Author Archives: Joel Kato

Because of the shortened school week, and thus smaller variety of food trucks on campus, I unfortunately do not have any new food truck reviews. When contemplating what to write about, someone jokingly suggested re-reviewing another truck. While this was definitely not an option, it did get me thinking about the dilemma of whether to revisit familiar trucks or try new ones.

While I have very few complaints about the alternative kitchens of food trucks, the mobility and size of food trucks inevitably decrease the reliability and amount of equipment each one has.

Probably my favorite thing about the food trucks at UCLA is the opportunity they provide for experiencing new cuisines. Being confined to the limits of Westwood for the majority of my time at UCLA, I’ve constantly been frustrated with the lack of variety in options when it comes to restaurants. While the selection may be adequate in trying to provide at least a couple of options for any preference, it can hardly be described as having anything remotely adventurous. This is why, when food trucks serving less accessible food come to campus, I make sure to take full advantage of them. One of the best examples of these trucks is The Manila Machine, which can be found at the Court of Sciences on Friday, Nov. 12.

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.

Probably the most common complaint that I hear about food trucks is the cost. Students on campus aren’t used to digging very deep into their wallets for lunch money. Admittedly, there are quite a few trucks that are on the pricey side, and I have also felt the effects of frequenting the food trucks too often.

To avoid this, I try to limit myself to only going once or twice a week, also making the outings a social event where I eat with friends that I haven’t seen in a while. Additionally, there are a bunch of trucks that offer customers more for their dollars. One of these is Phamish, a Vietnamese comfort food truck that will be pulling up to the Court of Sciences on Thursday, Oct. 28.

Photo courtesy of Lizabeth Steinhart, foodshethought.com

One of the most common, and sadly the worst misconception, about food trucks is that the food they serve is somehow inferior to the food served in a traditional restaurant. In theory, any traditional restaurant could design a vehicle to serve as a food truck and could travel the streets serving the exact same food found at their original establishment. And if there are any doubts about the feasibility of this idea, just take a look at the Border Grill Truck, which will be arriving at the Court of Sciences on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Unlike other food trucks, the Border Grill Truck is not an original eatery but instead is the mobile branch of the popular street food restaurant located in Santa Monica.