Food Truck Showcase #2

We were pretty excited to check out the first Food Truck Showcase and lucky for us it's been a series of them all summer-long with variations of our beloved mobiles eateries. Our second trip to the showcase at Shmaltz Brewing Company was anchored by our favorites Slidin Dirty and Eat Good Food with appearances by The Hungry Traveler and The Crisp Cannoli.

We started out with a Dirty Double of Avocado Bleu (blue cheese, arugula, avocado, crisp onions, and horseradish cream) and the Old Faithful (cheddar, tomato, pickles, arugula, tomato, ketchup, and red onions) from Slidin Dirty. Can't go wrong with these little sliders; always packed with bold flavors. 

New to the food truck scene is The Hungry Traveler. They specialize in American classics like hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches made with a fresh and exciting take like the tarragon chicken salad and gorgonzola burger with chipotle onions. I was most psyched about the Michigan chili dog and one bite took me back to my other roots in the North Country. Dare I say this Capital Region version could very well rival Plattsburgh's. J couldn't stop raving about his cheesesteak and how flavorful and well-seasoned the meat was. His only wish was to swap out the American cheese for provolone or cheese whiz. 

Even though we often indulge in too much, leave it to Eat Good Food to give us a fresh, healthy, and tasty side of greens to go with our buffalo chicken and angus beef tacos. Loved the sweet, summery bite of peaches in our salad! 

As stuffed as we were, we couldn't leave without dessert! We're no strangers to The Crisp Cannoli since discovering the crodos at the storefront and were excited to encounter the food truck. Sadly the croissant doughnuts were sold out by the time we hit it up and settled for an eclair. Put chocolate anything in front of J and he's a happy camper. 

We were treated to one very last bite from Eat Good Food with a sample of their brownie ice cream sandwich. I don't even like walnuts but I'd happily eat more if it was jammed packed in this brownie. It's a chewy brownie with plenty of chocolate flavor and the perfect vehicle for everyone's favorite summer treat. 

Lucky for us, we've got at least two more "Hump Day Happy Hour" Food Truck Showcase dates to look forward to including one this week! Stop by Shmaltz Brewing Company for a few bites and flight of brews on Wednesday, August 20 and Wednesday, August 27 from 5pm to 8pm and share with us your favorites!

Hump Day Happy Hour!

The food truck scene in the Capital Region has grown quite a bit within the past few years with a loyal fan base. I remember when Slidin' Dirty was just starting on the scene. Now their avocado fries have taken them all the way to Live with Kelly and Michael and lines have gotten longer, making the wait even sweeter. Not too long ago, we had missed the Food Truck Showcase at the Saratoga Eagle's Club and were pretty bummed out.  Lo and behold the kickoff of the Food Truck Showcase of Upstate New York's Hump Day Happy Hour at Shmaltz Brewing Company last Wednesday. It was the first warm and beautiful day of the summer, perfect for enjoying a few cold brews alongside our favorite food trucks.  

Naturally, our first stop was for beer. We were at Shmaltz Brewing Co. after all. $10 will get you a flight of 5 beers plus a souvernir tasting glass, even when the food trucks aren't around. Armed with a cold one, we were ready to hit the food trucks. J's been waiting to hit Slidin' Dirty since last summer. Sadly avocado fries weren't on the menu but we gladly substituted for jalapeno beef cheddar egg rolls. It's a fun twist on a favorite appetizer and tastes even better with chipotle cream dipping sauce. The beer, in this case a hoppy rye lager (David's Slingshot), paired great with the salty, crispy, and greasy eggrolls. We also shared a duo of sliders: The Dirty Soprano (beef slider with fresh mozzarella, pesto, balsamic glaze, and fried tomato) and The Avocado Bleu (opting for a fried tomato veggie substitute with blue cheese, arugula, crispy onions, and horseradish cream). As always, these are little bites packed with flavor. It might seem like a lot of ingredients for a little bun but it all comes together so well.

What's For Lunch?

Working in Downtown Albany is dangerous--dangerously delicious! I'm surrounded by too many options for lunch, not that it's a problem. I'm terrible at eating the leftovers that I bring for lunch and more than often opt to eat out, especially when it's beautiful outside so I can walk to lunch and walk off those calories from lunch. I'm mostly broke because I don't like to sit at my desk and I'd rather spend my precious lunch hour with a slider than staring at my computer screen. Plus office gossip time and wedding planning with my friend and colleague is worth that $10 expense. 

My lunch criteria are quick, tasty bites in the $10 range. Here are a few (ok, more than a few) of my favorite Downtown Albany lunch spots: