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On the street with D.C.’s food trucks The District’s once-small food truck community is now a veritable fleet of mobile kitchens. Here’s a look at some of the freshest and flashiest of Washington’s four-wheeled lunch vendors, where you can often grab lunch for $10 or less.
Pepe (@pepefoodtruck)
Pepe, the newest member of the city's food-truck fleet, hit the streets with a bit more pedigree than your typical lunch wagon: D.C. kitchen superstar Jose Andres is the man behind its menu of Spanish accented sandwiches. (Pepe, pepefoodtruck.com)
Scott Suchman for Think Food Group
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Pepe (@pepefoodtruck)
At double the price of most other menu items, the Pepito de Iberico -- seared Iberico pork and Serrano ham with roasted green peppers, caramelized onions and aioli — is the most expensive item sold on the streets of D.C. From a food truck, of course. (Pepe, pepefoodtruck.com)
Scott Suchman for Think Food Group
Fojol Brothers of Merlindia (@fojolbros)
Launched in April 2009, the Fojol Brothers of Merlindia food truck was in the first wave of the city's food-truck revolution. The converted 1965 Bread Delivery truck is still one of the most visually distinct trucks in the fleet. (Fojol Bros of Merlindia, www.fojol.com)
Dominic Bracco
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The Washington Post
Fojol Brothers of Merlindia (@fojolbros)
While serving up familiar Indian flavors, the Fojol Brothers rely on a great deal of shtick and campy costuming. (Fojol Bros of Merlindia, www.fojol.com)
Dominic Bracco
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The Washington Post
Lemongrass Truck (@lemongrassTruck)
Husband-and-wife team Andy and Uyen Nguyen dish out Vietnamese chicken, pork and tofu, available on banh mi, vermicelli noodles, tacos or salad. Such small touches as Sriracha mayonnaise, freshly baked baguettes and homemade sweet-pickle mix reinforce the truck's bonafides. (Lemongrass Truck, www.lemongrasstruck.com)
Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post
Feelin' Crabby (@FeelinCrabby)
Emblazoned with a fiery palette of reds and oranges, chef-owner Alex Tsamouras's truck grabs attention with its bold design. Tsamouras dresses the crab with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, diced red bell pepper and parsley. A five-ounce portion of the balanced, refreshing blend is spooned onto a kaiser roll or mixed green salad. (Feelin' Crabby, www.feelincrabby.com)
Marvin Joseph
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The Washington Post
PORC Mobile (@porcmobile)
Josh Saltzman and Trent Allen, the men behind the Purveyors of Rolling Cuisine truck and its mouthwatering pulled pork sandwiches, also have brick-and-mortar aspirations. The pair recently signed a lease on a 50-seat Columbia Heights restaurant space next door to the popular Meridian Pint. (PORC Mobile, www.porcmobile.com)
James M. Thresher for The Washington Post
Seoul Food (@SeoulFoodDC)
Korean and Latin cuisines get wrapped up in kimchi quesadillas and bulgogi burritos. The magenta truck, run by Fairfax husband-and-wife duo J.P. and Hyun Goree, travels a set circuit in Arlington because it's too big to operate legally in the District. (Seoul Food, www.seoulfooddc.com)
Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post
Seoul Food (@SeoulFoodDC)
Co-owner J.P. Goree estimates that the Seoul Food truck goes through two 40-pound cases of Napa cabbage every 10 days. That's a lot of kimchi, which appears in the kimchi quesadilla and bulgogi burrito. (Seoul Food, www.seoulfooddc.com)
Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post
Go Fish (@gofishtruckdc)
The signature catch from this Montgomery County-roaming truck — painted with green scales and a fish-shack motif — are crab cakes, served on a potato roll with romaine lettuce, tomato and a side of outstanding remoulade. Fish tacos, jambalaya and the clam chowder are enough to get most people hooked. (Go Fish, www.gofishdelivers.com)
