Chicken and waffles, anyone?

We got some surprising (and awesome) news this morning that Brown Bag & Cupcakes for Courage are teaming up to do a fun pop-up concept. Tomorrow and Wednesday, they’ll be serving fried chicken, waffles, and red velvet cupcakes for carryout. Give them a call and check it out (and post pics of that deliciousness to our Facebook page)!

When: December 27th & 28th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where: 4019 N. Damen (Brown Bag’s Kitchen, also it’s Espresso Thy Art)

How: Call ahead to place orders 312.857.4221

Menu

  • $8 4 wings + 1 waffle
  • $8 2 thighs + 1 waffle
  • $9 1 breast + 1 thigh + 1 waffle
  • Add $2 for 1 beverage or 1 Red Velvet cupcake

***Carryout only***

 

New Food Truck Alert: Curry Cruiser

A shiny lunch truck. Some awesome food. And a really cool turban. Seriously, this is what photographer, graphic designer and Curry Cruiser founder Amar Singh is doing now. Or in other words, he’s focused on showcasing his style of regional Indian curries and chutneys, rolled in a handmade rustic Indian flatbread, on a food truck on the streets of Chicago.

Amar’s food blends cultures to create a cuisine influenced by his upbringing and refined by his experiences. His parents upbringing in Burma and his time traveling throughout south asia, paired with growing up in the cultural diverse city of Chicago. Taking everything he has learned from living abroad, his mother’s style of cooking and the essence of exotic Indian spices, Amar created the wonderful flavor combinations that make up the Curry Cruiser. Amar describes “the flavors as distinctly Indian blended with some non-traditional ideas to enhance the overall food experience. Imagine the smells of caramelized onions, garlic and chilies, intermingling with exotic indian spices. Add in pickled vegetables, vibrant chutneys, and a fresh housemade soft and chewy rustic Indian flatbread. It’s this rich mix of color, flavors and textures that are the essence in the Curry Cruisers signature Curryrolls.”


Follow the Curry Cruiser and try a delicious handmade Curryroll!


twitter: @currycruiser

A Peek at Tamale Foodie Dishes

Tamale Foodie is one of our the new trucks on Chicago roads and they’re serving of some delicious tamales.

Tamale Foodie tamal

We got their entire menu and shared it with friends and family. Personally, I haven’t had too many tamales in my lifetime but some of my friends have been making and eating them their whole lives, one of whom said the swiss chard tamal was one the best she had ever had. Surprisingly, the chorizo was our least favorite of the 4 fillings and the swiss chard came out on top. It was tender and succulent with a subtle but delicious flavor.

Tamale Foodie delivers tamales when you don’t want to chase down the truck. There is minimum order of 24 tamales and 24 hours notice for delivery. Also, you can get bags of frozen tamales, which can be picked up at the kitchen. To place an order, you can fill out their order form and e-mail or fax it in.

Buen provecho!

Tamale Foodie's Swiss Chard Tamal

Haute Sausage Winter Menu & Suzy’s Samosas

We recently got to check out the latest food aboard Haute Sausage food truck, and we’re liking the new additions! We caught them on a very cold, gusty day and one particular menu item seemed perfect for the chilly weather: a chicken pot pie! At first, we wondered how that would hold up during the wait from the kitchen to our hands, but we were pleasantly surprised that the pastry atop the pot pie was still super flakey (you can even see so in the picture):

Haute Sausage's chicken pot pie hit the spot in cold weather! Check out how flakey it is!

We’ve heard such great things about Susie’s samosas (and her epic skills showcased on Master Chef), and got a chance to try them out as well. Admittedly, we had never tried samosas and didn’t even know what they were. When we saw that they’re large, stuffed, deep-fried pockets we were already liking them. Suzy offers several varieties, including a barbeque chicken one (yum) and even a dessert samosa with Nutella! Each one comes with a dipping sauce (who doesn’t love dipping sauces?).

Catch Haute Sausage at one of their weekday lunch stops to try some of this awesome food for yourself.

BBQ Chicken Samosa

Mmm samosa!

Tamale Foodie

Truck name
Tamale Foodie

What they make
Tamales

Accept credit cards
Unknown. (Do you know? Tell us!)

Next Scheduled Stop

No Truck Stops


Tamalefoodie Truck

 


Latest Tweets from @tamalefoodie


Menu


Tamale Foodie

Gourmet Tamales are wrapped with our Lard Free Gourmet Masa. Gourmet TamalePieMinnies® are wrapped with pastry dough.

Gourmet Tamale: Swiss Chard & Queso FrescoSavory Swiss Chard with a touch of Cilantro, Spices and Queso Fresco combined with our Lard Free Masa creates the ultimate adventure for your taste buds. $3.49
Gourmet Tamale: Bean & Queso FrescoEnjoy the classic Pinto Beans with Queso Fresco, Lard free Masa and the right combination of spices for a whole new twist.$3.49
Gourmet Tamale: Ham & CheeseAmerican's favorite combination with our own spices, cheeses and Lard Free Masa creates a gourmet experience. $3.49
Gourmet Tamale: Spanish ChorizoPremium Spanish Sausage with Cilantro, Lard free Masa and Queso Fresco takes your food experience to the next level.$3.49
Gourmet Tamale: Santa Fe Chicken SausageGourmet Santa Fe Chicken Sausage, Queso Fresco, Lard free Masa and spices combines a revolutionary taste experience to satisfy the palate. $3.49
Gourmet TamalePieMinnies® Ham & Cheese American's favorite combination baked with our own spices, cheeses and pastry dough creates a gourmet experience. $2.99
Gourmet TamalePieMinnies® Spanish ChorizoPremium Spanish Sausage baked with Cilantro, Queso Fresco and pastry dough takes your food experience to the next level.$2.99
Gourmet TamalePieMinnies® Santa Fe Chicken Sausage Gourmet Santa Fe Chicken Sausage, baked with Queso Fresco, spices, pastry dough combines a revolutionary taste experience to satisfy the palate. $2.99
Red velvet cupcakesSouthern Style Red Velvet Cupcake Topped with Rich Cream Cheese Icing.$2.49ea/$8.99 for 4-pack
Blackout CupcakeThe Best of Both Worlds Dark Chocolate topped with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing.$2.49ea/$8.99 for 4-pack


Thanksgiving Full (& the Takosher Truck)

This is a guest post by Francis, who blogs about Los Angeles-area food trucks at https://thefoodessfiles.blogspot.com/ Be sure to check out her blog when you’re done. Also, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!

It was the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I was full. Not “I shouldn’t have had that last piece,” full. Not 3 baskets of chips and salsa BEFORE the enchilada platter arrives full. THANKSGIVING full. The one day of the year when gluttony and a day inside eating like the Barbi twins is not simply encouraged, it’s expected. Ironic, isn’t it, that a day which was probably originally marked by a meager table landscaped with anemic, snow-harvested vegetables and maybe a few skinny wild animals charred to a crisp, has manifested itself as a highly anticipated group binge? Family members collect themselves at a festively decorated table (thank-yoo, Jo-Ann’s fabrics), and literally eat themselves into a reclining position. It’s kind of obscene, really. And I absolutely couldn’t live without it.

When I was in college, I usually visited my aunt and uncle in Houston for Thanksgiving. There was such a lovely ritual about it all-the cornbread stuffing took between 3-5 days to make somehow, and was guided by my uncle’s handily sentimental sense of smell. I don’t actually think you were supposed to look at it, really. Smelling was the key. And it always worked. My aunt would hand me a stack of napkins and a book on how to fold them decoratively. I would buckle down and try for the advanced 3-D “Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria Landing,” but usually wind up with some kind of lopsided fan-thingy, and just stick a leaf in there somewhere.

