Food trucks in the square!

[teko.livejournal.com]

As Ron Newman previously posted here, Cutter Square (the little parking lot next to Rosebud) is being used as a public plaza Sept. 9-11 with food trucks, balloons, and picnic tables. I went today for lunch, and the extremely nice folks at the Tenoch Torta truck said that this was a test to see if using that area as a permanent plaza was feasible.

Here's the food truck schedule. The tortas are pretty terrific, and the torta guys said they were testing to see if Davis Sq would be a good long-term location for them. (Whether that means their food truck or a brick-and-mortar location, they weren't sure).

Tenoch Mexican (Mon.-Wed., All Day)
Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese (Mon., 4 p.m.-9 p.m.)
Mei Mei Street Kitchen (Tues., 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Wed., 5 p.m.-9 p.m.)
Kick*ss Cup Cakes (Mon. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wed. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Really, the KA Cupcakes truck? Do they somehow taste better if you buy them from the truck then from the store around the corner?

It's kind of sad if they couldn't convince anyone else to come.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that struck me as goofy, as well. There's also a tent with someone setting up Indian foods, but he didn't have any kind of sign up when I went at noon.

I'm excited to try Mei Mei and Roxy's, they're both award winners. I'm really surprised that Clover isn't there, of all trucks.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

Yak and Yeti had a stand there around 2ish. It looked like they had a small selection - chana masala or some other chickpea dish, saag paneer or some other spinach dish, and chicken tikka or some other tomato sauce dish. Plus rice and the usual fried appetizers.

[madrigal.livejournal.com]

I love Mei Mei! Roxy's is yummy also.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

The Indian food was Yak and Yeti from Ball Square, yesterday. And in the evening I saw a truck from Pennypacker's, who I have heard is going to be opening a bricks and mortar spot in Magoun at some point. (Also, fyi, the Tenoch folks have a bricks and mortar restaurant in Medford Square, not quite as convenient, but available for more than 3 days within striking distance of us. Their truck normally lives in Burlington at lunchtime, they said.)

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

No, they're just as dry and just as scrawny. I tried one when they test-marketed outside Cambridge College, along with the Roxy's truck. Bought a peanut butter cupcake that was dry as a scone and had a tube of semi-dry peanut butter up its middle. I didn't even finish it. But tons of excited students who probably aren't familiar with KickAss lined up for cupcakes, so I'm sure they made a killing in spite of kicking no ass whatsoever.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who feels that way, even though it feels like heresy to say that sometimes.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I have tried the cupcakes at their store three or four times, and they have been consistently (a) small (b) very dry (c) expensive (d) topped with weird, liquidy frosting that sort of slid off, and (e) served with a side of attitude.

I have to assume that they make their money through novelty and catering, not repeat business.

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

I remember stopping in right after they opened, and gushing to the owner about how excited I was to try the cupcakes, and how great it was that there was a bakery in the neighborhood. She looked at me like I had a bug on my face, and silently finished the transaction. I've given KickAss several chances to prove that initial impression wrong, but between the lousy cupcakes and surly service, I can't support it. It's even starker in comparison to the genuinely lovely people who work at When Pigs Fly.

[teko.livejournal.com]

The contrast last night between the happy, jovial guys at the torta truck, the cheery dudes at Roxy's, and the Kick*ss truck was sort of stark. The other trucks had folks out in front waving you in and greeting you, big open sides, etc. The Kick*ss truck had a small sliding window with a dark interior and a woman glowering at you from inside.

[maclou.livejournal.com]

I feel that way too, I love cupcakes and I've had a lot of really great ones that I have no problem paying more than $2 for but KIckass are soooo tiny, I would pay maybe 50 cents for one and I don't understand how they get away with charging more.

[kevshindig.livejournal.com]

I second the recommendation for the Tortas from Tenoch. I really enjoy them.

[ursamajor]

Pennypackers was there for dinner tonight, too, as well as Yak 'n Yeti!

[lac.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend Mei Mei. I seriously cannot recommend them enough. I have much love for their Double Awesome.

[ron_newman]

The experiment is over, but I think it was a great success. I hope the city will consider bringing it back and extending it into the fall.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Definitely. There was always a happy crowd around when I was there, and every food truck seemed busy and doing ample business (except for the poor Yak & Yeti guy -- I never saw anyone buying his curries, and he looked sort of despondent). I don't know the economics of permanently losing seven or eight parking spots near the square, but I hope the trucks come back.

[ron_newman]

I bought once from Yak & Yeti, and liked it; I hope other people did, too. I wonder if people somehow didn't notice him because he had a tent instead of a truck?

[teko.livejournal.com]

I think it's more that he was overshadowed by the "celebrity" food trucks that never make it to this part of Somerville -- Roxy's, MeiMei, and Tenoch are all much buzzed about (and in Roxy's case, a TV star)-- whereas you can get all the Yak & Yeti you want all year long, just a block away :)

[ron_newman]

Ball Square is much more than a block away! About a 20 15 minute walk, I think.