Thursday, June 23, 2005

DC Food Truck Rankings

Ranked in Rough Order. 110 DC Food Trucks.

Visited between 2010 and 2013.

Pepe: Super-chef Jose Andres’ foray into the food truck business. Sells high-end Spanish sandwiches (most between $9 and $11). Sometimes a line, sometimes not. I don’t get DC customers. I have had the Spanish grilled cheese with membrillo paste, the fried chicken, the ham and manchengo and the pork burger. A well-toasted roll and strong cheeses cut with the sweetness of the jam on the grilled cheese, the manchengo was sharp on the ham and cheese sandwich and the pork burger was topped with a tangy garlic aioli and tomato sauce. Each was excellent. My new top choice is the tenderloin with onions, peppers and blue cheese. At $14, not a bargain, but the beef really is fork tender and very tasty. Onion and melted cheese perfectly pair. Special vegetarian panini was ok, but not special. As of early 2013, serving sandwiches on ciabatta. More food with no price increase. Spanish style pulled pork particularly good. (05/13)

Le Ficelle: Has moved up in ranking with repeated visits. Consistently high-quality – I have never had a bad sandwich. European sandwiches on long, thin loaves. Prices have gone up, but still decent value for money. I have had the pulled pork, ham, turkey, roast beef, chicken and mixed Italian sandwiches, all of which were excellent. Like most European sandwiches, not overly dependent on massive meat fillings. Proteins taste fresh and are not fatty. Excellent toppings, from pesto to pickled vegetables to aioli. Fresh, crusty bread (though it makes a mess if you eat at your desk). Also a nice sour cherry lemonade. (06/13)

Ball or Nothing: Meatball truck. Shows up every Wednesday in front of the State Department. Can get a platter ($9 with two sides) or a sandwich ($5 for half, $10 for a whole). Either meat or vegetable. Can choose tangy tomato ginger sauce or ghost chili sauce (I haven’t yet tried). Sides rotate, though excellent mascarpone polenta and mac n’ cheese almost always available. Olive oil fruit salad, sautéed summer squash and arugula/orange/fennel salad are other winning side dishes. Meatballs are tender and flavorful and not too heavy. Vegetable meatballs and wild boar meatballs (with biting walnut pesto sauce or ghost chili sauce) also good. Chicken meatballs come with vibrant peach salsa. I have also enjoyed lamb meatballs and meatballs with blue cheese. Jambalaya meatballs taste like jambalaya, with creole spice accents. If you like kale (I do), the kale and ricotta side hits the spot. Just debuted lamb and beef chili for winter ’12 menu. Tasty (and with moist cornbread) though it does contain beans. Always shocked that lines aren’t longer. (06/13)

Lobster Truck: Toasted, buttered rolls stuffed with claw meat. With butter or light mayo. Sweet, fresh lobster. Good bread. Also, has fancy sodas. Expensive ($15 per roll), but worth it. Shrimp roll ($8) a less costly alternative, also comes packed with fresh shrimp. I have yet to try the chowder but have heard pretty good things about it. (02/12)

Sabora Street: Latin menu. Chorizo burger, which they call a Cuban Frita, is quite tasty. Comes with fried yucca and plantains with a great garlicky green sauce. Pulled pork and chicken arepas were terrific. Great corn pancake. Sweet and nicely grilled. Chorizo a little sweet. Pork with tamarind sauce a winner. Crunchy soft-shell crab taco with nice daikon slaw. (Update: As of 11/11, appears to be out of business. Bummer.)

El Fuego: Much better than expected. I thought it would be ho-hum Mexican/Latin, but actually very good Peruvian. Chicken tamale comes with very moist and flavorful masa casing. Tender chicken, mixed with hard-boiled egg and olive stuffing. Excellent, piquant pickled onion and cucumber side. Hot sauce is, in fact, very hot. All for $5. I tried the Lomo Saltado (nice) and the pork sandwich (also nice). (03/13)

Chef Driven: Sourcing local products for high-end dishes, run by local chef. Fried oyster tacos ($12) come with pickled cucumber and carrot, roasted tomatoes, ginger and tangy green goddess dressing. Oysters were sweet and not over fried. Nice tang and texture to the cucumber. Could have used a small dash of salt. Don’t see it often by the State Department. (05/12)

BasilThyme 2: Maybe slightly better than its lasagna serving cousin. Home-made pastas and sauces. Pastas are fresh. Sauces are tasty. I had spaghetti with shrimp in vodka sauce. Shrimp were well-cooked (not overdone) and went well with sauce. Large side salad always good. Like the original, it’s rather expensive, over $13 for the pasta, but the portions are hearty. (01/13)

BasilThyme: Specializes in Italian pasta, particularly lasagna. Very fresh, very tasty. Well composed. Chicken lasagna was quite savory. Slow cooked pork had good texture and full of flavor. Recent special of butternut squash and goat cheese lasagna is excellent. Winter lasagna with gorgonzola and truffles is good, but gorgonzola is a little strong. For $12, served with a side salad with roasted peppers, parmesan and olives, drink and cannoli. Lobster lasagna is pricey ($17), but full of lobster meat. Flavorful, though a little dry from the baking. Lemon and pistachio cannoli have been the best flavors. (11/12)

DC Shawarma: Apparently, now retired. Had targeted the GW student crowd along with the Korean and kebob trucks. Food is much higher quality than those trucks however. Nicely crisped chicken with tasty tahini. Smooth hummus and garlic paste. Fresh side salad and tabouleh. Moist rice. Platter is $9. Felafel also a good option. Stewed lamb has nice, subtle flavor. Moist, not dry. With side of dill yoghurt and tabouleh. (06/12 – sadly, appears to be retired)

Hula Girl: Serving Hawaiian specialties. I had the kahlua pork with cabbage ($10). A huge, very filling serving with (good) sticky rice and (ok) mac salad. Small pickled daikon salad livened up the plate. Pork was very tasty but would benefit from a sauce. Chicken and beef teriyaki very nicely grilled. Tofu teriyaki well prepared. Tofu is not inherently tasty, but marries well with teriyaki sauce and has good texture. (5/13)

Borinquen: Puerto Rican/Cuban specialties. First time, I had the tripleta sandwich – chorizo, steak and ham with potato sticks ($8). A bit of spice and vinegar. Very tasty. Cuban sandwich was very authentic. Juicy pork with ham, swiss, mustard and pickles. Nicely pressed. Roasted pork was tender and moist. Accompanying rice and pigeon peas also tasty and more moist than expected. Also has empanadas, and bacalao on the menu. (04/13)

Goodies: Perfect example of the conundrum of how to rank based on the quality/price nexus. Oreo “concrete,” or thick custard with crushed oreos mixed in was delicious. However, at $6 for roughly 1.5 scoops worth of ice cream, there is a question of value for money. As a rare treat, perhaps worth it, but unlikely to go back often as a repeat customer (perhaps not a bad idea given likely caloric/fat intake from one order). (05/13)

Lemongrass: Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi) truck. Serves pork, chicken and tofu as a sandwich or in tacos. I had the chicken banh mi ($8), which contained moist pulled chicken, carrots, daikon and cilantro with a spicy mayo. Used authentic baguette for a nice crunch. The fact that the person taking the order understood (or pretended to understand) my Vietnamese gives them bonus points. (06/13)

Chick-Fil-A: The southern chicken chain has expanded into food trucks. No waffle fries, but their signature chicken sandwich ($8 with two sides) is available. I actually have never been to a bricks and mortar outlet, so don’t know how this compares. The sandwich itself was very good. The buttered bun certainly helps, but the chicken is nicely (but not overly) spiced. Fresh fruit was actually fresh. Cole slaw not significant in itself, but goes pairs well with the sandwich. (07/12)

Pho Junkies: Vietnamese noodle soup. Quandary – pho was much better than I expected, but charging $10 per bowl (even without having to pay tax and tip) just seems too much. Therefore, uncertain where to rank. Anyway, the pho itself was quite good. Not quite on level with places like Pho 75, but still quite tasty. Choice of several cuts of meat. I had steak and brisket. Full of flavor and not chewy. Broth tasted of beef and spices, with fresh mint and basil mixed in (plus sprouts, making this southern style pho). Can also add lime and hoisin sauce. Spring rolls and chicken pho also on the menu. (06/12)

Crepe Parfait: Makes savory and sweet crepes as you wait. So far, I have only sampled the veggie ($8) , which was packed with portabellas, roasted peppers, fresh sautéed spinach and pesto. Nice and peppery and not short on filling. Tasty crepe with excellent texture, as well. Nice looking menu, with several dessert crepes. (1/13)

Sinplicity: Ice cream and cookie truck. Excellent macaroon ice cream sandwiches, though expensive ($6 per) so treat as a splurge. Moist French-style macaroon stuffed with ice cream. Raspberry macaroon, raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream was refreshing, while chocolate macaroon with espresso chocolate ice cream and brownie pieces was like a mini-sundae. Perfect for a hot summer day. The double-chocolate fleur de sel cookie tried on an earlier visit was really tasty, but a little crumbly (2 for $3). (06/12)

Fojol Brothers Thai: The newest truck in the Fojols universe. Drunken noodles with mushroom packed nice heat and the soft, broad noodles had the right texture. Brussel sprouts green curry was a pleasant surprise with a sharp and tangy (and authentic) curry sauce. I enjoyed the sweet potato/kale mussaman curry, but it wasn’t exactly authentic, more like a penang curry as it had coconut milk. Kind of like ordering an Italian sausage and getting a Hebrew National hot dog. Still good, but not exactly what you asked for. $8 for pick two and $11 for three items. (10/12)

Capital Chicken and Waffles: I think this is a great idea for a food truck. $10 for a combo. Cheaper, smaller options available. Combo provided 4 large pieces of fried chicken and a waffle, hot off the grill. You can add syrup, hot sauce, bbq sauce, honey mustard or fruit syrups. Chicken was well cooked and nicely spiced. A little crispy. Waffles were moist and, as they should be, good for soaking up syrup. (05/13)

Tokyo in the City: Serving sushi bento boxes. I ordered fried chicken rolls (interesting concept, I had thought the fried chicken or “katsu” came separate from the rolls). Good, as were the sides. Not cheap, but a solid amount of food for what you pay. Kind of funky truck with techno music. (12/12)

Meatball Nation: Serves meatball sliders. $3 per or $8 for 3. Traditional with tomato sauce, barbecue with bacon and chicken w/buffalo sauce and blue cheese slaw. Chicken was the best – sharp and tangy sauce with crunchy slaw. Bacon bits provided savory kick to barbecue ball. Traditional had good sauce, but ball itself was a little sweet. Could have sworn I tasted raisin. (12/12)

Cheesequake: Cheesesteaks and better than expected. Beef was flavorful and topped with provolone. Toppings include grilled mushrooms and onions. Hot peppers available on the side. Decent roll, though it tends to get a little soggy if you take it back to your office. At $8, the portion wasn’t huge, but it is sufficient for lunch. (11/12)

Chupacabra: First sampled in February 2012. I tried pork, beef, and chicken tacos ($3 per). They also have a vegan taco and soup. Tasty tortillas and they don’t skimp on the fillings. I enjoyed all three. Very good guacamole. Red salsa on the side provides quite a bit of heat. On recent trip tried the lamb, which also was good. Later, had the vegetarian. Also good, but tough to blend taste with the guac and salsa. (06/12)

Pho Nation: Every week a new Vietnamese food truck appears in the area. Pho Nation serves banh mi sandwiches ($9) and pho. As with Pho Wheels, truck gets bonus points for understanding my Vietnamese. Sandwich is a little pricey, but it is good. Barbecued pork, a bit of sauce (not too much), cilantro, carrots, cucumber and jalapenos on a baguette. Proprietor claimed the cucumber was from her garden. (07/12)

Pho Wheels: Larger pho portions at a lower price ($8) than Pho Junkies, but the quality, while still high, was a bit less, particularly the noodles. For the second time, they had already sold out of banh mi sandwiches and Vietnamese tacos, which is a good sign. Proprietors liked it when I spoke Vietnamese, which is another plus given the blank stares I often receive when I try at Pho 75. (07/12)

Sushi Pao: Not sure how accurate the name is, given that the options are all tempura rolls (shrimp ($10), beef, pork, vegetarian). Nevertheless, the rolls are well-made – very fresh rice, that is properly cooked and sticky. The shrimp tempura filling was not overly greasy and maintained some crunch. Side salad with Japanese dressing was ok – not great, but light. Comes with pickled ginger and wasabi. (3/13)

Carnivore BBQ: Pit smoked brisket and pork. With vinegar slaw. Choice of three sauces. I had brisket with tomato-y Memphis sauce. Well-smoked meat. Sometimes meat is moist, sometimes a bit dry or fatty. In 2012, pulled chicken sandwich had a lot of fat. However, at most recent visit, pulled pork sandwich was excellent, most, but with crunchy bits and lots of flavor. (05/13)

Rito Loco: Voted top food truck by The City Paper. It’s pretty good, but I can’t see it beating out many of the trucks that I rank ahead of it. I had the pulled chicken burrito ($8). Lots of moist pulled chicken, with a little cheese and tomato/onion salsa. Burrito was nicely toasted/pressed. Basically, a well-prepared burrito. Nothing special, nothing bad. To their credit, they don’t skimp on the chicken and they didn’t load up the burrito with rice or beans as filler. (06/13)

Wassub: A flavorful heart attack on a plate. Korean subs. Bulgogi (beef), kimchi, provolone, and egg with hot mayo sauce ($8). Salty, sweet and a little spicy. Kind of sits in your stomach, though it is tasty. (06/12)

Top’s American Food Company: Specializes in homemade sausages. The Italian ($7) has some heat and you can taste the fennel seed. Served with lightly sautéed onions and peppers and raw tomato. Can add hot sauce or mustard. Great bun – had some bite and chewiness, while still soft and tasty. Chicken sausage and Bratwurst also nice, with a little spice. Raw onions and tomato perhaps not the most appropriate topping. Mustard is better. Also serves a maple sausage. (12/12)

Peruvian Brothers: A second Peruvian food truck, further evidences the continued globalization of on-street dining. Focuses on sandwiches, but also had sides (quinoa salads) and desserts. Pan con chicharron ($8) came with slices of pork tenderloin, marinated onions and fried sweet potato on crusty bread. You can choose a variety of sauces. I selected a non-descript cheese sauce. Beef asado was similar to brisket, but a little salty. Hot sauce was hot, but a little thin. Platter ($10) came with a tangy quinoa salad and a dense, bacony rice salad. I also ordered a chichi limena ($2), a drink from purple maize. Tasted a bit like a funky pineapple, which makes sense, considered pineapple is an ingredient. Not bad, but not earth shattering. (04/13)

Kushi Moto: Serves rice bowls (pork belly, beef, chicken or veg; $8 small or $12 large) and sushi rolls. I tried the large beef rice bowl. Enough food for two meals. Well cooked rice – moist, but not chewy. Plenty of beef. Lots of shaved ginger, pepper and carrots. (05/13)

PorcMobile: Finally, starting to come to the State Department (update: now rarely comes to Department). Good Reuben, with thick-cut house-made pastrami ($10). On marble rye, which is a nice touch. Accompanied by fiery horseradish slaw. Brisket sandwich was nicely done. Smokey and sweet beef was that, but had more vinegar, when I would have wanted a bit more pepper. Menu also has pulled pork and a vegetarian/cheese sandwich that looked good and they advertise interesting specials. (01/13)

DC Pie Truck: Has several savory and sweet options. Special savory pie is steak, mushroom, onion and gruyere. Excellent crust. Tender beef. Good mix of gruyere. Spinach and goat cheese more like a quiche, but still quite good. Baltimore bomb pie (cookies and custard) was good, but very sweet. Same thing for the key lime. Tart, but also quite sweet. (10/11 -- I think now out of business, though it has a bricks and mortar shop)

Italian Subs: Unassuming truck, which serves Italian subs (about $9). Large portions. Meats and toppings are good – a nice variety of thinly sliced Italian meats, provolone cheese with oil/vinegar and oregano. If they could upgrade their bread (a bit bland and soft), it could really move up the list. (12/12 – haven’t seen in a while, probably out of business)

Rio Churrasco: Brazilian truck, specializing in steak and burgers. Steak salad ($10) includes a reasonably generous portion of warm, medium steak over lettuce, hearts of palm, olives, cherry tomatoes and a pepper, along with bits of gorgonzola. Can choose from a variety of prepackaged dressings. I asked for a some of the homemade chimichurri sauce, which had a little herby, vinegary bite. Steak was reasonably flavorful, though a bit fatty. (04/13)

Kafta Mania: Kafta sandwiches. I tried the beef, which is slightly spicy, with “middle east sauce” (tasted like hummus) onions and tomatoes. Six inches for $9. Decent roll and served hot. Beef patty itself had good texture. Also serves turkey, haloumi cheese and veggie versions, which sounded interesting. (04/13)

ChatPat: Stuffed dosas (Indian crepes). Palak Paneer dosa ($8) has seasoned spinach and cheese. Not creamy. Dosa is large and crunchy on the outside. Side of coconut chutney was the highlight. A little sweet, a little sour, a little spicy. Curry platter contained two very spicy Indian curries with rice and (stale) bread. Lots of peppers. A little sloppy looking. (12/12)

Surfside: Mobile offshoot of Glover Park restaurant. Serves a variety of tacos and burrito bowls. Fish taco ($9) was terrific – fish was not dry, nice salsa, fresh guacamole. Accompanying rice was nothing special, but the taco was the show. Subsequent visits have found shrinking portions, though fish still good. Perhaps rated a little low because does not seem unique. (10/12)

Something Stuffed: Empanadas and dumplings of mixed ethnic ingredients. I tried the beef (Korean) and vegetarian (Mediterranean) empanadas ($3 per or 3 for $8). At initial 7/12 visit, felt food was fine, but not remarkable. Dough was nice texture, but fillings could use more distinctive spicing and vegetarian empanada needed more feta. Second visit, in 2/13, was much better. Veggie option was tangy Indian-style. Korean chicken empanada was packed with spicy kimchi and garlic. Great for taste, if not good for breath. (02/13)

Fojol Brothers Ethiopian: Excellent Injera bread. Spicy and tasty beef, beans and peas. Full portion and definitely sits in your stomach. Good value. I wouldn’t get it every week, but a nice change of pace. (10/12)

