REVIEW: A food truck food trip with 'Pop Talk'
In today’s age of mobility and portability, it’s not surprise that even restaurants have developed ways to be always on-the-go. Just add wheels to a regular food stall, and you’ve got a food truck!
Restaurants on wheels or mobile restaurants have been a part of the American culture for years, but food trucks only gained popularity in the Philippines late last year. “Pop Talk” host Tonipet Gaba gathered food blogger Azrael Colladilla, actress Ynna Asistio, and makeup-artist-slash-mom CK Tabusares to go on a literal food trip and sample the menus of three food trucks roving around the metro.
Specialty: Japanese fusion
Budget: P120-P199
Chef Broosy specializes in Japanese fusion cuisine, offering authentic Japanese dishes like ramen, kani salad, pork buns, and gyoza. Their customers particularly love their Japanese-inspired rice toppers, Chef Bruce's ramen, sisig soft tacos, and chicken pops.
“Pop Talk” reviewer CK thought Chef Broosy’s ramen was tasty but not too salty, and placed the quality of the restaurant’s food at par with that of traditional Japanese restaurants: "'Di siya mahal. Tapos that price pa, para kang kumain sa restaurant na masarap."
Food: 3/3
Wow factor: 3/3
Value for Money: 3/3
Total Pop Points: 9/9
Hungry Rover
Speciality: Pinoy comfort food
Budget: P100 - P150 per meal
Hungry Rover offers Pinoy comfort food like the Surp-rice platter (a dish composed of chilli-garlic rice with angus tapa, chicken barbecue or pork liempo toppings), Manila Cheese Steak, mini burgers, and grilled wraps filled with beef tapa, pork barbecue, or chicken barbecue.
The “Pop Talk” reviewers loved Hungry Rover's generous servings and hip interiors. Food blogger Azrael said, "Siya lang kasi ang nakita kong pinakamalaking food truck. Biruin mo tourist bus, dine in area. So masaya siya. Walking fast food."
Food: 3/3
Wow factor: 2/3
Value for Money: 3/3
Total Pop Points: 8/9
Specialty: Shawarma
Budget: P150-P200
The people behind the Shawarma Bros food truck believe that shawarma is the perfect meal for people on the go. True to the restaurant’s name, Shawarma Bros offers a variety of shawarma dishes made of lamb, beef, or chicken. Customers can also choose from different kinds of sauce like tomato, yogurt garlic, and cheese.
Ynna thought that the lamb meat could have been cut smaller for easier chewing, but like the other “Pop Talk” reviewers, she said that she enjoyed eating this kind of dish in a food truck. The reviewers also observed that adding a television to the truck was a nice touch.
Food: 3/3
Wow factor: 3/3
Value for Money: 3/3
Total Pop Points: 9/9
–Lara Gonzales/PF, GMA News