It’s time to get alfresco with your dinner. Rolling to the rescue: A fleet of rolling kitchens serving everything from falafel to fish and chips. With temperatures rising, area food trucks are again rolling out in force, this season with a few new faces in tow.
Now in their second “official” season in Sonoma County, a handful of enterprising food entrepreneurs have outfitted former delivery trucks, trailers and even a trolley into compact canteens appearing in parks, at office buildings, wineries and event venues for only a few hours. And then they’re gone.
It’s a bit of a cat and mouse to find them, which is part of the fun. Fans follow their routes on Facebook or Twitter, using social media to hook up with their favorites. But finding bigger audiences in numbers, many of the trucks form impromptu outdoor food courts on specific days.
If you’re a food truck vet, you’ll know the fun of wandering from window to window, ordering a jerk chicken taco here, macaroni and cheese there and a grass fed burger at another truck. If you’re new to the scene, you’ll quickly find out that this food goes well beyond simple burritos. Many of the trucks feature tried-and-true chefs and restaurateurs cooking up a world of flavors.
Chicago Style Hot Dogs: Gourmet and classic hot dogs range from a curry vindaloo dog to straight up Chicago dogs with celery salt, green relish and the works. Don’t ask for ketchup, though. Twitter: @DogsFromChicago
Fork: Luxe, sustainable eats including grassfed beef burgers, salmon tacos, salads. forkcatering.com
La Texanita: Burritos, tacos and Mexican foods from the owner of La Texanita in Roseland. latexanita.com.
Matchbox Diner: BBQ, burgers and fries, sliders. thematchboxdiner.com
Charlie Bruno’s Chuckwagon: Comfort classics include mac and cheese, pulled pork, sweet potato fries, calamari, milkshakes. brunoschuckwagon.com
Ultra Crepes: Sweet and savory crepes made to order. ultracrepes.comNewcomers
Awful Falafel: Crispy falafel, pita, schwarma, hummus and other Lebanese classics. @Awfultruck or facebook.com/awfultruck
Fish On: Former Karma Bistro has returned as a fish and chips truck featuring, well, fish and chips, curry fries, coleslaw. facebook.com/findkarma
Rolling Soon
Yum Yum Trolley: A real-life antique trolley turned food mobile is slated to roll out in early May. Owner Sharina Arevalos is still finalizing the menu but is planning to have sliders and plenty of stuff younger truck eaters will like. yumyumtrolley.com.
Here’s where to get your food truck hook-up over the next few months:
Wheel Food and Family Fun, Third Thursdays (next May 17)
Finley Park, 5-7:30pm near the gazebos
West College Ave. and Stony Point Road
Awful Falafel, Street Eatz, Fork, Bruno’s Chuckwagon, Fish On!
Park-n-Eat
Tuesdays @ Spring Lake Boat Ramp, 4:30-7:30pm.
Wednesday @ County Admin Ctr. (Ventura and Administration Dr., Santa Rosa), 11:30am to 1:30pm.
Yum Yum Trolley, Ultra Crepes, Charlie Bruno’s Chuckwagon, Fish On, Fork, Street-Eatz.
Sebastopol Totally Trucking Thursdays
Each Thursday from 11:30 am to 1:30pm
1005 Gravenstein N., O’Reilly Campus
Matchbox Diner, Fish On!, Fork, Street-Eatz
Wine Down Thursdays
D’Argenzio Winery, 5-9pm
1301 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa
Heritage Public House
1305A Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa
Friday-Sunday nights
Downtown Santa Rosa
Jeff Tyler’s Chicago Style Hot Dogs is a frequent late night feature of the weekend bar scene. Awful Falafel plans to “freestyle”, roaming the streets 30 minutes at a time (the legal amount of time they’re allowed to park the truck within city limits without a permit) late night.
Coming This Summer, watch for trucks at the Downtown Market Wednesday nights in Santa Rosa; Great Russian River Race, May 12; Healdsburg Water Carnival, July 14; Rootstock, July 21; Levi Leipheiemer’s GranFondo, Sept 29. Also, for upcoming summer events at Rodney Strong and Iron Horse Wineries.