and googled it while pretending to be productive at my desk. The Gorilla Cheese truck menu was much to my liking, and after checking the Twitter @gcny1, I realized it was parked on Broadway and Spring near my office. The stars were aligned, I was destined to try it. </span></p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After patiently waiting to escape my hamster wheel cubicle, I finally found my escape route and began my journey towards grilled cheese delight. Lucky for me it was raining so there was no line. I ordered the Smoked Gouda w/BBQ pulled pork & onions on wheat and tater tots. To my dismay they had turned off the fryer already (poor business if you ask me, which I think you are since you’re taking the time to read this), so I could not get my desired tots. I settled with my sandwich and plowed past all the rich people strolling into rich people stores on Spring to get back to my desk so I could embrace my sandwich. I gleefully unwrapped my sandwich to see what treasures awaited my consumption. I was so hungry I wolfed down the entire first half while barely tasting it. Once my caveman needs were met I really sat back and enjoyed the second half. I didn’t want it to end. Each bite meant less sandwich. A real win-lose situation. The sweetness and juiciness of the pulled pork, combined with melted gouda and caramelized onions was a divine creation, and my first reaction was to check the site to see when then truck would be back again.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After reflecting upon my Gorilla Cheese experience I would definitely say its overpriced. Let’s be real - it’s grilled cheese. The “Classic” sandwiches (no toppings) range from $4.75 to $6.25. C’mon, you can get an entire burger from Shake Shack or Five Guys for that price. While I understand my sandwich was a bit more gourmet, $8.50 still felt like entirely too much. These guys don’t even pay rent! And yet, if the truck comes to my area again would I feel similar feelings of excitement and mostly likely purchase a sandwich? Yes.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.gorillacheesenyc.com/menu/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.gorillacheesenyc.com/menu/</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="internal-source-marker_0.2534329063891173"><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:transparent;" >rred on my walk to work one morning. Still half asleep, I was on autopilot walking from th</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:transparent;" ><br /></span></p>kbaumer1http://www.blogger.com/profile/08044867629758864665noreply@blogger.com0