Sandwich Quest: Philly's Koja Food Truck

Who should start Game One for the Phillies - Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee? The reality is that it doesn't matter because you would be more than content with either taking the mound. Both pitchers are that good.

This is how I think about the question of which sandwich was the best so far on our Sandwich Quest. I emphasize so far because we still have many to try, such as Nick’s Roast Beef, Shank’s and McNally's Schmitter, to name just a few.

Japanese/Korean Koja Truck

The lasagna Bolognese from Paesano’s has been the clear front runner for quite some time. But then I went on my University City food truck tour, where I devoured the ridiculously good bulgoki steak sandwich from the Koja Truck. Some call it bulgogi, but Koja has bulgoki on its menu so we'll go with that name.


Which is better you might ask? I don’t know. Heads I win, tails I win. I could eat either sandwich at any time and be happy.



The debate is only fitting because both were on list of the best new sandwiches in the U.S. from Endless Simmer, the genesis for our sandwich quest. Endless Simmer, you’ve done your research!

Philly Food Truck: Cucina Zapata

The first time we came across Cucina Zapata was at the Inaugural Philly Vendy Awards.  It was my favorite truck and won the People's Choice Award.

Because the Vendy Awards were so crowded, the opportunity for personal interaction with each vendor was minimal. This limited the normal experience you might have with each truck and its owner. My interest in getting to know them more, combined with the quality of the food we tasted, made me want to visit Cucina Zapata at its regular location.

My planned tour of University City food trucks was the perfect time. Cucina Zapata is first in a line of at least 10 trucks located at 31st and Ludlow, a bit of a hidden alley on Drexel’s campus. It is one of the more decorated trucks of the bunch, too.

Philly Food Truck: Magic Carpet

Magic Carpet is a well-known vegetarian food truck with two locations - 36th & Spruce and 34th & Walnut. The Walnut Street location was the second stop on my recent one-day truck tour of University City.

The menu is lengthy with options such as seitan grinders or magic meatballs (tofu meatballs). The vendor recommended the falafel pita for a first timer. For my fellow non-vegetarians, falafel is a deep fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans.

Sandwich Quest Takes on Three Philly Food Trucks

Our Philly Sandwich Quest has taken on a life of its own. What started as a simple attempt to conquer a few famous sandwiches has turned into a much bigger crusade. We quickly learned that keeping this a small affair was not possible in sandwich-loving Philly.

Amid all the great places to get sandwiches, food trucks have turned into a quest of their own. Both of us tend to forget about them since we work outside the city, which limits our ability to grab a quick lunch at a food truck. But, like any effective quest you have to make time.

With a few extra vacation days in my pocket, I recently planned a food truck binge in University City. Visits included the Koja Truck, Magic Carpet and Cucina Zapata. Yes, three in about two hours.

Our next few posts will discuss each visit and count down to the winner. Come back this Sunday for the third place winner, next Tuesday for second, and Thursday for my favorite.

We look forward to trying more trucks so please let us know your favorites.

What I Did in Philly This Summer, Part II: Do's and Don'ts

Last September I wrote a post to recap the Summer of Kristy - a summer dedicated to squeezing in every last bit of awesome before I turned 30. The summer of 2011 didn't hold quite as emphatic a mission, but it was still jam-packed with memorable experiences in and around Philadelphia.

Here's a run-down of some things we did this summer but haven't blogged about, accompanied by recommendations of what you should - and shouldn't - do, too. 


DO ride El Toro at Great Adventure. Boy, has that place become a roller coaster lover's dream. Among 14 great coasters, nothing beats the insane drops and steep turns of the wooden monster, El Toro. Make sure you buy tickets online ahead of time to save significant money. Save even more at AAA.com as a member.

DON'T go to Spread Bagelry if you're in a rush. The Montreal-style bagels are really freakin' good (see more photos in the slideshow below). But twice now the weekend line was out the door and just takes way too long to finally get an expensive bagel sandwich. Go on a weekday instead, if you can. Or bring reading material.

Food Links: Industrial Food Complex

An important component of any food experience is understanding the work that goes into preparing the meal. Knowing the origination of the food you're about to eat by going to the market, choosing vegetables from your garden, or simply reading about it, adds to the joy of both cooking and eating a meal.

Sadly, the underbelly of our industrial food system is taking us away from this concept. This has lead to my passion for reading about the industrial food complex, which is sometimes disgusting, surprising or revealing.

This edition of food links is focused on sharing some articles I've read recently to educate myself about the industrial food complex. After all, it’s up to each of us to know how our food is made and where it comes.  Only then can we make informed decisions for ourselves.

Please share with us your favorite food related articles.  Enjoy!

1. Hybrid Fruits.  An interesting article from the Wall Street Journal about commercial fruit breeders specializing in hybrid fruits. Food companies see this as a market with huge potential.  It’s easier to market pluots and apriums than it is the old and tired plum.  This article explains how companies such as Zaiger's and Kingsburg Orchards choose and create hybrids.

2. Industrial Grown Tomatoes.  Depressing NPR interview with Barry Estabrook, author of Tomatoland, a book about tomatoes grown in Florida.  I’m a huge fan of tomatoes and one of my great joys is growing my own tomatoes and eating them fresh with all their imperfections, goofy shapes, etc.  Florida tomatoes are grown in the sand and picked green before they are artificially turned red.  No wonder so many store bought tomatoes taste terrible.  You will also hear about the slave labor it takes to pick them. A must listen.

3. Superweeds and Superinsects.  Reports are rampant that widespread use of Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide has led to superweeds resistant to pesticides.  Additional reports also suggest insects are developing resistance to Monsanto's genetically engineered corn.  More proof that taking on Mother Nature is difficult.

4. Synthetic Meat?  Teams of scientists, likely funded by the biggest food companies in the world, are trying to create fake meat.  This is eerie.  Makes you think about all the other fake foods and flavorings we digest every day.

5. Making Frito-Lay Chips. Quick video about how Frito-Lay chips are made.  It also delves into how Frito-Lay tries to make the process as energy efficient and sustainable as possible.  Shocking fact: this factory only serves the Northeast and goes through about 21,500 pounds of potatoes PER HOUR or several millions pounds per week.  People love chips!

6. Super Salmon or Frankenfish?  Fascinating read about the drive to create genetically engineered animals.  This article is about AquaBounty, company that has added a growth hormone to an Atlantic salmon so that it grows twice as fast as wild salmon.