Food and Things » Food Trucks

Ice Cream: Coolhaus vs Shake Shack

Laura Weiss — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:20:28 +0000

Guinness Chip Ice Cream + Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

In an ice cream face-off, how do Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches and Shake Shack Concretes fare?

OK, the two ice cream products differ in several key ways. For one, Coolhaus sandwiches are filled with ice cream; Shake Shack’s products are made from frozen custard. Yet they’re both vying for the New York artisanal ice cream dollar. (I happened to gorge on both Coolhaus and Shake Shack frozen goodies in the same day so that pig-out begged for comparison.)

Coolhaus

Sandwiching ice cream between cookies is not new. But Coolhaus, which operates a band of food trucks, takes the process one step further. The hugely popular ice cream purveyor serves up a rotating menu of flavors, like Blueberry Ginger and Red Velvet Cake. And they sandwich the frozen filling between flavor-filled cookies–from chocolate chip to gluten-free peanut butter.

Plus, you’re encouraged to mix and match. Feel like a maple waffle white chocolate cookie on one side and a chocolate one on the other? Coolhaus is happy to oblige.

It’s very fun, and the cookies, at least the double chocolate fudge ones I chose, are dense and intensely chocolaty.

But there’s a problem. And it’s the ice cream.

If you like yours with a thinnish consistency, you’ll enjoy the Coolhaus variety. I happen to prefer my ice cream dense and heavy. What’s more the chocolate cookies overwhelmed the salted caramel ice cream I chose as the filling. Next time I’ll order a less fully-flavored cookie and maybe the combo will work better.

Shake Shack

A few hours after my Coolhaus sandwich, I sauntered over to the Upper West Side Shake Shack, the one across the street from the Museum of Natural History. My hubby and I shared a Concrete with the awful name of Natural History Crunch-stellation. Monstrously studded with chocolate bits and chunks of chocolate covered toffee, it was way over the top on the mix-in scale. Maybe it’s a guy’s ice cream treat. My hubby loved it.

But the frozen custard, as Shake Shack faithful will agree, is delicious. Our concrete was made with vanilla which boasted a striking vanilla bean taste. Plus the texture was silky and the custard boasted a substantial yet delicate mouth feel.

Coolhaus

The trucks are at various locations. Check @coolhausny.

Shake Shack

New York, Miami, Washington DC, Westport CT, Saratoga Springs NY.

The Best Hot Dog In the New York Area

Laura Weiss — Sun, 29 May 2011 14:39:22 +0000

The Truck. North Fork Table and Inn, Southold, Long Island, NY

What’s the best hot dog in New York? Well, you’ll have to travel a bit to find it. For this beautifully-flavored and sauced hot dog, you’ll need to hop the Jitney or rent a car and travel out to the North Fork of Long Island. There, at a food truck operated by the award-winning North Fork Table and Inn, located in Southold, are some very fine wieners.

These are simply the best dogs I’ve ever eaten.

Normally, you’d have to dish out serious bucks to eat at the Inn, where Gerry Hayden, who used to cook for Aureole, now dishes out excellent locally sourced dishes. Award-winning pastry chef Claudia Fleming (late of the Gramercy Tavern) oversees the pastry operation. Where possible, the couple relies on ingredients grown by local farmers or fished from local waters

The Lunch Truck shines as the single best place to get some quick quality grub on the North Fork. The Hartmann’s Atisan All Beef Hot Dog, comes plain or with a variety of toppings ranging from house-made sauerkraut to bread and butter pickle relish to apple cider vinegar-glazed onion. Then, there’s chorizo chili and pepper jack cheese sauce to throw on top. What a decadent meal that would be!

Even piled high with three toppings—we had sauerkraut, bread and butter pickle relish and onions—the hot dog is an affordable indulgence at $4.50.

I’ve heard the lobster roll (“local when available, but usually Canadian, I’m not gonna lie to ya,” says the truck’s sign) is divine. I plan to try that this weekend. It goes for $16.50.

Still, just the dogs alone are worth the two hour schlep from the city. While you’re on the North Fork, visit some vineyards and shop the abundant farm stands. Right now, asparagus and rhubarb are in season. Strawberries, as sweet as candy, will be coming soon.

Two New Food Trucks: Van Leeuwen Ice Cream on Upper West Side; Taim Launches Truck

Laura Weiss — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:35:53 +0000

Van Leeuwan ice cream truck. Photo: Laura B. Weiss.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream & Coffee. I know it’s December, and ice cream isn’t top of mind. But Van Van Leeuwan’s is so creamy and delicious, that maybe your could bundle up and treat yourself to this special frozen indulgence.

Pumpkin pie and egg nog are on tap for the season. Also, their new truck with a permanent spot at Tavern on the Green (67th & Central Park West), operating daily from 8am-6pm, will be serving coffee and espresso drinks.

Other daily ice cream specials will include vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two Michel Cluizel chocolate chip cookies smothered in hot fudge, Ricotta Pound cake with ginger ice cream and caramel sauce, and a gianduja meringue sundae, the company reports.

And with seating in the Tavern’s food court for over 200, you can enjoy some of the comforts of a traditional eatery.

Twitter: @VLAIC

Green Falafel, Tiam, New York. Photo:

Taim Falafel and Smoothy Bar. Taim, the hole-in-the wall falafel place in the West Village, with its crunchy yet tender falafels, is rolling city-wide. Just three days ago, they launched their first truck.

Taim Falafel Food Truck Starts Rolling through New York. Photo: Taim.

The mobile unit will feature items like their signature green falafel and to-die-for, rich-beyond-rich, date-banana-lime smoothies.

Will they show up on the Upper West Side, a natural consistiuency for their food?

Assan Malik, who works at Taim restaurant, says that the truck may well journey to the Upper West Side.

