Tag Archives: festival

Jun 10

Why These Are The 2016 Top Street Food of London

Image Source: gourmettraveller.wordpress.com

Street food has been around since the time of ancient Greece but did you know that the first time it came under legislation was in 1502 under the Ottoman in Turkey? During the Roman times, many homes in London did not have kitchens so street food was the primary source of food for lower income citizens. At that time, one of the most common street food were oysters which was easy to catch in British waters, pies, and baked apples.

It was in the early 1800s when street food grew in demand because of a spike in population. There were around 6,000 street food vendors in London alone selling different varieties of fish alongside pies and soup.

Today, London street food has become a food art in itself with its own award, The Street Food Awards held annually. The carts have turned into food trucks and the most popular ones are raking in as much as 1,000 pounds a day.

Some of the top food trucks today in London are:

Bao is the most-queued food stall in Soho selling Taiwanese cuisine and they have a stall in Netil Market every Saturday. It is operated by brother-sister-girlfriend team selling handmade steamed milk buns and soya milk fried chicken which are their bestsellers.

The Cheese Truck has created melted sandwiches packed with so much that it takes grilled toasties to a new level of satisfaction. Their sandwiches offer unusual ingredients like pear chutney, chorizods, goat cheese, walnuts, and a variety of cheeses.

Bleecker St is operated by a lawyer, Zan Kaufman who wanted to serve the best burgers in London. Her inspiration is a burger she had while in New York’s East Village. She uses rare-breed, dry-aged beef from pasture-fed cows and the burgers ooze with natural juices and cooked to perfection.

Nazari is Andalucian cuisine which is a blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food packed with flavors from unusual spices. Their bestseller is their chicken wrap that uses slow-cooked chicken mixed with parsley and garlic and a ton of hard-pronounce spices from that side of the world.

The Rib Man is one of the best ribs in London streets. It has been around since 2007 and was started by Mark Gevaux, a former butcher, with a fantastic spicy smoky barbecue ribs recipe that is indescribably yummy.

Finally, Mother Clucker offers the best tasting Southern fried chicken with spicy coating and sweet, juicy chicken inside.

Apr 10

The Start of the 2016 Food Truck Season; What You Can Expect and Be Excited About

Image Source: vancitybuzz.com

The food truck season 2016 is underway and a lot of interesting, tantalizing, and new food ideas are expected. This year, expect there to be more food truck festivals that are more organized with better attractions and sumptuous food. However, since the past years food trucks have enjoyed immense popularity, it is very likely that the competition will be fiercer and it might be tougher to get into the festivals or prime locations unless you book a spot well in advance. And even with advance booking, organizers will be selective about the food truck choices so as not to have the too much of the same food concept.

Tips on Getting Asked to Food Festivals

  • Look up the calendar of organizers, local governments, and public venues
  • Consider offering the organizer something like free snack or drinks for the organizer and his team.  It can become part of your marketing budget because these are the people who will be in control of the event and walking around holding your food or drinks. The exposure will be tremendous!
  • Volunteer. You can help set-up, provide manpower (your staff), or supply basic needs like water, first aid, or other essentials
  • Be a sponsor for the entertainment. You can negotiate a barter deal that will not require you to give out cash but food or drinks to the band or singers
  • Go over the calendar and look for long weekends. It’s better to join a festival that runs for the entire weekend than be in a one-day event.

According to the National Restaurant Association, the 2016 food and drinks trends are:

  • Locally grown produce and locally sourced seafood and meats
  • Natural  ingredients with minimal use of processed foods
  • Nutritious children’s meals
  • Ethnic spices
  • Authentic cuisine
  • Homemade food that does not look homemade

If you plan on offering drinks on your menu, it would help to consider the following suggestions:

  • Homemade healthy, nonalcoholic drinks
  • Mocktails
  • Sparkling water
  • Gourmet drinks
  • Coconut water
  • Cold coffee
  • Smoothies

Clearly, food trucks are here to stay and be an exciting part of spring and summer. However, the people who support food trucks are slowly becoming more refined and selective about what food truck to support. Thus, make sure to keep your truck clean, organized, and fresh.  Happy summer days ahead!

