Food Trucks

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Mystery Meet Podcast Episode 26: Farmstead Inc. in Providence

June 2014: Farmstead has been sold and will no longer be run by Chef Matt Jennings


Badge - Podcast 150x113Recently, I was interviewed for Mystery Meet’s Find Dining Podcast to share my restaurant recommendations in Providence. To listen to the podcast, visit Mystery Meet Podcast Episode 26: Farmstead Inc. in Providence.

Also, check out some of the links to our blog posts for some of the places mentioned:

Farmstead, Inc.
Nick’s on Broadway
Plouf Plouf Food Truck
Pawtucket Winter Farmer’s Market
Waterfire
Delekta Pharmacy’s Coffee Cabinet
Diners/Delis in RI
Flo’s Clam Shack
Siena

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Radish: The New Truck on the Block

The new Radish truck on their first day on Thayer Street.

Roasted vegetable sandwich, homemade garlic aioli and a side of fries.

We had decided to get some dinner at Plouf Plouf, but they weren’t parked in their usual spot on Thayer that night. Not to worry, a new truck had appeared — Radish. It seems they perhaps overheard my complaint about the lack of great sandwiches in the area. Of course, I do love the down-to-earth offerings at Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches on Benefit Street — their generous tuna sandwich and bucket of pickles come the closest to a New York deli that I’ve found in Providence. However, in contrast, Radish has arrived to offer a more gourmet variety of sandwiches, soups and other dishes inspired by local farms and their ingredients. The sandwich we tried featured layered roasted zucchini, red peppers and caramelized onions with a side of garlic aioli on ciabatta bread. Pair that with some fresh thick-cut french fries, and you’ve got quite a meal in your hands.

Between Plouf Plouf, Mama Kim’s, Rocket, and now Radish, it seems Thayer Street’s best food now arrives on wheels.

Radish Food Truck
http://whereisradish.com/
http://www.facebook.com/whereisradish
https://twitter.com/whereisradish

Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches
163 Benefit Street
Providence, RI
http://geoffssandwiches.com 

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Ship Street Farmers’ Market

Food trucks at the Ship Street Farmers’ Market.

It’s just a few weeks after the official unveiling of Providence’s new Ship Street Square, and it’s already home to a weekly farmers’ market. At this point in the season, the food trucks outnumbered the produce stands, but we were fine with that.

At the produce stands today, we found arugula and apples.

We ordered a few sliders from Rocket Fine Street Food (the Rocket sauce is excellent), and Geoff got a taco from Mijos Tacos. For dessert, the kids chose the non-dairy gluten-free soft serve from the Like No Udder truck. In my opinion this tastes pretty much like you’d expect — in other words, it’s no Frosty Freez— but they didn’t seem to notice the difference. As for me, I opted for the rhubarb mint ice pop from Rocket — a little sweet and perfectly refreshing.

Ship Street Farmers Market
Ship St And Richmond St
Providence, RI
see listing at Farm Fresh RI

Like No Udder
www.like-no-udder.com

Mijos Tacos
https://twitter.com/#!/mijostacos

Rocket Fine Street Food
see related blog post

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Plouf Plouf Gastronomie: Fine French Dining in a Food Truck

Plouf Plouf Gastronomie parked on Thayer Street in Providence.

Roast chicken with mushrooms.

Here in Providence, we’ve come to expect the gourmet hot dog and cupcake from our food trucks, but fine French dining? That I didn’t see coming.

Chef Mario Molliere has worked at a three Michelin starred restaurant, and now he’s here in Rhode Island in his new digs — the Plouf Plouf Gastronomie truck. Dishes range from $5-15, more than most food trucks, but then again, you don’t normally get escargots,  duck confit, and crème brûlée from one.

They’ve been operating only a few weeks, but we’ve already been several times. As it turns out, fine French dining and a screaming, running eighteen-month-old normally don’t mix well — but Plouf Plouf Gastronomie has changed all that. On my last visit, I opted for the goat cheese and beet salad, followed by poulet rôti with mushrooms and a side of pomme frites, and finished off with the chocolate mousse. It doesn’t get much better than this.

I haven’t been down to Bristol yet to taste their homemade morning croissants, but clearly it’s on my list.

Beet and goat cheese salad.

Plouf Plouf Gastronomie
Follow them on Twitter to find out location
www.ploufploufgastronomie.com

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Rocket Fine Street Food

The latest addition to Providence’s food truck scene.

“It’s the hottest sauce you’ve ever had,” I was informed as I asked for the sauce to be added to my green chile cheeseburger. Whether it is or not, we’ll never know, since it was artfully diluted within the green chiles. The burger was good, the west african sweet potato and peanut soup, better.

Rocket Fine Street Food
near Thayer Street
http://rocketstreetfood.wordpress.com

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Providence Juice Company: Blackberry and Lavender Lemonade

The Providence Juice Company truck parked at Lippitt Park in Providence.


In the heat of the summer (which surely this is), there’s nothing quite like a glass of lemonade. Make that an iridescent, organic blackberry and lavender-infused lemonade from the Providence Juice Company’s juice truck. Since their Kickstarter campaign last year, the truck has made a success of serving up fresh smoothies and juices at the local farmers’ markets.

Blackberry and lavender infused lemonade.

As it turns out lemonade stands aren’t just for enterprising children…

Providence Juice Company
www.pvdjuiceco.com

Providence / Lippitt Park Farmers Market
www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=11

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Sugarush Truck

Homemade sweets are on the move via the Sugarush Truck.

Last night, I ate the last of the half dozen homemade “ring dings” my friend brought me from Roasting Plant in New York — quite literally, a bittersweet moment.

But I’m happy to report that today I found a worthwhile substitute.

Classic coconut cupcake

Perhaps it’s my childhood memories of the ice cream man, but there’s something I love about ordering something sweet from a truck.  Of course, these days my standards are a bit higher than a Hood Chocolate Eclair or a Fun Dip (although I’m still known to eat either when the occasion presents itself). However, I’ve met my match with the Sugarush Truck, which has arrived to make its rounds serving up perfectly delicious homemade cupcakes and other sweets.

Today, we checked the truck’s whereabouts on Twitter and found them parked at Providence’s Lippitt Park. The menu consisted of three cupcake choices — classic coconut, chocolate with salted caramel, and a vegan meyer lemon with lavender — as well as homemade whoopie pies. I tried the classic coconut — a soft, moist cupcake with the right balance of icing topped with shredded coconut — and a whoopie pie — a perfectly fluffy chocolate cake surrounding a sweet cream frosting, which could have used a bit less sugar in my unprofessional opinion, but nonetheless delicious.  Mmm.  Some things are even better as an adult.

You can be sure to find me following them around town.

Whoopie pie

Sugarush Truck
www.sugarushtruck.com
Find out where they are on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sugarushtruck
On Facebook at www.facebook.com/sugarushtruck

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Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile: Gourmet Food Truck

Locals line up at Hewtin's Dog Mobile at the Roger Williams Memorial Park.

I am usually not the biggest fan of food conceived in a truck, but I have to make an exception for Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile. This gourmet food truck, created by the owners of Chez Pascal, serves up a tasty on-the-go lunch. Emblazoned with their motto, “If it ain’t in a casing, then it’s not worth tasting,” the truck can be found at Roger Williams National Memorial Park and the Pawtucket Winter Farmers’ Market (see below for times). The menu features freshly made soups, sandwiches and sausages — such as a hand-smoked ham with gruyere and apple compote on foccacia and brined pork belly with sunny side up egg sandwich. Of course, you can also opt for a plain old cheeseburger or hot dog (a Grote & Weigel), but even those exceed their ordinary names. Not surprisingly, even their condiments are homemade.

And if you need a little something sweet after your meal, get one of their wonderful chocolate chocolate chip cookies — soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
North Main Street alongside the Roger Williams National Memorial Park
Providence, RI

Saturdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm — during the Pawtucket Winter Farmers’ Market
Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main St
Pawtucket, RI

www.chez-pascal.com/HewtinsDogsMobile.htm