Love at First Bite

Mar 9, 2012 by Jenna Meeker

Last night, I felt like I was speed dating with the “restaurants on wheels” in Downtown Phoenix. I hopped from truck to truck as the owners tried to woo me over with offerings of a variety of samples. This being my first Food Truck Mania experience, I was pleased to be able to taste several small dishes at cheaper prices.

Upon my arrival, the chilly wind required that I warm up with an indulging homemade hot chocolate topped with marshmallows from Shine Coffee. Who doesn’t love when someone offers to put marshmallows in your cocoa?

While sipping on my cocoa, I heard the Pizza People announce that their Popeye pizza was fresh out of the oven and ready for slicing. The sample sized slices consisted of an ample amount of toppings that allowed for every bite to deliver the fresh spinach that even Popeye himself could appreciate.

Next, while waiting for a burrito, Buzzbeez, the most vibrant colored truck on the lot caught my attention. The purple and yellow wrapped truck displayed a  picture of a woman dressed like a bee. On the other side of the truck, the art came to life as a tall woman in a bee outfit (pictured here) offered me a complimentary piece of fried chicken. This crispy and juicy chicken breast made me realize that I need more fried chicken in my life.

The jambalaya burrito from Jamburrito Cajun Grille was well worth the wait and was overflowing with a mix of Andouille sausage, chicken, rice, peas, Creole and Etouffee sauce. I loved that they turned the jambalaya into a burrito for a delicious and filling meal on the go.

I was just about ready for dessert when I came across the “Sold Out” sign at Mama Toledo’s Pies.
Mental note: Snag dessert first…. people like pie!

In place of dessert, I couldn’t resist but to try Lumpia (a crispy egg roll with pork, carrots, and cabbage dipped in sweet sauce) from Hey Joe’s Filipino Street Food menu. As an egg roll lover, I can honestly say it was one of the best egg rolls I have ever had. The crispy wrapper held in those evenly distributed egg roll fillings with such care and the pork meat was amazing. I also enjoyed the staff and their great customer service.

Leaving full and satisfied; I didn’t have any real criticisms. The trucks were very busy and the wait was a little longer than I had expected. The food exceeded my expectations and I look forward to being served many more menu items from these pick up windows.

I know this was only our first date, but could it be love at first bite? To all you food trucks, you have been warned… I will be stalking you.