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Friday 5 October 2012

Wheeled over



  


People are always on the move. Walking, running, driving, riding, flying in a constant state of flux. All around us the world is moving too, people migrating, continents drifting, clouds scampering this way and that. So it seems only fitting that our food start moving too. Why should a particularly tasty morsel only be available at location X, in a place that's fixed to the ground? Why shouldn't it appear in a variety of destinations, in a constant state of movement just like its eaters? Well it seems that many people had the same idea, because a bevy of gourmet food trucks rolled out in Sydney last month. 





The Eat Art Truck stands out from the pack with its distinctive and ever-changing artwork. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can watch an artist transform the truck from drab to fab while you wait in line for a pork bun. If only all queues were so entertaining. But as beautiful as the artwork is, it's the food that's the real showstopper.




Tofu lettuce wrap - spiced tofu with crispy noodles in a Korean-style lettuce wrap. I have to confess that I'm a (mild) tofu addict. I can't quite describe the source of the addiction, or pinpoint the date of its genesis. All I know is that those wobbly, flubbery, off-white cubes set my heart racing. Fry 'em, grill 'em, sear 'em - each time they rise to the occasion, absorbing all the juices around them to create one massive flavour explosion in your mouth. These little bubs were no different. Crispy tofu cubes with soft molten centres, topped with wisps of crunchy noodles, all cuddled into soft lettuce beds with a zing from the chilli to finish. Heaven in a box. Who knew?







Pulled pork bun - hot smoked pulled pork in a brioche bun with mustard cabbage and sweet sauce. Just look at that beast. Have you seen anything more beautiful? (No answer needed). All I can say is that if you need a reason to chase cars with boys, THIS IS IT. Every person I've introduced these to has swooned upon the first bite. So put on your running shoes. You've got a truck to catch.




Hot chocolate cake with dulche de leche and salted peanuts. This was a deconstructed masterpiece. A river of caramel wound its way through little rolling hills of chocolate sponge, with peanut bits strewn artfully across the top. De-lightful.





The Veggie Patch Van, with its overhanging herbs, leaned thoughtfully on its haunches like a large plant reclining in the sun. Probably taking a brief respite from preparing all that seasonal produce sourced from local growers. It takes a lot of effort to move things from paddock to plate. More importantly, the van runs on recycled vegetable oil and the cooking is powered by solar panels. Way to make you feel bad about your own efforts to save the world.







Zucchini burger - zucchini and chickpea pattie with beetroot relish, caramelised onion, dill mayo and roast tomato ketchup. This was incredible. You read the list of ingredients and you think, "How on earth can one little burger pack so much punch??" Then comes your first bite. And all at once you're hit with crunchy pumpkin seeds, chewy bread, a soft round pattie, sweet tomato sauce, sour and salty dill mayonnaise and fresh zesty herbs. Even D, renowned lover of five-meat sandwiches, was surprised by how much he enjoyed this burger. Definitely a must-try.













You can't help but love the Jaffle Truck. That beaming golden face, those bright round silver eyes, that adorable button nose. Who could resist? It screams summer - hazy days by the beach, the sun shimmering all around, sweaty brows, salty ocean spray, sunsets lingering over the sand. And toasted sandwiches are such a throwback to youth, and that pride you felt when you were small and you managed to toast your own sandwich in the sandwich press and you paraded it proudly around the kitchen like a small trophy. These jaffles are some of the best around. Definitely another truck worth chasing.










David Jafflehoff - spaghetti bolognese and cheese. It had me at 'Hoff'. And then I took a bite and I swooned all over again. Soft, delicate spaghetti strands; rich bolognese sauce, sweet, salty mince meat and strings of salty cheese. Packing all that goodness within the four walls of a tightly toasted sandwich ... it only made the flavours more intense.












Caramello Banana - caramel, banana and hazelnuts on toasted brioche with icecream. Since D avoids bananas like the plague, we ordered ours without bananas. But it was still absolutely incredible. Sweet toasted brioche, soaked in warm salty butter, with rich caramel innards and cool icecream mountains on the side. So. Good.















Until next time.


Eat Art Truck on UrbanspoonVeggie Patch Food Van on UrbanspoonJafe Jaffle's on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

that pulled pork had me at hello!

Sophie said...

I'm keeping a weathered eye on the Jaffle Cafe VW! It's super cute of an idea for summer :)