I was having the post trip blues. I had arrived home in Sydney after almost a month away visiting seven countries and nothing looked as exciting anymore. “I want to be away again…” I said longingly to my friend and fellow travel writer Ute. So she came up with an idea that would realign me with my home city, to chase some food trucks. I loved the idea, after all I had slept through the launch of Eat Art Truck much to my annoyance so this would be a fun Friday night activity.
For a city without a great deal of street food, everyone was all atwitter about the food truck phenomenon which is part of a 12 month trial currently under way. In January 2012, it was announced that there were to be ten food trucks that had earned licenses from an application pool of 32. There were grumblings about delays and people muttered impatiently if the city of Sydney could deliver anything on time. It was a good five months until anything appeared on the scene and a much needed smartphone application is still set to be launched.
Like Los Angeles where they enjoy huge popularity and have become a dining avenue of their own, the food trucks would tweet their locations for that day and hopefully hungry hordes of diners would queue up. For now I would be tracking them on twitter and seeing where they would pop up and going through responses to fish out the all important location information.
It was a little hard to tell who was yet operating and it was only when I direct messaged some that I realised that their operations were still a few weeks away. The two that were in operation in the city area on the evening were Eat ArtTruck and Cantina Mobil. Eat Art Truck were scheduled to make an appearance at Customs House at 9pm and Cantina Mobil at Queens Square at 5pm. The two trucks were very different propositions and at very different locations.
It’s 5:30pm and the area just outside the Legal Courts is a deserted place on a Friday evening so when we arrive at Cantina Mobil, there is not much of a queue and food is given out quickly. We basically chose one of each of the food items and bypassed the non alcoholic sangria on offer. The soft tacos (a choice of hard or soft) are $5 while the burrito is $10 and a bowl of corn is $4.
Soft taco $5
We sit down to eat it and the soft taco with the beef filling is good with a nicely seasoned, tender beef filling. Also in the taco is lettuce, chilli con queso, chilli corn and tomato salsa.
Burrito $10
The soft fresh burrito has a good amount of slow cooked spicy chipotle beef with cayenne chilli sauce and lime which gives it a nice tang. We were supposed to get chicken in this but we only saw it was beef once we bit into it. There is more beef towards the bottom of the burrito while the top has more of the beans and lettuce. The prices are key here and they’re not what you might consider cheap although they’re not unexpected in Sydney.
Chilli corn $4
The corn, spiced with cumin and chilli is juicy is a good accompaniment to the meaty mains. We watch as a small queue gathers and wonder if the way out location is a place that best serves or perhaps somewhere nearer to Hyde Park and Elizabeth street would be better. And whilst the food was good and I would eat it again, it isn’t quite distinct enough from other offerings around to make me want to track its location.
Dinner quickly finished we have three hours to wait until Eat Art Truck swings open its doors to the public so we sit and chat and then make our way slowly down to the Opera House and have a drink there while watching the Vivid light show. At 9pm we make our way to Customs House. There is already a healthy looking crowd standing there watching the colourful transitions of light reflected on Customs House. There is also a queue waiting at Eat Art Truck for their orders and peering at the menu. We take a look and there is so much that we want to order so we decide on one of everything.
If one truck had a name behind it it was the Eat Art Truck with former Tetsuya’s sous chef Stuart McGill there plating and packing things quickly. The menu does sound different to what you might find elsewhere and really nails the concept of a food truck offering things that you would actually follow someone on twitter to eat.
Everything is cooked to order and we wait about 10 minutes for our order. He apologises to everyone for the wait when they pick up their order and Ute is pleased that the girl behind the counter offered us the meal deal where you get three items and a drink for $25 (essentially the drink for free). The prices start at $5 for food up to $12 and everything looks and smells wonderful as it wafts past us in the arms of another diner.
There are two menus, A and B. Menu A is said to operate on Wednesdays to Thursdays and menu B for Friday and Saturday with Sunday being a mix of both menus with an experimental dish devised for the day. However tonight we seem to have a mix of both menus. You do want to get in early, because as the night progresses, items will run out. Mains were sold out in less than 1.5 hours according to their twitter feed.
EAT pear and rhubarb juice $4
We chose this based on the cashier’s recommendation and it was fantastic. It was fresh, slightly thick and with just the right amount of sweetness.