Jan 7

This Summer’s Top Food Trucks in Melbourne

Australia’s summer months start  in December and end in February thus it is the middle of the hot summer months Down Under and the Aussies are out having the time of their lives in beaches and water parks while most of North America and Europe are freezing. It also means that Australia’s food trucks are all out in full glory and aiming to entice tourists and locals to sample their food. Here are the top 10 best food trucks you can find in Melbourne out of the 81 food trucks roaming the streets of Melbourne.

Image Source: myfashiontrendz.com

The Taco Truck has over 40,000 Likes on social media has managed to captivate residents of Melbourne with its creative tacos. They offer 6 varieties of soft tacos with sidings and a rather extensive drinks list that includes wine, beer, and margaritas. And their fish tacos come highly recommended!

Beatbox Kitchen is owned by the same operator of the Taco Truck and is known as the first “real food truck” in Melbourne. It serves huge burgers and fries with generous servings of cheese. You can pile on the patties if you want for an additional price of $3. With more than 28,000 Likes on Facebook, this food truck either has a lot of friends or serves excellent burgers!

Gumbo Kitchen is another senior food truck that started its operations in 2011. It serves New Orleans cuisine which means spicy food with a lot of oomph especially their crispy pork belly.  Also popular on their menu are the hush puppies, buffalo fried chicken and of course, the gumbo.

Mr. Burger is one of the few food trucks that offer gluten free food. Their food is simple, hot, and spicy – if you want it with jalapenos. Although the feedback on Mr. Burger is split about 90% do agree that you should try their gourmet burgers at least once.

Happy Camper Pizza serves thin crust pizza with a variety of toppings even dessert toppings. Their food truck is a 1960s Airstream which in itself is a novelty already. Their pizza crust is crispy without being burnt and the ingredients are all high quality and fresh.  They are vegan friendly, accept orders for delivery, and will accept reservations.

Other food trucks that should be sampled are Ghost Kitchen (Taiwanese), Lil Nom Noms (Vietnamese), Yogurddiction, Hammer and Tong for its soft shell crab burger, and Little Mushroom Co for mushroom burgers.

Nov 16

Impressive Show of Force: Food Trucks in Belgium

Image Source: food.vanevalentine.com

Image Source: food.vanevalentine.com

Belgium is part of Western Europe and known as the land where the saxophone came from and where music is heavily incorporated into one’s daily life with multiple music festivals and events. It is a federal monarchy and a population of over 11 million. Belgian food is fondly described as German-plenty but of French-quality. A few of the most popular foods from Belgium that the world has received with gusto are the Belgian chocolates, waffles, beer, and fries. Belgium’s national dishes are steak or mussels with fries.

In Brussels, Belgium’s largest city as well as its capital city, food trucks have been popping up all over the city – and some of them in very unusual shapes and sizes. Some of the top most appealing food trucks in the city are:

Keep on Toasting – This is one of Brussels’ earliest food trucks and it specializes in gourmet croquet-Monsieur which is basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. They operate around the city and often are booked for private events. However, they are available on social media where they post their calendar of events and daily locations. They also only accept card payments.

Petit Nuage – This is a cutesy 3-wheel blue and white food cart which makes it a food trike that serves waffles on a stick and organic ice cream (only during the hotter months). Their waffle dogs served on sticks and with different fillings are delightful snacks that are gaining popularity among locals and tourists alike.

Mellow – Mellow is a pink ball foodie stand that reminds you a little of a Japanese cartoon character. They serve organic frozen low fat yoghurt and will only come out to sell when the summer months roll in.

Hopdog – This is a foodie business that offers 10 different kinds of hotdogs including vegetarian and sweet dogs. They offer 3 portions sizes: small, large and extra large.

Sinstreetfood – This food business offers Indian cuisine like samosas, curries, veggie burger, and rice meals.

El Camion – This food truck used to be a mobile dental clinic that now serves bar food like blood pudding sandwich and boulets sauce lapin which are rabbit meatballs.

Asap – This food truck is incredibly designed to look like an old school English food truck. It serves wraps, English sandwiches, and salads. Every day, they find a different location to grab the lunch crowd.

