Recent Food Truck Tour Stops - Sushi Fix & AZ Canteen

So it's been a while since I've done a post on lunchtime visits to some of the downtown Minneapolis area food trucks. I'm a creature of habit, frequenting the same three food trucks most of the time, but in the past weeks I've tried a couple of new trucks.

First up is Sushi Fix.The truck is normally parked between 7th & 8th street on Marquette when it's in downtown Minneapolis. The owner: Enkhbileg “Billy” Tserenbat, who is a former executive chef from Yumi Sushi Bar.

Nothing is pre-made. Everything on the menu is made to order. The fish they use is as fresh as possible delivered to the them the night before they use it.  No fishy smells, it is so tasty & tender, not hard & cold from sitting assembled in a package with fake green plastic leaves beneath it.

For $15, I splurged I tried that day's special...  
"The Hennepin Roll: Inside: shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber Outside: Spicy Tuna, Tobiko, Sweet sauce."


 It was a good sized portion, so I shared a piece with an inquisitive co-worker. We agreed it was the best sushi either of us had eaten in a long time & could hardly believe it was made in a truck. Yum!

I had also heard good things about Andrew Zimmern's newest food truck venture called AZ Canteen from Jason DeRusha on Twitter. AZ Canteen is normally parked a couple of trucks down from Sushi Fix on the same block. While Jason was singing the praises about the tongue he had eaten there, I was more eager to try the Andouille, Oyster & Crab Gumbo.

This particular recipe is a bit different than the Baton Rouge-style Gumbo I grew up with my Daddy making for me, which was always chock full of shrimp & crawfish, beside the sausage & chicken. 

The different ingredient in this cup was oysters. I admit I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was actually really enjoyable. The roux was well made & the gumbo had a nice consistency - not too thick or thin There was even a taste of okra in the cup. Light on heat, it could have used a few splashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce, but for a dish made for a MN palate, it was pretty tasty.

The logo design is very quirky & fun.

In honor of the Great Minnesota Get Together, aka The MN State Fair, Smack Shack came up with a Lobster Corn Dog in a  Sweet Corn Batter & served with Lemon Chive Aioli, which was incredibly yummy. We have been begging & pleading on facebook for them to be brought back to the truck before the season is over.

Last but not least, our building management held a get together in the lobby for tenants of the building. Although this has nothing to do with food trucks, I had my first taste of "ice cream", or Raspberry Sorbet as this variety was, from Izzy's Ice Cream Cafe. It was good - I might just be tempted to stop by their store in St. Paul sometime with my Munchkin & try out some other flavors.

So that's it for a while. This coming weekend is the 3rd annual Minnesota Blogger Conference. I'll be attending & will place recaps of the sessions out here. Renewed inspiration for getting my blogging grove back is what I expect to find, along with a taste of Muddy Paws Cheesecake & a new avatar/head shot.

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Thoughtful Thursday - Another Year Wiser

Sometimes the most simple things in life bring you pleasure. Take these rather tart Early Blush Fireside Apples I bought at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago.  

Munchkin was satisfied to eat them as is. He loves every kind of apple, whether they are more tart or sweet. I had elaborate plans with what to do with them & tonight instead just tossed them with some Turbinado Sugar & Penzeys Spices Chinese Cassia Cinnamon to put over a scoop of ice cream.  

My mother, who I adore, was not the best baker in the world. She used to make my favorite dessert, fruit crisp, with canned Wilderness Apple or Cherry pie filling.  I loved eating crisp, but my favorite part was the crunchy oatmeal topping.  I used to dream of making the perfect apples for crisp, but from scratch. The canned filling was always much too sweet. I craved the taste of the fresh apples, slightly tart and slightly sweet.  My parents always gave me free reign to experiment with my baking in the kitchen & I love to cook today because of it.

This week I turned one year older and another year wiser. I find myself appreciating the more simple joys in my life.  Taking the time to cook more from scratch is one of those things.  The best compliment was my hubby shoveling big spoonfuls of the apples into his mouth, straight from the baking dish.  He told me how his Mom used to make apples for them that tasted just like these.  Too bad my Mother-in-Law wasn't right there to hear it! It was delicious indeed.

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Food Truck Tour Stop: Hola Arepa

Hola Arepa is the fourth Food Truck I've visited this Summer.

They describe themselves as: "A food truck bringing delicious, mostly sustainable Latin cuisine to the streets of Minneapolis." 

A couple of weeks ago my coworker mentioned that she really wanted to try the Arepas at Hola Arepa & I was like: "the what?! What is an Arepa?" You too? Ok, now I don't feel so bad!

So the cornmeal they use to make the patty seems to be a white cornmeal, which I love - I may be totally wrong, but for those of you who need to eat Gluten Free, it's a great way to enjoy a "sandwich" without the traditional bread. It's also a great vegetarian option.

 

So they will take your order & give you a playing card - when the number & suite on your card is called - it's to to eat. Easier than butchering a bunch of strange names.

 

My girlfriend had the Pulled Chicken Arepa, which I was instantly jealous of because the pickled cabbage looked like it could have been pretty tasty. She also chose a side of chips & salsa.