Chicken sembe, kinpira with edamame and wakame and BBQ Beef in a bun with hot sauce and slaw $25 meal deal
“What’s sembe?” Ute asks. I answer that I only know of sembei, the rice cracker, not sembe. It turns out that the chicken sembe is a lightly breaded and deep fried chicken skin with a spicy mayonnaise drizzled on top. Unusual but not in a bad way at all, although at first bite we wonder where the meat is and by the second piece, you realise that it’s chicken skin. The kinpira is a salad that I used to buy a lot when I lived in Japan as it was tasty and healthy. Kinpira is the method of slicing and sauteeing vegetables in soy, mirin and sake. The vegetables (eg. lotus root, burdock and carrot) are served cold, cut up as matchsticks with edamame and wakame seaweed. The last item was the one that set my heart aflutter: a bbq beef bun in a soft milky bun with slaw (with either hot sauce or mustard). The burnished soft bun is filled generously with tender, soft, melting beef which is carved thickly.
Confit spatchcock ssam with crispy noodles $12
Ssam, a Korean dish made with ssam jang, a hot sauce with bean, chilli, gochujang and vinegar, is given the confit spatchcock treatment. It is thinly shredded, spicy spatchcock which is full of flavour. It is encased in a soft butter lettuce leaf.
Shichimi wings $8
One last order for chicken wings (and be warned, bring wipes for these beauties)! They come out piping hot with a crunchy outer. They are flavoursome and moreish with what tastes like miso. It is also given a lightly spicy kick from the Japanese chilli powder shichimi togaroshi.
Oh and the art! With all of that I didn’t mention the art did I? On the back of the truck is an art installation by artist Phibs. Apparently this changes monthly and at times, you can see him creating his art although this evening, it is finished.
Time will tell whether the food truck concept will last and perhaps some operators will find times easier than others due to their offerings and locations. But on a cold Winter’s evening, when I would have normally been in bed, I found myself loving being back in Sydney.
So tell me Dear Reader, what do you think of the Food Truck concept? Would you try it? Do you think they will last? And which one sounds the most interesting to you?
At the moment, food truck locations can be found on facebook and twitter. The final list of trucks is:
Agape @agapeorganic
Al Carbon @alcarbontacos
Bite Sized Delights
Started operations: Cantina Mobil @catinamobil
Started operations: Eat Art Truck @eatarttruck
Let’s Do Yum Cha @LetsDoYumCha
Taco Truck
Tsuru @TsuruFoodTruck
Urban Pasta @UrbanPasta
Veggie Patch
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58 Comments | Add your own
We have one here in Salt Lake that is run by a woman who used to own a restaurant near my house. I try and catch her whenever I can…
hmmm…maybe today for lunch!
Love the idea of pairing art with the food trucks. I’m in CA and food trucks have been on my radar for a few years now. I think they are a great idea and, in light of our economic woes, a way for people who are passionate about food to start a business without the expense of a physical space.
Love the food trucks – and Phibs! one of my favourites. Nice guy too!
Fantastic! In Brisbane we have had The Bun Mobile (gourmet steamed buns) operating for some months now. I have been watching their progress but haven’t quite caught up. And I didn’t really fully appreciate the concept of following the food trucks and now, with context, I can sort of see what their trying for. Now I just have to catch them!
i find food trucks intriguing as i’ve never experienced a meal at a food truck before. i am hoping that maybe they might come down to melbourne.
Yum! Love the look of that chili corn.
I hope they’re all successful! I feel like an old person, we hardly ever get into the city to wander around at night anymore. Loved the photos..
It sounds like a great idea. Coming home after a trip is always a bit of a let down. I usually book my next one immediately so I have something to look forward to.
I found those truck very interesting, the concept is wonderful, as it’s more than a fast food, it’s a street food, so you don’t have to wait for a table and wait to be attended, it’s great.
I’m really excited by these – thank you for the list.
I’m so glad that the food sounds quite interesting. The last thing the city needs is another Golzeme stand (no offence to Golzeme, they’re delicious, they’re just a bit ubiquitous!)
I’ve only tried Cantina Mobil and really enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see what all the other trucks have on offer.
I love the concept and I do hope that food trucks keep up their great work. I just hope its not just a fad.
I love the idea of food trucks but have only experienced them in LA and NYC. I hear Paris even has one now! It was interesting to see what is being done with Mexican food, but I must say that the Eat Art offerings look better to me. It is such fun to see this concept growing as it just makes good sense for food on the move or on the run.
I love the pictures…..making me all hungry. No food trucks in my sleepy little town. Heck, don’t even have many restaurants which don’t nod off for the night by 9pm.
