Tag: locally sourced

  • Mei Mei Street Kitchen: Food Truck Tracking

    As these rolling restaurants expand their reach and numbers throughout the Boston area, we’re Food Truck Tracking– here's a profile of one of the newest additions to the food truck scene. -The BostonZest Team!

    Name: Mei Mei Street Kitchen

    Do you want to be the first kid on the block to try a new food truck? We do, so we were on hand for their first lunch service! Tell us what you think when you try the food from this team.

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    Truck Description: Bright White Truck with Yellow and Blue Graphics

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    Founding Team: Mei, Andy & Irene Li. (click on a photo for a larger version)

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    What’s on the Menu: They call it, "…Creative Chinese-American cuisine made from locally sourced, sustainable ingredients."

    Drinks: Bottled water or Crimson Berry Iced Tea

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    Known for/must try/signature dish: It's early days, but we're betting they will have a problem taking the Beef and Cheese Dumplings w/soy-vinegar sauce off the menu. We returned for seconds.

    They say: "We pride ourselves on serving humanely raised meat and some of the most creatively delicious street food out there. Handmade braised beef dumplings with red wine and cheese, yes please! Mac & cheese with Chinese spiced pork, enough said. Steamed pork belly bun with crispy crackling, seasonal pickles, sesame chili aioli and local apple hoisin sauce? Yup, we’ll treat you right. "

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    Nice Touch: They'll try to have something vegetarian on the menu every day. We noticed their careful attention to the needs of those with restricted diets. The counter has liquid sweetener to mix into your iced tea. And, there's a big bottle of Sriracha for those who want a bit more heat.

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    Philosophy/Mission: "Grow well, eat well, be well: It’s what we want for ourselves, our family, our business, and our guests." Here's what they are doing to back up these words.

    History: They tell us, "We’ve taken food we have eaten and loved as children in the past, added modern elements and experiences of the present, and also incorporated practices that fit with our vision of how to do business for a sustainable future.  With Andy’s many years in fine dining management, Mei’s experience as a successful entrepreneur and MBA, Irene’s time living on a farm and working as a line chef and our combined love of good times and great eats, we have crafted a deeply personal venture that we hope you’ll enjoy as much as we do."

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    Here's Steve Leibowitz ready to order another round. 

    Regulars say: We ran into Steve Leibowitz from www.hubfoodtrucks.com who works at Northeastern and was all smiles after his first Mei Mei meal. "I think it's fantastic!" he said. "I had the Beef & Cheese Dumplings and they were great." A friend of his, who had the same thing, offered the perfect description, "It’s like prime rib in a dumpling!”

    And, a customer named Lisa went up to the truck and ordered, "One of Everything!"

    Did you know? "Mei Mei" is Chinese for "little sister" and the founders are Andy and his Mei Meis.

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    They were treating customers to some wonderful French green tea macarons.

    Order and Pick up routine: Step up near the back of the truck, next to the menu board, to order and pay. Pick up is on the other side of the window near the front door. They'll call your name when your food is ready. 

    Payment: Cash, Major Credit Cards, and LevelUp

    Website: www.meimeiboston.com

    Twitter: @meimeifoodtruck

    Facebook: Meimeisk 

    Pinterest: Mei Mei Street Kitchen

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    Since the city food truck schedule is not up-to-date, right now, here's where to find Mei Mei!

    For more of our Food Truck/Street Food coverage: click here. Or, anytime you visit BostonZest, you can click on the Food Truck/Street Food tab at the top of the page.

    Link: Boston Food Truck Location Map 

    What's on your environmentally responsible shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     


    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

  • The Cupcakory – Food Truck Tracking

    Visiting The Cupcakory is like sitting down at a friend's kitchen table, if your friend happens to be a fabulous baker. Making desserts with well-balanced flavors (sweet, but not too sweet) is an art that this baker has mastered. Here's a profile of one of the area's original food trucks.

    What's your favorite cupcake flavor? 

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    This one is Nutella– chocolate cake with Nutella buttercream

    Name: The Cupcakory, a mobile cupcake truck.

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    Truck Description: Her name is Tillie, short for Utilimaster. She was a catering truck that was put out to pasture until Diane and Mick rescued her and got her back in the food business. She's a simple, unassuming girl with a white paint job and gentle green lettering. 

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    Don't you love a cupcake baked by the person who hands it to you?  

    Chef & Team: Founder and head baker Diane turned a recession job loss into an opportunity to follow her heart and passion as a baker. Now, she puts smiles on a lot of faces. Her husband Mick is, "assistant baker, dishwasher, driver, mechanic, handy man, you name it, he does it." 

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    What’s on the Menu: Cupcakes are $3 each or $16.50 for half a dozen– a great excuse to gather some pals and head for the truck. "We try to have 5 to 6 rotating flavors each day, we also include a seasonal flavor and will test something new every so often, so please check Twitter or Facebook for the day’s menu."

    Drinks: BYOM, Bring your own milk, or coffee, or tea… Just cupcakes onboard, unless it's hot, and then Diane will bring some bottled spring water to keep her customers cool.

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    Known for/must try/signature dish: Salted Caramel, "chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream on top."

    They say: "We love cupcakes and are passionate about what goes into them, so we’ve taken extra care in testing and picking out the best ingredients. For us, quality and taste comes first."

    Nice Touch: Diane says they offer, "both vegan and gluten-free options upon request for pick-up on the truck, please request at least 48 hours in advance." 

    Philosophy/Mission: "Most of our ingredients are locally sourced and organic where possible. When fruit and berries come into season we will opt for local and organic, but if organic is not available we will use local for the quality of flavor and for our continued commitment to supporting local farms and sustainability practices."

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    We love this little showcase window where you can see exactly what cupcakes haven't been gobbled up by the Cupcakory regulars. 

    Regulars say: Brandon Rigolini called them, "Best cupcakes in Boston." 

    Talking about a Guinness Chocolate cake topped with Madagascar vanilla buttercream, Erika Bee said, "That one was my breakfast this morning …"

    Asking Diane to hold a cupcake on facebook, Raquel L. Auriemma said, "I need a salted caramel, but can't be there until about 1:30."

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    Order and Pick up routine: There is one window with Diane's smiling face ready to put something wonderful in your hand.

    Payment: Cash or credit cards

    Website: www.cupcakory.com

    Twitter: @cupcakory

    Facebook: Cupcakory

    Check The Cupcakory site for this week's schedule.

    The Cupcakory's new schedule beginnng April 1, 2012 

    • Tuesday, Financial District at Milk & Kilby Streets (11:30 am – 3:00 pm)
    • Wednesday, Back Bay at Stuart Street (11:30 am – 3:00 pm); Clarendon St. (3:15 pm – 7ish)
    • Thursday, Financial District at Milk & Kilby Streets (3:00 pm – 7:00 pm)
    • Friday, Copley at Clarendon Street (11:30 am – 3:00 pm); Financial District at Milk & Kilby Streets (3:15 pm – 7:00 pm)
    • Sunday, SoWa Market in the food truck lot

    For more of our Food Truck/Street Food coverage: click here. Or, anytime you visit BostonZest, you can click on the Food Truck/Street Food tab at the top of the page.

    Link: Boston Food Truck Location Map 

    What's on your party shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     


    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.