DC Ballers: Felafel truck, also serving fries. Felafel sandwich ($6) had lightly-spicy and not greasy falafel. Hummus and tahini nicely moistened up the sandwich. Greek fries ($5) were freshly cut with mild feta cheese. Good, sweet taste and also not greasy. However, missing the promised oregano and olive oil. (06/13)

Fine Indian Food: Flies under the radar, with no Twitter feed and, hence, not mapped on FoodTruckFiesta.com. Handwritten name on side and back of truck unassuming, but food actually is pretty good. Butter chicken ($9) had high-quality white meat, in a decent sauce. Sides of spinach and dal were good, if a little spicy. Naan clearly had been cooked, instead of purchased, but was a little lukewarm by the time I got it. Rice was a little watery and forgettable. (03/13)

Steak Bites: Cheese steaks ($8). Plenty of meat. Uses American, instead of provolone cheese, which is a negative in my book. Grilled well, with onions and mushrooms. Plus, the right kind of hot peppers. Bun a little mushy, but not stale. (12/12)

BBQ Bus: Pulled pork and chicken sandwiches. Plus chili. I had the smoked chicken and jalapeno sandwich. Nicely smoked, not too much sauce. Jalapenos brightened the sandwich ($7). (10/12)

Best Burrito: Truck #100. Fairly extensive menu beyond burritos, including tacos, papusas, and other Mexican/Salvadoran dishes. Looks rather low rent, but they appear to cook many selections to order – which can lead to some rather slow service. Carnitas/chorizo taco special ($8.80) was pretty good. Four moderate sized soft-tacos, with meat, avocado and pico de gallo. Hot sauces on the side. Beef was not particularly flavorful, though the chorizo had some spice. (04/13)

Yumpling: Dumplings and gyoza. Meat dumplings have Middle Easter flavor, heavy on cumin. Wrappers are nice and soft. Served with lentils, yoghurt and a small salad for $10. (12/12)

Kababji: Mobile version of well-regarded Dupont Circle kebab joint. Likes to park at GWU. Chicken shish tawouk roll ($9 with two sides) featured garlicky, but somewhat dry, chicken. (Update: on 6/13 visit chicken was much better. Also, moist rice.) Pickle provided nice tartness. Side dish of labneh was terrific, smooth and creamy. Baba ghannoush was decent. (06/13)

Captain Cookie and the Milkman: Nutella ice cream sandwich with snickerdoodle cookies. Hard to go wrong. Not cheap, but a good-sized portion. (09/12)

NY Deli Truck: Focus on corned beef and pastrami. I tried the reuben ($8.50). On rye, toasted in a panini press. Average corned beef with kraut, swiss and bottled Thousand Island. Not too big, but $8.50 for a decent amount of corned beef isn’t a bad price. Overall, taste was fine. (04/13)

The Big Cheese: Upscale grilled cheese, using artisanal breads and Cowgirl Creamery cheeses. Goat gouda and mushrooms (or onion) is quite good. Chipotle goat with roasted red peppers also good. Like a few others, it’s a question of value for money Its good, but $6.50 for grilled cheese is a bit steep, knocking down the rankings a bit. Tomato soup a little bit watery, but decent tomato flavor. (11/11)

Sate: Finally, an Indonesian food truck, right after I left the Indonesian desk. I pestered their Embassy to open one, but they never did. Anyway, the chicken sate ($8) is pretty good – grilled fresh. Mie Ayam (chicken noodles) ($8) doesn’t look like much, but also is a decent option. Served with lots of rice, so it’s a big meal. (07/12)

Fire & Rice: Another Korean truck. Makes a decent bi bim bap, complete with a freshly fried egg on top. Meat is good. A bit watery, however. You can add hot sauce or garlic sauce. (09/12)

Tapas Truck: 2 choices for $9 or 3 for $10. Shrimp with peppers has a nice kick, though a little salty. Chicken in pimenton sauce over rice is good, but a little more cream than pepper. Pork slider ok. Fried chicken was like BK chicken tenders, but sauce was tangy. Accompanying garlic fries are tasty and crisp. (02/13)

Krazy Kosheri: My first experience with Egyptian food Owned by same guy who owns one of the kebab trucks. Kosheri is rice, lentils, chick peas with a boiled and fried egg, fried onions and a tomato sauce. Can have plain or with meat. I chose chicken ($8). Served with vinegar and hot sauce on the side. Certainly, the most food for the money of any food truck I have been to. Easily two meals. Fried onions and vinegar are key as they liven up some fairly basic flavors. With hot sauce, tasty. Rice well cooked. Lentils perhaps a little bit on the undercooked side. (02/13)

Hot Wheels: Turkish truck, but with similar dishes to the kabab trucks and shawarma trucks. I got the chicken wrap, which had grilled chicken, lettuce and tahini ($7). Served with a sour pickle. Decent value for money. Didn’t particularly stand out, but an ok option. (09/12)