I am still yet to try these!! Oh I’m so excited that they are here now. Thanks for the review I really want to try one soon!
It sounds like a great concept as long as they’re offering something really good and a bit different. I think slightly lower prices might help too.
Reading this in Montreal on my way home so thanks for something to look forward to trying! EAT sure looks a lot more interesting than the first one …
By the way, Vancouver is huge on food trucks …
I am so jealous, i have been following the trucks on twitter for ages!
I really love the idea
I loved this post! Thanks gorgeous for writing it. I’m now really hungry though. Which is a problem considering I’ve just eaten…..
Absolutely love the idea and can’t wait to get to Sydney to follow them one fine night! Like the more varied menu of the Art Truck one – what a fun way to have a meal or three, especially during the warmer months of the year . . . .
!
Food trucks are a fabulous concept and really bring life (and great food) to city streets. However, I think Sydney is doing it wrong with our usual habits of over-legislating and putting in many hurdles for small business owners to overcome. In Portland, Oregon, there are 457 food trucks, in a city with a population of just under 600k! And we currently have 2 – that can operate in designated areas? The joy of the LA food trucks is that they travel around to various CBDs and business parks at lunchtimes during the week – Friday nights and weekends they all get together in one spot for fabulous food truck festivals. I guess these 2 are a start but I’m impatient! C’mon Sydney – let’s go!
Aaaaaaah!! No chocolate cake with peanuts and dulce de leche? Nooooo!
I love the concept and I have a foodie blog friend at “My Elastic Pants” who lives in Singapore, he recently was in the USA for his IT work and decided he woudl do 7 Food Trucks in 7 days and we got to hear about them from his Facebook and pictures, they look gorgeous. Also been watching the Food Truck show on SBS (cant think of exact show name) but its based in NZ. I am now on the hunt with this info to find out where he is this week!!
I hope the food trucks go to Homebush and sit outside the Acer Arena (or whatever it’s new name is). The food inside the venue is so below standard it’s a crime yet you have no other option. These trucks would be so welcome. xx
Some food trucks have food better than many restaurants. From what I’ve tried, the best food trucks are on the West Coast (Oregon, Washington) and in the South in Texas. Competition makes chefs to really perform, creat an art…:)
Ohh what a great idea
I didnt know there were so many food trucks in Sydney ~ it reminds me of NYC hehe i miss that city SO much!!!
I love the food truck idea and would try them all especially the one with Chilli Corn hehe
How fun that the food truck phenomenon has hit Down Under now, too. Looks like you guys are getting some fun and tasty food in the mix, too.
I think food trucks are going to be the next big thing in the Pacific culinary scene and they’ve been putting in appearances at weekend gourmet markets here in Manila. But, from what you’ve just blogged about, they’re nowhere near what you have in Australia. Seriously: artisanal juice drinks and food done by pro-chefs with mad skills? WOW!
What an interesting concept
I think the food trucks are going to be GREAT when the weather warms up – bit odd to launch them as we head into the coldest months of the year (I’m stil going to track them down though).
There’s also a central twitter account that consoldates all the trucks location tweets – easier to follow that way. It’s @sydneyfoodtruck
Damn!! We went to watch that vivid sydney last weekend but missed that food trucks.. What a shame!!!!
Wow this is new to me! Art trucks and food? Sorry typed it the wrong way around
Awesome!
Cheers
CCU
Seems food truck cuisine is popping up everywhere now, TRUE!
LOVE the quirkiness, and never KNOW what exciting, tantalizing dishes and ingredients will be surprised with too!
Thanks for once again, learning something through your photos and eyes,
As when it comes to food, (like in life!), I LOVE a surprise!
I love the idea! It also taps into the hunter gatherer instinct of tracking down your favourite food
Eat Art was the pick for me, and the idea of selling a picnic rug is a great way to market and up-sell, genius!
Btw, seven countries? No wonder you felt a bit flat on coming home after all the hustle and bustle!
Love it! Cheap, fresh and delicious!
Last time I had food truck food was when I was working…which is nearly 7 years ago! Definitely food truck industry has changed since then and I am missing it out. It’s almost 1am and hungry and your food truck food pictures are killing me. =D I wish I can order and they can come to my house. LOL.
oooooh man this looks good! I love the food truck movement! NYC was amazing for that. I need to try melbourne’s offerings!
Heidi xo
Glad to hear food trucks have finally made it to Sydney – they look pretty amazing as well.
