Food Trucks Galore!

I had wanted to eat from a food truck for some time now. No, not one of the taco trucks you see parked at a construction site one day and on the side of the road another, but a gourmet food truck - one that serves something other than the usual tacos, burritos, and refrescos. The only thing about these trucks was that they are set up downtown at the hours that I’m normally not there. I’ve heard that the lines can be up to a couple hours long. WOW! Talk about loyal customers. One of the nights while on Twitter I saw a tweet for the Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival in Houston. With the help of the infamous Google and a quick search I discovered that it would include 34 of Houston’s best food trucks. Holy smokes! I had to go see what the hype was all about. I found myself purchasing two tickets the next day. My mom joined me. The tickets were $16; food cost was separate and you paid at each vendor. The entrance fee was a little pricey but well worth it. Being able to support the local businesses and be surrounded by other foodies was well worth it though. We purchased the tickets online that way we could skip the line and I have to say that was the way to go. We would have spent thirty minutes in the ticket line alone. We were getting concerned that it would be raining that day, but thankfully the forecast was wrong; it turned out to be a beautiful day, mid 80’s with partial clouds to give us an occasional break from the Texas sun.

Before we started making the rounds.

So we entered with a game plan. We order one item, split it, and move along. This way we got to taste more and not get too full. Needless to say I was a little overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. 34 choices - how do you decide between sweet or savory first? We made the round to get a feel for what all was there, then we dove in.

Our first stop was Firehouse Tacos. It is the brainchild of a retired HFD captain, Homero Ponce-López. Run by members of the HFD, there is a boot on the counter for further donations to charities that help fallen hero’s’ families. How neat is that? I loved the idea before we tried the food. Tacos were their specialty, and we chose the pulled pork tacos topped with crushed pineapple served on a flour tortilla. The price was reasonable, $4 for two good size tacos. Generous with meat and topping, the flavor of the pork was HUGE! Slightly sweet, slightly smoky, a hint of cayenne and chipotle, and oh so tender, the pineapple was the perfect pairing. It enhanced the flavors of the pork so much. The flour tortilla was soft with a light flavor, but really it was just a vehicle for the amazing filling. I would stop here again if in the area.

Pulled Pork Tacos from Firehouse Tacos.

Our second stop was the Oh My Gogi! truck. They are the notorious Korean BBQ and Mexican fusion truck here in the Houston area. Now I have to say, before then I had never tried Kimchi, but all their dishes were served with it. So seeing that this was an adventurous day, we decided to try the Chicken Quesadilla with Kimchi, house hot sauce, salsa rojo, cilantro and lime. I’ve got to say, I walked away from there saying “Oh my Gogi!” Hands down that were the best quesadilla I’ve ever had. It was stacked full with cheese, large pieces of chicken, and too large pieces of cabbage; however the Kimchi had a subtle tangy flavor that worked really well the hot sauce and cilantro. Drizzled on top was more of their house sauce with a hot mayo, more cilantro and lime.  The prices were moderate, $5 for a quesadilla, $10 for the quesadilla, fries, and a drink. We stuck with just the entrée. A fabulous treat - a must for anyone wanting something different from the norm.

                       

                       Waiting for our quesadilla from Oh My Gogi!

The amazing quesadilla.

While standing around eating, we noticed a few people walking around with waffle sandwiches. I could not have left there without checking out the Waffle Bus. This was by far the longest line we waited in - ~20 minutes. The menu included sandwiches such as smoked salmon with sour cream, fried chicken with honey mustard, Nutella and banana, and s’mores. Of course we opted for the Nutella with banana. $6 got you a full size waffle filled with meager servings of Nutella and about a half of a banana, dusted with powdered sugar. The waffle was amazing, but I wish there had been more filling. I was slightly disappointed with the portion size, but the flavors made up for it.  After finishing the sandwich I realized we never took a picture. Sorry!

Our fourth stop was Kickers BBQ. This truck wasn’t on my list of ones to visit, however a quick glimpse at the menu and we knew we had to try the Avocado Eggroll.  I must admit, if you were to offer me warmed avocado wrapped in a wonton, I would probably politely decline. But again because we were feeling adventurous, we decided to give it a go. I don’t think I could have imagined that it could possibly taste THAT amazing. The avocado was creamy and full of flavor, the wrapper was stuffed with a generous serving of the luscious green filling, and the dipping sauce was just sweet enough to add that extra something special. It tied all the flavors together. Lightly fried to perfection, not too oily but still warm from the fryer, the crunch on that baby was perfect – and I’m not a big fan of fried food. This little roll of wonderful was only $3.50 for one large eggroll. Well worth the price.

Avocado Eggroll from Kickers BBQ.

We headed over to MMMCupcake, a truck notorious for their moist cakes and sinfully rich frostings. Of course we couldn’t decide on just one flavor. So, what do you do when you’re indecisive? Get the sampler box of course! 6 adorable bite sized cupcakes in four of their most popular flavors – two chocolate, one with a chocolate ganache and another with a peanut butter frosting, two red velvet with cream cheese frosting, a lemon with lemon frosting, and a strawberry with strawberry frosting. Oh my goodness gracious. I have never had frosting that thick, that rich, and that decadent. Not too sweet, but just enough to add that extra oomf to the cake. The cupcakes themselves were very moist and in the middle of the chocolate cupcakes were chocolate chunks. What a great surprise! The box was only $6. We were too full to eat these there, so we got them to go. Sadly I did not take of these. But trust me, they were the perfect size and oh so good.

The last stop was Porch Swing Desserts. I have read great things about this company, and was excited to try one of their desserts; especially after I encountered a man raving about their strawberry pie. We were sold. We got a little pie to go as well. It was $3.50 for a personal size pie made with local strawberries and fresh whipped cream. We didn’t eat this until the next day and I have a feeling it was better the day it was made. It was incredibly sweet, but I think that was due to the juice from the strawberries soaking into the crust. Also I was disappointed to see only a mere tablespoon of diced strawberries. Bummer. The flavor was good, so I’m willing to go back and try something else from there. Hopefully with a better turnout than this time.

Making note of the trucks we visited.

I was pleased with the overall experience. The vendors were professional and the crowd was mild. No disturbances from rowdy patrons, just people eating food and having a good time. Another thing I noticed was that there weren’t many kids running around. The crowd was more of an adult crowd, but the venue was nonetheless family friendly. I read reviews from the previous year complaining about long lines and whatnot, and though I didn’t go then, based on my experience this year I look forward to attending next year’s festival.

Enjoy!

Colors are the Smiles of Nature

This is going to be a short post, but long enough so that I can tell you how amazing this salsa is. I mean, can we just take a minute to talk about the color? I absolutely love bright colors. Especially colors that remind me of summer - they have a way of making me smile. I'm a big color/texture person. If it's off, I'm not happy. I love the contrast in color between the cilantro, mango, and kiwis. The festive colors makes me wish summer was here already. Let's move on to the texture for a minute. The mango is really the main "body" in this dish. The kiwi has such a light texture, emphasizing the texture of the mango. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute flat leaf parsley or fresh mint. I encourage you to make this salsa yourself and have fun with it. It's very versatile and is sure to please.


I first made this salsa over two years ago. It was served with a honey-glazed pork loin, served over rice pilaf. Hello! Match made in heaven. I was hooked, and ended up making it 3 times that week. It normally doesn't last through the rest of the day around my house, but for a normal portion size, it should serve 4-6. It can be served with pork, tilapia, shrimp, and salmon. My favorite pairing still is with a simple pork. This last time that I made it, we paired the salsa with a center cut pork chop, served with rice pilaf, Parmesan crusted roasted zucchini and squash, and fresh baby bell peppers. Delish! Try it out and see how you like to serve it.

Mango-Kiwi Salsa


Ingredients:
2 ripe mango, chopped
4 ripe kiwi, chopped
Generous handful of cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste




Directions:
Combine mango, kiwi, and cilantro in bowl. Whisk together olive oil, salt and pepper, and add to fruit. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. 
This dish is even better if you refrigerate it overnight, but if you can't wait that long, then have it. 

Jasmine Rice with Sweet Onions and Summer Herbs

What's on the menu for tonight: Shrimp Cocktail, a Simple Dinner Salad, Tilapia with Lemon Butter and Caper Sauce, Jasmine Rice with Sweet Onions and Summer Herbs, along with Roasted Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

There are some things that you just never get tired of. They always fit the occasion, and are sure to please. This dish has become an instant hit and my go-to recipe when I want a fresh side to accompany fish. I have made this with Salmon and Tilapia, and honestly it's fabulous either way. The first time I made it I added fresh mint and lemon zest along with the Tarragon and Dill; while this time I made it according to the recipe with only slight modification. While I can take credit for this dish, I have to give credit where credit is due; to my mother. She takes credit for everything else we had tonight. Even if she creates-it-as-she-goes, it always turns out amazing; no recipe in mind, whatever we have around the house = simple flavors with subtle complexity, which speaks to her personality. As for dessert; right now she has an apple crumble in the oven and I must say it smells heavenly.

As I said earlier, I made a slight modification to the recipe. Instead of using Basmati rice, I swapped it for Jasmine rice.  Also I love the flavor of fresh herbs, so I almost doubled the amount of herbs that is called for. Seasoning with salt and pepper after it has cooked is always a must. There really isn’t anything I would change about this recipe. Fresh, light, and pleasing to the senses; the aromatics that come with this dish are incredible.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit

Serves 6

Start to finish time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups basmati rice (about 10 ounces)

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 cups chopped sweet onions

2 ½ cups water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation

Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear; set aside. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice, 2 ½ cups water, and 1 ½ teaspoon salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in herbs. Season with pepper and more salt if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve.