Truckin’ it to lunch outside
Even though it is possible our area could experience another blast of blustery winter weather, the recent beautiful days this season have me thinking of every possible excuse to enjoy their sunshine and cool breezes.
Finding the latest location of our favorite food trucks downtown and around the city lends an air of fun and adventure to enjoying the outdoors at lunchtime. The variety of food trucks available provides quick quality menus perfect for dining on the spot, packing a spontaneous picnic for the riverfront or nearby garden or picking up a delicious meal to go while running errands.
These rolling restaurants can be a great opportunity for up-and-coming entrepreneurs to share their culinary skills and specialties. Plus, you will find several featuring some of our favorite caterers and restaurants. Discard any preconceived notion you might have of cheap greasy barely edible food, and prepare to be delighted.
During an early happy hour with co-workers at Great Raft Brewing, I was happy to look outside the back deck and find BeauxJax Mobile Cajun Eatery. You could practically follow your nose to where this shiny red food truck with its clever alligator fleur-de-lis logo was serving bowls of gumbo or red beans, po’boys and skewers. Their spicy sweet Bourbon Street Chicken Po’Boy was quite a hit with our crowd. However, my urge to order the muffaletta po-boy from a Cajun menu was well-rewarded with the savory flavors of grilled ham and salami served over olive salad on buttery toasted French bread. Next trip to their window, I will be sampling the blackened shrimp skewers and gator andouille skewers.
In the time since our first taste from their mobile food truck, the owners have expanded to BeauJax Catering and Bistro at 5781 South Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport. This location offers corporate catering, party platters, fresh boiled crawfish and onsite dining, but that is a story for another time.
Some Like It Hot, one of the first entrepreneurs to set up a food truck in our area, has recently burst back onto the scene with new features. Earlier this year, Angela Posey celebrated the return of Some Like It Hot and still serves a full menu of your favorites, but this stuffed ground chicken burger filled with caramelized onions then topped with avocado, tomatoes, fried egg, bacon and cheddar may be too tempting to pass up. Did I mention the fried egg?
After trying Tina Palmisano’s tamales at catered events held at Ernest’s Orleans Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge, I was tickled purple when they opened Jester’s Catering and Mobile Food Cart. As if tamales by the dozen were not enough, they made a larger version that could be topped with a choice or chili, peppers, sour cream, cheese sauce, etc. After luring us in with these supersize stuffed tamales, she added gourmet versions for special occasions, like sweet potato with praline sauce.
While we can often find their food truck set up near downtown or in the parking area beside Ernest’s, Tina was the first owner of a food truck that I noticed promoting their menu is available through On the Go Delivery’s online service. Now you can check to see where Jester’s food truck will be waiting, or order them delivered directly to you.
The newest on the scene that has piqued my interest is Moni’s Brats, serving authentic German food. While I have heard that their bratwurst is perfect with a dab of German mustard or curry sauce, it’s their latest promotion “Let’s get Schnit- Faced!” that caught my attention. I am eagerly anticipating the introduction of their new schnitzel menu. If the idea of a traditional thinly-sliced and tenderized pork tenderloin fried and served with pomme frittes makes your mouth water, imagine that topped with black forest ham and Swiss cheese, grilled onions and bacon, or Swiss cheese and sauerkraut.
There are even more fabulous food trucks in our area than I have listed here. Keep an eye out for La Michoacana, serving their extremely popular tortas, tacos and burritos. When you just don’t have time to kill your craving for Grill of the Dead, their zombie-themed burgers, like The King Lives and Brain Dead, can also be ordered online through On the Go Delivery. And last but not least, the specialty hot dogs from The Missing Link will have you searching for their Chicago dogs, mac-n-cheese dogs and fresh cut, twice-fried rosemary and garlic fries.
As the weather warms, food truck events will be popping up all over. upcoming locations.
Lynn Laird is a writer, fine artist and self-professed bon vivant living in Bossier. With her “Flair for Cooking” blog, she seeks out interesting ingredients and techniques to help make everyday meals just a touch more fabulous. She can reached at flairforcooking@gmail.com.