Katherine Frey
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The Washington Post
Fojol Bros. Volathai (@fojolbros)
As you may have guessed from the name, the third Fojol Brothers truck serves such traditional Thai dishes as Pad Thai, Chicken Panang and green veggie curries. Rumors that head Fojol Justin Vitarello is hoarding a fleet of identical vintage trucks may mean more globally inspired editions from the team sometime soon. (Fojol. Bros. Volthai, www.fojol.com)
Tim Carman/The Washington Post
Chupacabra (@chupacabraDC)
The brains behind the Atlas District's Dangerously Delicious Pies and Sticky Rice serve up tacos from a truck named for a mythical blood-sucking animal. Look for the tacos al pastor, stuffed with marinated pork and pineapple, and the vegan pumpkin, graced with pumpkin, sweet potato, tequila beans and crunchy pumpkin seeds. (Chupacabra, www.chupacabradc.com)
Matt McClain for The Washington Post
Surfside (@surfsidetruckdc)
The mobile version of the popular Glover Park restaurant preserves the casual vibe and gentle pricing of the original. We just wish it could somehow replicate its wonderful rooftop seating along with the fish, steak and pork tacos. (Surfside, www.surfsidetruckdc.com)
Tim Carman/The Washington Post
Rolling Ficelle (@TheFicelle)
Juan Jose Quintana's ficelle sandwiches replicate the mix of Spanish and American cuisine he grew up with in Valladolid, Spain. The oblong lunches feature such fillings as Danish ham, fresh mozzarella and tangy kalamata olives and medium-rare roast beef slathered with cherry-pepper relish. Wash it down with fresh squeezed lemonade. (Rolling Ficelle, www.facebook.com/RollingFicelle)
Bill O'Leary
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The Washington Post
DC Kabob + Grill (@DC_Kabob_Grill)
No-frills chicken, gyros and kebabs from a Granny Smith apple-colored truck. Meats are served with choice of pita, rice or salad, or you can opt for the big, meaty chunks of a shish kebab. (DC Kabob + Grill)
Jeffrey MacMillan for The Washington Post
Sauca (@wheresauca)
Before he conquered the streets of D.C. with his globally inspired food truck, Farhad Assari had a career as an international investment banker in Dubai. His business sense came in handy, allowing him to turn his lone truck selling beef shawarma, Mexican fish and butter chicken wraps into two trucks and a brick-and-mortar restaurant, which opened on Columbia Pike in Arlington last July. (Sauca, www.eatsauca.com)
Jeffrey MacMillan for The Washington Post
Stix (@eatstix)
Jane Lyons and Leah Perez's truck makes a state fair tradition an everyday dining possibility: meals-on-a-stick. And they have a point (get it?) — curbside dining can be messy work. Not so with the pair's salad on a stick (cucumber, grape tomatoes and red onion), the tequila-lime beef or the chocolate lollipop cake stick. (Stix, www.eatstixnow.com)
Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
Pi Truck DC (@PiTruckDC)
The mobile progenitor of Penn Quarter’s District of Pi pizzeria serves nine-inch deep-dish pies that are more St. Louis than Chicago. With thick cornmeal crusts, a subterranean layer of cheese and hearty toppings, it’s hard to believe these formidable pizzas are baked on conveyor ovens inside a small truck. (Pi Truck DC, www.pi-dc.com/pi-on-wheels)
James M. Thresher for The Washington Post
Yellow Vendor (@yellowvendor)
It's comforting to know that amid all the trucks serving bulgogi tacos and kimchi quesadillas, there's at least one mobile vendor eschewing fusion trends in favor of basic Korean staples. Heaping plates of Andy Kim's bulgogi and bibimbap prove there is a place in the food-truck world for un-fused Asian cuisine. (Yellow Vendor, www.facebook.com/yellowvendor)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Bada Bing (@badabingdc)
Among this food truck's filling fare are just-greasy-enough cheesesteaks and a Binghamton, N.Y., regional favorite: the spiedie. In fact, Binghamton native Nicholas Terzella hopes to prove that Buffalo is not the only city in upstate New York with a culinary claim to fame. (Bada Bing, www.badabingdc.com)
James M. Thresher for The Washington Post
Red Hook Lobster (@LobstertruckDC)
"Fifteen bucks is a lot to shell out for a sandwich served in a foil container at lunch," Post food critic Tom Sietsema wrote in 2010. "But one bite into the lobster roll, bursting with seafood that's trucked down from Maine, and I'm hooked." (Red Hook Lobster, www.redhooklobsterdc.com)
Sean McCormick for The Washington Post
TaKorean (@TaKorean)
Don't be fooled by this seemingly bleak picture of food-truck loneliness: Mike Lenard's Korean taco truck draws some of the biggest lines in the business. He was an early importer of an L.A. trend that found success in the District with bulgogi, chicken and caramelized tofu tacos. (TaKorean, www.takorean.com)
Katherine Frey
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The Washington Post
Sol Mexican (@solmexicangrill)
You won't be confused when you step up to order from this striking, fiery black truck: Pick a filling (steak, chicken, carnitas or veggie), pick your wrap (burrito, taco or burrito bowl) and then fill it with rice, beans, sour cream, salsas and lettuce. Guac costs extra. (Sol Mexican, soltruck.com)
Juana Arias for The Washington Post
Fojol Bros. Benethiopia (@fojolbros)
Russell Bailey, a high school friend of Fojol mastermind Justin Vitarello's, operates this truck with the help of his wife, Ethiopian native and kitchen chief Lula Habte. Using a Habte family berbere blend, the pair present traditional Ethiopian flavors in a handy, curbside-friendly package. A sink on the side of the truck preps diners for utensil-free dining, and pre-cut injera squares make digging in an easier affair. (Fojol Bros. Benethiopia, www.fojol.com)
Tim Carman
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The Washington Post
Dangerously Delicious Pies (@thePieTruckDC)
There are certain times when nothing can beat a decadent slice of pie, and the mobile version of H Street's Dangerously Delicious Pies shop serves up a rotating selection of slices with attitude. Their signature is the Baltimore Bomb, a vanilla pie made with Baltimore's famous Berger Cookies. (Dangerously Delicious PIes, www.dangerouspiesdc.com)
Tim Carman/The Washington Post
Kimchi BBQ (@KimchiBBQ)
Yeah, we agree: The whole Korean/Tex-Mex fusion thing isn’t the surprise it once was. But you know what will always be a thrill? Giant sandwiches. (Kimchi BBQ, www.kimchi-bbq.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Kimchi BBQ (@KimchiBBQ)
The already large Torta Al Dokdo — bulgogi steak sandwiches topped with bibimbop slaw and avocado — come two to an order, an easy way to feed two people for less than $10. (Kimchi BBQ, kimchi-bbq.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Cajunator (@cajunators)
It's a bit like Mardi Gras on wheels: The Cajunator truck, festooned with dancing second-liners and colored beads, serves up fried shrimp and oyster po-boy sandwiches, andouille and chicken gumbo, and the Crescent City’s staple: red beans and rice. (Cajunator)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Big Cheese (@bigcheesetruck)
A good grilled cheese is one of life's simple pleasures, and the Big Cheese truck adds the element of curbside convenience to its sandwiches. The menu changes slightly, but enduring favorites include the Mt. Fuji, which combines brie with fuji apples and honey, and the Thrilled Cheese, which adds jalapenos and guacamole to chipotle cheese on sourdough. (Big Cheese, www.thebigcheesetruck.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Tasty Fried DC (@tastyfrieddc)
Tasty Fried D.C., owned by the same folks who run the Tasty Kabob truck, specializes in paper-bucket-style fried chicken but with a caveat you won’t find at KFC: Everything they serve is halal. (Tasty Fried DC, www.twitter.com/tastyfrieddc)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Tasty Fried DC (@tastyfrieddc)
This food truck is hard to miss, thanks to the large cartoon clucker painted on the side of the firewagon-red truck.
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Tasty Kabob (@TastyKabob)
Tasty Kabob, sister truck to Tasty Fried, serves such familiar Middle Eastern halal favorites as grilled chunks of lamb and chicken served over rice or in a pita. And while the menu isn’t particularly ambitious, owner Steve Hanifi’s rapid expansion has been. Since starting with a single truck in March 2011, Hanifi’s empire now has five trucks and carts — the largest fleet in the food-truck community. (Tasty Kabob, www.tastykabobinc.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
DC Slices (@DCSlices)
When it isn't parked outside U Street bar Dodge City on Friday and Saturday nights, D.C. Slices makes the rounds with New York-style pizza, tater tots and mozzarella sticks. With crusts that pop with the flavor of olive oil, it's easy to see why these pies are in high demand. (DC Slices, www.dcslices.com)
Joe Yonan
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The Washington Post
Curbside Cupcakes (@curbsidecupcake)
You have to hand it to the folks at Curbside: They were the first mobile team in the area to synthesize the truck and cupcake trends. And now that they have three cupcake trucks making the rounds, they might be pushing almost as much pastry as their closest cupcake competitors combined. (Curbside Cupcakes, www.curbsidecupcakes.com)
Joe Yonan
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The Washington Post
El Floridano (@FLmeetsDC)
Classic Cuban sandwiches, Vietnamese banh mi and other internationally minded fare can be found on city streets thanks to Stephan Boillon’s El Floridano truck. Soon, these flavors will have a permanent home in Petworth, where Boillon has signed a lease for the old Brown’s Caribbean Bakery at 3301 Georgia Ave. NW. (El Floridano, www.elforidanodc.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
DC Shawarma (@dcshawarma)
You would expect a Lebanese kitchen on wheels to make decent chicken and beef shawarma — and falafel is a must. But we have to admit, the prominently advertised poutine was a surprise. The fries, gravy and cheese curds come in huge portions, and it’s a relief that someone has picked up the mantle of curbside Canadian comfort food now that the Eat Wonky truck has gone to the big garage in the sky. (DC Shawarma, dcshawarma.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Cap Mac (@capmacdc)
CapMac's creator, chef Brian Arnoff, has worked for some accomplished chefs, including David Varley at Bourbon Steak and Barbara Lynch at Sportello in Boston. His menu includes multiple preparations of macaroni and cheese as well as gourmet pastas and chicken parm meatballs. (Cap Mac, www.capmacdc.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Basil Thyme (@BasilThymeDC)
Simple but delicious is the name of the game at this distinctive looking metallic truck. Brian Farrell and Malik Umar’s cooking doesn’t rely on gimmicks or corner cutting, instead presenting from-scratch pasta, lasagna, sauces and dessert. Try the Linda (classic beef lasagna) and become a convert. (Basil Thyme, www.basilthyme.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Borinquen Lunch Box (@borinquenlunchb)
The tripleta sandwich from the Borinquen Lunch Box food, the city’s first Puerto Rican mobile kitchen, features a menu of rotating island favorites such as the tripleta sandwich (pork, ham and beef; pictured); a classic Cuban; the signature Churrasco sandwich made with marinated skirt steak; and chicken, beef and crab empanadas. (Borinquen Lunch Box, www.borinquenlunchbox.com)
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Carnivore BBQ (@carnbbq)
Pit master Stephen Adelson serves his delicious pulled pork and beef brisket simply: on a bun with the option of Carolina-style slaw and a small selection of sauces. You should try it. You should also hire whoever painted his truck. Just look at that thing: No matter what you drive, it could be improved with the addition of an airbrushed, seven-foot snarling lion. (Carnivore BBQ, www.carnbbq.com)
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
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