STREET FOOD: NYC Food Trucks Serve Up Latest Dining Trend

Food writer and cookbook author Dana Jacobi (she’s written 10 best-selling cookbooks) surveys street food.  Later this week, we’ll post Dana’s recipe for Jamaican rice and beans.

The harder and longer we New Yorkers have to work, the more we crave dinner instantly. So no matter how low the economy goes, New Yorkers will always live on take-out.

Close to my home on the Upper East Side, I stop at Agata & Valentina. I pick up their roasted turkey, slice off a whole roasted breast, and add a side of dark greens cooked Italian-style in olive oil and lots of garlic.

When out and about, I pick up Mother’s Chicken Soup at the nearest Whole Foods Market. Loaded with bite-size chicken pieces and fat carrot slices, the small size-cup costs $2.99 and makes a solid meal.

Then there are the carts. I skip the waterlogged mystery-meat hot dogs and grilled kebabs made from gristly lamb. But try the  Indian dosa from the Dosa cart parked by Washington Square Park; this street food is spicy and aromatic.

Speaking of moving around, innovative food trucks are becoming a fixture at busy intersections. A roving band of these kitchens-on-wheels is now trolling city streets.  Check their web sites for a schedules of stops.

My first food truck discovery was Yvonne’s Jamaican Food Truck. I came upon this bright yellow purveyor of Caribbean victuals while visiting a friend at The Hospital For Special Surgery.

Yvonne parks on 71st Street at York Avenue most weekdays from 11 AM to 4 PM. Serving up brimming plates of seriously spicy food at surprisingly reasonable prices, she primarily feeds workers from the surrounding Cornell Medical Center-Columbia Presbyterian hospital complex. But her soulful home cooking and huge menu make this three-star eating opportunity for anyone who finds themselves in the area.

For dessert, if you’re in the vicinity of the Dessert Truck, which hangs out around the city, you can tuck into one of their warm Slow Baked Apples and Cinnamon, a warm buttery crumble served in a cup.

Here are two of my other favorites:

Ricksaw Dumplings – Twitters their location.

Super Taco Truck at 96th Street and Broadway.

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