BostonZest

Recent Food Truck Deliciousness

We have been out and about trying the food on some of the new food trucks and unable to resist a few special favorites from the veterans of the scene. Here's what we've been eating!

At City Hall Plaza, we enjoyed some slices from the Sweet Tomatoes Pizza Truck. We always like to start a pizza test with pepperoni and plain cheese. These two slices will bring us back to test more of their menu. 

  
Our first taste from the truck representing Biryani Park Sri Lankan/South Indian restaurant from Malden was the Chicken Biryani (shown above). It was great with the chicken cooked on the bone for full flavor and a sweet garnish of carmelized onions. We can't wait to try more of their menu items. (Click on any photo for a larger version)

  

This scallop roll and clam chowder are from the Boston Shuckin' Truck! These folks offer grilled items that are a welcome change from fried seafood. The chowder was nice and thin (we are not pasty chowder fans) with an herbal undertone. 

At Captain Marden's Cod Squad Truck, we recommend one of their salads if you're in a hurry. This one had a piece of masterfully poached salmon. Update: The Boston Shuckin' Truck has disappeared from the Boston street scene.

  

We continue to be attracted to their daily chowder specials. Here you see their shimp gumbo and crab and corn chowder. Both worthy of a second visit. Earlier, we reported on their Rhode Island, Rocky Point Clam Chowder and clamcakes.

We also could not resist a visit to the new Boston Super Dog Truck (formerly Boston Speed Dog) to see how Chef Greg's grilled pastrami tastes off a new grill. It lived up to our memories and it's nice to have him within easy reach without a car to get to Newmarket Square. Bring a friend, these portions are big enough to share!

Update: Sadly for his fans, Chef Greg died and the Boston Super Dog Truck is no more.

Here's a link to our post with the Best Sources for Food Truck Schedules.

And here's a click to find all of our Food Truck Coverage.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st

Cod Squad Truck Makes Our Day!

Food Truck Throwdown

What You Missed at The Food Truck Throwdown

Cod Squad Truck Makes Our Day!

For the past two weeks, we've had lunch at Captain Marden's Cod Squad Truck at their Thursday spot on Belvidere Street near the Christian Science Center fountain. Last week, the full complement of three trucks was on hand offering some great choices. 

Biryani Park, the Cod Squad, and the Pasta Pot are together for Thursday Lunch.

A conversation with The Cod Squad crew on twitter ensured where and what we would be ordering last Thursday. After they read our post last week, they made an offer we were not about to refuse! 

Any time a chef is willing to make something especially for us, we are honored. And, it has been a long time since we enjoyed some great RI style chowder and clam cakes so that's what we asked them to make. Penny even sent the recipes for Rocky Point Clam Chowder and clam cakes. 

When we arrived, there it was on the special's board. And, the woman in front of us in line ordered it too!

We both ordered our special and have to say that Chef Brian Sway did a masterful job of recreating the chowder of our youth. It had nice big pieces of clams, perfect spoonable size potatoes, and perfect seasoning. Turns out, he had some special memories of Rocky Point of his own. 

  

In the case of the clam cakes, chef outdid himself and certainly improved on what we used to call "sinkers" when Rocky Point made them.

Chef Sway's were light and airy with plenty of clam bits, a touch of scallion, and a perfect fry job. These floated as we dipped them in our chowder (the traditional Rhode Island way to eat clam cakes) and in the spicy remoulade he served with them for those new to this treat. 

Penny chatted with the chef when she went to thank him for making this for us. Now that he has satisfied our cravings with a very tradtional rendition, he has plans to change it up a bit and make it his own. We look forward to trying it.

But, we don't think he should change a thing about his clam cakes. This could be a new Boston Food Truck sensation, like The Dining Car's Crispy Cauliflower. These could become a trademark treat you seek out the truck to enjoy. 

By the way, food trucks like The Cod Squad Truck are another great reason for downloading & using the LevelUp App. We just had to hold out a phone to put the $20 meal on our card and we gained credits that will one day buy another meal from this small business.

If you join LevelUp through this special link you will get a $5 credit to spend on your first purchase and we'll be rewarded with a credit, too!

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Related articles

No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st

Have You Tried a New Food Truck? We Visited the Cod Squad Truck

Great chefs share tricks of the trade

Have You Tried a New Food Truck? We Visited the Cod Squad Truck

 

We're already out taste testing the new additions to the Boston Food Truck scene. Last Thursday, we tried the Cod Squad Truck from Captain Marden's Seafood. Their haddock sandwich was a hit! We'll do a full report once we've tasted a few more items.

Keep an eye on the Cod Squad Truck specials board. We had a fun Twitter conversation with the truck crew this week. If you see "Penny's Special," it will be their version of Rhode Island style clam chowder and clam cakes.

It might be the clear chowder we have told you about in the past or the red chowder that was served at all the shore dinner halls and amusement parks. That is sometimes called Rocky Point Clam Chowder. The clam cakes are fritters containing pieces of clams that you can dip in the chowder. 

Either Rhode Island Chowder should qualify for the trucks healthy option. The clam cakes will have to count as your weekly cheat if you're watching what you eat. 

Once the season gets rolling, this spot on Belvidere Street (map) near the Christian Science fountain should be a destination with up to 4 trucks at a time, convenient seating, and the entertainment of watching people play with the fountain. (More fountain fun at Water Attracts)

Update 04.09.13: Correction! There will be 3 trucks at Belvidere Street. It is site #4 not 4 trucks. Thanks to Steven from Hub Food Trucks for explaining that #4 on the city's schedule to me!

See all our Street Food/Food Truck Coverage

Thanks to everyone who clicks over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your Spring Shopping List? Click here for Spring Season Savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Where to Find the Best Chowder in Boston

No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st

56/365: National Clam Chowder Day

Clam Chowder and Golden Gate bridge - San Francisco, CA

No Fooling! A New Boston Food Truck Schedule, April 1st

If your favorite food truck is missing from its usual place on April 1st, don't think it's a joke! That's the date when the trucks we know will change their times and places around the city. They will also be joined by a group of newcomers. We all have a flavorful season ahead of us on the streets of Boston.

BostonZest will be out there covering the street food scene and adding reports to our Food Trucks/Street Food collection.

How do you find Food Trucks?

In Boston, the trucks have reserved places on a schedule set by the City of Boston. Here's a link to the City's Food Truck schedule.

There will also be new food trucks and food trikes on the Greenway. Here's a link to the updated information for the "Greenway Mobile Eats" program which will also begin on April 1st.

Update 04.27.13: Brookline has extended its food truck program and published this schedule for May 1st to December 31st 2013

Update 05.01.13: Somerville has announced a schedule of food trucks on Saturdays at The Assembled weekly craft market. Here's the list and dates over on Eater Boston.

We love the constantly updated information, including links to websites, provided by Hub Food Trucks! Thanks Steve Leibowitz for your devotion to this wonderful Boston community. Be sure to follow Steve on Twitter to learn when he's planning a food truck meet up. (That's Steve hanging out with the Mei Mei Street Kitchen team.)

You can download the Street Food App to have schedules at your fingertips.

And, when you find a truck you love and want to find it often, follow them on social media. That way, you'll find out what's on the menu. You'll know if they are off the road for a day, have a special appearance outside their normal schedule, or are getting ready to open a brick & mortar restaurant near you.

See you on the street!

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Kendall Sq. restaurant Area 4 to launch food truck; Mei Mei food truck to launch restaurant

Local food truck trend goes into overdrive

The Next Step in the Food Truck Boom: Extortion

Farm Share Fair Coming on March 14th

Mark your calendars and invest some time next week by going to the Farm Share Fair. Choose your CSA for the upcoming season and find a favorite food truck in a different setting!

(Editor's Note: Today, we're turning the BostonZest keyboard over the Mindy Harris who will tell you all about this event. Take it away Mindy...)

Do you love local, fresh food? Maybe you’ve been thinking about joining a CSA? A Farm Share program? Y’know – where you get this box of great produce every week direct from the farm. 

Well, come join us in Cambridge on March 14th, and meet the fantastic farmers from across this state that bring local produce to the Boston area. Compare and learn about all the various options: veggies, fruit, flowers, meat, eggs, dairy, and specialty products. 

More than 30 vendors will be at the fair, including some wonderful sustainable food product companies and service providers. Spend your food dollars on locally grown, and sign up at the Farm Share Fair!

More than 20 farms! Dozens of great food vendors. Food Trucks. Kids Corner with Face Painting. Fun gifts for anyone who signs up for a Farm Share!

Sponsored by Cambridge Savings Bank, Enterprise Farm, Henrietta’s Table, Farm & the Fork, Kickass Cupcakes and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese.

Details:

Farm Share Fair (www.farmsharefair.com) 

Thursday, March 14th, 5:30-8:30 pm

Cambridge College, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA (map)

Free and Open to the Public!

Questions? [email protected] 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FarmShareFair

Twitter: @FarmShareFair

Words: Mindy Harris
Photo: Courtesy of Suzy Konecky, Cricket Creek Farm

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Edible Boston Spring 2013 Issue Has Arrived!

Healthy Storm Munchies: Biena Chickpea Snacks

Maine farmers get an early boost to prepare for growing season, using customers as lenders

Beef Dumplings & Corn Fritters from Mei Mei Street Kitchen

Always adding a new twist to our lunchtime pleasure, the team from Mei Mei Street Kitchen provided us with one of the best lunches of the week, last week.

Fritters made with local corn, local habaneros, and fried just right. They were light and crisp outside and filled with corn goodness inside. Mei Mei was serving them with Aioli, but they suggested spicy ketchup when we asked to have them without the mayo.

We love Mei Mei dumplings. These were deep-fried, stuffed full of meltingly tender, braised beef and set off by a serving of rice, pickled zucchini, and tangy dipping sauce. This is a filling meal.

This is one of the fantastic fleet of Boston food trucks that should be on your must-try list. Here's a recent menu. As you can see it reflects the season, supports local farms, provides vegetarian choices, and demonstrates the exciting twist they add to their food.

Payment: Cash, Major Credit Cards, and LevelUp

Website: www.meimeiboston.com

Twitter: @meimeifoodtruck

Facebook: Meimeisk 

Pinterest: Mei Mei Street Kitchen

For more of our Food Truck/Street Food coverage: click here. Or, anytime you visit BostonZest, you can click on the Food Truck/Street Food tab at the top of the page.

Link: Boston Food Truck Location Map 

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your fall shopping list. Click here for fall season savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Edible Boston Fall 2012 Issue Around Town Now!

Where to Find Old Friends Farm Local Ginger

When Pigs Fly Bread for Inspired Grilled Cheese

Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

Food Tips for Shakespeare on the Common

This season's run of Shakesphere on the Common opens tonight and continues through August 12th. The food selection around the Boston Common has improved over the past couple of years. 

This lovely photo from a past performance is by Katherine Hala, here is her photostream.

Here are a few places where you can pick up a delicious supper to enjoy while you watch Coriolanus.

Clover Food Truck

A Clover Food Lab truck is now stationed at the restored Brewer Plaza. Ed loves their Chick Pea Fritter Sandwich and those rosemary fries are a must! See who else likes Clover here!

Clover's Chick Pea Fritter Sandwich (Photo by Penny Cherubino)

Bacco’s Wine and Cheese

On St. James Avenue near Arlington is Bacco’s Wine and Cheese– a great stop for a picnic supper. They have prepared sandwiches; their famous bento boxes containing an enticing selection of cheese, salumi, bread, and olives; or you can always choose what catches your eye on the counter.

A recent picnic from Bacco's. Photo: Penny Cherubino

Falafel King

In Downtown Crossing, right across from the Park Street MBTA station, you'll find the small, ethnic food court where Falafel King reigns supreme. We usually order the combo plate, but all the items we've tried have been great. 

The Thinking Cup

The Thinking Cup coffee shop across from the Common on Tremont Street is known for their great coffee but they also have a fine selection of sandwiches and pastries.

 

 

Another shot by Katherine Hala.

 

 

 

Savenor's 

If you are coming from Beacon Hill, consider a stop at Savenor's on Charles Street. Manager Diana Tovar says they have added a “Grab and Go” sandwich selection to their shop. It's also the perfect place to walk around and gather all the elements for a delicious picnic– fruit, cheese, desserts, and a few special treats.

Elsewhere on Charles Street, you could order take-out from Café Vanille, the Paramount, or Panificio. All three have great sandwiches and salads.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

 

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photography: Katherine Hala, here is her photostream. Used under this creative commons license.

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.