 |
| The Little Red Riding Truck |
But why can't we get the best of both worlds?! Imagine my disappointment when I arrive on a lunch break, cash in hand, to the spot where a truck used to be, only to find the teasing aroma of bacon guacamole grilled cheese still lingers long after everyone has moved on. Disappointment has never been so hungry!
Three thousand miles from my home in San Francisco, Soma StrEAT Food Park has the solution to my tardiness. It's the first permanent food truck pad in the city, the original go-to spot for those times when you want to get your friends to try some Peruvian ceviche, but you want some BBQ or even a mochi donut. You could never track down these many different dishes at once, and here they are, all parked in a circle around an inviting patio and a schoolbus-turned-party room. Their website advertises a rotating list of vendors, and on the foggy morning we decided to head over we found all of those things, plus German food Korean fusion, and bottomless mimosas. Yes, I mean bottomless - this was thoroughly tested.
Our first bite came from BOB CHA, a Korean food truck offering - wait, I can't bear to use the exhausted term fusion food. Really, it was mostly standard Korean flavors with some inventive delivery methods, making the food fun to eat but still satisfyingly familiar. Except the bacon fried rice. That part was just awesome.
 |
| Mandoooo potstickers in a saucy sea. |
The Mandooo potstickers were rolled longer and thinner than others I've had, and they came smothered in sweet chili flavored "spicy sauce." We chose pork - most choices on their menu are available with a choice of chicken, pork, or bulgogi.
The coolest looking thing on the menu is the Bob Burrito - bulgogi, spicy bacon fried rice, lettuce, egg, and kimchi all wrapped in a flour tortilla. Ours was huge and full of juicy, meaty, kimchi goodness.
Also in the mix was the Little Red Riding Truck, serving up German food with sides of crunchy krautsalad. We shared some rich cheese spätzle - a type of egg noodle dish made by boiling the dumplings before frying them up for a little bit of texture.
Although our party was definitely slowing down (thanks in part to those bottomless mimosas), we opted for some schnitzel with bacon-fried potatoes. The meat was tender and the crust was so satisfying - especially with a drizzle of lemon juice! My only wish was for a the potatoes to have a little more texture - another couple minutes in the pan would have been perfect.
 |
 Our final stop was at El Calamar, a Peruvian truck whose tempting wares included lomo saltado (beef stir-fry) and a beef tripe and chicken gizzard dish for those who like a little experimental eating. We had a generous helping of ceviche, uniquely accentuated with baked sweet potato. I haven't had potato with ceviche before and was hesitant for a very brief second, but the sweetness of the potato is a wonderful compliment to the dish's acidity. |
Last but not least comes papas rellenas, a traditional Peruvian stuffed potato dish. Ours had egg and ground beef. The precious few bites I had of this were heavenly - the texture of the potato is crispy on the outside and fluffy but not oily on the inside. Warm and toasty, and a perfect end to our food truck extravaganza.
We had a great time at the park and left almost-too-full. If you find yourself in San Francisco, be sure to check out Soma StrEAT Food Park's ever-changing lineup. You can find them on Facebook with a list of their latest vendors, or on their website. We'll be sure to make this a routine stop next time we're in the Bay area!