There can only be one winner per category, but there are so many yummy food trucks out there, we decided to share some of our picks for Best Food Truck runner-ups before the winners are posted on June 16.
5. Look for Purple People Eatery's one eyed-one-horned flying mascot and you've not only found one of the coolest looking trucks, you've found foodie heaven. The Black n Bleu Bison Burger ($8), a blackened lean patty of good-for-you bison, smothered in bleu cheese, barbeque sauce, arugula, tomato and bacon, makes for an excellent meal, but the standout has to be the Mac n' Jack ($5), a broccoli mac n' cheese made with four different cheeses.
4. gastroPod won Best Food Truck honors last year and continues to thrill us with gourmet meals on wheels. Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog shows us that food doesn't have to be served on china to be amazing. People flock to the pod's silver-bullet shaped Airstream to gush over the ever-changing menu. Staples like Curry in a Hurry (a vegan squash curry with basmati rice) and Sloppy Jose (a very un-vegan but very juicy beef brisket wonder) are as good as ever and at around $8, a great value.
3. Latin Burger was one of the first trucks to roll out on the streets of Miami. Why celebrity chef Ingrid Hoffman and entrepreneur Jim Heins thought it was a good idea to serve burgers out of a truck is beyond us, but we thank our lucky stars that they had the vision or insanity to do it. The signature Latin Macho Burger ($6.25) is a gut-busting patty of ground chorizo, chuck and sirloin, grilled and topped with Oaxaca cheese, caramelized onions and jalapenos, but don't forget the tacos. At $2.95 each, grab several in your choice of chicken tomatillo, pulled pork or chicken mole.
2. The flame-decorated Rolling Stove is known for their slow-roasted jerk-seasoned meats. Chef Troy Thomas and his mom Patricia make melt-in-your mouth jerk brisket, steak burgers and chicken wings that are delish, but the Captain Crunch coated chicken sandwich makes this truck a complete standout. Most entrees are $6.95.
1. Grilled cheese is most famous for being a cold-weather kiddie lunch, but CheeseMe elevates the humble comfort food to new levels. Try owner Andrew Kaplan's inventive creations like the Shorty ($12; braised short rib with blue cheese and roasted red pepper on a jumbo English muffin) or the B.C.T.($12; applewood smoked bacon, cheddar and tomato) or make your own from your choice of breads, cheese and toppings ($6 for a basic).
If you haven't tried any of the trucks on our list, tonight's as good a night as any. Trucks at Tropical Park serve dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Plenty of free parking, but pets and glass containers aren't allowed. Trucks include: B.C. Tacos, Big Kahuna, Catered Bliss, Che Grill, Chef on Wheels, The Fish Box, Latin House Grill, El Rey De La Paella, El Rey De Las Fritas, El Rincon del Coqui, Sakaya Kitchen, Sir Pizza Mobile, Sugar Rush, Sugar Yummy Mama, Tango Grill, and Yellow Submarine.
Tropical Park 7900 Bird Road, Miami
BTTR continues tonight from 5:30 to 10 p.m., adjacent to Johnson & Wales University, in North Miami. Free parking and plenty of green space to have a picnic make this a popular weekly event.
Trucks serving at BTTR tonight include: Ms. Cheezious, Nacho Mama's, Clarabelle's Cupcakes, Papa's Tapas, Purple People Eatery, Guiseppe's Italian Sausage, Nacho Bizness, Dog Eat Dog, gastroPod, Dolci Peccati Gelato, The Rolling Stove, Manila Rice, Chef On 4 Wheels, Snow Caps, Wrapidito Yum, Daddy's Grill, Divan Bakery, Miso Hungry, The Red Truck, Kona Ice, Atlier Monnier, Moty's Grill, Slow Food Truck, CheeseMe, Red Koi, Aaron's Catering Express, Muscle Truck, Churro Mania, Wing Commander, Jefe's Original Fish Taco, Mr. Good Stuff, and The MexZican.
BTTR 127th Street and Biscayne Boulevard, North Miami
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