Mobile Food News » Albuquerque

Albuquerque, NM: Best Bites finds Southern food with an Aisian kick

MFN Editor #1 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 02:40:18 +0000

By Antoinette Antonio | KOB.com

Southern food with an Asian twist is not something you can find just anywhere.

In this week’s Best Bites, a food truck called The Supper Truck is serving up favorites from the deep South with a kick.

We caught up with The Supper Truck when it was parked at Talin market on Central and Louisiana, it’s usual location on Wednesdays.

Chef Jessica cooked up a hot bowl of smoked gouda grits with a bourbon cream sauce plus shrimp, oyster mushrooms and bacon.

Another fan favorite is the pimiento cheese fries. The potatoes are fresh cut and topped with a cheddar, cream cheese, and jalapeno mixture.

And as for that Asian twist: a Southern fried chicken Banh Mi sandwich.

Owner Amy Black says the food ideas all start with her Southern roots and her love for unique food.

“Well, I love Asian food and I wanted to create dishes that were nice and fresh and modern something completely different and delicious that you cant get anywhere else in Albuquerque or anywhere else period,” says Black.

You can catch The Supper Truck Saturday, December 8th from 11 to 4 at Talin market for a holiday food truck extravaganza.

Also, go to www.facebook.com/thesuppertruck to follow them on facebook and find out their location each day.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s2857854.shtml

Albuquerque, NM: Battle of the Food Trucks

MFN Editor #1 — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:10:40 +0000

By Ari Levaux | Alibi.com

ARI LEVAUXWhat is the best food truck in Albuquerque? These three men couldn’t make the call.

If you’re going to have a battle, there’s something simple and clean about it being between just two combatants rather than a messy free-for-all. When it’s one-on-one, you can expect a resolution to the question of who won, and most importantly, why. And yet, that’s not what happened at the first Burque Battle of the Food Trucks, which was held one chilly December evening at Marble Brewery.

ARI LEVAUX

The Battle was a collaboration between Leo York, founder of Inhabitants of Burque, and Howie K, community manager at Yelp Albuquerque. Thanks to late notice, a recent freeze, and an “organic” advertising regimen, the only two trucks that showed were Gauchito Catering, with Argentine parilla in tow, and Dia De Los Takos, purveyors of fine local beer battered fish tacos.

It was a contest between the finest grilled meat to be found on the streets of Burque, and the kind of fish tacos that one might expect if New Mexico had a living sea coast. Choosing between them was as hard a decision to make as if it had been one truck selling red and another selling green.

The first two judges cast their votes: one for each truck.

It was up to Leo York to break the tie. After a moment of consideration, York said just about the only thing that he could reasonably say in such a situation.

“I don’t think I can choose.”

The boos came immediately. This is Duke City. There has to be a winner. An inhabitant of Burque was duly chosen from the audience to decide. A human coin toss, perhaps, but he picked Dia De Los Takos.

Now, about those fish tacos.

As we were at Marble brewery, the breading on the fish included Marble Red Ale. It’s a standard Dia de los Takos practice, explained owner Dominique Valenzuela, to use the local beer when set up outside a brewery. I got the special del dia: three tacos plus a cupcake from Princess Pastries for $8.

I chose the signature Baja Fish Tako, with “sushi grade” snapper, dry slaw and cilantro crème; a green chile fish taco (with two deep-fried roasted green chile pods per taco); and a special: deep fried beer battered avocado slabs.

As I waited, I could not resist my chocolate wafer cookie muffin. “Ever” is an overused phrase, so I’m cautious here. But no. It was the best cupcake I’ve ever had, and I could spend the rest of this article discussing it.

When my tacos arrived, I barely paid attention to which one I was eating. It’s like they were in a race for the bottom of my belly.

Dominique and company must be breathing a sigh of relief after squeaking by el Gauchito last week, but defending the title at the Battle of the Food Trucks Part 2 will not be easy. As of press time five trucks have lined up. Dia’s tacos are so good it’s hard to imagine anyone wresting the title away, but anything can happen in a free-for-all.

http://alibi.com/food/43793/Battle-of-the-Food-Trucks-Dia-de-los-Takos-has-it.html

Alburquerque, NM: In Albuquerque, Restaurants and Food Trucks Mix Uneasily

MFN Editor #1 — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:00:21 +0000

By Dan McKay | Daily-Times.com

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Art Alexander’s rule is simple: Get there first, and the spot is yours.

Such is life running a food truck in Albuquerque, where vendors can, for the most part, set up anywhere but private property.

On a recent weeknight, Alexander had a great spot — just a few feet away from the entrance to Tractor Brewing in Nob Hill. And he wasn’t interested in hearing any complaints about it from other vendors.

“That’s just the way the ball rolls,” Alexander said. “I’m a businessman.”

In any case, Alexander said he was invited to set up shop there, because Tractor doesn’t sell food.

But the relationship between food trucks and their neighbors isn’t always so friendly. Some business owners say it’s time to consider new rules restricting where the trucks can set up.

In the heart of Downtown, at least one restaurant says it now closes early because a hotdog vendor kept setting up right in front of the entrance, making it hard for people to see that the place was open.

The vendor “put us out of business at night,” said Nick Manole, whose wife, Asimina, owns Fresh Choices. “We’re small-business people paying high rents and trying to make it. It’s unfair competition for us.”

