The Jolly Pig Will Make You Happy, Reports Jeff As We Motor On With His Food Truck Series

Tacos from The Jolly Pig truck

Tacos seem to be the heart-and-soul of the current food truck revival -- traditional, Korean, exotic, almost any variety of meats that you can put inside a tortilla.

Jeff Givens of Southern Skies Coffee Roasters continues his guest series posting about food trucks that hit up Howard County, including the National Business Park when he was working there.  Today's, it's the Jolly Pig truck:

The Calwells

Tad and Joann Calwell offer a variety of tacos with most of them using inspiration from flavors worldwide. When they first began, they started with Korean-style tacos. They now offer around 10 varieties at any one time, with others offered on a seasonal basis.

Like many other food truck operators, Joann and her husband Tad didn't start out in the restaurant industry.  hey used to be in the mortgage business as title searchers, but when the mortgage crisis hit, they decided to start a food truck.  Joann had always thrown big parties for her family and friends so preparing food and hosting meals came naturally.  They searched around for more than a year to find the perfect truck and opened for business in early 2012.  By August of that year, they had already garnered enough recognition to be rated one of the top 10 food trucks in Baltimore by the Baltimore Sun.

Joann is always experimenting with new flavors and intimated to me that she’s developing a Moroccan-spiced taco right now.

I had the Korean, the al pastor and the Thai tacos. Wrapped in a flour tortilla, the ingredients were very fresh, and the flavor profiles captured the essence of their inspiration.

As always, Twitter and Facebook are the best way to track these trucks.  You can see when the Jolly Pig will be near you by watching its Twitter feed.

Pizza di Joey Starts Our Parade Of Food Trucks; Jeff Reports Lunch From Annapolis Junction

Joey Vanoni of Pizza di Joey

Food trucks aren't just for cities anymore, and I want to get in on the ones that make the trek out to Howard County.

I have posted about food trucks in the past, but Jeff Givens starts off what we hope will be a series of posts about other options -- focused on trucks that visited the National Business Park in Annapolis Junction where Jeff used to work.

Jeff is a long-time friend of the blog.  He runs Southern Skies Coffee Roasters from his home in Carroll County.  He writes and photographs about food on the side, and he took notes about the food trucks at National Business Park when he was working there.  As Jeff says, the Annapolis Junction office park is massive, but offers little in brick-and-mortar lunch options.

To fill the gap, the building management turned to food trucks.  Office workers often line up more than 20 deep in the parking lot at National Business Parkway and Technology Drive, and Jeff explored his way out there.

Jeff followed the trucks' schedules on Twitter, but he has written profiles for HowChow -- starting off with the Pizza di Joey (update: who I hear also stops at the Applied Physics Labs on some days):

Monster slices

Joey Vanoni has baked pizza everywhere from the cramped quarters of fast-attack submarines to the mountains of Afghanistan. He spent 7 years on active duty in the Navy. During the long, arduous tours aboard a submarine, he helped to keep up morale by baking artisan pizzas - a skill he learned while working in a coal fire, brick oven pizzeria during his youth in New Jersey.

After leaving active duty, he spent time in Afghanistan as a contractor, where he continued to make pizzas during his off time. Joey's pizzas were so popular that his coworkers pitched together and built a brick oven.

When he returned to the U.S., Joey's retirement dream of starting a mobile pizzeria was put into high gear when the government sequestration occurred. He and his partner, Tomas Ruperto, had a truck outfitted with a brick pizza oven which can bake up to 4 pies at a time at temperatures of 700 degrees Fahrenheit. The oven weighs 4000 lbs, so the truck had to be custom built in a specialty shop in upstate NY.

About the pizza:

Joey makes his NY style pizza in true artisan fashion with high-quality ingredients. He buys hormone-free beef from a farm near Westminster, MD and the pork sausage is made locally from Duroc pork to a recipe by Rich Shore of Sausage Barons. The slices are HUGE and made simply. Even "The Works" pie has only pepperoni, garlic, onions, peppers and mushrooms. Most of the other varieties only have 1 or 2 toppings, allowing the quality of each ingredient to shine through.

The pizza was really delicious. The crust had the perfect amount of chew and was slightly crispy on the bottom. The sausage that Joey has made to his recipe was well-seasoned and fresh. One slice is more than enough for someone who sits behind a keyboard all day.

On the side of his truck it says "Serving those who have served." It's not just branding, as Pizza di Joey donates a portion of his revenue to different charities, including the Wounded Warrior Project and House of Ruth. Active and retired military are also offered a discount on their purchase.

To find Pizza di Joey, watch for updates on Joe's his Twitter feed @PizzadiJoey.  Or check their Facebook page.

Ice Cream Truck In The Western County -- Go Now For Handmade Cups And Sweet Sandwiches

Local ice cream at the Scoop & Paddle food truck

People often ask me where to find homemade ice cream in Howard County, and now I need to tell you to buy it on the road.

From a VW bus, that is.  From a new food truck working the western county selling cups and ice cream sandwiches filled with their own rich, creamy ice cream.

Mrs. HowChow saw the sign for Scoop & Paddle at their summer home, River Hill Garden Center in Clarksville.  It's a spectacularly outfitted VW bus where they offer about a dozen flavors from chocolates to fruits to an experimental "coffee and doughnuts."

Ice cream outdoors just tastes better.  It's an event to go for a drive.  It's more delicious to spoon ice cream while you're watching traffic and feeling the weather outside.

Scoop & Paddle does a high-end update on cafeteria ice cream.  The $3.50 cups are white paper circles with white paper tops.  You grab a wooden paddle to use as your spoon.  The ice cream inside goes way beyond a cafeteria.  They make their own ice cream, apparently with a bunch of seasonal fruits at the front of the menu.

Lil' Chow went chocolate.  He loves salted caramel that we buy at Harris Teeter, but he has ordered chocolate when we're out.  He squatted happily on the River Hill parking lot and shared his chocolate.  I thought it was excellent.  Deep flavor.  Creamy, rich ice cream.  Mrs. HowChow went "coffee and doughnuts."  Again, an excellent ice cream.  She could have taken even stronger coffee flavor, and we're already thinking about when we can go back to try a $5.50 ice cream sandwich with house-made ice cream between house-made cookies.

You need to go get try Scoop & Paddle this week.  Go tonight.  Go this weekend.  You're reading a Howard County food blog.  How could you not want local ice cream from a refit VW bus?  Go on a date.  Take your kids.  Do whatever you need to soak up an ice cream experience while the days are still warm enough to warrant a frozen dessert.

Since late July, Scoop & Paddle has been parking at the garden center on Thursday to Saturday evenings.  They're switching soon to a fall schedule, and you'll be able to catch them at the Western Regional Park in Cooksville or a few options in Clarksville, including at River Hill football games.

Find Scoop & Paddle's schedule on their Twitter page or Facebook page.  Clarksville is an easy run from Fulton, Columbia and most of the western county.

Ice cream is a rough business because winter comes for so much of our year.  Many people have asked for shops that make their own ice cream.  I recommend a bunch of great frozen experiences, but I think they mostly sell chain ice cream like Hershey's or Baltimore brands like Taharka Brothers at Scoop Ah Dee Doo in Ellicott City.  Does anyone else know someone selling local ice cream like Scoop & Paddle?

The only thing missing from Scoop & Paddle is a few chairs.  The cups, sandwiches and $10.50 pints lend themselves to carrying away, and leaning against a car works fine if you don't have a toddler  But a few chairs -- think cheap and modern -- could help create a little scene outside the bus.

Madame BBQ Has Joined The Food Truck Party, Bringing Lunch To Offices Around The County

Madame BBQ is a new food truck working Howard County, and she is sparking loyalty in hungry HowChow readers.

I laugh at how I once imagined paternity leave would include trips with Lil' Chow to lunch spots that my DC job kept me from trying.  Now, my job and the boy will conspire to keep me away from Howard County lunches, but you can enjoy the reports from readers like Dana and Lisa.

They both said that Madame BBQ and its chef Nikki McGowan show up with really good pulled pork, sandwiches, tacos and soup.  They're pleased that Madame BBQ shows up at all because they're in spots like Elkridge that don't have many other options.

That area is a "lunch culinary wasteland," reports Lisa.  Nikki actually came tino their office to talk about the truck.  Lisa has tried carnitas tacos and the "Todd" sandwich with pork, bacon and deviled eggs.  "That's deviled eggs on a sandwich, yes!" says Lisa.  "My co-workers also love the Todd and have also tried the tacos and the  pork cheesesteak which is sometimes on the menu.

Dana echoed similar happiness at having Madame BBQ pull up at her Deerpath Road office:

I’m not sure you could find a more delightful food truck chef than Nikki. She’ll tell you all about how long she’s had a food truck, how she’s learning what takes too long to make for waiting customers, and she does it all with one of the biggest smiles and friendliest personalities I’ve ever seen!

I’ve eaten there twice, and today I had what can only be described as the best smash-up of breakfast and lunch I’ve ever had. Hash with pulled pork, potatoes, and fried egg and topped with beer cheese soup and jalapenos. The beer cheese soup is one of those things on the menu that you will always hope for (and pray she hasn’t run out of by the time you get there)! She also has amazing pork tacos and sandwiches with unique ingredients (the Todd has pulled pork, bacon, deviled eggs and siracha pickles). 

The key to finding Madame BBQ -- like most food trucks -- is to bookmark their Twitter feed or Facebook page.  That's where McGowan updates about her location for the day.  Check the Twitter feed, and you'll see that she was worked outside Aerotek, offices on Broken Land Parkway, and offices on Coca Cola Drive.  They also worked the Jailbreak Brewery parking lot, which is a fun spot to eat and drink.

Thanks to Dara and Lisa for the photos and descriptions.  I really wish that I could stroll over one day.  Check out all my posts about food trucks -- and let me know if you have a special one that stops near you.

Pit Beef From Upslide Down Dave, And Taqueria Los Primos Gets A Profile In Howard Magazine

Pit beef from Upslide Down Dave

Next week, I'm going to try get myself back to U.S. 1 for a multi-food-truck lunch.

Allison Eatough has a nice article in Howard Magazine about Hugo and Manuel Sanchez and their food truck the Taqueria Los Primos in Jessup.

The Sanchezes are now on the top of my list -- along with Milita's Tacos on U.S. 1 near Rte 100 that people have talked up for years.  Eatough's profile outlines the Mexican food that they're cooking and the 14-hour days, seven days a week that they're working to run their business.

The U.S. 1 corridor is a great place to hit up roadside barbecue and Mexican.  Many of those trucks are stationary and reliable.  You get a picnic table and good grub. There are some other set-location trucks like Gourmet Grilling in Columbia, David Welch in Savage, and Thomas Waffles Saturdays in Clarksville.

But there are also some food trucks that work a moving circuit of lunch stops and special events. I got pit beef from Upslide Down Dave at the Maple Lawn fall festival.  Nice beef charred on the edge and tender inside, sliced to order from a grill station set up beside the truck.  For their regular business, they do sliders -- often in Maple Lawn.

A Korean food truck at the Maple Lawn fest

One of the best ways to check out the moving trucks in Twitter where they often post their locations. Upslide Down Dave, La Pearl Waffle and Cookie Ride all post regularly.

I'm sure there are more because there are also several newer barbecue trucks that I haven't tried yet.  Bullhead Pitbeef has been serving meat and tweeting both locations and photos of their new truck.  Madame BBQ is working out their truck with the health department.

I have posted about other trucks in the past.   I'm always impressed with folks who strike out on their own like the Sanchezes and the owners of these other trucks, and they really add zest to the dining scene -- whether you're dining on US. 1 or hitting up a truck at a festival.  I assume they're even-better for folks who regularly eat out lunch in Howard County and like some variety.

Does anyone track Howard County food trucks like the Washingtonian does on Food Truck Fiesta?  Are there any regular days at local businesses? I have seen that the University of Maryland has begun promoting a Thursday event in West Baltimore. Is there something like that at APL or any of the office parks?

If you run a food truck or would consider a food business, check out the county's idea of a food incubator.  They're currently asking people to take a survey about what help they could use.

Thanks for Jessie X for flagging the new food trucks on Twitter. Jessie does a great job promoting local businesses, local bloggers, and both on social media.

Paper Towel Tour: Grilled Ribs In Savage Start My Summer Search For U.S. 1 Barbeques

Ribs -- costillas de res -- from the food truck at Chesapeake Supply

Here comes the season of oil drum grills along U.S. 1.

As I have said before, the hip dining option for Howard County -- if there were a Lonely Planet Guide to this county -- would be the taco trucks and open grills that run from Laurel to Elkridge.  Grilled ribs.  Grilled chicken.  A mix of Latin side dishes.  You eat for $10, and you get the char and savory grease of a filling, authentic meal.

This is going to be my project for the summer.  I'm calling it my Paper Towel Tour because you'll want a roll in your car if you follow along.

I started on one of the first warm Saturdays with a stop in Savage -- a food truck dragging a black metal grill in the parking lot of Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.  I ordered the ribs.  These are not the fall-off-the-bone ribs that Mrs. HowChow prefers.  These are flanken-style ribs cut across the bone, often called "costillas de res" on Spanish signs.  You get strips of meat each studded with three or four pieces of bone.

The truck and grill

This is gnaw and bite work, and they were really good.  The fire gives the meat a slight char, and the marbled cut stays moist even cooked through.  I pulled chucks of meat away from the bone and wrapped them in thick pieces of corn tortilla.

The Paper Towel Tour will probably turn on side dishes.  I've eaten similar ribs at a bunch of grills over the years -- including a different stand set up in the same parking lot four years ago.  So far, they have all been delicious, but I'm not sure that I could distinguish the meats several weeks apart.

The real attention-grabbers are the side dishes.  Sometimes, you just get boring rice and beans, once even a supermarket tortilla.  In contrast, the truck at Chesapeake Supply put on a pretty good show.  A thick tortilla that tasted hand-made to me.  A fresh, flavorful salsa of tomato, onion and cilantro.  Those both seemed special.  I ate the red beans and the yellow rice, although they probably left some room for another truck to take the lead.

I mean -- I need a reason to stop five or six times for grilled ribs this summer.  If this first truck was perfect, there wouldn't be a need for a Paper Towel Tour.  And where would the fun be in that?

Who can offer advice for a Paper Towel Tour?  The Chesapeake lot is on the west side of U.S. 1 between Rte 175 and Rte 32.  I know there are two similar trucks south of there -- including one that I often see smoking just north of Rte 32.  I will need to work north to Elkridge as well, including a return trip to see if there is still a grill in the Mel's Liquor's parking lot in Jessup on Rte 175.  Can anyone recommend a favorite?  Or recommend a dish other than the costillas de res?

(Update: Kevlar51 is right in his comment below that the plastic forks don't really hold up.  If you're amused, consider buying a titanium spork -- like the TOAKS Titanium Spork that I bought on Amazon.  I keep one in my work bag, and I have used it many times when I ended up somewhere with lunch, but not cutlery.)

Grill Truck at Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.
8366 Washington Boulevard (U.S. 1)
Savage, MD 20763

NEAR: Chesapeake Supply is on U.S. 1 between Rte 175 and Rte 32.  It is on the west side of the road.  When I went past, there was another grill truck on the east side of U.S. 1 a little south of Chespaeake.  I look for these grill trucks on the weekend, but they may be out weekdays during good weather as well.

Gourmet Grilling -- Get Your Smoke From The Columbia Meat Truck On Fridays And Weekends

Ribs and wings from Gourmet Grilling

I'm always eager for smoke -- especially in the cold season.

With only a few exceptions, my outdoor cooking is limited to a gas grill, so I'm always drawn to smokey barbecue.  That doubles down in the winter when I get chased inside and cook even my hamburgers on a cast-iron grill.

The Gourmet Grilling truck in Columbia is a nice way to pick up some smoke.  Thick ribs and other meaty cuts cooked over charcoal and served up with nice sides like beans and rice fortified with sausage.

The Gourmet Grilling operates Fridays, Saturdays and every other Sunday at the Grandfather's Garden Center on Phelps Luck Road just south of Rte 108.  The pit master cooks ribs, turkey legs, pit beef, sausages and wings on a big-barreled smoker and sells them from a white truck parked alongside.

I loved the ribs.  They were thick and cooked to the tender-but-firm texture that I prefer.  They had a rich smokey flavor that made them more than I could make on my gas grill.  I'd pass next time on the sauce.  I think it might have just been from a jar.  Sweet and added nothing.  It distracted from the good meat and the "bumpin' beans & rice" side dish that came studded with sausage and flavor.  I got some chicken wings as well, and they were good -- although again would have been even better without the sauce.

Gourmet Grilling actually beat me.  I couldn't finish the entire plate.  So I carried home one meaty rib, and I turned it into one of the best risottos that I have ever cooked.  I made a pretty basic risotto with sautéed onions, a little wine, chicken broth and grilled red peppers.  In the final minutes, I shredded the meat off the rib and stirred it into the rice as it finished up.  The smokey flavor spread throughout.  Honestly, it was better than I had even hoped.  More like a restaurant than my kitchen.

Risotto with a little shredded rib

Gourmet Grilling food truck
at Grandfather's Garden Center
5320 Phelps Luck Drive
Columbia, MD 21045

NEAR:  This is just south of Rte 108.  The light for Phelps Luck Drive is just west of Howard High School, and it has a shopping center on the north side and a sign for the garden center on the south.  Go south and the Gourmet Grilling food truck is on the right about a block down.  He is there Fridays, Saturdays and every other Sunday.  To confirm the days that Gourmet Grilling is cooking, check out its Twitter feed.

Food Truck Showdown This Saturday: Come To Columbia To Eat And Raise Money For Animals

Five food trucks -- including the La Pearl Waffles and Bennett 5 Star -- will round up in Columbia this weekend, and you can chow down to raise money for the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County.

The trucks are gathering from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for the "HoCo Chow Down" at the Monarch Mills apartment complex.  They're raising money for the Animal Welfare Society, which does adoption and neutering.  Society volunteers will be on site with adoptable pets.  Check out a Facebook page here.

(Update: Two new trucks signed on for Saturday's event.  More dessert!  Look for CookieRide and Kona Ice.  I don't know Kona, but Casey from CookieRide describes something that might be a shave ice!)

This should be a fun lunch if you're near Snowden River Parkway because Monarch Mills (7600 Monarch Mills Way) is off Oakland Mills Road, just south of Snowden River.  The trucks will provide variety from Smokey Meadows Grill to Savannah’s Jamaican Kitchen, from Karlita’s Latin American Food Truck to Bennett’s Five Star Caribbean Grill.

Then you can finish up with a sweet waffle from La Pearl Waffles.  I have been trying to get myself to the La Pearl truck, which has parked near Howard Community College many weeknights this spring.  You can even follow them on Twitter.

I'm not sure that I'll be able to attend.  If you go, please email me photos and a quick report.  My email is in the right column of the blog.  If you're interested in food trucks, check out all my posts about trucks in Howard County.

Winter Baker's Market Coming Sundays

The Little French Market in downtown Ellicott City is hosting an event Sundays into March showcasing breads and pizzas by a new mobile baking company.

Nathan Sowers has started a new business called River House Pizza that's a mobile wood-fired pizza company.  Sowers appears to be a former baker at Tersiguel's, and the Little French Market is hosting a "Winter Baker Market" where they'll have their own muffins and pastries to go with Sowers' breads and pizzas.

Start up from 11 am to 3 pm Sundays -- starting February 10 and running through March 24.  For more information, check out the Facebook page.  Hat tip to Hoco Food on Facebook.

La Pearl Waffles Truck Has Hit Howard County

La Pearl photo -- stolen from their Web iste

There is a waffle truck driving around Howard County, and you can track it on Twitter for a sweet hit of Belgium.

La Pearl Waffles is a three-year-old outfit that sells Belgian waffles.  Now, they have a truck, and they roll and cook to supplement a special-event and catering business.

Tomorrow, you can get waffles from 5 to 8 pm at 10611 Little Patuxent Parkway between Howard Community College and the Columbia Mall.  It looks like they have also stopped this month at Centennial Park, Best Buy, and some other spots.

The La Pearl Web site offers some delicious-sounding descriptions of the Belgian waffle and some boasts about how awesome and unique their waffles will be.  Sounds good enough to check out, although I can't be there tomorrow.  Track the La Pearl truck on the Web site or on Twitter.

Thanks to JoJo for the tip about the new truck in action.

Link: Willy's Dog House On Elkridge Patch

The Elkridge Patch has profiled another new food truck -- this time Willy's Dog House, a hot dog truck that parks at the Hillside Motel on U.S. 1.  Elizabeth Janney profiles the truck's owner, who used to manage the seafood department at the Superfresh in Elkridge.  He is serving dogs now and looking to expand to pit beef.

Tomorrow, Go Get A Fresh Waffle -- Sweet Or Savory -- At Thomas Waffles In Clarksville

Start your weekend with a real treat by grabbing a fresh waffle in the parking lot of Kendall Hardware.

That's where you'll find the Thomas Waffles truck -- profiled last month by Explore Howard -- offering fresh waffles and a few other dishes on Saturday mornings.  They run about $3.  That's an easy splurge to chow down on hot, handmade food for breakfast.

They sell two kinds of sweet waffles with variations on sugar, fruit toppings, Nutella, and maple syrup.  They also sell other items like pre-baked quiches and "waffle pops" where they dipped a waffle into chocolate.

Even with those choices, I went savory last weekend.  For $3, I got a small breakfast sandwich.  Two warm, slightly-sweet waffles holding in an egg and a few thin strips of bacon.

"Did they offer Lipitor with that?" joked Mrs. HowChow when I came home.

But she is wrong.  The thin bacon pieces were just a salty jolt to the sweet waffles.  This wasn't the grease-dripping "sausage in a sliced donut" sandwich that the Fractured Prune used to offer.  The waffles are warm and light.  This is a unique little item, made by folks with real talent.

