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World Fare Bustaurant – Los Angeles

Published

on April 26, 2010

in Indian, Los Angeles, Meals on Wheels and South African

. 17 Comments

In a crowded market like the Los Angeles mobile food scene, it’s tough to differentiate one truck from the next. Each one has a clever name, a nifty logo, and a bill of fare that sounds tastier on paper than it actually is in person. However, the debut of the World Fare Bustaruant was different enough to turn some jaded heads.

Instead of a traditional roach coach, Travis Schmidt and Jason Freeman bought a vintage double decker bus. And rather than fusing a random cuisine with Mexican fare, they introduced something totally different—South African “bunny chow.” The Astronomer and I, along with Donna of Dishy Goodness, ran into the bustaurant after a long day of powwowing at the Food Blogger Forum. Even though dinner plans were around the corner, the lure of testing out a well-regarded truck proved too enticing to resist.

After four years as Corporate Executive Sous Chef for the Michael Mina Group and two seasons as sous chef in Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” Andi Van Willigan hopped on board the bustaurant to man the moving stoves. The bus’ two tiers are utilized to the fullest—there’s a (relatively) spacious kitchen for the chef and a rooftop dining space for customers.

We started off with a complimentary order of Truffle Mac and Cheese Balls ($3). For me, the best part of a mac and cheese experience are the bites with a few gooey noodles and lots of crunchy breadcrumbs. Thus, these crisp balls were totally to my liking. The truffle essence was a nice bonus.

From what I understand, bunny chow is of Indian origin, but is considered a South African dish. It’s comprised of hollowed-out bread filled with savory stews and curries. The Short Rib Bunny ($4) with Worcestershire braised short ribs and horseradish crème fraiche was as hearty as anticipated and seasoned just right. “The Original” Bunny ($4) with chicken curry, coconut milk, chickpeas, cashews, raisins, and cilantro tasted like a mild Thai curry. There wasn’t a lot of heat to it, but the spices and flavors were robust. Bunny chow is the kind of stick-to-your-bones comfort food that makes me smile.

Lastly, we dug into a decadent and delightful butterscotch bread pudding ($3). It was heavy, yet heavenly.

Follow the World Fare Bustaurant on Twitter @WorldFare.

POWER RANKINGS

India Jones Chow Truck > Dim Sum Truck > World Fare Bustaurant < Border Grill Truck > Cool Haus > Lomo Arigato > Don Chow > Kogi > Marked 5 > Dosa Truck > Phamish

India Jones Chow Truck – Los Angeles

Published

Gastronomer

on November 23, 2009

in Indian, Los Angeles, Meals on Wheels and Restaurant Review

. 8 Comments

Since I’m only able to satisfy my curiosity and appetite for gourmet meals-on-wheels once a month at Art Walk, I must make a conscious effort not to go overboard at any one truck. After finishing off the lomo saltado at Lomo Arigato, The Astronomer and I sought out Indian street food at India Jones Chow Truck.

Similar to Border Grill Truck, India Jones was launched by a seasoned restaurant professional. Chef Sumant Pardal hails from a family of restaurateurs in Jaipur, India. He’s opened twelve restaurants in Los Angeles, including Tufaan, Tiger Lily, and East India Grill. The excitement and fervor that Kogi garnered with its brand of Mexican-Korean fusion inspired Chef Pardal to hit the road with India Jones last August.

Chef Pardal specializes in Punjabi cuisine and considers butter chicken and lamb biriyani to be his signature dishes. The menu at India Jones features frankies, parathas (Indian flat bread), curries, and a selection of daily specials. Each offering is totally authentic and designed to be easily transportable.

The Astronomer and I started off with a mango and jicama salad ($3). The little plastic container was brimming with cubes of ripened mango and slightly softened jicama. We couldn’t quite put our fingers on what made the vinaigrette sing, but the amalgam of flavors was really superb and refreshing.

To accompany our lovely salad, we shared a most appealing paneer frankie ($3.50). According to Chef Pardal, frankies are a very popular street food in India. The frankies served on board India Jones are wrapped in a warm, crisp, and golden paratha. The Astronomer and I rank paneer toward the top of our list of favorite cheeses, and the plentiful cubes in our frankie did not disappoint. I can see why these skinny Indian burritos have become India Jones’ best-sellers. Simply delightful!

Follow India Jones Chow Truck on Twitter @indiajonesct.

POWER RANKINGS

India Jones Chow Truck > Dim Sum Truck > World Fare Bustaurant < Border Grill Truck > Cool Haus > Lomo Arigato > Don Chow > Kogi > Marked 5 > Dosa Truck > Phamish

Dosa Truck – Los Angeles

Published

Gastronomer

on July 28, 2009

in Indian, Los Angeles, Meals on Wheels and Restaurant Review

. 11 Comments

It seems that Los Angeles’ flourishing mobile food scene grows more interesting, and not to mention competitive, by the day. The little Korean taco truck that could has inspired entrepreneurial Angelenos from every corner of the city to bring their gourmet offerings to the streets. In just the past few months, dozens of trucks have popped up serving everything under the sun from Japanese rice burgers to Hawaiian-style shaved ice. And most recently, Indian dosas.

In this down economy, roach coaches have become the great equalizers. The lower start-up costs associated with these ventures have made it possible for ordinary people who possess the essential combination of drive and creativity to take the wheel, literally and figuratively. The food can oftentimes be hit or miss, but the awesome passion of these individuals is always present.

I’ve wanted to sample L.A.’s brand of street food ever since Kogi hit the ground running, but alas, only the Westside was privy to such trendy action. The San Gabriel Valley always gets the short end of the hipster stick.

My dreams of meals on wheels were finally realized this weekend while chilling in Venice. A collection of trucks, including Kogi, Cool Haus, Fishlips Sushi, Get Shaved Ice, and Dosa Truck, were gathered at The Brig on Abbot Kinney. Since I don’t find myself surrounded by mobile food vendors very often, I wanted to hit them all.

First up, Dosa Truck.

The proud Brooklynite who owns Dosa Truck chose to sell these delicate South Indian morsels as a nod to the cuisine she grew up eating. Upon hearing that she hailed from New York, I asked if her venture was inspired by Washington Square Park’s famous Dosa Man. She said that she gets that all the time, but no, the idea for Dosa Truck was all her own. In fact, she has always wanted to open a restaurant, but couldn’t afford to do so financially. The mobile food trend allowed her to fulfill her dreams in an unconventional way.

The sweet potato dosa ($6) that I sampled was made to order and arrived hot, long, and lean. The filling, which was a touch too cool, provided an interesting spin on traditional potato and onion dosas. The crepe was crispy in the right spots, but too sour for my taste. What made the dosa experience worthwhile were the bloomed spice chutneys served alongside. The mint and coconut chutney was especially appealing.

Follow Dosa Truck on Twitter @dosatruck.

POWER RANKINGS

India Jones Chow Truck > Dim Sum Truck > World Fare Bustaurant < Border Grill Truck > Cool Haus > Lomo Arigato > Don Chow > Kogi > Marked 5 > Dosa Truck > Phamish