Sweet Bites Truck: One of the few sweet food trucks to visit near the State Department. $3 per cupcake with wide variety. Red Velvet was excellent – moist cake and light, not overly cloying frosting. Salted caramel had great caramel frosting though chocolate cake was a little less moist than the Red Velvet. (09/11)

Cupcake Joy: It’s hard to mess up a cupcake and they don’t. At the same time, it’s hard to fork over $3 per small cake. Red velvet was nice and lemony joy had a very tart, lemony frosting. Sweet potato had cake spiced like a pumpkin pie and tasted good, but you won’t bite into it and say, “hey that’s sweet potato.” (07/12)

Ooh Dat Chicken: Had the quarter roast chicken platter ($10). Rotisserie chicken stayed juicy with tasty skin. Light marinade detected. OK side salad of cucumber and tomato was a bit heavy on vinegar and mint. Sauce for chicken was mustard-based. (05/13)

Rolls on Rolls: Indian food truck, serving cheese, chicken, and veggie rolls ($7-$8). Good spice on the cheese roll. Cheese was browned nicely. Samosa ($2) had a moist crust. Dipping sauce quite spicy. (11/11)

Crepe Love: Yet another crepe truck. Something fun about watching the crepes being spread and folded in front of you. I had the turkey, cheese and spinach ($8). Not spectacular, but fine. At some point, I need to try a dessert crepe. (3/13)

Kebab Palace: Serves kebabs, curries and other South Asian dishes. I had beef keema platter ($10). A bit spicy, with potatoes. Flavor was fine. Served with soft chick peas, salad (no dressing) and naan. (1/13)

Cheesecake Truck: Individual cheesecakes for $4. About 6-8 per day. Rare visitor to State Department. Strawberry cheesecake not too sweet and had a bit of salt (good for flavor). Consistency was soft. Unremarkable crust. (09/11)

Sauca: A wide-variety of flatbread sandwiches for around $8. Turkey meatball and buttered chicken are excellent. Fish taco quite good. Beef shawarma is a mouthful of beef. Pork banh mi is a bit too sweet and buffalo chicken just ok. Flatbreads themselves are consistently good – warm and chewy with a bit of a toasted crunch. (11/11)

Tortas Truck: Forgot actual name. Maybe Faritole. Variety of sandwiches. Meats included pulled chicken (which I tried for $8) and pulled beef or pork or chicken milanese. Topped with avocado, dried mozzarella, beans, hot sauce. Not bad. Bread could be improved. (1/13)

Caribbean Café: I had the chicken roti. Curried chicken and vegetables in sauce, contained in a large and fairly moist roti. White-meat chicken was tender and easy to shred. Strong curry flavor. Seemed authentic. It was good, but a little went a long way for me. Several other Caribbean dishes, including jerk chicken and oxtail. (1/13)

The Mighty Dog : Serves specialty dogs and Acai cups (not sure what those are). Uses a Nathan kosher dog, which is a good start. Dogs are then covered in pulled pork, chicken or beef with a variety of sauces and toppings. The porky dog ($7) lacked the promised sweet potato, but had good pickled onions. Enjoyable as a dog, not sure the specialization added that much. (06/12)

Far East Taco Grill: The newest Asian taco truck, with Korean/Japanese flavors. Teriyaki steak, grilled chicken and tofu. 3 for $8. Quality is similar to Takorean, but I like the steak a little more and the kimchi topping is a big plus. (11/11)

Kimchi BBQ: Another new Korean taco truck. However, has broader menu with mandu, burritos and special plates. I tried the bulgogi sandwich ($8). Lots of meet on a double-sandwich. Bread could have been better. (01/12)

El Floridano: Cuban-style sandwiches, but with an international twist. I had the traditional Cuban ($7), which was good though a bit thick. Next time, tried the turkey meatloaf banh mi ($7). As turkey does not exist in Vietnam, not exactly traditional, but sharp arugula and tangy unripened mango livened it up. Twice cooked pork sandwich filled with tasty, moist pork. Also had other vegetarian and Asian influenced offerings. (04/12)

Mojo: Uruguayan style sandwiches (I didn’t know they existed as a specialty). Grilled chicken, steak or pork on a sub roll with sauce, cheese and a fried egg ($7). You can order with additional artery-clogging toppings for more $, including ham, avocado and bacon. When hot, actually pretty good. I had chicken, shaved thin and crispy. (10/11)

Fry Captain: French fries in duck fat. An excellent combination. You watch them dipped into the fryer and you get them hot. Several possible salts and sauces (truffle ketchup has a distinct truffle taste). Also, serves sweet potato fries, but I did not try. Shakes are good, but not amazing. I tried butterscotch. Line moved a bit slowly. Note: not sure if still in business. (05/11)

