Just bought a new food truck...

[The Rugged Dude]

This is something I've been threatening to do for a few years now, so I took the plunge. I bought a brand new 18 foot trailer, a fully equipped kitchen. It has 2 fryers, a full sized flat top, a 4 burner range, two ovens (all Garland), a microwave, two stand up fridges, a bar fridge and a stand up freezer. It's all fire safety and "code approved" so I'll be slingin' food in a few weeks.

Since it's a "tow behind" I can put it anywhere, but I have a very good semi-permanent spot secured in a busy part of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

I'd love any ideas for food items... so far, I have: fish & chips (haddock rules this region), bacon wrapped scallops (skewer), salmon cakes, shrimp stir fry, shrimp & chips, fish tacos with fresh salsa and 1/2 pound, kick-butt bacon / cheeseburgers. Everything is home-made.

I'm trying to keep the menu simple, but with a fully equipped set-up, it'll be hard to not try new things.

Any ideas?????????????????

I'll put pictures up when we get the new paint, signs and logo / branding on it in a couple weeks. Going to pick it up on Saturday.

It's called, The Best Little Oar House in Nova Scotia! (Cool name I thought!)

RD

 

[CraigC]

This is something I've been threatening to do for a few years now, so I took the plunge. I bought a brand new 18 foot trailer, a fully equipped kitchen. It has 2 fryers, a full sized flat top, a 4 burner range, two ovens (all Garland), a microwave, two stand up fridges, a bar fridge and a stand up freezer. It's all fire safety and "code approved" so I'll be slingin' food in a few weeks.

Since it's a "tow behind" I can put it anywhere, but I have a very good semi-permanent spot secured in a busy part of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

I'd love any ideas for food items... so far, I have: fish & chips (haddock rules this region), bacon wrapped scallops (skewer), salmon cakes, shrimp stir fry, shrimp & chips, fish tacos with fresh salsa and 1/2 pound, kick-butt bacon / cheeseburgers. Everything is home-made.

I'm trying to keep the menu simple, but with a fully equipped set-up, it'll be hard to not try new things.

Any ideas?????????????????

I'll put pictures up when we get the new paint, signs and logo / branding on it in a couple weeks. Going to pick it up on Saturday.

It's called, The Best Little Oar House in Nova Scotia! (Cool name I thought!)

RD

Congrats!
Um, wouldn't you want to figure that all out based on the demographics of that area and what other trucks/carts are hocking before the "horse"? I would suggest sticking to a particular cuisine instead of a hodgepodge menu. You already mentioned quite a few seafood dishes. Here is a lobster recipe we love. Although it is based on Caribbean lobster, I'm sure Maine lobster would work. Instead of stuffing the tail shells, add more binder to make a patty, cook on the flat top and serve on a bun.

Lobster Diablo

With this recipe you can adjust the ingredients to your taste. Although I'm going to give amounts, I really just "eyeball" it. Feel free to adjust away to make it your own. This recipe was originally developed using Florida/Caribbean spiny lobster tails, but I'm sure Maine lobster tails would work fine.

4 Previously frozen lobster tails, meat removed and shells saved and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 Medium sweet onion, 1/4" dice
1-1/2 cups bell peppers, 1/4" dice. I prefer to use a combo of red, yellow and orange. but you can use all of one or whatever combo you want. No green please.
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp Colemans dry mustard
1/2 tsp Cayenne (this is a minimum, adjust to your liking)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 cup freshly grated parmesan
Splash of dry white wine, vermouth or dry sherry
salt and pepper to taste

To remove meat from shells, use a pair of cooking shears to cut the membrane on the underside of the tail, along the swimmerette line, on both sides. Do this from open end to the tail fin, then cut the membrane off at the tail fin. From the open end you should be able to slip a finger between the meat and shell to pop the meat out. Set the shells aside as you will be stuffing the diablo mixture into them.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt 4 Tbsp butter in skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and saute until softened. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Salt and pepper to taste. Add lobster meat, mustard and cayenne. Saute until lobster meat is opaque. Add bread crumbs and mix into lobster mixture. Add wine. The mixture should be moist, without excess liquid in the pan. If too dry add more wine. If too moist add more bread crumbs. Remove from heat. Using a spoon, stuff mixture into reserved shells and bake on a cookie sheet until golden brown on top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Place back in oven until cheese melts. Serve immediately and enjoy.

