Food Trucks of NYC

Nassau - a Treasure of the Bahamas

They may be appearing on roads everywhere these days but some might say that NYC, where it all started, is still the place to find the very best food trucks around and Jael Marschner picked her favourites.

Cinnamon Snail

www.cinnamonsnail.com

This truck has the longest queues of them all but if you ask the waiting customer’s if it’s worth the wait, which at the height of lunchtime can easily be 40 minutes, everyone will say, it is indeed. All food is vegan. Interestingly enough, lots of the returning customers are not even vegetarian but they love the variety and quality of the food so much that they keep coming back for more. Interesting sandwich combinations are especially popular - how about a porcini mushroom simmered seitan, rosemary parsnip bread pudding, marinated kale, orange cranberry relish and roasted garlic aioli on grilled baguette? And if you want dessert afterwards, there’s a choice of brownies, donuts and pastries of all sorts - again, of course, all 100% vegan. The queues are a little shorter in the mornings, when Cinnamon Snail also offers breakfasts. Delicious maple pecan waffles with cardamom butter and candied pecans and fresh fig pancakes with chamomile and blood orange syrup are some of the highlights.

Mexico Boulevard

www.mexicoblvd.com

Hot dog and pretzel trucks may have started the street food trend but it’s the taco trucks that made it take off. Mexico Boulevard is a family business and with the family being from Mexico City, all food is authentic and made following old family receipes. You can have all fillings in tortas too but if you go for the tacos, the fillings will be piled high on top of two fluffy, freshly baked tortillas. The fillings are perfectly spiced such as the Tinga: organic chicken, marinated in a tomato and chipotle sauce. Another favourite, Bisteca, features pieces of juicy steak in a beer & chilli sauce. All tacos come with fresh coriander, onion and salsa and are best washed down with some Agua Fresca.

Carpe Donut

carpedonutnyc.com

Dessert trucks are no rarity in New York – some serve baked goodies like waffles or cupcakes, others icecream. The little red Carpe Donut truck combines two dessert treats in form of a donunt ice cream sandwich! If that’s too much goodness, you can also go for just a simple donut, without the ice cream. And Carpe Donut’s apple cider donut has been voted NY’s best donut by NY Magazine! A yeast donut may be chewier but the apple cider donuts here are made on the spot and covered in cinnamon sugar before they melt in your mouth. There is only the one donut flavour but that flavour is all you need and as the owner put it, ›it’s better to be the best at one thing, than good at many‹.

Korilla

korillabbq.com

The bright orange stripes of a tiger make the Korilla trucks stand out so you can easily spot them from afar. The name comes from the mix of Korean and grilled food that the chefs dish out here. Generous portions of Korean BBQ dishes come in the form of wraps or salad bowls. Slightly more traditional chosun rice bowls are also available. With only the best and mainly organic ingredients and a menu that can be customized to individual tastes, Korilla keeps winning awards and multiplying – at the last count there were three stripy tiger trucks out and about in NY.

Palenque Colombian Arepas

palenquehomemadecolombianfood.com

Arepas are a sort of Colombian Pizza. Their base is usually made from a corn and water dough and topped with vegetables and, for those wishing for a bit more subsistence, chicken, beef, shrimp or cheese too. Palenque has a great choice of combinations that should satisfy any customer and all toppings are garnished with chipotle mayo and chimmichurri-cilantro sauce. If you want a bit more bite go for one of their unique speciality bases, such as the quinoa or brown rice and flaxseed ones.

Del’s Frozen Lemonade

www.dels.com

This tiny, battered truck from the 1950s with a big yellow lemon painted on the side can be found in other American cities too but is still worth highlighting. Again, this truck also only serves one specialty: frozen lemonade. It does come in two flavours though - watermelon and original lemon. The first has a nice pink colour to it but the later is our favourite. A refreshing slushy with pieces of lemon makes for a thirst-quenching and cooling delight on a hot summers day.