Warm weather
makes grabbing a taco or hot dog and dining at an outdoor picnic table
(or even standing up) a pleasant alternative to a crowded restaurant.
Street food is affordable and sometimes even ethnically authentic.
Quirky locations and irregular hours of operation can be part of the
appeal, along with having that clued-in foodie aura.
Hot
Dog OKC follows the generations-old American street cart tradition.
It’s whipping out wieners in Bricktown, 209 Flaming Lips Alley, 5 p.m.
to 2:30 a.m. every Thursday through Sunday.
Hot
Dog OKC serves Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, which frankfurter aficionados
agree are numero uno. A fully loaded pooch with chili, onions, cheese,
jalapeños and sauerkraut will set you back only $3.
Although
it may be a dubious distinction to have a weenie named after you, Hot
Dog OKC’s menu has a celebrity list. Check out the No. 4, Casey Cornett
Dog, which sports the works, plus “Fritos Corn Chips sprinkled on top …
AWESOME!” And if dogs aren’t your thing, Hot Dog OKC also dishes out
bratwurst and hot links.
Super
Cao Nguyen market, 2668 N. Military, hosts a line of Asian street food
vendors just inside its entry vestibule on weekends. Banh bao xá xíu, or
Vietnamese steamed buns filled with pork, chicken or barbecued pork,
are a big, round ball the size of your fist for only $1.50.
The
vendors also have fruit buns stuffed with coconut, taro or custard. Or
try a cinnamon-and-sugar-flecked churro, the fried pastry often called a
Mexican doughnut.
Although
still young, Big Truck Tacos certainly extends the lead set in
food-cart capitals such as Portland, Austin and Vancouver, B.C., with
its two roving food trucks that have gained mega-fans.
Try tons of tacos, like the 5th Amendment (“We’re sorry … we plead the 5th. We’re not at liberty to tell you —
trust us.”) They hit the hungry spot for a recent lunch. And in the
interest of outing Big Truck’s 5th on my visit, it was mildly spicy
pulled pork, spinach leaf and quinoa topped with queso blanco, served in
a choice of corn or flour tortilla.
And
while technically not a street vendor, Big Truck’s brick-and-mortar
location, 530 N.W. 23rd, offers plenty of outdoor picnic tables and a
walk-upto-order style that makes the experience almost identical.
“Have
you ever tried Bobo’s Chicken?” That’s what Oklahoma’s former first
lady Kim Henry asked me in a conversation about metro restaurants late
last year. “It’s wonderful,” she said.
Located
within walking distance from the Governor’s Mansion at approximately
N.E. 23rd and Lottie Avenue, Bobo’s has cult status. It’s famous for
chicken that’s first smoked then fried and smothered with a sweet sauce.
Only open on Friday and Saturday evenings and into the wee hours,
customers start lining up around 7:30 p.m.
Rapper Jabee Williams is a fan too.
“Bobo’s
is dope,” he said. “We lived down the street and would just walk there
sometimes to get the home-style chicken and biscuits. Covering it in
that honey syrup stuff is why it’s so good.”
Norman
currently has three taco trailers located on key corners around town.
Tacos Los Compadres, 315 Alameda in front of Bill’s Used Furniture, has
burritos, tacos and super nachos for super cheap. And there’s even a
shrimp cocktail and an authentic lengua (tongue) taco. Soft drinks are only a buck.
While
waiting for your order, admire the wooden picnic tables decorated with
Dia de los Muertos graffiti and soccer scores (Argentina 1, Mexico 0)
left by previous customers.
Jennifer
& Kathia’s My Cocinita, 2201 W. Main, serves up pasteles
Salvadoreno, which are savory El Salvador-style pastries that are
magnificent. Pannes relleno is another option, bread stuffed with
piquant grilled meat and dressed with sliced radish. Or, go for fried
bananas with caramel jelly, lamb’s tongue tacos and open-face Ricos
huaraches sandwiches, among Norman’s more exotic treats.
Finally
in Norman, Taco Loco, 1728 24th Ave. S.W., has the expected tacos and
burritos, but also tilapia and shrimp ceviche, gorditas and quesadillas.
Take a walk on the
wild side with a carnitas buche (pork stomach) flauta. And for enjoying
that meal? Beside the trailer is an inviting covered dining patio with
plenty of seating that’s filled with tropical plants from the greenhouse
business next door.
With all these options on wheels, why head indoors at all?
Tracking down the trucks online
Big
Truck Tacos — Big Truck trucks (tee-hee) all over the metro, but you
can track it down by following on Facebook and Twitter @bigtrucktacos.
You’ll also get the inside scoop on the day’s specials.
Hot Dog OKC — Get your dog fix on Facebook or Twitter @hotdogokc for more on the menu.
Smokin’
Okies — Follow the food truck online at thesmokinokies.com for a
calendar pinpointing just where this Edmond-based food truck will park.