 

[Rocklobster]

Congrats on your new truck.
I would go through your menu items and actually calculate how much prep time each one requires to have ready, and cook. Sometimes things become labor intensive and aren't worth the time to sell. You are there to make money, after all, and once you get going, you will have lots to do.

You'll probably want some kids items.

There are usually guys around who will take your old oil. I'd find one.

As far as menu items, I'd do something that is easily edited for now. You will see what sells as you go. What you may think will sell, may not. You may want to drop the non movers, because they end up becoming a problem. Old, stale, freezer burnt, etc..

If you ever have any questions, feel free to pm me. I've been at this for three decades.
https://www.facebook.com/LakeviewDeliMeatery/

 

[Aunt Bea]

During the summer try a shrimp, tuna or seafood salad, a single scoop in an edible ice cream cone with a couple of paper napkins and your customers are good to go!

Seasonal fruit salad.

Hand cut onion rings, same batter/breading as the fish.

Shrimp/seafood fried rice, to use up some of the leftovers.

Egg roll, same as above use up the odds and ends.

A regular and or seafood based soup, stew or chili to use up the odds and ends.

Hot or cold shrimp on a skewer with dipping sauce.

If your market can stand the cost a traditional lobster roll would be great.

Hot dog, hot sausage or kielbasa sandwich.

Tuna melt.

I see bacon on your original post so you could offer a grilled BLT or maybe a grilled seafood club sandwich.

Salt potatoes, corn on the cob, steamed clams with melted butter.

For the salt potatoes take 4 pounds of golf ball sized potatoes, add 1 pound of salt and water to cover, boil until the potatoes are tender, drain and serve with melted butter. When the potatoes are taken out of the water they should have enough salt on them to create a coating the minute they hit the air.

I would look at this as sort of a puzzle, try to work with a small number of ingredients that can be transformed into many different menu options. If an ingredient can't appear in several menu options stick it in the "parking lot" and come back to it. Try to eliminate waste, don't toss the profits in the garbage pail!

Good luck!

 

[Andy M.]

Congratulations and good luck. How about a chowder on the menu.

 

[RPCookin]

This is something I've been threatening to do for a few years now, so I took the plunge. I bought a brand new 18 foot trailer, a fully equipped kitchen. It has 2 fryers, a full sized flat top, a 4 burner range, two ovens (all Garland), a microwave, two stand up fridges, a bar fridge and a stand up freezer. It's all fire safety and "code approved" so I'll be slingin' food in a few weeks.

Since it's a "tow behind" I can put it anywhere, but I have a very good semi-permanent spot secured in a busy part of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

I'd love any ideas for food items... so far, I have: fish & chips (haddock rules this region), bacon wrapped scallops (skewer), salmon cakes, shrimp stir fry, shrimp & chips, fish tacos with fresh salsa and 1/2 pound, kick-butt bacon / cheeseburgers. Everything is home-made.

I'm trying to keep the menu simple, but with a fully equipped set-up, it'll be hard to not try new things.

Any ideas?????????????????

I'll put pictures up when we get the new paint, signs and logo / branding on it in a couple weeks. Going to pick it up on Saturday.

It's called, The Best Little Oar House in Nova Scotia! (Cool name I thought!)

RD

One of the biggest sellers from the food truck that stopped at the shop I worked in was a patty melt. Essentially a burger, grilled onions and melted Swiss cheese, served on rye toast with thousand island dressing. A favorite of mine, too.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Does a food truck have a generator and propane gas for cooking?
Do you plug your truck into a receptacle or do you use on board generated power?
Are you self supporting I guess is my question.

Also do you have to rent space or can you park at will?

 

[jennyema]

I hope you spoke to your lawyer and insurance agent!

 

[roadfix]

Congratulations! Wishing you lotsa success in your new venture.
You can also put that pizza oven in your truck and call it 900 Degrees (F) or something like that....lol...

A good majority of food trucks in L.A. are taco trucks and you'll find them everywhere here. And the best authentic tacos usually come from these trucks. Boutique food trucks do well here as well. I like the grilled cheese truck.

 

[jd_1138]

Congrats on the food truck. Sounds exciting. Your menu sounds yummy. And it's smart to have a cheeseburger on there for the non fish eaters.

I'd suggest fresh cut fries/chips and not frozen. Not that you said you were going to do frozen. The food trucks around here, some of them have fresh cut fries and they are awesome. They have these french fry cutters that make it fast. Probably cheaper than buying even wholesale frozen fries/chips.

 

[Addie]

I hope you spoke to your lawyer and insurance agent!

Jennyema on the job. Excellent advice from an expert.

 

[kleenex]

Poutine right...

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Vroom vroom. Congratulations.

I know you are tech savvy, having read parts of your website several times. -- I'll say it anyway. Make a Facebook website w/ lots of pics and directions to where you are located daily, if the place changes.

For sweets-- some cookies, like snicker doodles, ( how could Whiska go without mentioning these) or peanut butter cookies w/ or w/o chocolate chips.

For the fall , when it gets cooler, Hot chocolate

For now, a good ice tea or Arnold Palmers.

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Congratulations and good luck. How about a chowder on the menu.

Hi Andy,

We've talked about a chowder (wife and I) but I have a feeling that it might not sell so well in the summer. Also, I'm trying to not be too brave and make the menu even bigger... But, knowing me, I'll give it shot anyway! Potato, celery, onions, cream, haddock, shrimp, scallops... I think I'll omit the lobster.

Did I miss anything????????????????

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Congrats on your new truck.
I would go through your menu items and actually calculate how much prep time each one requires to have ready, and cook. Sometimes things become labor intensive and aren't worth the time to sell. You are there to make money, after all, and once you get going, you will have lots to do.

You'll probably want some kids items.

There are usually guys around who will take your old oil. I'd find one.

As far as menu items, I'd do something that is easily edited for now. You will see what sells as you go. What you may think will sell, may not. You may want to drop the non movers, because they end up becoming a problem. Old, stale, freezer burnt, etc..

If you ever have any questions, feel free to pm me. I've been at this for three decades.
https://www.facebook.com/LakeviewDeliMeatery/

Hey, thanks! 3 decades? I just might take you up on your offer... I've already cooked everything through and I think what I have is pretty easy to handle.

But, as you say, only time will tell which items will work and which will sell.

Thx again!

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Does a food truck have a generator and propane gas for cooking?
Do you plug your truck into a receptacle or do you use on board generated power?
Are you self supporting I guess is my question.

Also do you have to rent space or can you park at will?

I was lucky to score a primo location in a parking lot across from the local mall. The unit has propane for the cooking and electrical hook up (I can hook into the business's power source and pay them through my rent). The unit is 100% self sufficient otherwise. Water tanks... hot and cold running water, etc.

Thx!

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

I hope you spoke to your lawyer and insurance agent!

Lawyer, no, insurance dude yes... God prices too!

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Congrats on the food truck. Sounds exciting. Your menu sounds yummy. And it's smart to have a cheeseburger on there for the non fish eaters.

I'd suggest fresh cut fries/chips and not frozen. Not that you said you were going to do frozen. The food trucks around here, some of them have fresh cut fries and they are awesome. They have these french fry cutters that make it fast. Probably cheaper than buying even wholesale frozen fries/chips.

You are 100% correct on the fries... fresh, hand chopped... blanched at 260 F for a few minutes, then blasted at 375 F for service. Killer fries are hard to find. Frozen... that's not even real food...

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Poutine right...

YUK!!! I say no to Mr. or Mrs Poutine!!

RD

 

[The Rugged Dude]

Vroom vroom. Congratulations.

I know you are tech savvy, having read parts of your website several times. -- I'll say it anyway. Make a Facebook website w/ lots of pics and directions to where you are located daily, if the place changes.

For sweets-- some cookies, like snicker doodles, ( how could Whiska go without mentioning these) or peanut butter cookies w/ or w/o chocolate chips.

For the fall , when it gets cooler, Hot chocolate

For now, a good ice tea or Arnold Palmers.

I am an awesome techie dude now... I have the Google, which is handy. The guys who manage my website are going to set up some kind of Facepage and something on the Tweeter for me. Might use the same as my current ones...

I`m going to make and sell lemonade and iced tea... `Sweet tea` for all of you from below the 49th...

I thought about some type desserts, but I`m not sure if they`d sell. I`ll give it a whirl...

RD