Bell, Beer, Brisket, and Plenty Salt Beef

He stole back the rye?

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Rye”)

My last treat in Kerb was a Salt Beef bagel. Yes the salt curing preserving meat method popularized in Keighley Yorkshire. The vendor is no other than The Bell & Brisket. Bel Shapiro left her job and got into the street food circuit to offer a London interpretation of the traditional Salt Beef and a perfect beer to go with.

The food truck

They offer a handful of options of fillings on bagel or rye. I went for the Lord Rupert, pickled cabbage, and melted cheddar on a bagel. Really nice flavours, good crunchiness from the pickles, and it’s kind of cool to see how they melt the cheese with a blowtorch.

Bagel time

The Bell & Brisket

T: 078 8761 1268

Street Food / Salt Beef

Approx Damage: £8pp

Various Locations

London

Twitter: brisketbel

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Burger Wars Episode LXXVIII: The Bleecker Padawan [BurgeReview]

You know Ron's Records down on Bleecker? They pay big cash for used records!

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Old Man”)

Another burger I tried during my last visit to Kerb was Bleecker St Burger. New York style burgers, toasted buns, and even with a secret sauce, all this brought to you by an ex lawyer that while practising law in New York realised that burgers was the dream! So  moved to London opened a burger truck, and objection overruled.

The food truck

The blue burger cannot be more simple, blue cheese, lettuce, and sauce.

Blue Burger Time

The verdict, great flavour, cooked just a bit under medium so not too juicy. The melted blue cheese was amazing definitely the star of the show, and the sauce was great

The damage, 6 quid for the burger

The conclusion, really nice burger, top flavours, ppresentation a bit sloppy but who cares when the taste is spot on. I will give the Bleecker crew a solid 8. As most of the street food traders, the best way to track them down is by twitter or in their website

Bleecker St Burger

T: 077 1254 0501
Burger Joint / Food truck

Approx damage: £10pp

Various Locations
London

Twitter: bleeckerburger

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Burger Wars Episode LXX: The Byron Van [BurgeReview]

Keep the van, and get a bumper sticker that
says, If this vans a rocking, don't come a knocking 

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “Junk Mail”) 

It has been 70 posts and more than three years since I visited Byron and decided to look for a decent burger in London. My new stop took me to the Wholey Cow event. Byron has incorporated to their offer a van to cover for events, festivals, and private hires. A bit more than a month ago they did a special event where they worked with the entire cow to create the perfect patties and an outstanding chilly. 

The van

The queue

The event was in Camden Town Brewery, great beers, the black Byron Van, Dr hamburger Fred Smith in charge of the grill, and as expected huge queues to get this amazing burgers. 

The menu

They got a couple burgers in the menu but by the time I got to the van just the wholey cow was left, I added some mac n' cheese hash browns and some fries. 

Wholey Cow

The verdict, the burger was beautiful, perfectly cooked medium rare, a smokiness flavour on the patty, and a great balance with all the components 

The damage, 10.50 quid for the burger and fries 

The conclusion, just an amazing burger and great event, the fries were perfect, sorry to say this Byron but chips were even better than in the restaurants, the hash brown to die for. My relation with Byron goes from one extreme to the other, I love them or hate them, this time it must be love! I’m feeling, this must be love! 9 for the Byron van and Fred Smith Wholey Cow, more events like this is what we need in London.

Burger time

Hash Browns

I recommend to look for events with the van as reminds me the good days of the MeatWagon, also there is a new special in Byron Le Smokey until end of October.

Byron Van

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £12pp

Twitter: byronvan_

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Bun Mobile [On The Road: Brisbane]

During my stay in Brisvegas I read about this van that serves steamed buns during lunch and changed their location every day. So to find The Bun Mobile you need to follow them on Facebook, twitter, or at the Where the Truck At website that locates different food trucks across Australia. 

The Bun Mobile

The kitchen is under directions of chef Harold Fleming. The vision gourmet style affordable street food made with local ingredients. The buns are Momofuku style, and you know how much I love David Chang’s restaurants in NYC. The menu is simple only three different steamed buns, a twice-cooked pork, a char grilled teriyaki chicken, and slow cooked Wagyu beef. Also there is a daily special to give a bit of a twist. 

The Menu

The Bun

I found the van in the water front park of Fortitude Valley. Got the special lamb with Haloumi and the Wagyu beef. Both were superb great flavour, street food at its best. The Wagyu one was exceptional, tender, perfectly cooked, shitake mushroom, butter lettuce, red dragon sauce, perfection. The special, nice as well, the grilled haloumi, slow cooked lamb, an olive tapenade that was to die for, and a touch of rosemary infused jus.

Lamb Special

Wagyu Bun

Highly recommended, I love them so much I was tempted to try the other two.

