Herein, a quick check of two more trucks slinging street eats on Marquette Ave. during your lunch hour. Don’t forget to consult our Street Food Directory for the lowdown on all the trucks you might be wondering about.
Emconada
You’ll often run into this stout, orange wagon on Marquette or 2nd. Though they’ve been a little cagey on Twitter in the past, that’s been improving in the last few weeks. Their specialty (if you couldn’t glean it from the confusing compound title) is cone-shaped empanadas. Though they’re not really empanadas, since only the shell is fried and then stuffed with either chicken or seafood. They’re more along the lines of El Burrito Mercado’s Walk-A-Taco, but unfortunately not as successful.
The cones were inconsistent. On one visit, they were bubbly and crispy; on the other, dense and chewy like the crust ring around a pasty. They come two to an order and on their own, they’re pleasantly (if only faintly) spiced, and worthy of your lunch dollars. Unfortunately, you can’t just get a cone. They come in combo plates ($7.50, below, top) with clumpy, bland Spanish rice or an equally lifeless salad. Also, we wish the wonderful, smoky salsa that accompanies the chicken cones would have been mixed in with the filling, rather than daubed on top or left on the side, forcing us to reapply with every bite.
What this truck really has going for it is the Completo Chileno ($5.50, above, bottom). It’s the traditional Chilean-style hot dog, topped with diced tomato, an absurdly large mound of guacamole (which we love), sauerkraut, and a smattering of chipotle mayo –– messy, tangy, and oh so satisfying. It should be a template for their next round of specials. For example, how about a torta with the emconada chicken and the Completo’s toppings? If they want to stand out from the evermore-crowded downtown lunch scene, they should continue to pursue a line of Latin-inspired sandwiches and make the cones available a la carte.
On Twitter: @EmconadaFoodTru
Greek Stop
-review by Emily Schnobrich
Greek Stop Mediterranean food truck spends lunch hours on Marquette in downtown Minneapolis. In terms of price, it’s one of the more reliably affordable options, with most wraps clocking in at about $7. Falafel, lamb, chicken, and hummus all make appearances, and the entire menu reads simple and familiar to anyone who’s ever grabbed a gyro with both hands. Add fries to a wrap for about a buck, or try a Greek salad topped with lamb or chicken.
We gave the salad a shot but found it underwhelming. Ribbons of romaine didn’t provide the crunch we usually associate with Greek salads. The olives were canned, tomatoes watery, and the tzatziki dressing tasted sweet like ranch rather than garlicky and fresh from loads of cucumbers. A generous pile of gyro meat on top added interest, but also upped the salt factor.
The truck’s falafel wrap was nice but certainly B-list material. Three fried orbs of chickpeas were crispy on the outside but doughy in the center, smashing easily under a firm grip. The same vegetables and sauce from the salad filled out the wrap. In terms of a satisfying lunch, this sandwich was flavorful, fairly clean to eat, and would do in a pinch.
On Twitter: @greekstopfoodtr
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