Pi Truck: Deep dish pizza. Nice cornmeal crust. Tangy tomato sauce, with chunks of tomato. I had the vegetarian with cheese and spinach. $12, but it’s enough for 2 meals. (06/11)

DC Crepes: Each one made to order, so the line moves at a deliberate pace. Fresh and hot. Savory crepes from $6-7. Sweet crepes, which I have not yet tried, but which looked good, are $5. I have tried the veggie crepe and the chicken crepe. The crepe itself was quite authentic made with buckwheat flour. Enjoyed the chicken crepe which I think is good value for money. Veggie crepe filled with spinach, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic. Promised mozzarella was a bit sparse. Needed that cheese to hold things together and to provide some richness. (08/12)

Dorothy Moon’s Burgers: Griddled while you wait. Meat is decent quality – cooked to medium well. $6 for one four ounce patty or $8 for two. All orders come with whatever toppings you want, including bacon, egg, cheese, mushroom, onions etc. Potato bun was nice and moist. No real sides yet. (12/11)

Phillies Famous: Cheese steaks. Can order 6 inches ($7) or 12 inches ($13). 6 inches seemed plenty big to me. Roll is stuffed with meet. Can also get various toppings, including fried onions, peppers, mushrooms, choice of cheese (I like mine southern New Jersey style and chose provolone. I do not get the fascination with nasty whiz) etc. Incomplete ranking since I didn’t eat the sandwich while it was hot. Lukewarm cheese steak is not the way to go. (05/12)

Curbside Crabcake: Not to be confused with Curbside Cupcake. Not yet on Food truck Fiesta Twitter feed. Low key truck. $10 for a crabcake sandwich. Crabcake itself was quite good. Lots of crab, little filler. Average size. Spiced fries accompaniment were fine. (08/11)

Takorean: A twist on normal tacos. Beef, Chicken and tofu in soft, corn tortillas with Korean seasonings topped with kimchi slaw. (09/11)

DC Empanadas: Rotating menu of pork, beef, chicken and vegetarian empanadas. 1 for $3.50 or 3 for $9. I tried the Asian chicken, chorizo and peppers and Greek spinach and cheese. Jerk chicken a little too well seasoned. Barbecue pork was good. Cheese steak tasted like a cheese steak. Ingredients all minced together, but nice taste. Served nice and hot. Also sells great cookies from separate shop. Cinnamon with dulce de leche filling was great. (10/11)

CapMac: 3-4 varieties of Mac n’ Cheese. The basic has some sharp cheddar and pimentos, with crackers on top. Better than average quality, but not earth shattering. Reuben Mac and Goat Cheese Mac both good. Good chicken parm meatballs over pasta. Sauce had some pungency. Cold Pesto Mac was slightly stale tasting and not worth $7. (09/11)

Salsa Room Empanadas: Baked, as opposed to fried. Quite substantial for $4 per piece. I had chicken and beef and found the seasonings/vegetables fairly similar. A little sweet for my taste, though the accompanying salsa cut that a bit. Lots of vegetables in the sauces. (11/12)

Grids Waffles: I was a bit hesitant ordering the bacon, cheese and jalapeno waffle ($6.50) but it really wasn’t bad. Actually, decent. Slightly moist waffle wrapped around gooey cheese with shards of bacon and bites of hot jalapeno. They also have several sweet waffle combinations, which I have yet to try. Each waffle is made to order on only two waffle irons, so it is among the slower moving lines. (08/12)

Neat Meat: I had high hopes for this sloppy joe truck. Nice looking vehicle and signage. Interesting menu (turkey, lamb and veggie options, as well as beef). However, in reality, the sloppy joe was basically what I could make at home using canned sauce. That’s not bad, but also not worth $10. (6/13)

Amorini Panini: Ranking subject to change as someone else picked up the panini for me and I didn’t get to eat it until about an hour later. Likely made bread more chewy and less crispy. Turkey pastrami reuben ($7) was fine. Had all the necessary ingredients, but nothing particularly great. Turkey was lean and only slightly peppery. Kraut was nice and sour. (05/12)

Feelin’ Crabby: My 50th truck. Instead of a crab cake, you get a formed cold-crab salad on a toasted Kaiser bun. Lots of crab meat, but flavor a bit lost in mayo dressing. Also, $11 isn’t cheap. (03/12)

Kebab Bites: chicken kebab, lamb kebab, shawarma and falafel. I had the chicken kebab ($8). Big chunks of white meat. Well-seasoned, but a little dry. Comes with rice, good chick peas and salad of lettuce, tomato and onion with no dressing, along with yogurt sauce for the kebab. (12/11)

