NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

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First Take: Flirting with Fire Food Truck for Wood-Fired Pizza!

Front of Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining

You know what’s fun about food trucks? To paraphrase Forrest Gump, “you never know what you’re gonna get!” And that’s certainly the case with all the new food trucks popping up around the Triangle! Fast forward to a holiday celebration and collaboration between Nickelpoint and Falls of Neuse Brewery. They’ve got the block closed down and people are milling about in the NC heat, quaffing beers and trying to keep their kids out of trouble. I round the corner and immediately notice a very cool looking food truck. Upon closer inspection, it’s actually a food trailer towing what looks like a large pizza oven!

Beautiful oven at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Beautiful oven at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining

It’s a brand new trailer, clean and neat looking with a lot of brushed steel along with that beautiful, orange tiled oven in back. Now I’ve already eaten lunch before showing up to this event but of course I can’t resist! The sign says wood-fired pizza and I have zero self-control or discipline when it comes to good pizza so in I go for some “food blog research”.  Inside the trailer is the front end of the wood-fired oven and it looks exactly like any of the beauties you’ll see around the Triangle. I order up a pepperoni pie drizzled with honey and it’s about $13 or so.

Pie prep at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Pie prep at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining

A quick stop to the Nickelpoint Brewing booth for some beer to go along with my pizza and it’s a short 10 minute wait for my pie! I see them pull it out of the oven and the guy tending to the pizza asks me, “Are you ready for the best pizza you’ve ever had?”  And of course I gotta respond back with “well, the bar is set pretty high, my friend!” I’ve had the opportunity to eat at some of the best pizza joints in the country so I’m only half joking!

Pepperoni pizza at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Pepperoni pizza at Flirting with Fire food truck based out of Durham- NC Triangle Dining

And it’s a good looking pie from Flirting with Fire. About 14″ across with a great, bubbly and charred crust. The sauce is a bright red crushed tomato and fresh, while the cheese is white and soft. The pepperoni on this pie sort of overpowers the pizza and its flavors but what can you do? I couldn’t get a shot of underneath the crust since I was eating while standing but it was thin with some dense chew and good char marks. Overall a very nice job for a food truck and pretty close to what you’d get at your better Neapolitan pizza options in the Triangle. So awesome job, Flirting with Fire! Hauling around that huge pizza oven is a lot of work but you know what? I think your customers are going to really appreciate it along with your great pizza!

 

Flirting with Fire, Food Truck

Durham, NC

 

Various Locations

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Cousins Maine Lobster, Raleigh- Rolling Out Authentic Lobster Rolls!

Cousins Maine Lobster food truck at Nickelpoint Brewery, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cousins Maine Lobster food truck at Nickelpoint Brewery, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Growing up in New England I always had easy access to lobsters and great seafood. Having left the area, I often get cravings for lobster rolls and fried clams since they’re a regional specialty. So I was pretty excited when I heard Cousins Maine Lobster (CML) food truck was coming to Raleigh. Featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and the Chew, Cousins Maine Lobster is rolling out trucks throughout the country but I was just excited to have one here in the Triangle. Here’s how my first visit went down…

Long line at Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Long line at Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

While the truck has been focused on larger food truck events, CML was finally scheduled to make it down to Nickelpoint Brewery at Five Points. A five-hour visit meant there was plenty of time to get food but I know this truck has been popular. I show up at 6pm and no surprise but there’s a line of 30+ people snaking out in front of the truck! It’s going to be a LONG wait so I grab a beer inside and find the end of the line. Thankfully everyone’s in a good mood since it’s a beautiful day and we’re about to eat lobster! Young couples, dogs, babies, Five Points is a family friendly neighborhood and you’ll find them all here.

Menu for Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Menu for Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Ninety minutes later we’re at the front of the line and ready to order! The menu has 7 or so items between $10 and $14 but they’re out of the tots and tacos. My friends order up some quesadillas and a lobster tail. I go with the Maine and Connecticut lobster rolls since I’ve waited so long! It’s probably been 5 years since my last lobster roll. The women in the truck are quite nice even with this crazy crowd, I’m sure they are working hard…

Maine lobster roll and CT roll from Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Maine lobster roll and CT roll from Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

It takes about 15 minutes and we get our food, finally! My lobster rolls look about right. New England rolls buttered and toasted on the sides with mostly lobster meat. I bite in and it’s good, very fresh lobster meat and well-stuffed. And even though both are delicious, I didn’t pick up any differences between the two. Couldn’t see any mayo on the Maine roll or any butter on the CT roll. I figure it’s just because they’re totally slammed so it’s understandable. I didn’t try the tail or quesadilla but my friends were making happy sounds so good sign there!

