Food trucks may no longer be a novelty.
But, while they’ve become commonplace, many of these restaurants-on-wheels stand out from the crowd, having risen to new heights with creative, gourmet fare and renowned chef/owners. Translation? Goodbye, burgers. Hello, steak tips marinated for two days, octopus imported from Spain, lobster flown in from Maine and Cuban-Mexican fusion dishes.
Although the pandemic has temporarily put an end to events, including food truck gatherings, owners have reinvented themselves, reaching out to old fans and finding new customers through homeowner’s associations or pop-up locations broadcast on social media.
With online orders and other creative ventures, these culinary whizzes have found a way to bring fine dining experiences directly to folks hungry for a really good meal. Here are six of our South Florida favorites.
Cousins Maine Lobster
When cousins Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis launched their lobster food-truck business eight years ago, they never dreamed they’d be buoyed by a shark.
But impressing and getting the nod from investor Barbara Corcoran on “Shark Tank” definitely upped their game. Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has expanded into 17 states.
Miami acquired a truck last December when friends Anthony Barberio and Alex Gavilla, who attended Hofstra University with Lomac, bought a franchise. The mobile restaurant services Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Its Maine lobster roll, brimming with chunks of sweet lobster in such abundance that you can barely see the toasted top-split roll it’s served on, is the top-seller. But, seafood is the star in other dishes, too, including the lobster tail, lobster tots, lobster quesadilla, shrimp tacos and New England clam chowder.
“I remember watching the cousins on ‘Shark Tank,’” Barberio says. “Since they struck a deal with Barbara, they’ve been hustling and doing phenomenal. In New York, I would see the truck with lines about two blocks long.”
Since the pandemic, the Miami truck travels to HOA events, breweries and stand-alone liquor stores.
“People that book us end up doing a good 20 to 30 percent more in sales,” he says. “It almost works as a partnership.”
Info: cousinsmainelobster.com
The Greek
Alex Mentis may have been born in the United States, but he grew up in Greece, learning how to prepare native cuisine while cooking as a child and working in his family’s restaurants. While there, he sharpened his skills as an executive chef for Hilton Hotels.
Two years ago, he started his own food truck, The Greek.
“I started The Greek because I want to educate the American crowd what Greek food is about,” Mentis explains. “What they serve here in the states with gyros and things like that, that does not exist in Greece. The lamb/beef meatloaf-type gyro does not exist in Greece. Our gyros are either chicken or pork.”
Popular choices from his authentic Greek menu are gyros and skepastis (a sandwich filled with gyro pork or chicken and melted cheese) as well as octopus, lamb chops, stuffed grapes, Greek salad and baklava.
His loyal following from Miami to Jupiter (but especially in Plantation, Sunrise and Davie) stays connected with The Greek via Facebook.
Like other food truck owners, Mentis reinvented his business when the pandemic put the kibosh on events. He helped pioneer a website where customers order and pay online and then pick up their food at a designated site, without waiting in line.
Info: theauthenticgreek.com
Chef K Provisions
Kevin DeLuca honed his culinary skills at top restaurants and luxury hotels in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida. But launching Chef K Provisions four years ago gave him a new perspective.
His Pembroke Pines-based mobile restaurant travels from South Miami to Merritt Island, offering cuisine normally found in a fine dining establishment. His must-try steak and shrimp dishes, along with an assortment of appetizers and desserts, are inspired by his travels throughout Asia and the U.S.
“My No. 1 best-seller is my 48-hour teriyaki merlot steak tips, made with certified Angus beef and marinated for two days, grilled and served with pineapple fried rice,” DeLuca says.
Other customer faves are grilled shrimp with rice, black beans, plantains and mango-guava-habanero glaze as well as stir-fries like the Happy Family, with lobster, steak, chicken and shrimp.
Among his top customers are law enforcement officers, firefighters and Secret Service agents, who are especially fond of his steak and potato dishes.
