Madison Square Eats: AsiaDog

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Pete — No Comments ↓

The view from Madison Square Eats

Highlights: Juicy burger with tasty toppings.

Lowlights: Burger was small.

Twice a year Madison Square Eats pops up in Flatiron and sucks me in. Navigating the multitude of options is an effort of mass proportions. It’s pretty much impossible to decide on just one option and then feel satisfied with the decision. But in all of my trips to MS Eats, there is one vendor that always catches my eye – AsiaDog. The chefs there sling hot dogs and hamburgers with Asian-inspired toppings to, in their words, “push the limit” of the most popular street food in New York. When they aren’t at MS Eats, AsiaDog has a storefront in NoLita

Tagged with: asian, burger, hot dogs, kimchi, korean bbq, Madison Square Eats
Posted in Trucks

Madison Square Eats: Mayhem & Stout/Macaron Parlour

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Joe — No Comments ↓

Time to try out this monster market

Highlights: Delicious well-balanced sandwich

Lowlights: Market prices

Determined to catch at least a brief glimpse of this year’s installment of Madison Square Eats, I finally made the trip down to Flatiron to patronize the popular outdoor food fair. I was flooded with a familiar layout of usual suspects, as well as a few delicious-looking newcomers. After careful deliberation, I decided to try out Mayhem & Stout’s meaty sandwich offering. I’m happy to say it proved to be a great choice.

Tagged with: bbq, beef, brisket, eats, ice cream, macaron, madison, mayhem, parlour, Sandwich, slaw, square, stout
Posted in Trucks

Famous Halal Guys to Open a Storefront

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Pete — No Comments ↓

Halal Guys will soon be around in brick-and-mortar form

It is perhaps the most famous food cart in New York City. And now, DNAInfo reports that the Halal Guys will be opening a brick and mortar store in the East Village. The original Halal Guys cart, known for their long lines and delicious falafel and chicken over rice at the 53rd & 6^th location since 1983, is regularly featured in travel publications and reports across the country.

The owner told DNAInfo that they plan to serve more than the typical halal food. Plans for vegetarian options and a juice bar are in the works. The storefront is slated to open the first week of November on the corner of 14^th street and 2^nd avenue.

It won’t be long before those of us on the East Side don’t need to take the trek to midtown for the famous halal.

Tagged with: chicken and rice, falafel, halal guys
Posted in News

Frites ‘N’ Meats

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Achille$ — No Comments ↓

The Frites N’ Meats Truck, Complete with Super Cow

Highlights: Quality ingredients served with pizzazz and an impressive ordering/payment system.

Lowlights: Can be pricey and the truck can get mobbed, leading to a bit of a wait if you don’t order ahead of time.

I usually try to eat fairly healthy, but once in a while (especially when hungover at work), I need a lunchtime morale boost. A nice burger and fries, done right, can set an afternoon on course – it just feels fun – like being at a sporting event or a backyard barbecue. Hamburgers were always held in very high regard around my home when I was growing up, so they will always hold a special place in my heart. They are an American staple and have endless amount of configurations to be tinkered with, allowing for each encounter to be a totally different experience than the last.

Frites’n'Meats lets you know right out of the gate what you are in store for just by their name alone. Quality ingredients and a perfected service system has made this truck a huge favorite around my neck of the woods (FiDi), and when it comes around, the truck is consistently mobbed.

Tagged with: broiche, burgers, fries, frites, Meat, toppings
Posted in Trucks

Sweet Chili

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Pete — No Comments ↓

Sweet Chili in all its glory

Highlights: Surprisingly tasty bean sprout salad.

Lowlights: The jasmine rice served little purpose, and there was too much of it.

We first got a taste of Sweet Chili at the 2013 Vendy Awards, and it was one of the trucks that stuck out the most. Run by top chef finalist Lisa Fernandes, Thaietnamese specialist Sweet Chili has made quite an impression in its first year on the food truck scene. Since that first sampling, we vowed to get back as soon as the truck made its way to our neck of the woods. Well, they finally did, so our lunch break was suddenly dedicated to some sweet, sweet chili.

