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

]]> http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/01/albuquerque-nm-best-bites-finds-southern-food-with-an-aisian-kick/feed/ 0 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2012/12/albuquerque-nm-battle-of-the-food-trucks/ http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2012/12/albuquerque-nm-battle-of-the-food-trucks/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:10:40 +0000 MFN Editor #1 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/?p=36987 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

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

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

In the two years since Slurp — Santa Fe’s first Airstream food truck — opened on a quiet South Capitol side street, its owners have seen little progress in a number of ongoing challenges, including citywide acceptance. Still, owners Rebecca Chastenet and Carlos Briceno sought to reach out to the larger food-truck community.

“We thought we could band together, the more the merrier,” Chastenet said about the Food Truck Caravan, which launched earlier this summer. Based on concepts seen throughout the country — from Tulsa, Okla., to Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas — the caravan is a collection of food trucks, parked together as part of a larger community event, each offering a different cuisine.

By working with city officials, the Santa Fe Railyard Community Corporation and SITE Santa Fe, Chastenet and Briceno created the Food Truck Caravan. Sponsored by Los Alamos National Bank, the “pod” of food trucks banded together every other Friday night throughout the summer, coinciding with the Railyard Park Summer Movie Series.

The Food Caravan’s final appearance as a collective was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, at the SITE Santa Fe parking lot. Throughout the summer, many food trucks have joined Slurp and its portable mini-Airstream, the Slurpmarine, for the caravan, including Steve Montano of All Fired Up (turkey legs and lamb tacos); Dr. Field Goods (raw foods); Nile Cafe (now open in a brick-and-mortar space on Old Santa Fe Trail); and the popular Plaza truck, Roque’s Carnitas.

While food truck “pods” are popping up in both large and small urban centers around the country, Chastenet and Briceno have found downtown Santa Fe to be a bit behind the curve. They are, however, optimistic that they have laid the groundwork for future caravans, but they also acknowledged that several factors need to be addressed in order for local food trucks to flourish in Santa Fe.

“There just may not be enough people here,” Briceno suggested. “We just got back from Tulsa and there was a whole thing happening there, right downtown, food trucks, music, the park filled with people. Santa Fe doesn’t really have a street food culture — people eating in the park, that kind of thing.” Instead, he spots families toting McDonald’s carryout bags to parks and other outdoor venues.

For Chastenet, the problem is rooted in a city regulation that requires food trucks to remain stationary.

“First and foremost, in Santa Fe, each food truck or trailer has to be parked in a specific spot,” she said. “City regulations require the trucks to be stationary, so Santa Fe is not a city of mobile food trucks yet, but we hope that changes.”

She also pointed to the layers of bureaucracy that the Food Caravan had to work its way through, from temporary parking permits to zoning to electrical power issues, which all presented administrative issues that the vendors weren’t prepared for.

“The Railyard even updated their electric power system in hopes of creating a bigger [food-truck] scene,” Chastenet said, but she added that most of the vendors are extremely small businesses. Coordination, organizational efforts and city fees, on top of daily business demands in a tight economy, were all greater challenges than they expected.

Chastenet and Briceno said social media — the use of Twitter, Facebook and other network sites — is often the marketing tool of choice for mobile food trucks, but, they said, the mobile-vs.-stationary truck issue is a huge stumbling block for the potential growth of a food-truck culture in Santa Fe.

“In other places, the trucks can move around and social networking helps because it’s used to tell customers where the trucks will be,” Chastenet said. While she frequently updates Slurp’s blog and Facebook page with menu items and stories of food-truck culture, the stationary nature of her Airstream means she’s competing with traditional restaurants instead of taking advantage of an on-the-go population.

“We were surprised to find that our steadiest customer base is retirees,” she said, instead of the young hipsters that usually flock to food trucks in larger cities. This so-called graying of Santa Fe is a refrain that has been on the city’s radar recently, as tourism officials are now actively seeking new ways to lure younger tourists.

“A lot of events, like the Folk Art Market, are starting to invite the food trucks, there are things in the works for the future, but we think from an urban planning point of view, there are lots of great examples in other cities of how food trucks can be incorporated into a vibrant city scene.”

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Food/082212homegrown

SFPD Deputy Chief Gillian Alessio, left, and Lt. Louis Carlos (right). (Photo courtesy Twitter account of @sfpd_pio)

Santa Fe police are looking for two suspects who robbed a mobile food vendor on Cerrillos Road on Friday morning and caused injuries that sent him to the hospital.

According to Lt. Louis Carlos, a woman snatched a money bag from the front seat of a burrito truck parked at Allsup’s, 3000 Cerrillos Road, at about 11:05 a.m. and attempted to flee.

The owner of the truck, who was selling food when his vehicle was broken into, saw the woman running and began chasing her, according to Carlos.

“She ran toward a stolen black Hyundai and handed the bag to a man in the car,” Carlos said.

The Hyundai was listed as a stolen car out of Española, according to Carlos.

The owner of the food truck reached into the Hyundai to try to take the keys out of the ignition, and as the driver tried to pull out of the parking lot, the rear end of the Hyundai struck the food truck owner, Carlos said. The vendor was transported to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries, Carlos said.

Police did not identify the male or female suspect Friday afternoon. Carlos did say that two suspects had been identified but reserved releasing their names until investigators apprehend them.

After months of discussing whether new rules for licensing outdoor vendors are needed, the city of Socorro is reminding sellers about the old rules already in effect.

“As you know, a lot of people have been squawking about people not getting business registrations,” said Mayor Ravi Bhasker at the Oct. 3 city council meeting. “It’s to the point where (Zoning Officer) Mike Czosnek went out to the market with two police officers to give all the ones there a warning that they need to get their business registrations.”

