A few years ago, foodies across the country decided on a plan — to bring the people to the food, you need to bring the food to the people. A longtime concept (from the ancient days of ice cream trucks) was revived and reborn. The result was the food truck 2.0.
In the past three years or so, Triad businesses have caught onto this delicious and (seemingly) simple route. As with every business, however, there have been a few hiccups along the way. One of the biggest hurdles is a set of local laws that prohibit food trucks from parking in public lots and spaces. (Contrast this with Portland, Oregon, where food trucks gather daily in downtown streets to serve the city’s lunch crowd.) To combat these laws, local food trucks flock to festivals and events to help spread awareness. One such event is the annual Burke Street Food Truck Festival, which drew 30 food trucks and thousands of hungry visitors this past April.
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There are also a number of logistical concerns for food-truck operators. A flat tire could mean an entire service lost, and thousands of dollars. How exactly does one operate a grill and fryer on wheels? Where does one find the customers?
I asked myself these questions as I sat on a street curb, sinking my teeth into a locally sourced and prepared burger. I wanted to know what the food truckers of the Triad might have to say about their chosen profession. I asked, and learned that life on the road is harder than it sounds. Read on to find out more about a few Twin City businesses that offer their meals exclusively on the go.
Camel City Grill
One trip to a food truck court in Portland, and Ben Devar, co-owner of Camel City Grill, was hooked. When he came back to North Carolina, he saw a potential market in the Triad, and with the help of friend Gavin O’Neill, he launched the business endeavor.
Unique to Camel City Grill is the PBB&J Burger, a “1/3 lb. Black Angus burger, topped with homemade peanut butter, red pepper jelly, and bacon, served on a brioche roll.” That description is enough to raise anyone’s eyebrows, even those who don’t consider themselves avid foodies. Devar admits that one of his favorite parts of running the truck is receiving feedback from customers—or as he puts it “watching a skeptic try the PBB&J Burger and realize that it’s actually a very delicious combo.”
Don’t have what it takes to try the burger? No problem. Camel City also offers traditional craft burgers and sandwiches. For a full schedule of the truck’s whereabouts, visit facebook.com/camelcitygrill.
Gunny Smitty’s Hot Dogs
This familiar hot dog cart can be found all across Forsyth County. In addition to hot dogs, the truck also serves sausage dogs, chips, and drinks. For owner Charley Smith, the chance to meet new customers and expand business into different locations was the draw to starting a mobile food vendor: “I can be in Clemmons for lunch and Kernersville for dinner.”
Though you can order the classic dogs, chips, and Coke, consider trying out Smitty’s signature Pepsi onions or fresh-squeezed lemonade. Feeling courageous? Try a smear of the bacon jam on your next dog. If you’re lucky, you might even get to try a wedge of homemade cake (upon availability).
Now that Smitty’s is well past the technical hurdles of starting up the cart, Smith is thinking ahead to new events and locations. Don’t be surprised if you see a new truck pop up in the future, one with the big red “hot dogs” letters across the side. You can track their location at facebook.com/gunnysmittyshotdogs.
Hickory Tree Turkey BBQ
Eating out can be a struggle for those who are seeking a healthy diet. You can double that if you’re eating off a Southern menu. Hickory Tree Turkey BBQ cooks its BBQ in the traditional Eastern N.C. style with vinegar, peppers, and spices, but as owner Mike Neal says, the truck provides “another channel to offer our unique spin on healthy, Southern-inspired fare.”
BBQ without the guilt and all of the flavor? Though it seems impossible, the truck has already turned many pork barbecue fans into turkey barbecue proponents. Hickory Tree also offers turkey cracklings and smoked turkey ribs in addition to its BBQ.
While the business has been successful, Neal admits operating a food truck requires intensive labor and attention to detail. This fact doesn’t seem to bother him, however, as he’s perpetually positive and always thinking about the future. At the moment, that future is converting pork eaters to his flavorful turkey BBQ. As he likes to say, “We have the audacity to serve BBQ in N.C. and not have pork!” Stay updated on the truck at facebook.com/HickoryTreeBBQ.
The Screaming Radish
Owned and operated by popular chef Kevin Reddick, this new business is stretching the limits of what a food truck can be. Reddick describes the operation as a “restaurant kitchen on wheels” that uses little tricks from the fine-dining world to make flavors pop. He opened the truck earlier this year after manning the kitchen at places such as Diamondback Grill, Nobles, and Artisan Café.
When he started the truck, he decided he didn’t want to limit himself to one kind of food. He also wanted to be free to cook with the seasons and to make whatever inspired him. “The idea was to do what we were doing in a restaurant, but do it in a truck,” Reddick says. “We try to do something different every day.”
Popular options range from the Iron-Forged Burger ($10) to the Free-Range Chicken Sandwich ($10) to the Tostado de Queso ($9), along with homemade potato chips and homemade pickles. The truck also does catering and can handle wedding parties of up to 300 people. For menus, locations, and catering info, go to thescreamingradish.com.
FIVE MORE FAVORITES
Flite Time Wings: When it comes to wings on the go, nobody does it quite as well as Flite Time. The Winston-Salem-based food truck serves a mix of delicious hot wings, crispy fries, and other sides. While the most popular options are the Jerk Wings, Kelchi Wings, and Honey BBQ, we’ve yet to try one that wasn’t tasty. You can track the flights at facebook.com/FliteTimeWings.
Food Freaks: There’s burgers, and then there’s stuffed burgers. The folks at Food Freaks do the latter quite tastefully with creations such as the “Rhythm & Bleu,” a burger that comes stuffed with feta and bleu cheese and a generous smear of bacon jam and Sriracha mayonnaise. Follow their whereabouts on Twitter @foodfreaks_nc.
Mike & Mike’s Italian Ices: This local truck serves the same kind of Italian ices found in NYC using genuine fruit and fruit juices in their production process. The result is unique flavors and a velvety texture that’s surprising to anyone who’s used to the rock-hard stuff sold in grocery stores. Follow them at facebook.com/mikeandmikesitalianices.
Taqueria Luciano: For those with a taste for tacos, this traveling taqueria slings some of the freshest Mexican fare in the area. The truck also serves tortas, burritos, quesadillas, and on occasion tamales. Diners can choose from eight different traditionally prepared meats to craft a spicy assortment of lunch options. You can track their location each day at facebook.com/taquerialuciano.
Urban Street Grill: This Korean-Mexican fusion truck serves up tacos, burritos, rice bowls, and cheese steaks stuffed with mouth-watering combinations such as ginger chicken and tomatillo salsa verde, or ribeye bulgogi and salsa roja. Check out the Facebook page or follow @Urban_StGrill on Twitter for upcoming events.
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