I loved these Thanksgivings, not just because they let college student me sleep until noon, eat all their Toaster Streudels, and use the neato can crusher in the garage. The parade played during the day, the phone rang constantly with mutual family we could all scream at through the dark miracle of speakerphone, and the night usually ended with a movie. Like me, they too understand that the special features are where it’s at. One year, we watched The Godfather-a serious commitment which I believe is just over 3 hours. We then watched the entire special features package, which comes in at an economical 37 hours. It was awesome. We would stumble out into the light after 3 days as though from captivity, all 5-o-clock shadow and crazy eyes. Citizen Kane, same thing. I believe that was the year of what came to be known as the “English Patient” turkey, roasted under cheesecloth, unidentifiable in a line-up, and as complex as the slippery character for which it was named.

OK, so back to reality. Picture it: Los Angeles, weekend after Thanksgiving. I had gotten back into town late, and had spent the holiday with people I completely adore, who just happen to lean vegetarian. So I was all hopped up on quinoa and swiss chard when word came down that the Takosher truck was parked on my way home. (And by “word came down,” I mean that I obsessively cross-referenced Roadstoves and Twitter) for something meaty and mobile. I needed a fix. Bad. A Brisket Taco would do the trick.

It was raining. and the mean streets of Century City had the slick black sheen of pleather. An odd reference, I agree. In order for the Takosher’s famous “Brisketaco” to work, it had to hit both nails on the head. You can’t make a cheeky compound name out of two lackluster components. Just can’t be done. TAKOSHER is the first certified Glatt kosher taco truck in Los Angeles, and I was counting on them for a serious protein experience.

The Takosher truck, which advertises itself as the home of “The Chosen Taco,” sat innocently beneath a streetlight on this L.A. Confidential night, hard to miss because of it’s cornflower blue color. It sat there glowing like a mirage or something from a memory, as I raced up to the window. (I’ve convinced myself that these trucks are always 2 seconds from driving off, leaving me empty handed-so it seems I am always “racing” up to them unnecessarily, only to have the proprietor slowly and kindly take an order from the crazy running girl.)

I ordered the original “Brisketaco,” braised beef with chili sauce, sauerkraut, and raisins, as well as the “Latketaco,” latkes made from 3 kinds of potatoes with apple jalapeno chutney-in a taco. Oh. My. God. I stood on the sidewalk, adopted the necessary lean, took a first bite at a perfect right angle, and alternated hits of each kind as though it were a dual assassination. Latkes on a taco? Starch upon starch? YES. Believe me when I say: YESSSSSSS. And the chutney means you had some fruit too, so don’t feel too bad. Brisket on a taco? Natch. Braising is an act of love, and this taco is in serious black-and-white movie love with you. Not heavy, just messily juicy and spicy in the most well-rounded way. Raisins? They can bring down an oatmeal cookie in a heartbeat. They are the unwelcome stowaways in cinnamon toast. They are freaking DELICIOUS in this taco.

 

Every component was so individually good, that combined in the portable and familiar institution which we call “taco,” it is a complete success. In six bites my vegetarian streak had ended. “Streak” may be going too far. 2 days, 3 max. Although, if we’re going to split hairs, let’s start with the fact that I referred to CHUTNEY as fruit in the last paragraph. Kind of a stretch, I’m the first to admit it.

Let’s be honest here. Thanksgiving isn’t about family. It’s not about the first to settle the continent (pilgrims, Indians, the Walton family). It’s not about a parade, or the injury-causing stampede at a Target the next morning at 3 AM. (Seriously, what the hell.) It is about food. The stuff you’ve always made. The stuff you’re trying for the first time. The stuff you eat 5 times over 3 days.

It’s just that family makes it all better tasting, the settlers provide a convenient excuse to put marshmallows on yams, and the carbs make you more likely to make it through the bizarre crack of dawn shopping tradition. If you’re going to engage in this kind of culinary warfare, you want to do it with the people you love, it’s really the only way.

And then do it on a street corner with a kosher taco in each hand, and the joy of the season in your heart.

Winter’s (Almost) Here: What are Food Trucks To Do?

Okay, so we haven’t even had a single significant snowfall yet, but temperatures are starting to creep lower and lower. At this time last year, we had some trucks but only a fraction of the number that we have now. Predictions are that this is the calm before the (snow) storm, and that this’ll be one of the most brutal winters on record. So, how will trucks stay in business over the frigid winter?

Some rights reserved by Flickr user discopalace

New Stops

During the summer, we don’t really mind waiting in a long line when the sun is shining. In fact, it’s a nice break from the super high-rise building from which we descent to grab lunch from a truck. So, trucks frequented these stops since there was a strong and steady flow of people. Now, that stream of patrons will dwindle as we become far less open to withstanding high winds and freezing temperatures. Stops like Aon and the Sears Tower are less fruitful for trucks. So, this evens the playing field a bit for those of us who want food truck lunches but aren’t near stops with super high foot traffic. I work near HARPO Studios, where there are several agencies and start ups like Sprout Social and The Nerdery. However, there’s only 1 restaurant where you can grab a quick lunch, so those of us in the area would love for trucks to come by more often, and have seen them doing so more and more over the past couple of weeks. There have to be many other pockets of the city like this one, and trucks are clearly seeking them out as part of their winter survival plan. Hint: if you live or work in an area with no trucks and a decent amount of people, leave a comment below for the trucks to see!

Catering & Delivery

With Thanksgiving approaching, many trucks offered up special Thanksgiving deliveries and mini catering options. However, nearly all of the trucks offer catering all year round. Often times people don’t realize that the trucks cater, but they do! Luckily, trucks don’t require you to place catering order for ginormous parties; some trucks make deliveries for small groups. If your office brings in lunch for client meetings for 10 people or more, consider ringing up your favorite food truck to hook you up. The Adelita Truck and Brown Bag Lunch Truck even offer delivery for groups of 5. As a food truck freak, we highly encourage you to make 1 catering order from a truck during the winter. If we all do this, we’ll make it easier for trucks to survive the winter lull.

Brick-and-Mortar Partnerships

Both The Adelita Truck and Homage Street Food have paired up with local bars recently to provide food for the patrons. The Adelita truck has taken over the kitchen of Kickoff Sports Bar (Friday through Monday), and Homage is serving up food at Liz’s Liquid Lounge (Tuesday - Thursday 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.. Fri - Saturday 5 p.m. - 1 a.m.)

 

UPDATE: Susie, who is working on board Haute Sausage, told me today that she is working on partnerships to sell her stellar samosas at gourmet grocers. We also noticed that Rich (owner of Haute Sausge) had added pot pies to the menu, a winter favorite for many midwesterners. These are just two more examples of food trucks are getting creative to keep the trucks rolling!

Today’s Food Truck Adventure: Samich Box

Last week, the Samich Box truck posted a Facebook message asking for stop suggestions. I, along with a fellow food truck freak who also works in the area, asked them to stop at HARPO. Minutes later, they promised to stop by for lunch today. I spread the word around the office and we headed down the street, looking for the big orange truck.

The Skirt Steak Samich

I ordered the Skirt Steak Samich, which has “tender tequila and lime marinated grilled skirt steak served with mashed black beans, Mexican rice, caramelized onions, topped with Queso Chihuahua.” The $8.45 sandwich was well worth it; the samich was about the size of my face (and that’s only a slight exaggeration).

Even the bread was great; it was crunchy but not tough, and definitely not soggy. My coworkers said the same about their samiches, and we speculated about the utility of the rice on the samiches for this exact purpose. One coworker said they might have undercooked the rice a tiny bit so that by the time it gets to us, the rice has absorbed some of the samiches juices (instead of the bread doing that).