Other interesting food businesses to hunt down in Brussels and sample their food are Le 3e element (Thai cuisine), Plan B Street Food, Il Sapore Della Dolce Vita, and Fourcette a Bicyclette with their amazing hot meals in glass jars.

May 28

Street Food Thursday in Berlin

Image Source: zimbio.com

Berlin food is simple, down-to-earth, and almost always has meat. Without even leaving the U.S. you can sample Berlin cuisine through street food offers and food trucks. In fact, Berlin street food is fast becoming a popular choice in food festivals and fairs.

A few treats you can enjoy without traveling to Berlin are the Knodel which are potato or bread dumplings, cheeses, and pork knuckles. Of course, nothing beats a trip to Berlin to enjoy authentic food right from Berlin’s top food trucks.

The House of the Flying Dumplings

This food truck offers fusion dumplings which is a blend of Chinese cooking and local style. It uses pork, tofu, Shitake mushrooms, and chives as its main ingredients and has been taking Berlin by storm.

Kjosk

Even if only to enjoy eating street food in an old fashioned 1970s double-decker bus, Kjosk is a must-try. Once you sample their food, you will want a repeat. They serve delicious cakes and sausages and offer a convenience unlike any other food truck business – a mini convenient store that sells magazines, cigarettes, and a lot of other interesting items to keep you from leaving with a bag in hand.

Hotzenplotz Berlin

Relatively new to the street food/food truck scene, this business serves lamb and beef burgers from spring to autumn. During winter, they take a break. Their burgers are loaded with fresh vegetables and 100% lamb or beef patties.

Die Dollen Knollen-Puffermanufaktur

Although the name can be difficult (is difficult!) to pronounce this food truck business serves some of the most amazing potato pancakes in Berlin. Their variants and toppings are interesting and flavorful from cheese to smoked fish. All pancakes are served with extra crispy fries. Yum!

Bebe Rebozo Steaks and Austern

A unique food idea is obvious once you set your sights on this tall cylindrical hot pink kiosk that sells steaks on wheels. They also serve Peruvian food – one of their specialties. Try their Lomo Saltado which is spicy beef served with rice. They also have special deals like 4 course meals with wine for special events like food fairs.

Other interesting food trucks in Berlin are Mr. Whippy, Burger de Ville, Vatos Tacos, Bunsmobile, and Heisser Hobel.

May 16

Crave Heat: Food Truck With A Cause

Image Source: photos.al.com

Crave Heat is a Tex-Mex food truck that participates in food truck festivals like the one held last April in Huntsville, Alabama along with 14 other food trucks. This is something most food trucks do all year long – travel around a city or a specific area offering their food. Most festivals like the one held last April called Street Food Season offered live bands, free admission, and other types of entertainment for the whole family.

In most food events like these, the crowds that attend number more than a thousand and each year, attendance grows bigger. Crave Heat stands out among most other food trucks because of its mission to feed the homeless.

Crave Heat food truck owners Armando and Priscilla Guerrero were originally from Austin but moved to Huntsville with a mission to serve food to the homeless on special holidays like Thanksgiving.  The rest of the year, they would market their food. They applied for the Valpak Dough to Grow Grant but did not get enough votes to win part of the $10,000 grant. Unfazed, they continued with the mission with funds they earned or received and were able to feed about 100 homeless last Valentine’s Day. They also accepted cookie donations as part of the Valentine Day’s meal.

Crave Heat serves freshly made salsa, fish tacos, burritos, and carne asada fries. They also have another food truck called Crave Ice which serves snow cone although this dessert truck only operates during the hot months.

Armando still has his day job as a computer systems analyst for a company in Huntsville. The food truck is something he sees not as a hobby business but something that will grow and spread to other areas. He says, “If they can’t come to use, that’s fine. We’ll go to them” speaking of the homeless people. Crave Heat is currently operating at the corner of Green Street and Holmes Avenue from 11 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon except Fridays to Mondays and if the weather permits. On weekends, they join food festivals or can be seen parked around Huntsville; a different corner for Fridays and Saturdays.