Start your holiday weekend with a trip for a waffle.  Thomas had a sign saying they'd be open 8 am to noon on December 24.

Thomas Waffles -- open Saturdays
in the parking lot of Kendall Hardware
12260 Clarksville Pike (Rte 108)
Clarksville, MD 21029


NEAR:  This is on Rte 108 just north of Rte 32.  The Thomas Waffle truck sits in the parking lot of Kendall Hardware, which is a great store on its own.  Definitely worth walking in if you need home improvement items and someone with the experience to answer your questions thoroughly.  Plus, great for canning supplies.

Spectacular Roadside BBQ From Dave In Savage

Pulled pork sandwich and a piece of crackling

Grab a roll of paper towels and make plans for an early lunch on the side of the road.

Right outside the entrance to the Savage MARC station is a guy with a pull-behind barbecue serving up delicious meats at roadside prices.

I ate pulled pork Monday after being clued in by George Berkheimer of the The Business Monthly.  David Welch had platters of meat cooking, and he pulled the pork off the bone to build an enormous sandwich for me.  Then he left me to doctor it up with spicy sauce and his personal spice mixture.

This is moist, firm meat coming right off the heat.  It is a rich smokey flavor, but it's truly just pork.  You really want to add spice and sauces -- maybe sauce in the bottom of the container -- so that you can dip and alternate flavors.  My $6 sandwich was so large that I couldn't finish it off.  I ate until full, then shredded the leftovers into soup last night.

Terrible photo.  Sorry.

Dave runs a weekly rotation -- pulled pork Mondays, beef brisket Tuesdays, big pork chops Wednesdays, ribs Thursdays, and chicken Fridays.  Six bucks for each except the $9-19 ribs.  He also sells kielbasa, half smokes and sodas.  He worked originally in upscale hotel kitchens, then started a hot dog stand and moved onto the current deal where he works this lunch crowd and does catering through Dave's BBQ and Catering out of Laurel.

Dave was a generous host, searing a piece of skin into crackling.  He talked about his competitive barbecue wins, including a 2006 Maryland state championship.  The other customers talked up the brisket and a once-a-month special of jambalaya.  Dave starts selling at 9 am.  I assume he gets business from the truckers who start their days early between the wholesale markets in Jessup down through all the business parks along U.S. 1.  Some days, he is sold out before noon.

This is a perfect spot if you work somewhere near Fort Meade, and it's off-and-on Rte 32 so it's doable from anywhere in Columbia.  I'm going back as soon as I can figure out how to be home on a different weekday.  Expect posts on brisket, chops and ribs over time!  The catering -- which includes sides, utensils, etc. -- seems like a deal starting at $11/13-a-head if you pick it up and running to $21/23-a-head with all-you-can-eat spreads run by a catering crew.

The one flaw in my plan was that I didn't get a napkin from Dave.  I ate in a parking lot before my next errand, and I was glad to find a clean rag after chomping through juicy meat that had soaked through the light roll.  So get those paper towels and start driving.

Thanks again to George for mentioning Dave to me.  How did I go this long without someone sending me an email?  Roadside meats are right up the HowChow alley!  This looks like it's right up Strobist's as well.

Dave's BBQ and Catering
just outside the Savage MARC train station
Dorsey Run Road just south of Rte 32
Savage, MD
240-535-6785

Near:  Dave parks on Dorsey Run Road just south of Rte 32.  From Columbia, you take Rte 32 over I-95 and U.S. 1.  Take the Dorsey Run Road exit, then turn right at the light.  From Fort Meade, you take that exit and turn left back over Rte 32.  Dave is the guy with the barbecue set up before you reach the MARC parking lots.  Park on the side of the road.

Link: Sun Profiles Food Trucks In Howard County

Explore Howard has posted a run-down on food trucks across Howard County, including pit beef, tacos and bulgogi.

Amanda Yeagar also profiled the family that sells waffles from a truck every Saturday in the parking lot of Kendall Hardware in Clarksville.  It's headlined by a high school senior saving money for college and his pastry chef father.  Definitely something to check out.

I'm trying to capture posts about food trucks with the "Trucks" label below.  But you should also check the right column for labels on each truck individually.

Caribbean Food Truck Rolls Into Columbia

The food trucks keep coming to Howard County, and Rob spotted a new one (at least new to us) selling Caribbean food off Columbia Gateway Drive.

The Bennett 5 Star Grill sells lunch from 11 am to 3 pm, including Jamaican jerk chicken.  It joins mobile food spots selling Mexican barbecue in Columbia, Korean bulgogi and teriyaki in Jessup, and the taco trucks along U.S. 1 like Pupuseria Lorenita's in Elkridge.  Rob tried out Bennett and gave a report:

They specialize in Caribbean food, which makes me very happy. We do not have enough Caribbean represented in the HoCo.  I ordered the jerk chicken with mac & cheese and rice. It was fairly spicy, which I really like. I will definitely go back. 

The jerk chicken cost me $9.01. I'm noticing a trend here. Just like Pupuseria Las Delicias #2, they load you up at 5 Star. That styrofoam container was heavy, easily more than two pounds. You could take some hom for dinner. They did not skimp on the chicken either. Great flavors, great spice.

At Rob's suggestion, HowChow needs to add some new labels -- Trucks.  Long ago, I thought the taco trucks were unique, but we now you can get a handful of different cuisines from a roll-up restaurant.

Bennett 5 Star Grill

John McAdams Drive, just off Columbia Gateway Drive

Columbia, MD

301-325-3280

NEAR:  The truck is located on John McAdams Drive just off Columbia Gateway Drive.  If you are driving onto Columbia Gateway from Rte 175, go past Aida Bistro then turn left onto John McAdams Drive. The food truck will be immediately on the right. If driving from Robert Fulton Drive, turn right onto Columbia Gateway and follow the circle around until reaching John McAdams, then turn right.

Bulgogi And Terriyaki Truck In Jessup

The city food trucks gets all the trend-hyping press, but Jessup is quickly becoming a place to sample side-of-the-road food.

The Jessup trucks don't move around, but they keep multiplying -- now with Korean bulgogi from a truck on Rte 175 a little east of the prison and the wholesale produce market.  The truck sells bulgogi, teriyakis, subs, fried rice, and burgers.  It appeared to be Korean-run, so I went bulgogi.

It's a tasty little lunch. It's not a Shin Chon Garden feast, but you get a full platter of meat, rice, salad and pickled vegetables.  The meat was nicely charred, but not spicy like you might expect from Korean food.  Definitely worth a drive if you're the type to look for something new at lunch.  The truck's sign says Jessup Deli, so I assume it is connected to the deli at Rte 175 and U.S. 1.

If you're the type to drive for a little adventure, you should definitely try the run on Rte 175.  Start with R&R Taqueria in the Shell station at U.S. 1.  Then pass the prison and watch for a weekend barbecue with a Mexican flavor at Mel's Liquor and for the A&W Pit Beef truck at Duvall's Marketplace.

Jessup Deli truck
2827 Jessup Road (Rte 175)
Jessup, MD 20784

NEAR:  The truck is on the south side of Rte 175 between the prison and the BW Parkway.  It's at the intersection with Sellner Road.

Weekend Barbecue At Mel's Liquors In Jessup

If the Lonely Planet Guide wrote about Howard County, it would send 20-year-old foreigners to eat ribs in the parking lot of Mel's Liquors in Jessup.

With the warm weather, our local street food as returned in the form of steel-drum grills set up along the side of the road.  Still during breakfast hours last Saturday, I stumbled on a crew grilling chicken, beef and pork ribs on the side of Rte 175.  The smoke was too good to pass up.

That's how I found myself devouring pork ribs in the front seat of my car at 10 in the morning.  I actually had to hit an ATM for cash, but it was worth the extra effort.  The perfect crust of char and smoked meat ran along the entire 10-inch slab of ribs.  Inside, there was more fat than you'd get at a chain restaurant.  But the meat was moist and tender, and the smokey char was something that I have never been able to get at home.  Nothing was burned.  The ribs had just smoked and crusted along the edge in the way that I absolutely love.

(Update: It's a deep grilled flavor, no sauce or sweet flavors on top of the meat -- in response to Trevor-Peter's comment below.)

It's a $10 plate.  You get meat, plus rice, beans and a mild salsa of tomatoes and sweet onions.  They're all better than you'd get at a chain Mexican restaurant.  The red beans were the best.  They're cook with skill.  Tender, but still firm and tasting of beans in a way that canned or mushy ones never pull off.  As I scooped them up, I promised myself that I'd try soaking dried beans again.

This is great street food.  This area of Jessup and Elkridge clearly serves a growing group of Latin immigrants, and they're kicking off great food like the tacos at R&R Deli or the Pupuseria Lorenita taco truck.  My pork ribs could have -- maybe should have been -- lunch for two.  You could have a great afternoon trying this joint, then working through a few other places or driving the U.S. 1 "Foodie Frontier."

