Fresh peppers, onions, and Cuban roast pork sizzle on the grill, producing a mouth-watering aroma that draws a serious crowd. Could it be? A new grilling station at Leo’s? Not a chance. This is the work of Rebel Heroes, one of the many food trucks that are popping up all around D.C., and transforming the way the nation’s capital does curbside cuisine.
All of this food truck fanaticism is culminating in a road food feast. Next month’s “Curbside Cook Off” will give customers the chance to sample D.C.’s most popular trucks at one convenient location, CityCenterDC, on Oct. 7 and 8. But what exactly is so special about these trucks?
For most city-dwellers, street food implies hot dogs and Mr. Softee. But that line of food trucks is quickly becoming outdated as trendy, “gourmet” trucks surface in cities all over the U.S. This craze hit the D.C. area in full force, and trucks like Curbside Cupcakes and Fry Captain are serving everything from “Tofu Libre” subs to Key Lime Pie Cupcakes.
Hoards of customers are drawn to these unconventional eateries and their unique lunch and snacking options. Essential to the trucks’ appeal is the ability for customers to track them. Hunting these trucks by word-of-mouth or Twitter makes seeking a mobile snack almost like a game, and most vendors have embraced social networking as a means of spreading word about their locations. Fojol Bros, for example, boasts an incredible 6,000 followers on Twitter.
Always quick to jump on a trend, a number of local blogs have also joined in. One, Food Truck Fiesta, turns trucks’ Twitter updates into a real-time food-truck-tracking map. Food Trucks D.C. is the diary of a Washingtonian who has decided to eat lunch from food trucks for the rest of the year.
“The unpredictability of the choices for lunch, and the yearning for different tasting foods, the people you get to meet and the stories you tell can’t be duplicated at your neighborhood Quiznos,” the blogger writes.
Many food truck patrons agree. Bryan, a frequent customer of Rebel Heroes, explained that while food trucks were not necessarily a quicker or more convenient lunch option, he would rather support local business owners than a chain like McDonalds. That keeps him coming back, along with the “Macho Meatball” sub.
The “Curbside Cook Off” is motivated by more than just an appreciation for food; it’s no coincidence that the event will take place just one week before the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will vote on food truck legislation. Currently, D.C. food trucks are following codes meant for stationary food carts.
Rules considering the movement of these trucks and how far they must be from permanent restaurants are under debate. Regulatory factors like insurance, liability, health inspection, property taxes, and the use of public parking are also under debate. Vince Gray, who is likely to be D.C.’s next mayor, has announced his support for these enterprises, provided they play by the rules. The Curbside Cook Off is the perfect opportunity to shore up any additional support food trucks might need as DCRA considers legislation.
But never mind the politics of it. Get on Twitter, grab a friend, and find the nearest food truck … That is, if you can catch it before it drives away.
There’s a website that’s called http://www.thestreats.com that is a really nice dc food truck tracker. Their site is really user friendly and I really like their twitter.