Edible Reno-Tahoe’s flourishing food truck scene offers convenient eats and community fêtes.
Takeout food has an entirely different meaning these days. What once was a service for fun and convenience is now an act of necessity and safety.
It’s good that the food truck movement in Reno is as large as it is and offers the best of both worlds: portable food you can fit in your hands and a powerful sense of community.
During a visit to one of the area’s numerous food trucks, you not only get to meet and interact with its owners and employees, but the choices are nearly unlimited. From gourmet dessert Belgian waffles at the Waffle Wagon to Hawaiian Asian fusion at the Aloha Shack, a trip to a food truck is a trip around the world of food without boarding a plane. Plus, it comes to you.
“The community has realized that by having that mobility, it’s a good way to bring people good food,” says Michael Touhey, senior registered environmental health specialist with the Washoe County Health District. “Honestly, I think as our community continues to grow, food trucks will grow with it as well.”
According to Touhey, food trucks actually have several advantages over brick-and-mortar restaurants.
“They are smaller, they can stay cleaner, and they can manage the flow of people a little bit better,” he says.
The health department inspects food trucks at the same level and on the same schedule as dine-in restaurants. Cleanable surfaces, appropriate food-prep areas, and hand-washing stations are inspected on each truck. In addition, all food truck owners and crews must have access to a health-department-approved servicing area, or commissary kitchen, where they can wash dishes and dispose of trash and dirty water.
Gathering Around
These colorful, mobile eateries can be both quick lunch stops or part of a large selection at one of the area’s many gatherings such as Reno Street Food’s Food Truck Friday and Feed the Camel on Wednesday evenings.* The summer Hump Day event takes place under the Keystone Avenue bridge near the McKinley Arts & Culture Center and the Truckee River in Reno. It offers a more intimate food truck dining option for families and for food truck owners just starting out.
“We were not looking to be the biggest event in town, but what stood out for us was that in the heat of summer, the food truck owners really enjoy being under the shade of the bridge,” says Melissa Williams, coordinator of the Feed the Camel event. “We promote ourselves as a little more of a chillax event, a little more low key.”
Due to the fact that the Reno food scene is constantly shifting, another benefit of food trucks is that owners have the flexibility to change their menus or schedules quickly if necessary.
“We have a lot of young, creative minds coming into the fold that have something a little bit different to offer Reno,” Williams says. “That’s great in the food truck because it gives you the advantage of doing special events, food truck events, private catering, and lunch schedules. It’s really how you want to play it. The appeal of the food truck gatherings is that there is something for everyone — from the well-adjusted palate to kids who just want French fries.”
If Williams were to pick her own daily menu from these mobile eateries, she says it would begin with a chorizo burrito from Espinoza’s, followed by a beef báhn mì from Asian Street Eats, the Reuben Roll from Still Rollin, the ribs from Rub Shack, and, finally, doughnuts from Donut Daddy.
“One of the fun things about eating from food trucks is that it can be really gluttonous,” Williams says. “I think about it all day. I’m really bad. I load up from everyone and don’t really have a favorite. I love something from everyone.”
Todo en la Familia
Maria and Rafael Espinoza’s bright-red-and-blue food truck quietly slipped onto the Reno food scene. The family has been in the catering business for more than 15 years, but its Espinoza’s food truck is a popular addition to the city and filled what Rafael saw as a need.
“People were always asking me where the good Mexican restaurants were in town,” Rafael says. “Since I usually like to eat at home, I decided to send them to us.”
Rafael travels frequently in California and picks up ideas and recipes from other food trucks. Espinoza’s serves Latin dishes, including tacos and tortas with a variety of meats, vegetarian burritos, and homemade salsas. The two are most proud of their tacos al pastor: three flavorful street tacos with guacamole, fresh cilantro, and spicy salsa. Al pastor is a dish developed in central Mexico that is based on shawarma spit-grilled meat originally created in Lebanon.
Rafael adds that some people may be hesitant to order from a food truck if they are unsure about the cleanliness.
“A lot of people think that food trucks are not clean, but look at restaurants; you can’t usually see into the kitchen,” Rafael says. “With a food truck, the customer can just look inside the truck to see how everything is done and how clean everything is.”
Rollin’ Down the Road
With a little creativity, some food trucks even develop their own cult followings. Still Rollin’s customers actually will stand in line for hours to order their favorite meals rolled in egg roll wrappers.
“We have people who will wait in line for nearly two hours at certain events, and we are so grateful for that,” says Regina Totten, owner of Still Rollin.
Inspirations for the truck’s offerings come from what Totten and her family like to eat. The Chicken Tikka Masala Roll was created because of Totten’s love of Indian food, but also includes a deep-fried finish. Another popular item is the Ando Mando’s Buffalo Mac Roll with melted mozzarella, buffalo sauce, and green onions. Totten adds that Still Rollin’s freshly cut truffle fries with black garlic aioli also are popular.
Totten has worked in restaurants but doesn’t have formal training in the food industry. Instead, she took her passion for cooking and just went for it. The idea of a food truck, with its lower overhead and ability to choose her own working hours, was appealing.
“A successful food truck has to be something unique and different and have the good quality food that we now expect here in Reno,” Totten says. “You also need to be friendly and have good customer service and consistency.”
The Foodie’s Truck
Inspired by Michael Pollan’s bestselling book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, as well as his own favorite dishes from New York and New Orleans, Zeth Current founded Nomnivore food truck with the goal of only serving the finest food.
“‘Nomnivore’ means a person who enjoys any type of food and eats what is the best,” Current says. “We don’t like to restrict ourselves to any specific type of food.”
Nomnivore’s evolving menu includes a mix that ranges from yakamein soup with whole wheat noodles, creole seasoning, and hard-boiled eggs to bacon-and-brown-sugar cookies. Nomnivore also offers its own house-made sauces and ingredients from local businesses such as House of Bread in Reno.
Nomnivore is a veteran-owned-and-operated business. Current served two tours in Afghanistan before he enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. At his truck, discounts are offered to veterans, current military members, and members of local law enforcement. Current also promotes the business benefits of owning a food truck.
“The street-food scene and food trucks are among the oldest establishments in the United States,” Current says.
In fact, according to Mobile-cuisine.com, food vendors were roaming the streets of New Amsterdam (later named New York City) as early as 1691.
“With everything else going on in the economy, it just makes sense for culinarians to get food trucks instead of spending $300,000 on a restaurant,” he adds.
The most popular dish from Nomnivore is the lamb gyro with house-made tzatziki sauce. Another customer favorite is the Korean barbecue pulled pork with homemade barbecue sauce, served with pear and ginger kimchi.
“Once people have it, they are hooked,” Current says.
Writer and designer Christina Nellemann has had her fair share of food truck meals around town and can’t quite pick a favorite. Anything crunchy will do.
*At the time of this writing, Feed the Camel is a takeout-only event. Food Truck Friday has been designated part of Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan, possibly opening in August. Please follow these events on social media to learn the latest scheduling information.
RESOURCES
Food Truck Friday
Find Reno Street Food on Facebook.
Feed the Camel
Find Feed the Camel on Facebook.
Espinoza’s
Find Espinoza’s on Facebook.
Still Rollin
Stillrollinfoodtruck.com
Nomnivore
Nomnivorellc.com