No one was cited, Bhasker said. However, several flea market vendors did come in to city hall to fill out business registration forms as a result of Czosnek’s reminders, including Nelly’s Nursery, Pirate Pinkie’s Loot and DUB Enterprises.

Councilor Gordy Hicks said he’d been getting a little flack from people about his stance on getting vendors to pay registration fee and gross receipts tax, but he believes it helps create a level playing field. The $25 per year business registration fee breaks down to pennies per day, he said.

“That’s not going to break anybody,” Hicks said. “I believe it’s fair.”

Czosnek’s friendly reminder does appear to have scared some people off.

“Someone was telling me the (number of) vendors were down at the flea market this week,” said Councilor Peter Romero.

Bhasker responded that people who have a problem with state statutes probably shouldn’t be in business.

“What’s fair is fair,” Bhasker said. He added, “And the person renting that space should be responsible for the vendors.”

Market vendors aren’t the only ones getting the warnings.

“(Finance Director) Mable Gonzales and (Chamber of Commerce Director) Terry Tadano have been working different areas of the Yellow Pages, and driving through town notifying contractors by mail and in person that they need to get their registration,” Bhasker said.

Gonzales added that the intent is not just to get business registrations.

“We’re also informing people that gross receipts taxes are really important to the running of the city,” she said.

The results of the city’s new proactive stance were evident in the list of new business registrations for September. In addition to the three flea market vendors, registration applications were also filled out by 12 out-of-town firms doing work within the city limits, including a plumbing company, several builders and contractors, a mobile lunch truck, a title insurance company and a landscaper.

The mayor indicated he was willing to take a more proactive approach to dealing with yard sale signs, too, after Hicks complained about people leaving them up long after the sales are over.

“We need the signs to say where they’re at, but if you put them up, please take them down,” Hicks said. “They’re a necessary tool to get us there, but they make our town look tacky.”

Romero said according to the state transportation department, if you put something on the median on California Street, you have to have a permit.

“I believe they’re going to start enforcing that now,” Romero said.

“Good,” said Bhasker. “If they do it, we don’t have to.”

http://www.dchieftain.com/dc/index.php/news/4003-city-turning-up-heat-on-vendors-and-contractors.html

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.

Paul Faulkner, owner of Desert Dogs, serves a hot dog to a satisfied customer. His food truck can be found in the City Hall parking lot and offers an economical and quick lunch – hot dog, drink and chips for $3.

Mobile food vendors expand in Las Cruces

Imagine, a little boy or girl is sitting in their living room playing a game, when all of the sudden a soft noise starts to play in the background. The sound gets louder and the tune is recognized as a familiar song. Perhaps the song is “Yankee Doodle” or “London Bridge,” but whatever it was, it means one thing – the ice cream truck is coming.

Though the ice cream truck is not as popular as it used to be, a new wave of mobile vendors known as food trucks have taken over the country, including Las Cruces.

Although not all of them are easily seen, Las Cruces has more than 65 active food trucks, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

According to Christine Logan, economic development and business assistance liaison for the City of Las Cruces, anyone serving food, even in a mobile unit, is required to have the same food service permit.

“Just like restaurants, the trucks are inspected by the environmental department,” Logan said. “Once the (owner) has a food handling permit from the state environmental department, they have to get a business license, which is $35 for a (restaurant) building and $40 for a mobile vendor.”

The building permit must be renewed every year through the city.

For Paul Faulkner, owner of Desert Dogs – a mobile hot dog vendor – the food permit comes at a crazy cost.

“It’s $200 a year, and I just don’t get it,” Faulkner said. “What I have is about the smallest food truck you can get. People don’t have to come and inspect my bathrooms or walkthrough my kitchen. I think the amount you pay should be proportional to the size of your truck (or restaurant).”

Though the permit process is the same, starting a food truck can be significantly easier than running a “brick and mortar” restaurant, said Jesse Addison, president of Jesse’s KCBBQ.

Addison said he thought about opening a restaurant, but decided he would start with a mobile barbecue truck first.

“I enjoy meeting people and talking to them, that’s why I like this business so much,” he said. “I am still held under the same scrutiny as restaurants, but I don’t have to deal with all their problems.”

Addison, who leases his spot at 230 S. Church St., said the key to a successful food truck is keeping the food and location consistent.

“I decided on a permanent spot to build clientele,” he said. “People expect to see the golden arches of McDonald’s when they round the corner, and people expect to see me at my spot. When they don’t, they start to panic. I have people calling and asking where I am.

“You also have to keep your food consistent and menu simple. For example, I don’t do French fries because I don’t want that hot grease flying around in my smalltruck.”

Keeping a simple menu also helps Addison keep a clean kitchen, which is inspected regularly.

When it comes to parking their business, Logan said a food truck needs permission from the landowner, and they are in business.

“They can stop in any actual parking spot,” she said. “If we are talking about an ice cream truck that stays mobile, then theyjust have to follow the same traffic laws as if driving an RV.”

Since it has been speculated that up to 90 percent of restaurants fail in their first year of business, perhaps a food truck is a safer bet. The cost of starting a food truck, depending on the size and city, can start around $10,000 or less. Of course, the more elaborate the truck and cooking gear, the greater the costs.

Faulkner and Addison agree that Las Cruces fosters a friendly food-truck environment, except for the summer weather.

“I don’t think I will ever get used to the heat,” said Faulkner, who moved here from New Jersey. “A hot dog stand is so common back East that I was shocked not to see one here. I think it works well, but that is because we have the best hot dogs in town.”

Though Addison does not have to directly deal with the New Mexico sun because he is in an indoor truck, he does cater to his outdoor guests with covered seating.

http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/index.php?pSetup=lascrucesbulletin&curDate=20110513&pageToLoad=showFreeArticle.php&type=art&index=04&title=Food+truck+revolution