Fleet of Eats: 57 Degrees 3rd Friday Food Truck Gathering

Food truck fever has hit San Diego HARD, and this is in no way depressing. Besides the individual truck schedules, there's plenty of "gatherings" where an assortment of trucks get together and create a mobile food court to the delight of locals. One of the ones that I kept missing was the 3rd Friday Gathering at 57 Degrees in Little Italy, but NOT THIS TIME! Parking was a challenge, especially since the closest trolley stop is out of commission for awhile, but we managed to hoof it, fork over the $2 entrance fee, and beeline it through the wine bar to their back parking lot filled from end to end with mobile yumminess!

I knew that I wanted to see what every truck had to offer before committing to anything, so we started with the Eat at Recess Truck, Operacaffe, CurioCity, Tabe BBQ, MangiaMangia, Food Farm, the Gathering Spot, etc. etc. etc. (one immediate complaint is that the list on the 57 Degrees website wasn't really accurate). However, that didn't REALLY matter since there was plenty to choose from and to kick things off we got the Fried Pizza Dough stuffed with cheese from Operacaffe Mobile.

It was pretty much exactly what you'd expect- doughy balls of fried goodness with bubbling cheese spewing from the tops like tiny volcanoes with a side of marinara for dipping. Hot, cheesy balls. What's not to like? We munched on these as we studied the rest of the boards for our entrees. One noteworthy trend is that almost every single truck had some version of sliders and/or parmesan fries (some with, some without truffles). I guess it makes sense since sliders are a little more manageable on the go, but come on people! A little variety would be nice!

Next up was the Spicy Brat from The Gathering Spot Bistrotruck. It seemed to be the recommended dog, and it sounded pretty unusual/great with cream cheese spread and a jalapeno/onion mix. When we got it, I was pretty disappointed with the grayness of the brat, generic cream cheese, and limp, leech-like jalapenos that looked more like sad kelp than spicy pepper. It wasn't spicy in ANY respect, and was just pretty bland. Disappointing. (HOWEVER - we did run into this truck the next day at Green Flash Brewery and decided to give it another go. Their Slidertini with angus beef, dill aioli, sauteed mushrooms & onions with a block of cheddar toothpicked on top was GREAT. Shockingly tender and the perfect amount of dill - which I find can be easily overdone. Not to be missed!)

By now Ashton-the-sweet-tooth was itching for some dessert, so he headed over to The Chubby Truck for their fried cheesecake with either strawberry compote or chocolate dip. He brought back what appeared to be two egg rolls with a cup of fudge, and I felt like I was back at the gluttonous state fair in Del Mar all over again! Things like this are fine in their own way, I suppose... I mean, yes, it was fried cheesecake. Great. Nothing surprising, and honestly just a little gratuitous. The rest of their menu looked pretty amazing, so I'm anxious to give this new truck another go and get one of their tasty-looking burgers next time!

Last on the list was Tabe Korean BBQ, which I'd had once before and LOVED. To wrap things up we got their Tabe Asada Fries with the sweet pork, and let me just tell you that I give it the rating of "Die, die, must try!" Perfectly tender, sweet and just a little spicy, their pork is drippingly fantastic in everything they offer. It's going to be difficult for me to get any other their other meats because their pork is stellar! The little side cups of hot sauce, chili garlic spread, and spicy aioli were all delightful in their own right, so just do yourself a favor and get some Tabe. Korean BBQ, my new favorite food group?

Grill 'Em All

The gods of metal are surely smiling upon the latest trumpeteers of delicious glory on four wheels! Never has there been such an homage to all things delicious and devilish all wrapped upon in a mobile unit, thrashing their way into our hearts, minds, and stomachs. Grill 'Em All is a newcomer in the recent food truck explosion based in L.A., but with a solid menu and unapologetic culinary offerings they've already smashed their way into the highly competitive market and destroyed all that stand in their way. The duo of Ryan Harkins and Matthew Chernus paired up with a wild vision and have already landed a spot on the Travel Channel's "Food Wars", which followed the unholy pair as they blazed through California preaching their ideals of metal and BURGER.





Luckily, through mutal foodie fanatic and metal maniac Dave Witte I was able to catch these guys as they served up their goods boardwalk-side in Mission Beach, under the shadow of mighty Belmont Park. Unfortunately, a gloomy sky deterred many a regular Saturday beachgoer and potential slaves to the newly introduced Witte Burger, namesake of the very man above! I didn't need to ask what the Witte contained because to bear such a proud name means only one thing- A GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE. However, for the benefit of you mere mortals who haven't yet experienced the madness that is Witte, it's a burger on a homemade bun, slathered in California cream cheese, beer-fried bacon, Sriacha soaked grilled onions, and a roasted garlic aioli to make your arteries beg for mercy. Since the boys were on a roll filming for Food Wars, a malt vinegar aioli served as a delightful substitute in the garlic's stead. Not a disappointing choice. The film crew recognized the tunnel vision of food fanatics that have just been handed something that can't possibly exist outside the realm of awesome, and took the opportunity to ask us a few questions. I'm sure our close ups of sriacha-stained blood drool and flecks of juicy meat torn apart will look just greeeaaattt on all those HD-TVs. Hello America! This is Beth and Ashton and we're disgustingly enthusiastic! Join us in our revelry!





Only those who are from the South understand the automatic connection when you come face to face with one of your Rebel kin elsewhere in the nation. An immediate bond is formed for life once the name "Richmond" is invoked in conversation, and an instant friendship cements itself usually over a beer. Since the City of San Diego generally frowns upon public displays of drunkeness, we had to make do with gorging ourselves with meat rather than hops and yeast. The boys took to us instantly once we spoke the name Witte, and we didn't even need to ask- within minutes we were handed two dripped, glorious, thundering, mighty burgers, a side of truffle fries to boot!



The trumpeteers of Viking lore ten thousand strong could not have blasted more thunderingly into your face than this burger. I felt as though I was balancing on a pitchfork of insanity simply attempting to comprehend the madness of this gluttonous treasure. Mighty Thor himself would smite a legion of warriors to feast upon the Witte at his victory table, and sacrifice a thousand virgins to appease the demons swarming in his head with which the absence of burger would appear.



These preachers of metal and munchin' remain tadpoles in the food arena, but with a solid menu of absolutely phenomenal offerings and a schtick to rival any major stationary restaurant, I can't fathom that these crazy metal apostles won't achieve immortality through food.

Tioli's Crazee Burger

Burgers must be in high demand in San Diego based on the number of burger joints, large and small, that reside in this fair city. Rightfully so! While In-N-Out is still a great place (albeit chain) to snag a cheap burger and shake, we needed a new place to tantalize our tastebuds and meet the meat. North Park's Crazee Burger boasts its superiority, and with national spotlights like Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives (below!)

and various other news clips and features, how could we go wrong?

Their menu is as wild as they promise- ostrich, kangaroo, buffalo, not to mention beef, lamb, and more! All come topped with a smattering of gourmet sauces and toppings cooked up by the German partners, and have been pleasing crowds for years! I went for the Saturday special- Hamburgeeeeeerrrrr FRANCAISE with melted Brie Cheese with their special parmesan dusted fries.


It was fantastic! You can't go wrong in my book with huge amounts of brie, or any cheese for that matter, and this was juicy, succulent, and all around great. The fries were nice and crispy with lots of flavor, and even with 7 people on a Saturday night the service was fast and accurate. We had other reasons besides a delicious flavor experience to celebrate as well!


Nothing like celebratory cheeseburgers for getting engaged! Luckily, my soon-to-be life partner loves food just as much as me and was equally enthusiastic about toasting our new life together with hot meat sandwiches and orange soda. All in all, a creative and equally delicious place that I'm sure we'll find ourselves again.

The Station

South Park is what I consider to be the "mature" North Park. For as much as North Park is booming and expanding with plenty of art galleries, shops, and restaurants opening up, South Park enjoys a slightly more established neighborhood and quieter tree-lined blocks, along with a closer vicinity to Downtown. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Diego, with a small but solid community of local businesses ranging from family-owned delis, a fixed gear bicycle shop, the quintessential corner coffee joint, and now a new tavern to boast as their own- The Station Tavern and Burger Lounge on 30th.

The Station opened its doors the last week of August 2009, and had an absolutely insane soft opening. Owner Sam has already had a successful run in his other ventures, with include the Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa, Turf Club in Golden Hill, and a couple other establishments that San Diegans are more than happy to frequent. People poured in from all directions, and it seemed like South Parkians had really claimed this as their own place on their own turf. I worked a few shifts there running food and waiting tables, and this is EXACTLY the type of place I'm likely to frequent. Tons of regulars, good tunes on the stereo, small but solid menu, and some good brews. There's not much of a selection, so unless you're in the mood for a burger you're SOL. There's only 5 beers on draft, and 4 available in bottles, but with selections like Stove Leviathan Ale, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Tiger, and a few more, you're bound to find something to tantalize your tastebuds. The menu is simple- burgers. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, black bean, turkey, or veggie. That's it. Your side choices are fries, tater tots, garlic fries, sweet potato fries, or a house salad. Personally, I'll recommend the Spicy Black Bean burger with either tots or sweet potato fries. I wouldn't steer you wrong!

Like I said, don't bother going unless you're in the mood for a great burger and good times. The bar is an inviting curvaceous triangle, and The Station offers outdoor and indoor seating with great corner views of the nearby streets. Kid-friendly gravel lines the outside patio, with a bona fide choo-choo for the younguns to play in. A fun decor is splashed inside, with multicolored faux train lights above the tables, and if you're looking to rest your tired tootsies at the bar, just plop them on top of the train rails that line the bar wall!


What they lack in choice they make up in quality. You can spruce up your burger with caramelized onions, avocado, or dip your fries in their feta-red pepper-paprika aioli, or perhaps smear their cilantro/lime sauce on your veggie burger. Whatever you get is sure to please.


The Station gets an A for atmosphere, price, quality, and service. Now add a few things to the menu, open for lunch, and you'll have an unbeatable place!