Review: Mandoline Grill Launch Party
On Saturday, February 6, from 3 PM to 8 PM, Mandoline Grill held its truck launch party at Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. By the time I got there, the line was relatively short, but there was a sizable crowd waiting for food. That crowd only got bigger as the night wore on: by 6:30 PM, the average wait time was around an hour. This, I've heard, is somewhat common with new food trucks - it takes a few days, weeks or even months to iron out the kinks in service. From what I could observe, it looked as if all the food was being made to order, which could explain why it took so long. Some folks were not happy: one memorable comment I overheard was "I could grow my food more quickly than this!" Low blood sugar meant the rest of the crowd was somewhat subdued.
The food was almost worth the wait. My crew (just a normal-type crew, not a dance crew, sadly) and I ordered three different banh mi: ca ri ga (Vietnamese chicken curry), beef, and lemongrass tofu ($6 each). I also got an order of cha gio, a.k.a. tofu spring rolls ($4). Unfortunately, they were all out of bun.
My husband asked for the beef banh mi sans mayo, but when he received the sandwich, there was his condimental nemesis, staring him mockingly in the face. The mayo was particularly heavy, and coated the roof of my mouth long after I'd finished my sandwich. The beef was tangy and thin-sliced, but with a few large chunks of gristle. The tofu was cut thicker than they do it at Phamish, and the larger pieces were not quite as flavorful. (Less surface area for marinade, I guess.)
My favorite was the chicken curry: shredded fowl in a creamy sauce that tasted as if it contained coconut milk, even though the server swore to my coconut-hating husband that it did not. I love coconut, so I was happy with whatever ingredient was imparting that flavor. One of my other dining companions remarked that the baguettes seemed a bit underbaked. My curry banh mi did collapse halfway through my eating it; perhaps a crustier baguette would have held up better.
The cha gio were vegan and delicious. Even my 21-month-old son Owen, who doesn't really seem to like food in general, was into them. When I asked him for a bite, he clutched his egg roll possessively and said "Owen." A ringing endorsement. I'd definitely get the cha gio again, along with the chicken curry banh mi.
I have to say that Phamish is still my overall favorite of the banh mi trucks, and I'd choose a Nom Nom lemongrass chicken sandwich over Mandoline's ca ri ga. I did like Mandoline's food, though; the banh mi fixings - carrots, daikon, cilantro, cucumber and jalapenos - were fresh, crunchy and plentiful. The chefs and servers stayed sweet under pressure, which is an admirable feat at a truck launch. I'll definitely be hitting up Mandoline Grill again when I see the truck around town.
Vegetarian-friendly? Most definitely. Four out of 10 menu items are vegan. I highly recommend the cha gio.
Vegan-friendly? Yep - see above.
Review: Grill ‘Em All
When I heard that a metal-themed burger truck was rolling out in mid-December of last year, I was inordinately excited. I love hard rock in all its guises, from butt-rock to prog to black, and I especially love Metallica. (In case you don't already know, Grill 'Em All is a burger-themed pun on Metallica's 1983 debut album, Kill 'Em All.) Metal and burgers are a perfect match, putting me in mind of pre-rock-show tailgate parties in sports-arena parking lots. Metal and gourmet burgers, though? Not such a common pairing - until now.
The truck parked at Melrose and Fuller this past Thursday afternoon, in front of the Groundlings building. My husband and I showed up at 4 PM, and there was no line. I stepped up to the counter, and was greeted by co-owner Matt and co-owner/chef Ryan. When I mentioned I wrote for findlafoodtrucks.com, Ryan said he was really excited when Grill 'Em All first made it onto our Twitter feed aggregator. Then Matt told me he'd read the blog and liked my Don Chow Tacos review. Flattery will get you everywhere, gentlemen. So will being cute metal dudes.
It turned out there was no need to butter up this critic, though: the food was seriously awesome. Ryan recommended we get the double-dipped pommes frites ($3), and gave them a complimentary dousing of truffle oil (usually a buck more). The oil lent the fries an extra depth of salty, pungent flavor. The fries themselves were perfectly crispy on the outside, with molten insides. We also got the H-100s ($4), named for a firework and a hardcore band from Matt and Ryan's home town of Cleveland, Ohio. They were big, panko-encrusted, cheese-infused tater tots, and they were about a billion times better than the Ore-Ida variety. My only complaint? Not enough cheese. We got the chipotle ketchup and the garlic aoli for dipping: both were good enough to eat with a spoon.
Onto the burgers. I had the Waste 'Em All ($6.50), with marinated green chilies, pepper jack cheese and beer-soaked onions. Some people like their burger bun to soak up condiments and meat juice till it almost falls apart: I am not one of those people, and, lucky for me, this was not one of those buns. Much more solid than your average fluffy, spongy burger vehicle, it was chewy, dense, delicious, and may also have been sourdough; I am ashamed to say I ate so quickly that I'm not sure about that last part. The burger itself was a big fat restaurant-style patty, cooked medium rare. There was just a touch too much green chili, which added a slight sourness to the overall flavor. The onions were amazing, though - tender and mellow, with a tiny bit of crunch to them. Beer really does make everything better.
My husband had the Hannah Montana ($5.50). (Typing that sentence makes me laugh.) I, of course, had a bite or three. My first words, mouth stuffed full, were, "Mmm. That's a good burger." That's really all that needed to be said about it. It had American cheese, pickle, lettuce, tomato and ketchup, and it was damn near perfect.
The whole Grill 'Em All experience was cool as hell. The truck itself is a sight to behold, emblazoned with Viking-helmeted burgers, zombie hands wielding ketchup bottles, lightning bolts and crossed spatulas. The food blends no-nonsense American standards with gourmet sensibilities. A metal-themed food truck could so easily have gone too far and ended up in cheesy Dr. Rockzo territory: Matt and Ryan embrace their gimmick without being too earnest or theatrical about it. I'll echo that restraint by concluding this review without making a single Metallica-themed joke. I had devised a tortured pun involving the two horsemen of the food-truck-alypse, but I'll spare you.
Vegetarian-friendly? Yes: there's the humorously named Carcass ($7.50), which features a veggie burger with guacamole, pico de gallo and frizzled onions. You can also have a veggie patty for $2 extra on any one of the burgers.
Vegan-friendly? Get a veggie patty and leave off the bun. The pommes frites are vegan, but the H-100s have cheese inside.
Review: Kimchi 21
It was Saturday evening, and my husband and I were in search of a food truck. We'd checked the trusty Twitter feed aggregator, but no trucks were in the vicinity. Hoping that someone had forgotten to tweet their location, we set out in the car regardless. We'd heard great things about a mysterious taco truck that parked on Olympic and La Brea Blvds Thursday through Saturday nights, so that was our first stop, but sadly, the truck wasn't there. As we drove back along Melrose, my husband spotted Kimchi 21 parked outside the clothing store Foreign Exchange, between Curson and Sierra Bonita Aves.
I'd seen Kimchi 21 on Melrose many times before, but I knew they weren't on FindLAFoodTrucks.com. That, I found out, was because they don't have a Twitter feed. The server told me that they might start tweeting in May. He didn't explain why it had to wait till then. Their URL is on the side of the truck, but when I visited the site, it was a Network Solutions placeholder page. Maybe they don't care about the whole social media aspect of food-trucking: that's strange, since I'm sure they're a part of the Kogi-inspired Korean-BBQ-taco truck wave, and Twitter seems to be an essential ingredient of that business model.
The line was very short at 6:30 PM, but perhaps we just missed the rush: several people stepped up behind us as we ordered. We got a beef burrito ($5) and two tofu tacos ($2 each), with kimchi on the side. The beef was paper-thin and surprisingly lean. I'd psyched myself up for a few mouthfuls of gristle, but didn't end up having to endure even one. It was slightly dry, however. The burrito also contained the best Spanish rice I've had in a while - the tomato gave it a nice tangy bite without being overpowering. A goodly sum of chopped raw onions topped the whole thing off. I could still taste them half an hour later. That sounds gross, but it wasn't indigestion-related: my mouth was just suffused with oniony goodness. As for the tacos, the tortillas were just chewy enough, and supported all the wet stuff well. The tofu could have done with a bit more marinating, I think; it was creamy and firm, but slightly bland. I couldn't eat more than a mouthful of the kimchi. It had an odd, perfumey foretaste, and by that, I mean it literally tasted like when you spray perfume on your neck and some ends up getting in your mouth. (Anyone else ever done that? No? Just me, then.) After that flavor died down, it was pretty palatable, but I couldn't bring myself to go through the cycle again with another bite. I don't pretend to be a kimchi connoisseur, but I'm pretty sure this was not top-quality stuff.
I'd get the beef burrito again, and I'd love to have a side of the Spanish rice. The tofu tacos weren't special enough for a second go-round, in my opinion. As a whole, the Kimchi 21 experience wasn't the best time I've had at a food truck: compared to the kickass BBQ and warm friendliness at Barbie's Q, or the mind-blowing flavors and attentive service at Coolhaus, neither Kimchi 21's food nor its atmosphere was particularly memorable.
Vegetarian-friendly? Yes, you can get tofu tacos, burritos and quesadillas. There's also a kimchi quesadilla.
Vegan-friendly? Not particularly. The tacos, burritos and quesadillas all come with cheese.
Review: Don Chow Tacos
Driving down Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, my husband and I happened upon Don Chow Tacos parked in front of SLOW Vintage Clothing on the corner of Gardner Avenue. It was close to 7 PM, and the truck was almost ready to leave. My husband, my son Owen and I were the only people in line, and our food came up in minutes. We got four tacos: carne asada, soy-ginger tofu, Kung Pao chicken and Chinese BBQ pork tacos (all $2). There was a choice of hot, medium or mild salsa. I opted for the hot salsa on the carne asada taco. The meat was perfectly seasoned and went very well with the hot salsa. I'd 100% eat this taco again. The soy-ginger tofu taco, which I got with the medium salsa, was tasty, too. The tofu was grilled to a nice firmness.
When I first bit into the Chinese BBQ pork taco, I got a big chunk of fat. (I absolutely hate the texture of fat. If that makes me a food philistine, I apologize.) I soldiered on, though, and was soon rewarded: the pork was juicy, tender and lean, and there was just enough sauce to make it moist rather than soupy. I really tasted the soy, ginger and hoisin. There was a generous amount of meat in the taco – they didn’t skimp. It was absolutely delicious. The Kung Pao chicken came with onions and cilantro, but the salsa on top was missing, so I found it to be a little dry. I’m willing to try it again con salsa, just so I can experience it the way it’s supposed to taste. I do have one question, though: where the peanuts at?
The Don Chow staff – Dom, Lawrence, Gary, Ernie and Coleen – were incredibly friendly. Coleen played peek-a-boo with Owen, and Lawrence sang the praises of the taco al pastor (rotisserie pork with chili), a special menu item that evening, and the lengua, another special. I’ll have to try those next time – and there will be a next time, hopefully also involving Round 2 of the Chinese BBQ pork. In addition, I’m planning to try the Chimale, a Mexican-Chinese tamale with kung pao chicken or Chinese BBQ pork ($3.50). I’m also curious about the burritos, specifically the soy-ginger shrimp ($5).
Vegetarian-friendly? The tofu, which you can get in a taco, burrito or torta, is extremely flavorful. Not just a token gesture to veggie foodies, it’s a well-thought-out dish. The night we went to Don Chow, there was a cheese quesadilla on the menu, too.
Vegan-friendly? Again, you’re limited to the tofu taco, burrito or torta – but they're so tasty that you won’t feel like you’re settling.
Owen-ometer: Two thumbs up from the little man! He absolutely loved the carne asada: he ate most of the meat out of my taco, and once Lawrence saw how much he liked it, he gave Owen a little plastic condiment cup full of extra carne asada. This, too, quickly disappeared into Owen’s mouth. Next came the tofu, and Owen ate that too. He didn’t touch the corn tortillas, even though they were substantial and tasty without being too thick or dry; he was all about the meat (and meat substitute). The truck staff taught him to say “Don Chow Tacos.” On the way home, I handed Owen several pieces of Kung Pao chicken, all of which he eagerly, uh, chowed down on. (I am a bad mother; the BBQ pork was so good, I kept it all for myself.) A little voice kept piping up from the back seat: “More. More tacos, Mama.” I’ve never seen him eat so much!
Review: Grilled Cheese Truck
Two Fridays ago, the Grilled Cheese Truck parked itself on Seward Street just north of Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, and served lunch from 12 to 2. At 12:30, there was no line – eight or 10 quasi-hipsters/post-production-house types were milling around, but they’d ordered already. This was my second visit to the truck – no, not that day; I mean I’d first checked it out in early December. That time, I’d had the Harvest Melt with roasted butternut squash, Gruyere, agave syrup, thyme and balsamic reduction ($5), and a Plain and Simple Sharp Cheddar sandwich ($4). I remembered that the squash was tender without being mushy, and that the cheddar tasted pleasingly expensive despite the sandwich’s reasonable price tag.
Stepping up to the ordering window this time, I heard a guy inside the truck tell a customer that the owner was standing next to the truck. I looked where he pointed, and saw Michelle Grant, who, along with chef Dave Danhi, opened the Grilled Cheese Truck in November 2009. Grilled cheese royalty! The guy who took my order wasn’t Danhi, but he was very friendly and helpful. Whoever served me last time hadn’t mentioned that there were dipping sauces besides ketchup for the Tater Tots ($3): garlic aioli, chipotle aioli and barbecue sauce. I chose the chipotle aioli – whenever I go to Wurstküche, the sausage joint in downtown LA’s arts district, I practically bathe in the stuff. The GCT’s version was just as good.
The food took about 10 minutes to come up. I grabbed a wad of napkins as thick as my forearm, and dove in. The Plain and Simple American and Gruyere sandwich with an add-on of sliced apple ($4.50) was the perfect combination of tart and funky – the apple was a Granny Smith with a nice crunch. Next was the Cheesy Mac Melt ($5), which slapped Southern macaroni and cheese with sharp cheddar between two slices of wheat bread. A mac-and-cheese sandwich sounded dodgy: how to stop the bread from getting soggy? Whatever it took, the GCT managed to do it – no sog whatsoever. The sauce was creamy and the pasta was toothsome, as Top Chef contestants would say. I had the option of adding BBQ pork and caramelized onions for an extra $2, but I didn’t this time. Finally, I had another go at the Harvest Melt. It wasn’t as good as the first time. The squash was slightly undercooked, and the Gruyere was at the sweaty, rather than the melted, stage. One of my dining companions suggested that if I’d saved the Harvest Melt to eat last, perhaps it would have cooked a little more while it sat in its foil wrapper, and the squash might have attained a better consistency. I’ll try that next time – the sandwich was still good enough for me to want to eat again. I didn’t finish this one, though, instead turning my attention to the Tater Tots, which were crispy and awesome, but could have used a touch more salt.
Vegetarian-friendly? Yes. Most of the sandwiches are meatless.
Vegan-friendly? Not really - cheese is the star here.
Overall impression: I smelled like grilled cheese for several hours afterward, and I liked it. Next time I’ll try the tomato soup ($2) and the dessert melt, which features roasted banana puree, Nutella and marshmallow fluff ($6).
The Owen-ometer: Owen, my 21-month-old son, always joins me on my food-truck adventures. He’s a legendarily picky eater who dines almost exclusively on Trader Joe’s cereal bars, so I thought he might make a good, tough truck critic. What did he think of the Grilled Cheese Truck? He devoured the Tater Tots, just like a stereotypical kid. He’s a fan of spicy flavors, so I asked if he’d like to dip a Tater Tot in the chipotle aioli. “No,” was his succinct reply. He took a piece of the Cheesy Mac Melt, and I waited with bated breath to see if he’d actually have a bite, but no dice: after walking around with it for 10 minutes, he said “Mama’s turn,” and handed it to me.
EDITED TO ADD: The Grilled Cheese Truck informs me that their tomato soup is vegetarian, but has a little parmesan cheese in it, so it's not vegan.
TLofts Food Trucks For Haiti: Review
This Saturday’s Haiti fundraiser at TLofts had an enormous turnout. 25 food trucks lined the intersection of Tennessee and Butler Avenues in West LA, and, from 11 AM to 4 PM, seemingly thousands of people showed up to eat for charity. Participating trucks included Nom Nom Truck, Bool BBQ, Buttermilk Truck, Get Shaved, Fishlips Sushi, India Jones Chow Truck, and many, many more.
I ran into a fellow food-truck aficionado; too overwhelmed to order yet, we stood and chatted for a while. Like me, he was stunned into inaction not only by the Disneyland-long lines at each truck, but also by the staggering variety of food on offer. The problem with such a concentration of trucks in one area is that you can’t possibly eat everything that looks good. By the time I left, I’d only managed to make it through a meatball sub from Vesuvio, a Del’s frozen lemonade, and a chocolate milkshake from King Kone. It would have been great if each truck had prepared smaller portions of some or all of its dishes, so customers could sample more than one truck’s cuisine: although maybe it’s to a truck’s advantage to fill customers’ bellies so full that they can’t fit anyone else’s food in there. I asked a woman at Vesuvio if she could make me a half-sandwich instead of a full order; she told me they “don’t really do that.”
The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly: everyone wanted to know what everyone else was eating and which truck it’d come from. At Vesuvio, I waited with two other women for arancini (savory rice balls), and we cursed our luck together when the staff told us they’d run out. My friend accosted a man eating a good-looking tostada, and he directed her over to LA FuXion. Sadly, they were all out too.
By 3:15, almost all the trucks began to run out of food. Willoughby Road had erased most of its blackboard menu; one or two lonely items remained. Don Chow Tacos held off on taking orders, unsure it even had enough food left to fulfill the ones already on the docket. Asian Soul Kitchen took off, honking its horn triumphantly (or perhaps simply attempting to clear the road of chatting diners). The Grilled Cheese Truck and Louks To Go left next. Ridiculously full, I departed soon afterward.
Notable absences: Frysmith, who had a prior commitment at the Natural History Museum; Marked5, who tweeted today that it’ll be “coming back soon;” TastyMeat (its truck was in the shop); Baby’s Badass Burgers; Kogi BBQ; and Grill ’Em All – as a huge fan of both burgers and Metallica, I was sad this new truck wasn’t there today.