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?

San Diego Fair 2011

While last year's food-themed county fair raised the bar for all things artery clogging yet tantalizingly irresistible, this year's San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds continued the American tradition of crowds, grease, and obesity with some classics like the deep fried Klondike bar, deep fried pickles, deep fried twinkies, and the much-anticipated deep fried Kool Aid! Personally, I don't find even the liquid version very appetizing, so despite heavy hype I passed in favor of some alternate fried goods:

My first instinct proved to be a fulfilling one: deep fried cheese curds! These squeaky delights are delightful fresh AND fried, and for $6 I was rewarded with a generous portion leaving me literally choking for more.


We indulged in a few standbys like fried pickles with ranch dipping sauce, funnel cake, but the one that took that cake was the Baby Ruth stuffed fried jalapeno served over a bed of sugared churros. Holy crap. Honestly, I really thought it had a fighting shot of being sinfully delicious based on the fact that I like jalapenos, sugar, churros, fried, and Baby Ruth bars, but although my jaw chewed and chewed, my brain just flat out refused to let that sloshy mass pass through my rapidly shrinking throat, and as you can see after one bite, my hand was shaking so much from the sugar I couldn't take a clear picture.

All in all the fair was a success as usual, and I'm anticipating another binge next year. Hail America!

Jumbo Slice, Adams Morgan

Nothing helps curb a hangover like a big, greasy slice of pizza, and there are no bigger slices around than Washington, D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood
Jumbo Slices! They nightly serve up their humongous 'slices' to hungry crowds of barhoppers desperate for some calories. Each piece is about the size of my entire torso, and to say it's just one is a cruel joke to play on your digestive system. However, two warring establishments lay claim to the best jumbo slice in DC, and having patronized the original recipe Jumbo Slice Pizza after a night of drinking and debauchery I can safely give my stamp of approval to it as the superior jumbo slice available. If you find yourself in the Adams Morgan area with a rumbling stomach, dare to compare and take on one of the mighty slices to declare your own winner. Really, it seems like win-win, doesn't it?

Image taken from Yachad-DC.org/

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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE

Yes, 'tis true, today marks the 24th anniversary of my birth. April 30, 1985... a date which will live in infamy. I'm never one to let an event pass without some culinary exploit to mark it with, and at work we always follow the same plan. Get a cake, one that is kosher, which is plain ice cream, which is BORING, and we NEVER get anything else. Well, surprise! My bosses are in China, leaving us free to select a different cake to make to celebrate the monumental event! When asked what my cake of choice was, my immediate thought was carrot cake, but since I'd like to try my hand at making that soon, I opted for red velvet cake. Our new hire is from NYC, and at the very mention of the words "red velvet" she picked up the phone and through our questioning ordered a cake from Cake Man Raven in Brooklyn to be shipped cross country to arrive for my birthday without hesitation. This guy's cakes are world famous, especially his red velvet. His client list includes Oprah, Robert De Niro, 50 Cent, Maya Angelou, and an incredible much more. The stokeage was reaching maximum levels, and I didn't eat anything in anticipation of the sugary treat. It finally came today and we made an early lunch of it! The pictures below speak for themselves- I DID NOT RETOUCH ANY ONE OF THEM BEYOND CROPPING. The colors are true and the flavor was insane. If you ever have the opportunity to sample one of his marvelous cakes, DO IT DO IT DO IT.

Ignore the mild smush, the FedEx guy was just jealous. All it did is condense the deliciousness even more.

this is why you're fat

A fantastic find on the internet. This site is so 'Merican I can feel myself gaining weight just visiting it. I think this is my first time linking to just another random food site without it being some sort of restaurant or other food critic-esque blog, but one visit to This Is Why You're Fat.com and you'll understand why. Here's a few of my favorites from the front page...

CORN DOG PIZZA... WOW.


Giant Breakfast Burrito
A seven pound breakfast burrito stuffed with potatoes, eggs, onions, and ham bits, lots of cheese on top and smothered in red chile.
Unbelievable. Honestly, these are just the beginning. It promises to be a sickeningly nauseous ride through artery-clogging and coma-inducing piles of gluttony of which the likes I hope I never see. Or maybe I do. It's really a mental struggle to try and deal with the obvious disgustingly over the top obese experience with what I'm sure would prove to be a tastebud explosion. It's a toss up. Either way, carnivore, vegetarian, food lover, any random person- I suggest you visit the site and just see what actually exists. Mind = blown.