Wedged between a Slice Truck and an India Jones Chow Truck on Jefferson Boulevard was a four-wheeled food vendor whose name was intriguing enough to stop me on my bike ride home from class, but peculiar enough to make me think twice before trying the food. The word encased in large red bubbles floating across the side of the truck read “tastymeat!”—exclamation point and all. The question, then, was just how tasty would the meat actually be?
After glancing at the menu, which primarily contains Turkish style wraps called “The Bamwich!!!!,” “The Chickwich!!!” and “The Meatless!!,” I went with the first one, mainly because its name was followed by the most exclamation points. Described as “not all beef, not all lamb” on the menu, I was led to assume it was a combination of both, which would help me gage whether the meat is as tasty as the truck purports.
What threw me off, however, was the hideous pig with angel wings that appears to be part of the tastymeat! truck’s logo. Not only is the image entirely unappealing, but from what I gathered, nothing on the menu even contains any pork—then again, maybe that’s the point.
Despite my pig-induced confusion, I ordered the Bamwich!!!!, and was actually pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t half bad. Although I don’t know if I would call it “LA’s best meat for your mouth,” as is written at the top of the truck’s menu, the $6 wrap, filled with meat, lettuce, tomato, red onion and various sauces, makes a pretty good post-class snack. Not to mention, the people working the truck are extremely accommodating; they placed black plastic barrels on the sidewalk so that my friend and I could not only purchase our food curbside, but dine there too.
Though it was only the first of my curbside dining ventures, I’ve already discovered that not only are these food trucks unrestricted when it comes to location, but they also roam free from most rules that a stationary restaurant would be expected follow, especially when it comes to naming themselves and the items on their menu. And if I’m judging by name, the India Jones Chow Truck—a name almost as intriguing as tastymeat!—just might have to be my next stop.
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