Joy Summers

Who doesn't want sliders in the snow?

​This wimpy winter has made the lack of food trucks all the more evident. When the temperature gauge reaches over 30 degrees it leaves us cold-hardy Midwesterners itchy to get back outside. A few trucks pop up here and there, but most are relying on catering gigs or laying on a tropical beach.More >>

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Tot Boss: In tot pursuit of potato perfection

​With the snow and wet and cold and slush, food on wheels, a concept we tend to reserve for the summer months, may be the furthest thing from our collective culinary minds. But a newcomer to the food truck scene will be rolling through St. Paul this spring, the Pioneer Press reports, and he's got a narrow, deep-fried focus on tots.
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Chef Shack gets more national attention

​Many of us are well aware that we can get amazing, global cuisine handed directly to us from the windows of our local food trucks, but now the rest of the nation is sitting up and taking notice. Chef Shack, already named one of Bon Appetit's Top 10 Lunches at Farmers Markets and one of Saveur's 12 Memorable Market Meals of 2010, can add another feather to its well-decorated cap.

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We'll miss you, sunny days of summer

​Day by day our favorite street finds are dropping out of the game. A few intrepid souls like Nate of Natedogs and the vivacious ladies of Fork in the Road plan to stay out all winter long. Others, like Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summers of the Chef Shack, will leave not only the streets but the state in search of warming weather and inspiration around the globe.  To fulfill our cravings, we're going to have to get creative.  We're going to have to go inside.

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Food trucks are pulling in and serving up at Midtown Global Market

​The air is turning chilly, which means street diner numbers are dwindling and the herd of food trucks is thinning.  

Luckily, the ladies at Kitchen in the Market understand the attachment people have to their favorite street eats. So the owners of the commercial kitchen and retail space in Midtown Global Market have announced they will be hosting "Food Truck Fix," a monthly opportunity to taste the foods you'll be missing.

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Gastro Truck: Still open.

​The food truck season is almost over. Last Wednesday was the last food truck court in St. Paul, and today is the final food truck rally until spring.

But even as many food trucks shut down for the winter, others are staying open, and some are just getting started. We got in touch with a number of companies to find out who's still open, who's closing, and who's closed.

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Joy Summers

Geoff King of Scratch serves up vegan tacos and meaty buns

​The scent of mini donuts that wafted past the gates at the TCF Bank Stadium last Saturday had nothing to do with football. Instead the scent was emanating from the road warriors at the Chef Shack: their signature dessert of fried dough tossed in an alluring mix of spices that include cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom. They, along with 11 other street food vendors, competed in the first annual Street Eat Awards.

The competitors were Chef Shack, Cupcake on the Go, Gai Gai Thai, Gastrotruck, the Twisted Sister House of Hunger, NateDogs, Scratch, She Royal, Smack Shack, Turkey to Go, Vellee Deli, and World Street Kitchen. Each truck or cart served a dish to a panel of judges that included Mayor RT Rybak, the Stephanies Hansen and March, from the Weekly Dish radio program, Eric Perkins from KARE 11, BT from Cities 97, and chef Jack Riebel.

Each vendor served one or two small bites to the judges, and each was as unique as the vendor, from NateDog's snappy dog topped with his homemade tart slaw and Surly beer-spiked mustard to She Royal's rainbow veggie sampler, there was no easy way for the judges or eaters to compare.

So, who won?
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Afro-Italian fuision cuisine

​The baffled newbies stare at the menu. How does one chose between curry or steak sandwich? The lively two-man crew calls out to people, pulling them in, sharing suggestions. Before serving up each pan of freshly made food, the chef offers up a scent, holding out the sizzling pan to each customer. 

The man behind the grill goes by Chef Teddy. He was born Tewodros Negash, a native of Ethiopia. Beginning October 1, he will be donating 20 percent of all profits to the United Nations World Food Program. For the entire month he will be working with area businesses to bring his truck to their workers to feed them well and help raise the funds.

Until then, the truck is usually around the St. Paul area. We stopped by to check out the food.More >>