The van reminds me the Seinfeld episode ”The Junk Mail” 

Jerry: I don't want a van

Elaine: Well, just tell him you want the SAAB

Jerry: You don't understand. This is Fragile Frankie Merman. When we were in
camp, if you upset him, he'd run out to the woods, dig a hole, and sit in it

Elaine: Well, I have an idea. Keep the van, and get a bumper sticker that
says, if this vans a-rocking, don't come a-knocking

Jerry: Always helpful

The Bun Mobile

T: +61 4 0142 0922

Street Food / Steamed Buns

Approx Damage: AU$10pp

Brisbane

Twitter: TheBunMobile

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A Burger Truck with Attitude [On The Road/BurgeReview: Melbourne]

For my London friends let me tell you that I found the equivalent of the Meatwagon here in Melbourne, no other than Beatbox Kitchen. A colourful food truck, Austin style, flashing, original, and ready to rock, that’s what I call a food truck. The owner Raph Rashid passion about buns and patties, got to the point to start experimenting in order to find the right formula, a couple trips to the US for research helped developing his beat.

The truck

Not a fixed location so you will need to check his facebook or twitter accounts to find the truck whereabouts, in my case I found him in Brunswick East, a short tram ride, and not so big queue was waiting for me. I ordered the Raph burger, grass fed beef, lettuce, cheese, tomato, onion, and stereo sauce, as a side shoestring fries with the same special sauce.

Menu

Raph and fries

Who would have thought that I would end eating a burger in a junction between the street and a car park in Brunswick East. The burger was nice, excellent flavour, sauce is really good, melted cheese nice, all things checked. Fries were perfect, crisp outside, soft inside, and the stereo sauce add a great flavour.

Burger time

The buzz here might be similar to the one we experimented with the Meatwagon back home, and with merits as the burger is excellent and has all the points, however, to be honest I would struggle to be a regular, the place is far from I'm staying, so getting to the place is kind of a hassle, at least it was for me, but if you’re a local that lives in the area, it’s perfect, I really feel envy, as you will have the chance to enjoy a great burger on a regular basis.

Ready to roll

Stereo reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Package”

Jerry: What happened to my stereo ? It's all smashed up

Kramer: That's right. Now it looks like it was broken during shipping and I insured it for $400 dollars

Jerry: But you were supposed to get me a refund

Kramer: You can't get a refund . Your warranty expired two years ago

Jerry: So were going to make the Post Office pay for my new stereo?

Kramer: It's just a write off for them

Jerry: How is it a write off?

Kramer: They just write it off

Jerry: Write it off what?

Kramer: Jerry all these big companies they write off everything

Jerry: You don't even know what a write off is

Kramer: Do you?

Jerry: No, I don't

Kramer: But they do and they are the ones writing it off

Jerry: I wish I just had the last twenty seconds of my life back

Beatbox Kitchen

T: +61 3 8060 6664

Burgers / Street Food

Approx Damage: AU$ 19pp

Area: Brunswick / Carlton

Melbourne

Twitter: beatboxkitchen

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Street Food War in Austin

I went to Austin for a couple weekends to see the night out of 6th street, try as they say keep Austin weird and my biggest surprise was the huge movement of street food, vans, wagons, cars, stalls, trailers, just name it they have it. The trick here is that these chef took it to the next level, really tasty sophisticated offers, at a low price all around you that will temp you to eat your way across town trailer to trailer as Anthony Bourdain said in his show “No Reservation”. 

Austin

Somewhere in South Congress

The Phantom Menace: Odd Duck 

This place took my heart as soon as I saw their menu, pork belly slider, YES! The place is open from Tuesday to Saturday for dinner only from 5:30pm to 10:00pm. Chef Bryce Gilmore is in charge to take you on a mystic food journey, to show case local ingredients and take the Farm to Market concept to his home town. 

Odd Duck 

The Trailer 

Mexican Coke 

I went for the pork belly slider with onions, peppers, and paprika aioli which was superb, brilliant, perfectly balance with the universe. As a second I got the goat cheese grits with duck egg and mushrooms, oh my god! It was awesome, I want more of this I could have been eating all night it was perfect, sadly I had to move on as there are so many food trailers that Odd Duck Farm To Trailer couldn’t be the only one hope Obi Wan. 

Pork Belly 

Goat Cheese 

Goat Cheese

The Odd Duck Farm to Trailer
T: +1 512 565 4149
Street Food
Neighbourhood: Bouldin Creek
Austin
Twitter: oddduckfrm2trlr

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The Attack of the Clones: Gordough’s 

My second called was a couple steps beside Odd Duck, I decided to try the Gordough’s big, fat, donuts. This is the true sweet and sour, you can get the sweetest donut and add let’s say grilled bananas with cream cheese, or how about bacon and maple syrup, or habanero peppers jelly with cream cheese. 

