Everybody’s Truckin’: Food trucks in Mexico City, part I

They roll into town, park, cook, sell, then disappear, vanishing like a gastronomic Brigadoon. They’re those food trucks, ubiquitous in Los Angeles for decades, now common in New York’s hip outer boroughs, but until recently relatively unknown in Mexico.

“A food truck, mobile kitchen, mobile canteen, roach coach, or catering truck is a mobile venue that transports and sells food.” explains Wikipedia. Some form of these rolling kitchens have existed in the U.S. since the 19th century. Here in Mexico City, where automobiles were relatively expensive and space was cheap, the trucks were not a common sight. Puestos, those little homemade shacks, pushcarts and simple improvised tables serve as venues for preparing and selling  wonderful and now much celebrated street food. Recently, however, a new breed of industrious culinary-academy-trained restauranteurs  have motored into town providing a sophisticated alternative to on-street dining. The new breed of street food is international, schooled and designed. 

You can't miss this purveyor of Viet tortas...

Trucking to ‘Nam - Ñham Ñham

A Bánh mì

Few Vietnamese walk amongst us in the Big Taco, and, until now, none of their brilliant cooking, in its authentic form at least, was to be found. The proprietor of Ñham Ñham, a spectacular red and yellow vehicle, which parks in Plaza Rio de Janeiro, studied cooking in Viet Nam and shares her skills with fellow Chilangos. Bánh Mì, the fusion paté sandwich, legacy of the French colonists, have been trendy in North American cities for years. Now they will give our beloved tortas a run for their money. Grilled meat, subtly aromatic with lemongrass, mint and/or tamarind is served on a crunchy roll with fresh vegetables. Pho (pronounced “fuh”), a rice noodle soup which is  the classic Viet breakfast is also available as is an Asian salad and those delightful summer rolls, packaged in rice flour ‘tortillas’ and thankfully not fried at all. Vegetarian versions of all of the above are on offer. The $70 tab for a sandwich may seem steep, but quality is high – vale la pena.

Ñham Ñham

Corner of Puebla y Orizaba, 1 block north of Plaza Rio de Janeiro,  colonia Roma

Daily from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.

 

Don Kebab sometimes runs out before closing time...

They Drive By Night - Don Kebab

This purveyor of felafel,  kebab  sandwiches and other permutations of middle eastern take-away is wildly popular, often attracting crowds. Thursdays through Saturdays they pull up along the Sonora side of Parque México behind the bus stand and sell until they run out, ostensibly from 8 p.m. until midnight. Best bet is the marinated, good quality beef, grilled to tender perfection and served in a warmed pita with salad and pour-it-yourself salsas, one picante the other the classic yogurt-sesame familiar to aficionados of falafel. The combo, which includes fries and a drink costs $70.

Don Kebab
Av. Sonora facing Parque México, Condesa
Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m. to midnight

 

Fresh from the sea - Barra Vieja

Flying Fish - Tostadería Barra Vieja

Paella at Barra Vieja

This high design four-wheel seafood house, which parks in Pedregal does creative mariscos and, quality-wise is up there with its best stationary brethren. Barra Vieja’s tostadas of ceviche, pulpo and callo de hacha (scallop) are fresh as could be. And there are such creative offerings as tacos of pulpo con pesto de quelites octopus dressed with a wild green sauce, and almejas rasuradas, clams prepared in a soy dressing and served in their own shells. On weekends they pull into the parking lot of a restaurant and do a more than passable paella. 

Tostadería Barra Vieja

Camino a Santa Teresa, in front of ‘Pro México’s parking lot, weekends in the lot of Salón 777,

Blvd. de la Luz 777, Jardines de Pedregal  - see map

Open from 1-5 p.m.

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