The food truck culture in Baton Rouge is just that… a group of truck owners that have banded together with a common philosophy that drives their goal to sell street food. And, the key factor is that they do so as a united front both in location and promotion. Twice a week you can find these outdoor truck-ups in Baton Rouge and they utilize technology for posting menus, connecting with followers and creating awareness.
Every Tuesday at lunch a group of trucks head downtown to The State Capitol for what has become known as the Rolling Food Court (RFC). At any given RFC you may find Curbside, Taco de Paco, Kickers BBQ and even a newcomer catering truck, Three Bones Catering.
Upon our visit, we had the pleasure of sampling two burgers from Curbside. The Brian Burger, which was topped with the most delicious sweet and savory bacon preserves and the KGB, treated with the same respect, however covered in a perfectly cooked and somewhat runny sunny-side-up egg. Both of which were joined by one of my favorite things on this earth- a pile of hand-cut, freshly fried potatoes. Taco de Paco had a variety of options, so you won’t get tired of ordering from this truck. We chose the Dat Foo– Slow Roasted Pulled Pork, Chinese Hoisin Sauce, Thai Slaw- and the Juan– Chopped Steak, Corn Relish, Sour Cream. There’s little that can go wrong when using these ingredients in combination.
At Kickers BBQ portion control is obviously not a priority; not suggesting that any flavor was sacrificed either. The grilled sausage sandwich smothered in rich BBQ sauce may have been as large as my face (which is where I stuffed it). And, when’s the last time you had a Frito Pie? Three Bones Catering offers a list of traditional Cajun menu items: Fried Catfish, Gumbo, Pulled Pork Sandwich and more… Their Boudin Balls were enough to make the trip from NOLA to Baton Rouge any day.
On Wednesday evenings, there is an even larger food truck round-up that meets at Zeeland Street Market, from 5-8 pm. More trucks have joined in and the customer base has been growing consistently. With the weather cooperating this week, they’re expecting a packed lot! John Snow, Taco de Paco co-owner stated, “It serves our trucks well, it serves the community well, and it grows the industry in a way that makes food trucks an extension of society versus just another place to get some food. This is about the social experience of trying new and good food, and being able to do it amongst peers of like minds.” You can find the following trucks usually participating: Latte e Miele, A Coffee Truck, GOyaya’s, Kickers BBQ, Taco de Paco, Curbside and All Star Catering Truck. Follow #BRWroundup on Twitter for up-to-the-minute info.
What makes these two types of round-ups so successful is the fact that the trucks treat and look at one another as teammates, not competitors. They realize that in working together, they not only increase awareness, which in turn strengthens the local food truck culture, but also maximize potential profits by drawing in larger crowds.
In my opinion, this is where it’s at! After all, wouldn’t you be more apt to visit a local spot that houses a bunch of street eat options? Tacos, burgers, BBQ, coffee + more… Variety is good and banding together to offer this is even better. Keep it up BR, we’re watching you!
http://nolafoodtrucks.com/2011/02/baton-rouge-has-its-street-food-act-together/
