Food Truck Junkie: Judge the Gastrobus by its flavorful foods, not its name
By Joel Kato
Oct. 31, 2010 10:16 p.m.
Like many books, food trucks are often judged by their names alone. Many have names related to their specific style of cuisine, like India Jones, while others have names that relate to their specialty item, like Frysmith. Then there are some trucks that choose to be more vague about the specifics of their cuisine. Gastrobus is one of these trucks. It also happens to be one of my favorite trucks that visits the Court of Sciences.
While its name often accidentally puts people off (having the word “˜gas’ as part of your name isn’t always the best way to attract customers), make no mistake, Gastrobus, which will be stationed at the Court of Sciences on Thursday, Nov. 4, consistently delivers all-around delicious food.
As I mentioned earlier, Gastrobus’ name is often misinterpreted when students see the word gas. In fact, Gastrobus draws its name from gastronomy, the study of the relationship between food and culture. They aim to deliver great food that utilizes the best local ingredients of the area. While their menu is constantly changing because of this, one of my favorite consistent dishes is the pulled pork sandwich with pickled red onion and garlic aioli. The meat is incredibly flavorful and juicy. Luckily, Gastrobus uses nice crusty bread that can absorb the juices without getting soggy. They put a generous amount of the garlic aioli, which adds a complimenting creamy element to each bite. The pickled onions are pleasantly tart and help the sandwich from becoming too heavy or rich.
Gastrobus also provides a wide array of soups and sides. As I’m not much of a soup person, especially when I’m just grabbing a quick bite to eat between classes, I opt for the occasional order of sweet potato fries that is served with mild honey mustard. On most days, Gastrobus will offer a combo that allows customers to get a sandwich, a side or soup and a soda for a reduced price. With such great options available, be sure to make Gastrobus a stop on your food truck exploration.
Until we eat again,
The Food Truck Junkie