Big, Fat, Menu

Donutmobile

Yes odd combinations full of flavour and the names are to die for, the Mother Cluncker, how about Porkey’s or the Flying Pig, or even Naughty & Nice, well I went for the Mother Cluncker fried chicken strips with honey butter, yes! Awesome! Nice flavour I’m not a sweet tooth kind of guy but just love it. 

Mother Cluncker

Gordough's
T: +1 512 607 6568
Street Food
Neighbourhood: Bouldin Creek
Austin
Twitter: gourdough

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The Revenge of the Sith: East Side King 

My third and last stop was East Side King three places, three menus, three awesome offers, and two chefs Paul Qui and Moto Utsanomiya. I went for the one in the Liberty, a pub in the east side of town where the beer garden is actually a Food Trailer Garden, it’s like crossing to another dimension, reminded me a little the beer gardens in Berlin, but not pretzels, in this time you will have awesome buns. 

The East Side Trailer 

Liberty

I went for beef tongue and guess what yeah I’m predictable pork belly again. The roasted belly one with hoisin sauce, cucumber, kimchee and green onion. The roasted tongue one with home made peanut butter curry, basil, cilantro, mint, onion, and jalapeno. Both in a steamed buns, it was excellent, amazing flavours, these Asian/Japanese fusion and spices will make you want more. My favourite definitely the beef tongue, as they say it’s so good, make your eye roll back. 

Steamed Buns

Beef Tongue

East Side King
T: +1 512 422 5884
Street Food
Neighbourhood: East Austin
Austin
Twitter: EastSideKingATX

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Here you go only three of I not sure how many food trucks but probably thousands, and next time Tony yes I will also eat my way across town and end in a corner with my mouth full of kimchi and mustard stained fingers, hopefully you will able to tell me what the hell happened. 

Hope not in this corner

Street food reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Cigar Store Indian” where the gang every time they pass through Queensboro Plaza station they want to get out the train buy a gyro and get in just in time to continue their journey.

Jerry: What's the matter? 

Elaine: What do you think is the matter? I've been assigned to work on Kramer's coffee table book. 

Jerry: It is a good idea, Elaine. 

Tannoy: Next stop, Queensboro Plaza. 

Jerry: You want a gyro? 

Elaine: I don't think so.

Burger Wars Episode XXXIV: Lucky Wagon

Tell me about the buzz with street food here in London, so many bloggers posting about these places, twitting to share the exact location, and creating a huge snowball effect. Pop up restaurants, food trucks, underground places, and more. One of the new additions to this movement is Lucky Chip. I first read about it in Kang’s blog. A new contender in the street food fight for the heart of the Londoners.

Lucky Chip

The current location is the Netil Market near London Fields, the menu burgers, fries, and hot dogs. The variety 6 different burgers, 4 dogs, 5 fries, and 1 option of onion rings. No big queues like other vans, quality and tasty, prompt and excellent service.

Netil Market

Menu

It took me a while to decide, at the end I went for the El Chappo burger as it reminds me a very good old friend, Wasabi mayo and Ginger sweet chilli fries, and a Lucky Dog because they ran out of Chili Dogs.

Lucky Dog 

Wasabi & Ginger Sweet Chili Fries 

El Chappo

The El Chappo comes with smoked bacon, blue cheese, roasted jalapenos, garlic aioli, and crest. The Lucky dog fried bacon wrapped hotdog with pickles.

Chappo, Chappo, Chappo, Chappo, and more Chappo

The verdict, Amazing, I just love the place, the flavour was excellent, the bacon, blue cheese, jalapenos combination is a win win. It was so tasty and good I didn’t care the burger was medium instead of medium rare. The Lucky dog was good, not as good as the burger, it was a shame they ran out of chilli dogs I was looking forward to trying those ones. The fries were good, the wasabi mayo superb, the ginger sweet not my cup of tea but the combination and the fries were superior to other street food places.

The damage, 16 quids for the hotdog, the burger, the fries, and a coke.

The conclusion, Brilliant, I sincerely think is better than the meatwagon, and no queue!!! I just love it. I will give them a 7.5 in my scale and definitely a solid 10 for street food.

Go and judge by yourself, 3 months operating in North London, open Wednesdays to Sundays 12:30 ‘till late.

This contender situation reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Apartment”

Janice: I've never been able to be with just one person. I can, however, carry on strictly physical relationships which can last for years and years. It's a shame you're married...

George: I'm not. It's just a sociological experiment!

Janice: Please…

Jerry: You have no idea what an idiot. Elaine just gave me a chance to get out and I didn't take it. This is an idiot.

George: Is that right? I just threw away a lifetime of guilt-free sex and floor seats for ever sporting event in Madison Square Garden. So please, a little respect. For I am Costanza. Lord of the Idiots!

Roxanne: You're all winners!

George: But suddenly, a new contender has emerged.


Lucky Chip
T: 077 9581 6355
Food Truck Burgers
Borough: Hackney
Area: London Fields
Twitter: Lucky_Chip

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