Last weekend, the stand was being run by three people, and they also had plastic bags of mango slices that looked excellent.  As it was, I was eating way more food than anyone needed at 10 am.  Their truck had no name, but they said that they would be cooking on weekends from morning until about 5:30 pm.  A little Spanish helped me ask questions, but you can order in English.

Itinerant BBQ has popped up several times along U.S. 1.  Email me if you spot any or if you can recommend a joint with a regular schedule.

Barbecue at Mel's Liquors

7915 Jessup Road (Rte 175)

Jessup, MD 20794

410-799-2988 (number for liquor store)

301-906-9550 (number on barbecue sign)

NEAR:  Mel's Liquors is at the intersection of Rte 175 and Dorsey Run Road.  It's about a mile east of the prison -- between the BW Parkway and U.S. 1.

Pupuseria Lorenita's Has Rolled A Few Blocks

(Update: A comment on Feb. 18, 2009 says that the truck moved south and to the west side of U.S.1.  But in April 2009, I saw it again at 7731 Washington Boulevard.)

Pupuseria Lorenita's has moved across Rte 1 and a few blocks north to 7731 Washington Boulevard in Elkridge.

Thanks to Cash, who first mentioned the move in a comment. The truck is still parked outside a store called Paco's Paints. It still serves up tacos that rival any stationary restaurant. You have to stand next to the traffic, but don't be intimidated. The folks speak English, and you can enjoy the tacos in the privacy of your own car!

Pupuceria Y Taqueria Los Pinos in Laurel

You can't buy a better snack than a $2 taco, and any errands that take you along Rte 1 should give you a chance for Mexican.

I already loved the Pupuseria Lorenita's truck in Elkridge, which is so established that it has phone numbers, regular hours and multiple employees just north of Rte 175.  Last week, I stumbled on Pupuceria Y Taqueria Los Pinos in Laurel north of Main Street.  The beef tacos were just as delicious as Lorenita's.  The tortillas were unusually thick with the real corn flavor that I can't make for myself at home.

The Los Pinos truck sits in the parking lot of the Rollrite Tires in Laurel.  The woman working there said she is there Monday to Saturday, 8 am to about 5 to 7 pm depending on customers.  She has a small menu, including pupusas, carne asada and fried chicken.  She also has a picnic table under a tree -- a shady spot to sit that Lorenita's would do well to copy!

If you like Mexican, check out Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia, the ceviche at La Palapa Too in Laurel, and anything at El Azteca in Clarksville.

Pupuseria Y Taqueria Los Pinos

in the parking lot of Roll Rite Tires

9792 Washington Boulevard North (U.S. 1)

Laurel, MD  

NEAR:  The truck is on the west side of U.S. 1 north of Main Street.  It is right at the intersection with Whiskey Bottom Road.

Pupuseria Lorenita's: "The Taco Truck" in Elkridge

Don't be surprised to get one of the best tacos of your life -- and one of the best meals in Howard County.

The "Taco Truck" has business cards. It has phone numbers, regular hours, four employees, and clear, well-drawn menus. It also serves superb tacos -- a generous spread of grilled beef strips, two corn tortillas, cilantro & onions, radish slices and a lime wedge to squeeze.

Now, you're eating them in your car in the parking lot of Paco's Paints. If that bothers you, don't go. If you're here for good food, then drive to U.S. 1 just north of Rte 175 any day between 9 am and 4 pm. The tacos are $2, and you choose between grilled beef, ground beef, sausage and tongue. Burritos are $5. Pupusas are $2. Join the line and ask any questions. This

is a professional joint where the owner takes pride in the food and the business. People talked Mexican food in English or Spanish.

I split each serving between the two tortillas and ate them while leaning against my car. They're better than the trendy taco takeout that opened near Union Station in DC. That place made headlines -- and does have a fish taco option -- but the meat was better on U.S. 1 and the servings were twice as large.

(In late 2011, the truck has normally been on the east side of U.S. 1 north of Rte 175.  Sometimes, it is parked in the grass across from the flea market site.  That Paco's Paint was demolished as part of a big construction project.)

If you like Mexican, check out Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia, the ceviche at La Palapa Too in Laurel, and anything at El Azteca in Clarksville.

Pupuseria Lorenita's ("The Taco Truck")

at Paco's Paint

7731 Washington Blvd (U.S. 1)

Elkridge, MD 21075

301-395-0695

301-204-4076

NEAR: On the east side of U.S. 1 a few blocks north of Rte 175.