Sometimes you gotta’ keep on truckin’
Food trucks have come a long way from the greasy truck stop types with the soggy chips and deep-fried sausages in a bun.
Diana Dodog proved after winning Irish Masterchef that a food truck can serve good, tasty and wholesome foods with her beef brisket, West Cork chowder and her delicious salads and Buddha bowls. Unfortunately for us, Diana and her husband Mike have closed the Food Depot truck to pursue other adventures.
But the team started a trend and we are lucky to have quite a few around – especially now during the pandemic where we see creativity in food helping restaurants survive. The team behind the Olive & Fig café in Clonakilty have decided to give the food truck trend a chance and opened 80/20 Burger just beside Scally’s SuperValu.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Orla and Johnny are offering LA-style burgers made with beef from the famous and local Allshire’s in Rosscarbery, adding their famous and secret recipe 80/20 sauce.
I’m not sure if it’s the sauce, local beef, tasty cheese or the fresh lettuce, tomatoes etc, but you need to pre-order as the burgers are selling out quickly.
Olan Crowley took the food truck idea to new levels and converted an old horse box into a mobile café. Located at beautiful Garretstown beach, Olan’s acai bowls are flying out the hatch every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
Another horse box hatch will open soon when Hannah Barrett-Byrne has finished converting the box into a stylish café in Kinsale. You can follow her progress on Facebook under Wild & Tame and after expecting her generator this week, we might be in for a treat soon.
The horse box trend continues with the Coffee Brothers who are located near the Mardyke, offering great coffee, treats and Oreo hot chocolate – something I hope to try pretty soon.
Adrian and Sean Twomey open their hatch every day except Mondays at the Sacred Heart Church. Follow their Facebook page to book a spot for your tasty coffee.
Mahers Coffee weren’t to be outdone and have opened their cute horse box coffee take-away at the Cork Boat Club in Blackrock – the perfect spot for weekend cyclists and walkers.
Residents in Ballinlough are in for a treat as Toast will open the hatch this month with artisan cheese melts, sandwiches and other gourmet treats. Cork artist Sebastian Thommen has taken his eye for design and created a beautiful food truck. His Cork paintings are even printed on his takeaway cups. He has journaled his progress on Facebook under toastcork.
Fans of Alchemy on Barrack Street are in for a treat soon as the team is working on their own food truck to bring Alchemy to the beach. So far, no opening date has been announced but keep an eye on their Facebook page Alchemy Coffee & Books.
The future looks bright for us with these gourmet food trucks bringing us delicious food that has nothing to do with the greasy spoon style trucks from the past.