Lobster tail and quesadilla from Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Lobster tail and quesadilla from Cousins Maine Lobster food truck Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

While they got off to a bumpy start, Cousins Maine Lobster is finally on a roll (lobster roll?) and very popular in the Triangle. To catch up with their food truck, check out their website below, I don’t think the Cousins of Maine Lobster app is very accurate. They’re dishing out probably the best lobster rolls in the area for a reasonable price so thank you so much! I think I’ll wait a bit to let things settle down a bit more to see what they can really do…

 

Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck

Wake Forest, NC

919.867.6203

 

Various Locations, check schedule online

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Bo’s Kitchen in Raleigh, Korean Food Like Mom Would Make

Bo's Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Bo’s Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

So I may not be Korean but I’m pretty sure if I had a Korean mom, she would make food like Bo’s Kitchen puts out! Bo’s Kitchen food truck had been on my mental mind map for months and I was finally able to track them down in the Mordecai neighborhood a while back. And yes, they were worth the wait and effort!

Menu for Bo's Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Menu for Bo’s Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

One of the reasons I had a hard time tracking down Bo’s Kitchen was because they don’t have a website (woohoo, they now have a website). But they do have a pretty active twitter account and Facebook page if you want to track them down. Bo’s menu is pretty basic: bulkogi, spicy pork, spicy chicken with either rice or bread at $9. Some dumpling options, edamame, kimchi and that’s about it! I keep things simple going with some beef bulkogi (rib-eye) and some spicy pork dumplings (mandu). Bo offers up some Korean grape soda (Sac Sac) to try out which is pretty cool! Super refreshing and canned with some peeled grapes inside…

Mandu dumplings from Bo's Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Mandu dumplings from Bo’s Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My food only takes five minutes or so and it’s a lotta food! The mandu dumplings are beautifully pan-fried and folded over. It’s a tasty treat but not as spicy as I would have hoped for.  I dig into my bulkogi which is served up with some scrambled eggs, pickle and jalapenos.  Both dishes come served on top of greens which is a nice touch. The bulkogi is quite good, lean and full of flavor. Paired with the egg and it’s a lot to eat. But I’m up to the challenge!

Bulkogi from Bo's Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Bulkogi from Bo’s Kitchen Food Truck, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Happily stuffed, I was pretty impressed with Bo’s Kitchen. He’s an enthusiastic and happy guy putting out good Korean eats. I’m not sure if his mom is cooking in the truck but it sure tastes like it! I don’t always get to eat Korean food because it’s hard to find in the Triangle so make an effort to check out Bo’s Kitchen. And yes, I know it may not be any easier to find with a moving truck but it’s worth it, my friend!


Bo’s Kitchen- Food Truck

Various locations in the Triangle

Raleigh, NC

919.793.5493

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First Take: American Meltdown for Cheesy Food Truck Goodness

American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

I’m pretty certain if I ever became a vegetarian it would be more like a cheese-atarian.  Without the protein and savory goodness of meat, warm oozing cheese would make for a great substitute!  And the food truck, American Meltdown food truck is all about the cheese.  I’ve had the chance to hit up American Meltdown a couple of times.  They’re often at the Raleigh Wine Shop for special events but not sure where their typical hangout is.  Looking at their schedule, they seem to move all over the Triangle which is good for any cheesy fans.

Carolina burger from American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Carolina burger from American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

American Meltdown typically does fancy cheese-meat combo sandwiches.  I’ve done their Carolina burger (pork, bacon with pimiento) on a lovely sesame bun and recently tried their Alsatian bratwurst.  The Carolina burger was a favorite, full of melty cheese and meat.  I had a total mess on my hands but it was worth it.  The Alsatian brat was a bit of a mix.  A well-grilled sausage with a couple of pieces of dry bacon and a slice of meunster (non-melted).  Paired with the over-toasted bun, it wasn’t an impressive sandwich and needed some sauce or something to counteract the dryness of the ingredients.  American Meltdown does use very good ingredients, including the locally made Farmhand Sausage so their medium-sized sandwiches typically run about $7.  But I have to confess, I’m not a big fan of Farmhand Sausage which I wish, wasn’t the case…

Alsatian brat from American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Alsatian brat from American Meltdown food truck in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

While American Meltdown delivers pretty decent food and sandwiches, the one area where it falls short is turn-around time.  Both times I’ve eaten with them it’s taken probably about 20 minutes with not a particularly big crowd.  Given the menu is typically only about 4 – 6 items, I scratch my head on this one.  But in the end, the niggles and hassles of eating with a food truck is part of the whole deal so American Meltdown still works out ok in my book.  Who knows what visit three will bring but I’ve got my fingers crossed.  Cause it’s hard to go wrong with locally sourced meat and cheese from the grill, bon appetit!

 

American Meltdown Food Truck

Raleigh, NC

 

American Meltdown Menu

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