DC Kebab: Basic chicken kebab and gyro menu. Chicken chapli kebab ($7.95) took a while to prepare. Tasted fine though doused with hot sauce. Side of chick peas was good. (12/11)

Cajunators: Shrimp po’boy had excellent remoulade though the crust on the shrimp was a little mealy. Shrimp themselves were fine. Also had gumbo on the menu, though I didn’t try it. (11/11)

VC Express: Extension of VA bricks and mortar restaurant. I had the gyro salad. Hard to screw up gyro meat, so that was fine, as was yoghurt sauce. Salad was basic, with vinaigrette. Toasted pita was pretty tasty, but for $10, I had hoped to get a full pita, as opposed a half. (2/13)

Orange Cow: Ice Cream. Not as interesting a menu as Sinplicity. I got a half-pint of Amaretto biscotti ice cream ($5). Not too sweet, which is good, but could have used a bit more amaretto flavoring. (10/11)

Sauca kebab: Lamb kebab is the only thing on offer. Well grilled, slightly smoky. (04/11)

Stix: Kebab truck that began in summer 2011. I tried the chicken and grape. Nicely grilled with tahini sauce. (06/11)

AZNEats: Another Korean truck, serving kalbi, bulgogi and spicy pork. Kalbi was sliced thin and nicely grilled and flavorful. Comes with well cooked rice. Also, lots of steamed vegetables. However, I don’t go to food trucks for steamed vegetables. (09/11)

Lilipad on the Run: Ethiopian, served by Ethiopians (as opposed to Fojols, which actually has better food). Beef dish was nice and spicy and injera bread was suitably tangy. Lentils were a little watery and greens, while tasty, were gritty. (02/13)

Wonky Fries: Serves Canadian poutine – fries, gravy and squeaky cheese. Good. Grilled cheese with pepper was solid, but not amazing. (03/11)

Soul Food Truck: One main and two sides for $10. Enough food for 2 meals (at least). I had roast chicken (pretty good) with passable mac n’ cheese and dirty rice. Good R&B playing as you wait in line. (11/11)

Yellow Vendor/Korengy: Korean bulgogi. OK, if you need your Korean fix. Hefty portions with lots of meat. But, it’s a bit heavy and (never thought I would say this), could use a little less protein and a bit more veggies. Plus, should use spinach instead of broccoli. (02/13)

Goode’s Mobile Kitchen: Serving primarily Caribbean fare and soul food. I had the jerk chicken ($8). Heavily spiced. Large portion. Tasted ok, but not the best food truck offering. (10/11)

Capitol Greenz: Salads and paninis. I have yet to sample a salad, but the panini was bit overpriced ($7) for what you get. One slice of chicken, a small amount of bacon, a little cheese and mayo. (10/11)

Tasty Kabob: Chicken not so tasty. And not Kabob either. Chicken pieces cooked on a flattop. Taste was ok, but a little rubbery. Also, side of spinach and bland salad. Lamb actually was better. Similar to gyro meat. (06/11)

Sol Mexican Grill: Burritos. Set up like a mobile Chipotle. Grilled chicken was ok as was green chili sauce. Rest was so-so. (01/12)

Halal Grill: Serves kebabs and gyro for between $6-8. Nothing special. Can spice up the dishes with sauces. Served with lettuce and onion salad. OK in a pinch. (05/12)

Souvlaki: In reality, very similar to the Middle Eastern kebab trucks. I would prefer a truck focusing on other Greek dishes like moussaka or pastitsio. Chicken was kind of chewy with ok yogurt sauce. Side of black eyed peas was interesting at first, but had no distinctive flavoring. Salad featured lettuce leaves, tomato and one onion slice with a bland vinaigrette. (07/12)

Fojol Brothers Indian: Pedestrian Indian, though seemingly pretty popular. (Update: shockingly (to me, at least) listed as one of best food trucks in US – maybe I should give it another try). (12/10)

La Gloria: By owners of Sauca. Mexican. I ordered the shrimp, which I thought was grilled on flatbread. Instead, it was soupy shrimp over rice. Taste was ok, but shrimp were overcooked and falling apart. Beans ok, fresh pico de gallo. (Out of business) (04/11)

Austin Grill: The mobile version of the old DC TexMex standby. Very average burrito. Grilled chicken actually was good – large chunks of breast meat. But, very pedestrian rice, beans and salsa. (Out of business) (04/11)

King of Lebanese Cuisine: Felafel sandwich was very salty. Not much on toppings. (06/13)

Stella’s Popkern: Attractive truck and pleasant crew. Blah popcorn. And not cheap either -- $3 for a small bag. I had the butter and sea salt. Really no better than what you can pop in the microwave. (08/12)