My tiny corner of the Mole Duck Samich

The nice guys of Samich Box even hooked us up with one of their Mole Duck Samiches: “Braised duck smothered in a spicy mole sauce served over cilantro lime rice and garnished with marinated onions [and served on flatbread].” It was one of their specials and they were looking for some feedback on it, so I cut it up and shared it with 5 coworkers (several of whom are Latinos who have enjoyed authentic homemade mole many-a-times before). All 6 of us really dug the samich, even a coworker who says he is generally not a fan of mole. Several people commented that the hint of lime was a detail that they appreciated.

 

I think my co-workers tweet sums up his experience nicely: Check out the Samich Box next time they’re in your neighborhood!

 

Get Food Truck Food for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is around the corner. Are you cooking? Better yet, are you in charge of cooking but looking for shortcuts? Or are you just heading over to your in-laws and want to bring an impressive contribution to the big feast? Food trucks have you covered.

Make Thanksgiving stress-free by enlisting the talents of local food truck chefs.

Most food trucks offer the option to get your favorite dishes from the truck for your events. Brown Bag Lunch Truck, for example, has a Thanksgiving pickup at Espresso Thy Art (4019 N. Damen) next Wednesday (orders need to be placed by this Friday and include heating instructions for Thursday). They’re offering creamy coconut mashed potatoes, cornbread pudding, and chilled sesame glazed string beans.

Everyone loves some macaroni and cheese, so why not order some from The Southern Mac? For $55, you can order a half sheet (which serves 15) of your favorite Mac and Cheese and they’ll deliver it to you. They are delivering up until 8 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving, and will deliver a cold tray for you to pop in the oven the following day.

If you’ve got the main meal down but aren’t much of a baker, you can call on our trusty sweets trucks for assistance. They’ve all got items that would be perfect for dessert. You could go the non-traditional route and call on any of our sweets trucks for cookies or cupcakes, or if you’re in the western suburbs you can order a traditional pie from new truck (but nationally renowened) Fasano Pies if you’re in the west suburbs Wednesday evening and Thanksgiving morning cherry, blueberry, apple and pumpkin. Place an order by Friday with them as well; they ask that you submit your order here.

Food truck owners, feel free to leave a comment below about what you will be offering for Thanksgiving and how people can order from you! Food truck freaks, if you order from the trucks to compliment your Thanksgiving meal, take pics and post them on our Facebook wall; we want to see!

 

New Truck Alert: Tamale Foodie

One of the truck owners who has patiently been waiting on the city to launch is now hitting the streets. Tamale Foodie is run by Dimetri Nikoloulos and serves up, you guessed it, tamales! Their website promises a “unique food experience” and says that their products are “produced from the finest ingredients: fresh cord, no lard, trans far or hydrogenated oil.”

Their launch menu is very robust,offering:

  • 5 kinds of tamales in their “lard-free gourmet masa”
    • Swiss Chard & Queso Fresco
    • Bean & Queso Fresco
    • Ham & Cheese
    • Spanish Chorizo Sausage
    • Santa Fe Chicken Sausage
  • 3 kinds of tamales wrapped in pastry dough
    • Ham & Cheese
    • Spanish Chorizo Sausage
    • Santa Fe Chicken Sausage
  • Plus lots of cupcakes, sauces, and drinks

Their is the truck’s schedule for the week:

TODAY

11:30am-12:15pm @ 300 N. LaSalle (Kinzie & LaSalle)

12:30pm-1:30pm @ 600 W. Chicago (Chicago & Larrabee)
TUESDAY 11/15
11:30am -1:30pm @ Dearborn & Monroe (Chase Towers)

WEDNESDAY 11/16
11:30am - 1:30pm @ Wacker & Monroe (Willis Tower)

THURSDAY 11/17

11:30am - 12:15pm @ 400 N. Wabash (Trump)

12:30pm - 1:30pm @ 35 W. Wabash (Leo Burnett)
FRIDAY 11/18

11:30am-12:30pm @ Superior & Fairbanks (Streeterville)

12:50pm-2:00pm @ UIC
Have you eaten from Tamale Foodie? If you stop by their truck this week, post pics of the food to our Facebook wall!