Saturday, May 14, 2011

Minneapolis Loves A Good Food Truck Vendor

@Smack_Shack was one of only eleven food-truck vendors allowed to operate in Downtown Minneapolis last year.
This was last year's @Smack_Shack location on 1st Ave. N. & 4th St. N. in the Warehouse District of Downtown Minneapolis, quite a long haul from my office so I only made it there once :  (

Needless to say that virgin taste of the Lobster Roll, filled with a quarter-pound of fresh, shelled lobster & a bit of cucumber left me wanting more...
 
New expansion approved by the Minneapolis City Council allows food to be sold curbside in pre-approved locations. When Spring came & @Smack_Shack began to tweet about their trip out East to sample foods & get ideas for new menu items I was filled with anticipation for them to announce they would open soon.

Their current location is between 6th & 7th on Marquette outside the Wells Fargo building. So convenient... perhaps a little too convenient!

A very happy customer who didn't wait for her friends to get their orders before digging in right there on the sidewalk!

I ventured over too late on my 1st trip of the Spring & they sold out of the $12 Lobster Rolls before I arrived, so I tried a Shrimp Po'Boy instead. I've been a shrimp addict almost since birth or as least for as long as I can remember. This version of a classic Louisiana sandwich truly hit the spot. Their seasoned fries are also very good & $2 gives you a generous portion you can share with a friend.
My 2nd trip of the season was with a blogger friend. We knew to get there early so we arrived 30 minutes after opening. They still had plenty of menu selections left, so I enjoyed a Lobster Roll. It is one sandwich they serve on toasted bread instead of a French bread roll.  (Don't ask me why... not really sure, but it was delicious either way.) 

Everyone raves about the large chunks of lobster meat & lack of needless fillers, plus they wouldn't think of saturating it with a ton of mayo.  It's a beautiful thing really.
 
Trip number three! - There was yet another new waitress braving the elements to take orders. My luck each time I've visited there has been a brisk chill in the air & you are standing outside waiting for your order to be made for a while. (So worth the wait!)

I'm committed to eating my way through the menu at this point. I heard on Twitter they sold out of a new sandwich option which they were trying to decide whether they should keep on the menu, I of course was curious.  

Within 45 minutes on Thursday they sold out of the $12 Soft Shell Crab Po'Boy, so of course the next day I had to go check out what the fuss was about.

If I had to rank the three sandwiches I've tried so far it would go:
#1 - Lobster Roll
#2 - Shrimp Po'Boy
#3 - Soft Shell Crab Po'Boy
however, I encourage you to go & check them out for yourselves. You'll be happy you did.

Update: June 18th
 
Here is an alternate location near Target Headquarters where on Thursday mornings they also sometimes serve breakfast.


Update: July 9th

I love that Smack Shack continues to try new things on the menu to keep the lunch options fresh for those willing to stray from the lobster roll.



It was pretty good - slightly different texture - not at chunky, but still full of flavor.

The next day they decided to improve upon the crab roll even further...


Giving me yet another reason to visit!

To find more out about them, visit their website at http://smack-shack.com/.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy: Happy Mother's Day To Me! or Lovely Morning Surprise - Random Act of Kindness

No comments: