In a parking lot across the street from Walmart.com in Brisbane, is what I’d like to call “Street Vendor Lane”. It’s the peninsula’s epicenter for street food vendors of all different flavors – Indian, Filipino, Mexican, Korean, Hawaiian. Last week my good friend Dustin (and Audiodub front man – sorry, I had to plug his band) took me on a guided culinary voyage of the site.
Why Brisbane? I’ve been told that trucks awaiting SF street permits head to this spot. That seems a little far-fetched, but I am certain that some of hottest, new-wave trucks are park here.
Our first stop, Curry Up Now.
It’s become one of the Bay Area’s most popular street vendoring trucks…and for good reason. One bite and you’ll be hooked. The menu – which changes daily – offers street food with Indian flair. Items include: tikka masala burritos ($6.75), deconstructed samosas ($6), paneer tacos (2 for $6) and more. They weren’t offering tacos when we visited so we both ordered the deconstructed samosas with chicken (other choices include vegetarian, beef or lamb).
The box of food must have weighed 5 pounds, and every once delicious and savory. The container was filled with a layer of allo tikkis (potato cutlets) covered with chana (curried garbanzo beans) and mini samosas; and garnished with sweet tamarind chutney, white onions, jalapenos and mint. It was lively with flavors of cumin, coriander and mint. The chicken, tender – though I’m not sure if the meat necessarily added to the dish. I would’ve been just as satisfied if I opted for vegetarian. Perhaps a more pungent meat such as lamb would’ve been a better selection.
I also need to give recognition for the level of “heat” they bring to the table. Choices are regular, medium or spicy. I went with “medium,” which turned out to be on par with the heat level you’d expect from fresh “hot” salsa. I can only imagine the intensity of the “spicy” – ah curumba!
On to Hapa SF which offers organic and “modern” Filipino cuisine.
Former Citizen Cake chef, William Pelz serves up some tasty creations including pork lumpia ($3.50-7), adobo-brined chicken ($9), sisig tacos (2 for $6) and more.
We had the sisig tacos, which are made of lime and soy-braised pork topped with cabbage, avocado salsa verde, easter egg radishes, and a sprig of cilantro.
Pelz’s professional skills are shown in the dish. The pork shoulder is cooked perfectly – caramelized on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. The meat breaks apart effortlessly and just melts in your mouth. The radishes and cabbage provide a nice balance of crunch to the softness of the pork and tortilla.
The tacos did come with an added topping. I’m not sure what it was, perhaps pieces of plantain? Either way, I found it to be a little too hard and not necessary. Dustin didn’t mind it as much.
(see my July 29th article for more info on Hapa SF - link)
Time for some traditional Mexican street tacos…
Hola, El Ranchito!
This taco truck makes some of the tastiest tacos around!
We ordered a carnitas taco. The taco came on a corn tortilla, piled with meat and garnished with a green salsa (I’m assuming it’s a guacamole salsa), white onions, and cilantro. A lime wedge and radish came on the side.
I sometimes find myself dabbing hot sauce on tacos to give them that added punch of flavor. It’s not necessary with El Ranchito tacos. The carnitas meat was succulent and full of flavor. Combine it with the crunch of the onion, the creaminess of the salsa, and the freshness of the lime and cilantro and you get pure deliciousness!
At $1 per taco, this truck is what I’m talking about – good food for good value! If I hadn’t already had two lunches, I could have ordered 4 more tacos for myself. Next time!
After a slight break from our eating frenzy, we headed over to Seoul on Wheels, a Korean BBQ truck.
According to an Oakland North article, Julia Yoon, the lady behind Seoul on Wheels, started it in 2007 as a catering truck, which quickly became her roving restaurant. You can spot her truck all over the bay – it might be lunch in Brisbane, the dinner in SOMA.
I’ve heard many good things about this truck and was eager to taste their food. The menu offers Korean BBQ tacos ($2.5), BBQ rice plates ($6), a cheeseburger ($5, the daniel burger ($7) and more. Meat offerings include: spicy pork, chicken, bulgogi (rib-eye beef) and tofu.
They were out of bulgogi when we went so I ordered the spicy pork tacos. Dustin had the chicken taco. The tortillas were filled with heaps of thinly sliced, Korean-BBQed meat on a thick bed of lettuce, and garnished with thinly sliced sweet daikon, a sour cream type sauce, and chili sauce.
The tacos were good. The marinated meat was packed with flavor and the lettuce was a nice addition that brought an overall “lightness” to the taco. Dustin wasn’t a fan of all the lettuce. I didn’t mind it, but maybe that’s because I was in need of some “freshness” after all the heavy, meat-laden food I’d eaten.
How do you choose which truck to go to? That’s a tough call. If you’re like me, you just get something from each place, and split the dishes with a friend. Talk about a picnic!
Contact information for the trucks:
- Curry Up Now can be found at various locations around the Bay Area including: Brisbane, Burlingame, Mountain View, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale • For exact times and locations follow them on Facebook or Twitter • Foursquare check-in: Mountain View, San Francisco, Burlingame • www.curryupnow.com/
- Hapa SF can be found at 8000 Marina Boulevard (@ Sierra Point Parkway) in Brisbane as well as at Off the Grid’s street food festival Fridays in San Francisco • For exact times and locations follow them on Facebook or Twitter • Foursquare check-in here.
- El Ranchito can be found at 8000 Marina Boulevard (@ Sierra Point Parkway) in Brisbane as well as 512 El Camino Real in San Bruno • Foursquare check-in: Brisbane
- Seoul on Wheels can be found at various locations around the Bay Area including: Brisbane, Emeryville, and San Francisco • For exact times and locations follow them on Facebook or Twitter • http://seoulonwheels.com/Seoul/yum.html
Other trucks that frequent this location:
- IZ IT – a Pan-Asian inspired mobile food truck most known for its fried chicken and tacos. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter • Foursquare check-in here • http://www.iz-it.com/
- Chairman Bao Truck – offers traditional Chinese steamed and baked buns. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter
Tags: curry up now, el ranchito, hapa sf, san francisco, seoul on wheels, taco truck
