You all know that I’m a big fan of the Orlando Food Truck scene (hmmm, that could explain why the owner of a certain food truck that will remain nameless made a comment about me being pregnant tonight. Seriously, I’m burning all empire-waisted shirts in my wardrobe).
Nearly every Wednesday, we head to downtown Orlando to hit the Food Truck pod behind Firestone. Yes, it’s in a parking lot behind a bar. And yes, we (and our friends) bring our 3-year-olds, but it’s never occurred to me that it’s not particularly family friendly.
So, I was a little miffed this week when I learned on the Orlando Food Trucks Facebook feed that all the regulars from the Firestone pod — Big Wheel, Crooked Spoon, Treehouse Truck, Korean BBQ Taco Box, The Yum Yum Truck and Winter Park Fish Co. — were bolting Firestone for a new Daily City pod behind Trinity Lutheran school just a few blocks away. AND the Firestone pod would go on with new trucks. AND this would all still occur on Wednesday nights.
Something didn’t smell right. And I don’t like change. So I did what any normal person would do — I whined about it on Facebook.
Brace yourself amigos — I’m about to admit that I was wrong. Very wrong.
A few days ago, some of our friends, who are all food truck virgins but gourmet foodies, decided that this was the week that they’d join us at the pod. This caused a big dilemma — where should we tell them to go?
We decided that it was more important to go with the trucks whose quality we could vouch for, even if it was a new location. We chose wisely.
The new location is amazing. Look at these wide open spaces.
I came up HUGE by bringing E's soccer ball.
Food in the shadow of the courthouse that Casey made famous
So, Daily City and Orlando food trucks, thank you for making me eat my words. The Trinity field is the PERFECT place for food truck fun, especially for families like us. Wide open spaces, a fenced in area, bleachers for eating, and perhaps most importantly — a playground.
And, as usual, the food did not disappoint. After I issued a fatwa on the Truck That Shall Not Be Named, I headed to my old standby: Crooked Spoon. They’ve never done me wrong yet. And tonight’s special may have outdone everything I’ve ever ordered from them …
If you care about me at all, Crooked Spoon, please, please, PLEASE make this a permanent menu item. The chicken was amazing. It wasn’t chunks of chicken like you’d get on a normal chicken quesadilla –it was perfectly slow-cooked and shredded chicken. Perfection. And the mango salsa? Ohhhhh, the mango salsa.
Sadly I didn’t get a picture because there’s a reason I’m not a food blogger — I’m always too excited to eat my food rather than photographing it first. Sorry!
You’re just going to have to trust me on this one.
I only have two complaints about the night. One, can we do something about this weather? Seriously, it’s like being underwater out there. E. was the definition of a sweathead tonight.
Secondly, there’s not a ton of parking. I was lucky to snag one of the final spots in the Trinity parking lot. DadJovi (who met us there from work) was on the street about a block away.
But towards the end of the evening, I was talking to Daily City’s Mark Baratelli, and he showed me an entire empty lot of parking adjacent to the soccer field (if you’re looking at this map on the Daily City, it’s on the left side of the soccer fields. If you’re heading east on Amelia from Orange, you’ll make a right into the lot before the soccer field).
Now that we’ve got the parking figured out, we’ll 100 percent be back! I think we’ll still head over to Firestone to at least check out some of Orlando’s newest food trucks (I heard a rumor of lobster rolls! Reading Crazy Running Leg‘s Boston recaps has me craving one wicked bad!).
And if you’re worried your kids won’t eat anything, do what we do — bring their dinner with you. It saves you money, it gives you a night off from cooking and doing dishes and it’s a lot more relaxed than going out to dinner. You get gourmet food, they get to run around in circles on a soccer pitch. Win win!
I would recognize that courthouse from a mile away– I worked at a law firm nearby as the whole Casey case was going down so I was always right next to all the action.
And since you didn’t take a picture of this seemingly delicious meal, I guess I will just have to go ahead and sample it so I can take a picture for the both of us 🙂 I know I know, I’m just so giving!
You need to add humanitarian to your Twitter bio for stepping up and taking one for the blogging community like that! 🙂
And I kept thinking that this new pod would have done gangbusters during the trial being so close to Caseyville. Maybe she’ll come back (ah, curse me for even thinking that!).
awesome post lol, i get that way too with my food sometimes!
I spied Tasty Chomps stickers on the trucks last night, and I got way too excited! I was like, “Hey, I know him!”
And I’m glad to hear that even food bloggers forget to photograph their food sometimes. It’s almost cruel to wait. You’re just doing the food itself a disservice by making it wait!
I passed by the Korean Taco BBQ Box last night on my way to the personal trainer. It was all by it’s lonesome at a gas station on the corner of Curry Ford and Crystal Lake. I still have yet to go to one of those food truck bizarres but I have friends that know that they are always to bring me something back from the Yum Yum truck or else they get de-friended.
Not bringing Yum Yum is definitely unfriending-worthy. After being mistaken for pregnant last night, I skipped Yum Yum — which just made me more depressed. I dream of the Key Slime cupcake. It’s honestly one of the greatest things I’ve ever eaten. Next Wednesday, skip the trainer and come gorge with me (I’m such a bad influence)!
Key Slime is my favorite! And I don’t even like key lime pie. But that thing is amazing. I might take you up on the Wed thing. Do you do it every Wednesday? If my trainer doesn’t get back to me soon, I have a free Wednesday this month. 🙂
I was worried about the new location too, but I agree about it being completely family friendly. I left my son in the car w/ my hubby while I grabbed our grub, but became sad once I saw all the kids playing. My boy would have had so much fun! Next week, we’re hanging on the field for sure (weather permitting of course).
I LOVED The Caribbean Chicken Quesadilla, I was completely in love with it from first bite. The chicken was so tender and juicy, I have never had one in a restaurant better! I also grabbed a classic Crooked Spoon Burger which was so delicious (it is one of those items we always order and are never disappointed). And of COURSE our dessert consisted of Yum Yum cupcakes!
Other than the parking, I wish the pod could stay longer than 8 pm. I hope it’s a success and I’m going to help spread the word as much as possible.
I cannot believe I didn’t snap a photo either! Hopefully, Droolius did (I’ll keep checking his blog)!
As Facebook as my witness, I swear I WILL make it out to an Orlando Food Truck Pod sometime soon. And I’m going with you.
A few things…
1) I’m friends with said food truck owner who called you pregnant, he was mortified (based on his fb status). I can’t believe it was you cause he’s crazy, you look awesome.
2) I totally want to check out this new pod, we should meet up there sometime…next Wednesday perhaps?
3) How do we find out what the trucks staying at Firestone have? I’ve yet to make it out there.
Ha! I feel bad for him. He’s a good guy and I’m just giving him a hard time. I was a little irked but I think he was just overwhelmed and made an off-hand comment. In his defense I was with a girl who is very pregnant and apparently I was wearing a shirt that made me look preggo too.
But I guess he learned the lesson the hard way. Unless a baby is coming out of a woman (and perhaps not even then), never, ever, EVER ask or congratulate a woman on her blessed event. Tell him I still love him and his No. 1 rated food truck and will come back again and again.
I’d check the Orlando Food Trucks Facebook page (I have a link above). They had the Firestone listing for this week yesterday.
And yes! I’m down anytime for meeting up there. You know we’ll be there!
I’m curious who will end up at Firestone. All the trucks you mentioned are favorites, but there are a couple others I’d like to see too – can you say chicken and waffles? Yumm!