City Councilor Isaac Benton said he hopes restaurants and food-truck owners can work out a voluntary code of conduct. If not, he’s willing to consider legislation, such as a prohibition on mobile vendors setting up in front of brick-and-mortar restaurants.

“There is the need to support our existing businesses who have made a huge investment — a much bigger investment than a food truck has,” Benton said. “I love food trucks. Don’t get me wrong. (But) it does need to be fair to existing, permanent businesses that serve food.”

Art Alexander checks the grill he tows behind his food truck.

James Trump Jr., a developer who owns land in Nob Hill, said city regulations for food trucks need an update. One possibility is requiring the trucks to plug into a power source, rather than run a noisy generator, he said.

But he says the food trucks in Nob Hill contribute positively to the pedestrian environment.

“There is no effort to get rid of the food trucks,” Trump said. “Everyone sees (them) as an asset.”

Adrian Carver, a member of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association board, said the relationship between places like Tractor and food vendors benefits both businesses, he said.

“I think food trucks are a vibrant part of the culture” in Nob Hill, Carver said.

Robert Munro, part-owner of O’Niell’s Irish Pub, said some people worry about food trucks contributing to the parking crunch in Nob Hill. A discussion on the topic is in order, he said.

“I would have grave concern if my parking were affected by food trucks sitting directly in front of my place of business without any sort of method to control that,” he said.

Patrick Humpf, whose food truck “Gedunk” specializes in gourmet macaroni and cheese, said vendors already face restrictions. They are limited to commercial areas and must abide by parking laws, he said.

As for the concern about taking someone else’s customers, Humpf said: “In my opinion, no one place owns a customer. You can win a customer’s loyalty, but you don’t own them and therefore they can’t be stolen.”

Joanie & Art’s Bar-B-Que food truck serves customers outside Tractor Brewing on Tulane SE.

Manole, on the other hand, said food trucks can damage a restaurant. Fresh Choices, he said, used to stay open until 8 or 9 at night, and the mobile vendors would show up later to serve the bar crowd.

Then, the vendors started arriving earlier and earlier, essentially blocking the restaurant from view.

“They don’t pay rent,” he said. “They don’t pay utilities like we do, and they get to use the sidewalk for free where we have to pay a fee to the city for outdoor (seating). They just muscled their way into there.”

Alexander, who offers barbecue, said establishing a food truck isn’t as cheap as people might think. He estimated it would cost $30,000 to $50,000 to buy and equip a van similar to his.

“I’m still paying for it — believe me,” he said.

Alexander, who said he’s been in the catering business for 38 years, doesn’t see all that much difference between mobile vendors and traditional restaurants.

“I get my license just like they do,” he said. “I get my inspections just like they do.”

Alexander said some limits might be beneficial. There was “chaos” recently when seven food trucks set up in the same location, he said.

He’s open to cooperation. On a recent weeknight, he noted that an Arby’s was nearby and that he wouldn’t sell similar food.

“I can make a mean roast beef sandwich,” he said. “I know they sell them. Mine is better, but I don’t do it.”

http://www.daily-times.com/ci_22039575/albuquerque-restaurants-and-food-trucks-mix-uneasily

Albuquerque, NM: Health Department Inspects Food Trucks (video)

MobileFoodNews.com — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:40:31 +0000

By Antoinette Antonio | KOB Eyewitness News 4

Callie Tolman’s catering service, Make My Lunch, creates everything from fruit and vegetable platters to Italian, Mexican, New Mexican and Asian meals for its customers. Read more: Classes, funding help to nourish Make My Lunch | New Mexico Business Weekly - Randy Siner | NMBW

Albuquerque is getting on board the food truck revolution.

It’s a cheap and quick way to get a bite to eat, but how clean and safe is the food coming out of these tiny kitchens?

KOB Eyewitness News 4 went along with a health inspector to find out.

The surprise inspections took place on a Wednesday afternoon, when food trucks are parked outside the Talin Market near Central and Louisiana.

Food truck owners we spoke to were all aware of the “roach coach” stigma associated with their business, but they all say they are working to change that by offering a variety of clean and safe food.

Inspector Tami Hastings with the City Environmental Health Department was the judge of that.

She was checking for a total of 51 compliance factors.

“We’re looking for temperatures, hygienic practice… we want to make sure they’re washing their hands,” Hastings listed, among other items.

The health department will immediately shut down a food truck with no hot water, lack of refrigeration, sewage in the facility or an insect or rodent infestation.

Hastings says mobile food trucks are held to the same health and safety standards as regular restaurants.

She didn’t find any major violations that couldn’t be fixed on site.

Make My Lunch owner, Callie Tolman comments on the inspections. “You feel a little nervous. You’re like, did I do everything the way i was supposed to?” \

She did for the most part, but was overly cautious when it came to her cleanliness.

A bleach test showed water used for rinsing knives had chlorine levels that were too high.

That resulted in a warning and was fixed on site.

“If they can fix this while we’re here, and its less than four (violations), we’re good to go. We just don’t like to see repeats. Next time I do an inspection, I don’t want to see the same problems,” says Hastings.

Hastings also suggested food truck Roxy’s check in with the fire marshal to make sure its fire suppression system is up to code.

Other than, the trucks passed with flying colors, but there’s only one color that matters.

“They did ok. Everyone’s open. We’re all green,” Hastings said.

Like restaurants, mobile food trucks in Albuquerque are subject to inspection twice a year.

If you’re ever concerned about what’s on your plate, just check to make sure that green sticker from the Environmental Health Department is in the window.