Review - Lloyd Taco Truck

I absolutely love food, if you couldn't tell. The amazing thing about food trucks is that they bring quality gourmet-style food, to various locations, at street food prices.

Take Lloyd, for instance - they provide links to distributors, so that you can see where your food comes from, and they strive to provide farm raised meats, locally grown (when they seasonally can) vegetables, and hormone free products.  All while bringing this food to you at a cost that rivals fast food restaurants!

Now, locally, food trucks have found some resistance.  The brick and mortars feel that the food trucks take their business, that they have such lower overhead, how can they compete?  My feeling is this - if you have good food, why worry?  Food trucks provide options - people would just as likely not go to a sit down restaurant because they can go get fast food, instead - same concept.  Cheaper (albeit not as good or good for you as a food truck) and quicker - and they likely have a lower overhead due to being part of a corporate franchise.  If you are going to complain about a food truck, then you may as well complain about the next corporate drive through restaurant that opens up across the street.

I love most of the locally owned brick and mortars in Buffalo, and I love food trucks.  So here is my feeling on how brick and mortars should view the food trucks.  Are they competition? Yes, but competition is healthy.  The food trucks allow patrons to not only have decisions, but to have better decisions - and just maybe that will make for a better community as a whole. Let's take a stand to get away from the double hamburger (I suppose it's beef, but is it really?) and Large fry society we live in, together. Even if it means a little competing... I know I will still enjoy a sit down restaurant, and the occasional food truck visit.

Ok, so to the food.

I ordered a chicken and a fish taco.  Rocket sauce on both? Oh, yes.  Delightfully flavorful and spicy, the rocket sauce reminds me of a liquid mole sauce with chili pepper spicy flavor - I may be wrong, but whatever it is, it is delicious!

My tacos came without the pickled onions - not by choice.  This is a small complaint, because the meats were seasoned perfectly!  The cool crunch of the shredded cabbage (and radish on the fish taco!) and mild flavor of the corn tacos was outstanding paired next to the seasoned chicken and fried crunch of the fish. I seriously could not stop eating until the last bite was gone.

Two tacos were plenty of food for me, I suspect people with a larger appetite should go for a burrito.

So, Lloyd is here, and it is delicious!  I look forward to the next time I cross paths with Buffalo's first food truck - they have this cooking in a box thing down to a science!

Review - Dock at The Bay (Banquet)

Tuesday was my sister's pinning ceremony, as she begins her graduation from her Surgical Technology program.  I am so proud of her I am just gushing!  2013 is proving to be a giant year for our family!

The pinning ceremony took place at a well known local restaurant called Dock at the Bay.  The restaurant is known for their menu; however this would the first time I ate off their banquet menu.

My favorite thing by far was the bruschetta offered as part of the hors d'oeuvres.  With three different kinds offered (traditional tomato, red pepper and spinach), there was something for everyone - or in my case everything for someone.  They were not overly salty, and the freshness of the ingredients shown through.  Additionally, their vegetable tray included summer squash and zucchini - which I had never thought of to eat raw, but it was refreshing and delightful!

The main meal included a salad, pasta (baked ziti), roasted chicken and roast beef on weck sliders.  I tried everything but the chicken, which I just couldn't eat from being stuffed from all of my other food!

The salad and the pasta weren't stand out, but they were fresh and tasted good, what you would expect from any banquet.  The sliders were out of this world!  Perfectly cooked on a mini Kimmelweck bun, and served with a nice, hot horseradish - for those not from Buffalo, a Kimmelweck bun is salted on top and has caraway seeds sprinkled on the salt, and it is the quintessential piece of a roast beef on weck sandwich!

To wrap things up, I have to mention that while the banquet room was out dated, the water front views of Lake Erie and the cheery staff service made up for it.  Additionally, I get headaches from many wines out there, but I was pleased that their house Cabernet was smooth, and left my head feeling quite alright!

In a nutshell, I would have no worries about Dock at the Bay catering an event.  If you were hosting a wedding or another more formal event, I would opt for chair covers to help update the look - that aside, Dock at the Bay offers a lovely menu and outstanding views, sure to help make any event memorable!

In finale, congrats to my sister, and her classmates, Surgical Technology Graduates of 2013!!

Open Face Fried Bologna Breakfast Sandwich

So, it has been a while since I have posted a blog entry - simply because the 'Blogger' app was a little buggy.... But I am back in action, for better or for worse.

This simple breakfast takes a Western New York staple and turns it into a yummy morning taste of heaven!

Fried bologna sandwiches are everywhere - from diners, to ball parks, to mom's kitchen. Typically served up on a hard roll and smothered with Weber's mustard, this simple lunch meat turns into a tasty treat to die for!

What you need:

Note - this is a per sandwich recipe

Olive oil - approximately 1-2 tspn

3 slices of bologna

Diced onion - approximately 1/8 to 1/4 cup

Slice of rye bread (any bread may substitute)

Weber's Horseradish Mustard (if you are in a region that does not have Webers, any yellow mustard will do).

One egg

In a small pan, warm half of the olive oil. When oil is hot, add the bologna (i like to cut mine into small squares) and onion. Fry to desired texture - I like my onions well caramelized and my bologna crispy. Meanwhile, toast bread.

In a separate pan, heat remaining olive oil. Crack open egg and fry. You can prepare the egg any way you like.

Plate the bread, butter if you desire. Top with bologna mixture. Spread desired amount of mustard. Top with the egg.

Enjoy eating this breakfasty twist on a WNY classic!