BBQ AND BANH MI, TACOS AND CHORIZOS: CURBSIDE COOKOFF FESTIVAL

By Amanda L. Andrei

    260. That’s the number of food trucks in the D.C. metropolitan area. Enough to put two trucks in every neighborhood of the District. Or enough to start on New Year’s Day and make it through mid-September without ever visiting one twice. Better yet, why not attend one of the many food truck festivals around the area and throughout the year, such as last September’s Curbside Cookoff in Wheaton, Maryland and sample many food trucks in one go?

    The Curbside Cookoff featured twenty food trucks from around the D.C. metro area, including four Asian American owned trucks. Lemongrass features classic Vietnamese food with their signature eponymous ingredient; Pho Wheels whips up their Vietnamese cuisine in fusion style, with surprising and bold combinations (spam and seaweed with wasabi sesame seeds in soft roti bread with sushi rice!? Get out!) And both Tops Truck and BBQ Bus, while not featuring Asian food per se, are respectively owned by mixed Asian American married couples (Jeremy and Joanne at Tops, Che and Tadd at BBQ).

    Whether in the cuisine or the way the trucks are run, Asian culture runs deep. Uyen and Andy from Lemongrass relate that the best part of their job is their customers, “There have been so many people who have come to us and told us that our truck was the first time they’ve ever had a banh mi. It’s great showing others that Vietnamese food is pretty amazing.” Additionally, Joanne from Tops Truck recalls memories of her Filipina mother: “Mom would spend an entire day cooking for an event—it was her way of showing love. We channel that mentality into our food truck.”

    Running your own business is not without its unique challenges. Aside from hours of prep work, long days, new rules and regulations, food truck owners must often fight against traffic and for good parking spots, factor in weather conditions, and deal with events that could cause major fluctuations in customer volume. “What comes out at the end may seem seamless,” Kim from Pho Wheels explains, “but it’s all the work we did on the front end to make it look easier than it actually is.” Despite these challenges, owners find their businesses wonderfully fulfilling. “For me, the most rewarding part of running a food truck has been sharing it with the most important person in my life, Tadd,” Che, half-Filipino co-owner of BBQ Bus shares. “Creating, opening, and running a small business is such an intense, intimate experience, there is no one else I would rather share it with.”

Lemongrass

Years in operation: Celebrating their second birthday in December.

Frequented locations: One truck devoted to DC, one focusing on Arlington/Fairfax

Favorite ingredient: Lemongrass (obviously). The chicken is seasoned in this loud-yet-light tropical herb.

Must-have goodies from the truck:

1. Banh mi – classic baguette filled with chicken, pork, or tofu (top it with     homemade lime mayo in regular or spicy)

2. Tacos – the carb-friendly banh mi, still with your choice of lemongrass chicken,     slow-roasted pork, or tofu.

3. Vermicelli – fresh noodles with seasoned meat (or tofu) and veggies

Dream food truck: “Our dream truck would have enough power to keep the air conditioner blasting all afternoon. It gets pretty hot in there in the summer.”

Pho Wheels

Years in operation: A little over one year.

Frequented locations: All over DC, particularly Dupont and Friendship Heights. They recently received their Arlington permits and have been around Rosslyn.

Favorite ingredient: Aioli-infused truffle oil (giving a gourmet twist to their banh mi)

Must-have goodies from the truck:

1. Tacos – flaky     roti canai flatbread rolls up your choice of topping and the option     of sriracha or jalapeno mayonnaise

2. Banh mi –     croissant-shaped sub includes your choice of chicken, pork, or tofu     (you can add a fried egg!)

3. Check for their     special menu item – it rotates every few weeks.

Most rewarding part of running the truck: “Seeing people come back for seconds or people just coming back to let you know how awesome their meal was is completely gratifying.”

Tops Trucks

Years in operation: About three years.

Frequented locations: All over DC: L’Enfant, Franklin Park, Friendship Heights, Union Station, Navy Yard…

Favorite ingredient: Sriracha (it’s even in their chili)

Must-have goodies from the truck:

1. Chicken chorizon smothered in onion, cherry tomatoes, pinapple, thick-cut bacon, and sriracha-based house sauce

2. North African lamb topped with onion, cherry tomatoes, and tzatziki

3. Good old classic Hot Italian

Dream food truck: “I love the idea of a charcuterie truck.”

BBQ Bus

Years in operation: Two and a half years.

Frequented locations: Everywhere! BBQ Bus answers Facebook requests and has gone all over DC, including Farragut Square, L’Enfant Plaza, Metro Center, and Capitol Hill, as well as outside the District.

Favorite ingredient: Meat (surprise!)

Must-have goodies from the truck:

1. Brisket (it’s     overnight-smoked USDA-certified Angus)

2. Any of their     sauces (they’re all made in small batches, and Che recommends #18,     a Memphis-style with mustard)

3. Chicken Pot Pie (based on Tadd’s grandfather’s recipe – served over mashed     potatoes and crowned with a buttermilk cornmeal biscuit “crust”).

Dream food truck: “I’m already driving it.”