Yes its a great idea and I can’t wait to try them
oh theres a menu B? id definitely get the hot chocolate cake with salted peanuts!
I do love the idea of food trucks ever since I saw the concept in a magazine about one in the USA. I’m glad they’re finally making an appearance in Australia! Hope they make it down to Melbourne soon.
The food look quite nice and reasonably priced which is good.
Ohhhh! I’m so excited. I heard a lot about them in radio interviews about 2 months ago and then nothing. I’ve been waiting for news they’d started – I heard it here first – Thanks. I’m especially excited to find the Veggie one but these 2 also sound great. A great fit with Vivid!
Very interesting I have never seen this before. The food looks good too!
I love the concept of the food trucks. I live in northern NJ in the US and we could use a food truck up here. It would be great if they could travel around the area like the old ice cream trucks. I would definitely buy my dinners from them a few times a week.
Your blog is a joy to me.
♥♥♥
Sue
Food trucks are everywhere in Toronto and they are becoming quite gourmet too; although I would not expect to pay $25 for food from a food truck. In early May one of our local historical brick yards (now a renovated venue) held Food Truck Festival https://www.facebook.com/events/308205175903451/. My nephew went and said it was loads of fun, although not inexpensive either. I’m not sure how I feel about it. I usually like to leisurely enjoy my food sitting down, giving it the proper attention it deserves. Eating along side of a truck doesn’t seem to do it justice!
Food trucks are huge here!
Like the idea of art…although the only time I had truck food was from the one that often comes to the campus.
Hope you are having a great week Lorraine
Once again Perth is behind in the times…..no real food trucks here yet…..sigh
Great Review! We’re going to share it with our readers
Just noticed couple of Twitter accounts are missing in the post. Here they are.
@bitesizedelight
@@veggiepatchvan
BTW, we also have a Facebook page and Twitter account where we share news, reviews, photos and whereabouts of all of the Sydney Food Trucks to make it easier for people to stay up-to-date by just following one account.
Feel free to add that to your post, if you see the value of it.
Thank you
@sydneyfoodtruck
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Food-Trucks/258166624256365
Eat Art is such a great concept. I love that they’ve tied in some beautiful, and frequently changing, art with the beautiful, and frequently changing, food.
I would love it.
Last time I ate from a food truck it was a hot dog. And it was the best damn hot dog I have had in my life.
It was 4am.
Been to both trucks, at least a couple of times now, and I have to say Eat Art gets my vote as the one to keep coming back to. Cantina Mobil, while good with the meat, fails to provide an array of DIY fillings for customers that are so essential to an exemplary Mexican food experience. Is Taco Bell on wheels really something that Sydney needs? Come on now.
Oh wow! The Opera house looks amazing!! With the yummy food being a great bonus.
No food trucks way up here but I’ve eaten at a food truck in the states. I like the concept but not so much when it’s really cold out side.
Love the EatArt art
Hey you Melbournites (@5 & @41) – where have you been???
There are plenty of food trucks (and coffee trucks) in Melbourne including some that have been going for nearly a year!
Due to Council restrictions, they’ve been restricted mainly to the inner northern suburbs – but from July 2012 they will be heading into most inner eastern suburbs as well.
Popular trucks include:
beatboxkitchen (Burgers)
tacotruckmelb (Mexican)
GrubFoodVan (easy to find as it’s permanently in Moor St Fitzroy!)
GumboKitchen (Creole)
Le Sausage (Snags)
Dhabafoodtruck (Indian street food)
Massive Weiners (German)
Chasing Kitsune (Japanese – may be up for sale?)
BigMoose’s (Parma Dogs)
Cornutopia (Mexican)
Grill’d Airstream (burgers)
What is fun is that some of them are getting together to create ‘truck stops’ with several food trucks together offering variety. I saw them at the Melb Food & Wine Festival – and Barkly Square in Brunswick is running weekend truck stops for the next month…
And check out a website that tracks foodtrucks in Melbourne/Sydney and Adelaide currently – wherethetruck.at
They claim to update it every day and provide convenient maps with truck locations.
As you can see, I love this concept… especially when the weather warms up!
Get out and try them!!
#chompchomp
Perth will have its first food truck in a few weeks. Check out Buttys facebook for updates.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/buttysfoodtruck
looking forward to trying the trucks at some stage…in my younger party animal days I’d frequent Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo most weekends…there was something so great about a pie peas mash and gravey or a hotdog with onions and mustard at 3am
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