 

Pulled Chicken Arepa - Kadeyan Farms Chicken, Black Beans, Tomato, Salsa Verde & Pickled Cabbage

I tried the Slow-Roasted Pork Arepa with a side of Guacamole.

Fischer Farms Pork, Black beans, Cohja cheese & Special Sauce (I think!)

The juices from the pork oozed out as I went to pick it up to take a bite. I had drizzled a small amount of the med-hot red salsa & I immediately thought I should have added more - I love spicy food. The combination was so very flavorful.  I added another layer by squeezing some of my guacamole over my sandwich as if it wasn't messy enough to eat.

I highly recommend you bring a fork, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of finger-licking as I did.  Grab lots of napkins too. So to no surprise I went back for more the very next day.  It was still hopping - they had brought down an extra person, so they were still turning out orders pretty fast, but there was a line.

This time I tried the Black Bean & Queso Fresco Arepa with tomato & pickled cabbage (yes, I had to try it), then ordered the Chips & Salsa (They had run out of guacamole by the time I arrived.) 

They give you two little cups to hold the salsa, but there was really only room in the little tray for one - I doubt that I would have made it back to the office without a second getting dumped all over my clothes.

It was surprisingly filling for there being no meat.  It was still pretty messy to eat because of the juice in the beans. If I have to choose a favorite, however it would be the Pork. The Vegetarian option could have used a couple more ingredients to add to the layers of flavors. Next time I will add some of the pickled cabbage & a lot more salsa in lieu of the guacamole on top.

I do recommend that people give Hola Arepa a try. It's something totally out of the ordinary & very flavorful.  For the guys you may want to try two Arepas to feel totally satisfied.  For more information, follow them on Twitter or check out their website at http://holaarepa.com.

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Wordless Wednesday - Simple Joys in Life

Nothing says sit down & take a rest after a tour of the stands at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market like a tall cup of fresh squeezed lemonade...

Or your Munchkin deciding that he really wants some freshly made 

mini donuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar 

after catching a whiff of them cooking.

They were light, tender & oh, so yummy 

- one of the most simple joys in life.

A portion large enough to gladly share with his Momma 

- Lucky for me!

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My Food Truck Tour Continues: Dandelion Kitchen

Today I was swamped at the office & although I planned to wait to visit the Minneapolis Farmers Market until Saturday when I could shop at a leisurely pace, I wanted to grab a quick lunch at one of the food trucks.  The first truck I walked past was already closed for the day, so I headed toward Nicollet Mall.

Dandelion Kitchen it was! 

I tried their BLT with maple-glazed bacon, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado, served on a baguette.

I love that they source their ingredients locally when possible:

The bacon comes from Pastures A Plenty in Kerkhoven, MN

The tomatoes come from eQuality Farms in MN

The baguettes come from Salty Tart Bakery in Minneapolis, MN

At first I was skeptical about trying a BLT with avocado - but... it was delicious. I almost tasted like there was some sort of sweet & tangy dressing on the sandwich - a combination of the smoky & sweet in the bacon blended well with the perfectly ripened heirlooms & the creaminess of the avocado.

"Great flavors. Messy fingers. Happy tummy." 

So. I'd say my first experience was a positive one, so don't be surprised if before the end of the season I make a return trip to try something new.  If you'd like to learn more about Dandelion Kitchen - check out their website, or follow them on Twitter.

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Lunch via Vellee Deli

For lunch the other day I ventured the 3 blocks over to Marquette & instead of my old faithful spot, I thought I'd try out one of the newer Food Trucks that serve downtown Minneapolis.   Parked between 5th & 6th Street on that day was Vellee Deli. They call themselves creating food that is a fusion of Asian & Mexican.

I had heard that they served fish tacos, but did not have a clue what to expect.

For $7.00 I tried what they call The Kraken which is 2 "tacos" - a beer batter fish filet topped with shredded red cabbage & pico de gallo, served on a couple of cold corn tortillas.

 

They all wore tee shirts that said on the back:

"it's not just good...it's VELLEE GOOD! "

My verdict?!

The portion size was small - I almost wished I would have ordered something else to go along with it.  The presentation was good, however I would have preferred to have it in a box that I could close for the walk back to the office.  Onlookers jealously peered at it as I walked back up the street.

The crunch of the battered fish was a nice contrast to the cold corn tortillas & the toppings were surprisingly flavorful, enough so that I though a portion size of 3 tacos would have been perfect for lunch.

I may have missed the boat with my order because as I stood waiting for my lunch a number of dishes quickly sold out: The Dragon Melt ( a Quesadilla), one of their Burritos, and one of the Baugette sandwiches.

It peaked my taste buds enough to go back another day & give one of the other dishes a try as you know a woman can not nosh on Lobster rolls alone!

I did appreciate that they made their social presence known with the Twitter & Facebook buttons on their truck. If your are interested in viewing their menu - click Vellee Deli & check out their website.  I'm following them on Twitter & you can also @VelleeDeli.

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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/.

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