“It will be” there “at some point,” he said, “but we don’ know when.”

The schedule is decided every morning, so check their twitter feed: @TaimmMobile.

Food Trucks: Cupcake Stop, Rickshaw Dumpling Arrive on Upper West Side (Sort Of)

Laura Weiss — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:54:32 +0000

Photo: Laura B. Weiss

Today, I spotted Cupcake Stop and Rickshaw Dumpling trucks on the Upper West Side. OK, they were parked a couple of blocks south of Columbus Circle. But that’s at getting pretty close.

I asked the Cupcake Stop guy why they didn’t park further up on the Upper West Side

Cupcake Stop Guy: We’re at 99th St.

Me: Where on 99th?

CSG: 99th and Madison.

Me: That’s the Upper East Side.

CSG: We only go where there are lots of people.

Me: How about around Columbia. There are lots of hungry people there.

CSG: Is that in the 60s?

Then I gave up trying to teach this guy New York geography and got a red velvet cupcake. I’m happy to report the cupcake was sensational, rich and moist with just the right dollop of cream cheese frosting.

Photo: Laura B. Weiss

Next, I went over to Rickshaw Dumpling. I decided not to administer my geography quiz. Instead, I just ordered chicken basil dumplings and that were light and savory.

I sat down in Columbus Circle, and ate my food gazing northward, trying to spy a food truck.

For the location of the Cupcake Stop ,see their Twitter feed:@cupcakestop

For the locations of Rickshaw Dumpling, see their Twitter feed: @ricksawbar

Upper West Side: Super Tacos Truck is Back on 96th Street

Laura Weiss — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:37:03 +0000

Super Tacos is Back.

Super Tacos, the truck with the to-die-for mole poblamo, is back on its home turf at 96th Street just west of Broadway. While the new subway station was being built, the truck was banished to Amsterdam Ave., but now it’s been restored to its rightful home.

Bueno!

Vendy Awards Winners for 2010 Announced: Do They Ever Appear on the Upper West Side?

Laura Weiss — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:26:08 +0000

Yassir Z. Raouli, Bistro Truck owner. Photo: Vendy Awards.

The 2010 Vendy Awards have been announced. Click here to see the winners.

Have any of these trucks ever made an appearance on the truck-starved Upper West Side? Let me know where and when you’ve spotted one.

The awards ceremony is Saturday Sept. 25 and will take place on Governors Island from 12 pm to 5 pm.

Upper West Side: Wafels & Dinges Comes to the Hood

Laura Weiss — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:39 +0000

On the Upper West Side, we’re a bit food truck deprived. Sure, there’s the Super Tacos Truck, on 96th Street just west of Broadway, dishing up a fiery, mouthwatering mole poblano. Otherwise, food trucks are few and far between in the hood.

Photo: Waffles & Dinges

But now, another outstanding mobile food vendor is set to start trolling Upper West Side streets. Wafels & Dinges, the Vendy Awards winner in the dessert category—they peddle deliciously crisp, buttery waffles—will be pulling up to 114th and Broadway on Thursdays, beginning this week.

A couple of nights ago, they were parked outside the Lincoln Plaza movie theater on Broadway at 62nd. Whether that will be a permanent stop on Wafels & Dinges’ route is unknown.

“Our fall schedule isn’t set yet,” said Jerry Kohn, a manager for the company.

Meanwhile, if you have the urge for a nosh, try one of their mini-wafelinis, kind of a waffle shish kebab on a stick, in which the waffle is bracketed by slices of strawberries and bananas. Yum!

For more information on the truck’s schedule, consult their Twitter feed at @waffletruck.

Upper West Side Bakery Levain–Better than a Food Truck

Laura Weiss — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:07:28 +0000

We Upper West Siders need to get creative when it comes to getting our food truck fix. I’ve occasionally seen the Treat Truck on Broadway, but mostly the city’s new food vans leave the UWS out in the cold. In fact, if you live north of Columbus circle–other than the reliably delicious Super Taco on 96th between Broadway and West End–you’re pretty much out of luck when it comes to truck cuisine.

Until food truck purveyors discover the Upper West Side, there are neighborhood nooks you can turn to. Take Levain Bakery on West 74th Street. Levain is bigger than a food truck–but not by much. You reach the teeny place down a short flight of stairs. The smell of sugar and butter hits you full on before you even step inside the diminutive bakery. There, you’ll find cookies, scones, cakes and the like.

I gobbled up an oatmeal raisin scone. Buttery and flaky, it was delicious. It didn’t take much to convince myself that with all those whole grains, I was downing a healthy snack.

If you’re spending time on Long Island this summer, Levain also has an outpost on the East End, in Wainscott.

Levain Bakery

167 West 74th St.

New York, NY 10023

2123 874 6080

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Sweeps Through Downtown

Laura Weiss — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:37:31 +0000

I have to say, I love the the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck’s web site. All those sprinkles! I could practically eat them off my screen.

The actual truck, though, has yet to make the trek uptown to the Upper West Side. I’ve issued a plea on Twitter. Has anyone tried the ice cream?

Tasty Tidbits: Upcoming NY Food Events

Laura Weiss — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:02:24 +0000

Some NY food events coming up:

La Cense Beef Truck debuts today, [amNY's Urbanite]. 100 percent grass-fed burgers hot off the grill in Midtown.

Edible Garden, NY Botanical Garden. An edible plant tour and farm to table demos are two events at this summer-long food celebration from June 27-Sept. 13. There are celeb demos, gardening demos and farmers markets, too.

American Cheese. Beard on Books reading featuring Clark Wolf Author of American Cheeses: The Best Regional, Artisan, and Farmhouse Cheeses, Who Makes Them, and Where to Find Them, Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., James Beard House.