Where are all the food trucks?
Ever order a burrito from a truck? How about a banh mi or a gourmet French crepe? While it might sound unorthodox to enjoy a 5-star restaurant quality dish from a mobile eatery, this is the wave of the future. Many major cities in the U.S. seem to be up to speed (literally) with this latest food trend. New York City, Portland, and San Francisco are all teeming with food trucks. Serving up trendy fare from pad thai to vegan barbeque to sushi, these food trucks are feeding hungry street-goers with affordable, and portable, fancy feasts.
Over the years, Baltimore has claimed a spot for itself on the list of aspiring food cities. The slow process to gentrify Charm City has given once shoddy areas a facelift, both in the quality of living and on the food scene. Baltimore boasts of many fine dining establishments, but no noteworthy food trucks yet. Why hasn’t Baltimore revved up its engine to tantalize Baltimoreans with meals on wheels? The answer remains a mystery.
It’s about time restaurateurs started tweeting patrons as to where their high noon locations will be. There are even plenty of abandoned parking lots within Baltimore City which would make ideal “food truck neighborhoods” (if you will) where crowds can peruse the aisles looking for the right taste to satisfy their mood. Baltimore may have its few small-scale mobile food operations now, but let’s bring in the big name vendors, like LA-based Kogi BBQ truck, which cooks up a fusion of Korean and Mexican. Well known food trucks like Kogi BBQ are featured on many travel and food television shows, like the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race.” What a great way to draw in the tourist crowds! Especially with the prestige of hosting the Grand Prix in September, Baltimore could really benefit from a surge of the food truck revolution within the next few months.