Tagged with: asian, sweet chili, thai, Thaietnamese, vendys, vietnamese
Posted in Trucks

Fresh And Hearty

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Joe — No Comments ↓

Fresh & Hearty’s eye-catching truck

Highlights: Nice, hearty bites of chicken in the panini. Powerful flavors throughout.

Lowlights: Soup was relatively average.

It seems like nowadays there is an abundance of trucks trying to push the latest in trendy fusion cuisine, serving up crazy takes on traditional dishes. Although some of them [like Korilla] do this very well, it can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes you just want a good ole-fashioned sandwich, and maybe a cup of soup on the side. Enter Fresh and Hearty.

Tagged with: american, avocado, chicken, fresh, hearty, panini, soup
Posted in Trucks

Souvlaki GR

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Joe — No Comments ↓

An Artsy Look at SGR

Highlights: Delicious, well cooked, flavorful souvlaki. Excellent pita.

Lowlights: Pitas are small, and cost $6 each.

As one of the longest-standing food trucks around, Souvlaki GR is doing something right. Between winning the people’s choice Vendy in 2011 to being featured on countless “best of” lists, the guys on this truck clearly have a good thing going. For this reason, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day when the truck was close enough to my office to try. But since that was taking a bit too long, I huffed it out on the Citibike to get the first taste of this phenom.

Tagged with: feta, greek, onions, pita, SGR, Souvlaki, tzatziki
Posted in Trucks

Steaks & Crepes

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Joe — 3 Comments ↓

Don’t let its’ size fool you, this cart’s food packs a punch.

Highlights: A well-seasoned old-fashioned cheesesteak. Very tasty.

Lowlights: There were no crepes.

Thank god for Citibike. It has single-handedly allowed me to double my lunchtime food truck radius. Now, if I’m willing to risk life and limb piloting the streets of New York for a sandwich, I want the payoff to be worth it.

Here at Rate That Truck, our priorities are clear: deliver the latest reviews to you the reader, at any cost. Even if that means losing a limb in the process.

I found myself at another midtown hotspot last Thursday: 47th and Park. Although I saw a plethora of interesting new trucks, I decided to seek out one I’d been meaning to try for a while: Steaks and Crepes. This cart did not disappoint.

Tagged with: cheese, cheesesteak, crepes, hoagie, Meat, philly, steaks
Posted in Trucks

Wafels & Dinges

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Pete — No Comments ↓

Wafels & Dinges flying that Belgian flag high

Highlights: Bacon baked INTO the waffle

Lowlights: Not enough pork, too much slaw.

Wafels & Dinges is one of the most recognizable food trucks in New York. When I first started working in the city consistently, W & D was the first food truck I saw. Belgian waffles readily available on the street for the masses, what a fantastic idea! Chances are you have run into Wafels & Dinges at some point – there can be up to 6 trucks or carts on the road at any time. And they are tough to miss too, with their bright yellow exterior, huge waffle replica, and a proudly hung Belgian flag. Recently in the mood for something different, I checked out Wafels & Dinges to try their BBQ Pulled Pork Bacon Waffle. Read more ›

Tagged with: belgian, dessert, dinges, pork, pulled, toppings, waffles
Posted in Trucks

Schnitzel & Things

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Pete — No Comments ↓

Schnitzel & Things Cart
Source: NY St. Food

Highlights: Original menu options for a food truck.

Lowlights: So little sauce for such a big schnitzel. No one wants a dry schnitzel.

Ever since my first trip to Bavaria I have had a soft spot in my heart for schnitzel. It’s not something I have often, but it is always a treat when I do. When the truck Schnitzel and Things made its way to my little corner of midtown, my lunch plans were set. Not only would I be getting some schnitzel, I’d also finally have the answer to my year long question about this truck: Just what are the Things?? Today’s lunch was going to be a treat.

Tagged with: bavaria, chicken, fries, german, schnitzel, Schnitzel & Things
Posted in Trucks