Previously, DeLuca, a former executive chef at the Boston/Cambridge Royal Sonesta Hotel, drew attention for his culinary skills at the Boston Harbor Chowder Festival.
His goal with Chef K Provisions?
“To offer chef-inspired culinary delights with a constantly changing menu,” he says.
Info: facebook.com/chefkcreations
Joe Joe On The Go
When a chef and his son – both Joes – decided to run a gourmet food truck together, the name of the business rolled right off their tongues: Joe Joe On The Go.
Joe Eisenbuchner (senior) brings 30 years of culinary experience to the table, including working under Michelin Star Chef Daniel Boulud and serving as executive chef at Café L’Europe in Palm Beach. The son (who prefers to be called Joseph) brings youthful enthusiasm and a strong work ethic.
“Three years ago, we created a gourmet food truck experience that people won’t forget,” Joe says.
Based in Coral Springs, Joe Joe On The Go serves up exotic seafood dishes with mouthwatering spices from Miami to Juno Beach. Everything is made from scratch by the classically trained chef, and the diverse menu is definitely not typical food truck fare.
Octopus for seafood salads is imported from Spain; cooked in court bouillon until tender; and served with roasted peppers, onion, citrus, crispy greens and plantain chips. Other menu hits include duck confit tacos and citrus-soy-glazed salmon sandwiches with creamy sriracha sauce and spicy Asian slaw.
Info: joejoe-onthego.com
Curbside Gourmet
Curbside Gourmet has a special claim to fame: It’s Palm Beach County’s first gourmet food truck.
Since Matthew Somsy established the West Palm Beach-based business 10 years ago, it’s garnered a loyal following – including several celeb clients. Golf great Greg Norman, “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels and motivational guru Tony Robbins have reportedly all savored Curbside Gourmet creations.
The goal is serving fresh, locally sourced and seasonal meals – often with an Asian influence, says Somsy, who grew up in Vermont with Asian parents (his mother is from Thailand; his dad is from Laos).
Fish tacos on homemade tortillas, buttermilk fried-chicken sandwiches, crab cake sliders, Southern-style barbecue ribs and a variety of desserts are among the offerings.
“I’ve been cooking my whole life at home and later when I was in school and worked in restaurants,” says Somsy. “My parents always grew herbs in our backyard. I learned to cook from my mom and various chefs I’ve worked with over the years.”
The seafoam-green food truck, which was featured in Martha Stewart Living magazine in 2014, dishes out the good stuff from the Keys to Cocoa Beach.
Info: curbsidegourmet.com
Caja Caliente
Monica “Mika” Leon is a fan of made-from-scratch cooking. So, it’s no surprise that she designed her Caja Caliente food trucks – home of the self-proclaimed “original Cuban taco” – from scratch and had them built locally.
The former food blogger, who once ran a catering and bakery business from her mom’s garage, launched her Cuban-Mexican fusion concept four years ago in Miami.
Family recipes inspired the menu, which showcases nine types of tacos – lechon (pulled pork), vaca frita (shredded skirt steak), gator, tuna poke, pulpo (octopus) and more – each containing more than four ounces of protein. (“Not your average taco size,” the menu notes. “One, you’re satisfied. Two, you’re full.”) Other options include customizable bowls; empanadas; entrées; desserts; and rotating specials, like the Tamal Cubano (Cuban tamale).
The Miami native’s concept is a hit: She’s been featured in Food & Wine magazine and on “Guy’s Grocery Games” and “Beat Bobby Flay.”
Caja Caliente translates to “hot box.” Leon remembers how “very, very hot it was” working in her first truck in 2016. Today, cooking in her two trucks is still a very scorching experience, she says, but one she relishes.
In September, Caja Caliente found a permanent home in the Design District. The second truck is based in Wynwood and used for catering and events from Miami to Port St. Lucie. Leon also has a brick-and-mortar location in Coral Gables.
Info: caja-caliente.com