While visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, I spotted a food truck - not a common occurence in my experience. So, I was very excited to check out Dawg House.



As you may have guessed, their best-seller is the hot dog. I managed to somehow miss most of my hot dog in the photo, but I got one topped with pulled pork and BBQ and French-fried onions. Pretty good!



The pretzel bites and cheese were also pretty tasty. I feel like I only have pretzels at events or special occasions so they immediately put a smile on my face.



Grade: B

There's an adorable little coffee truck in Charleston callee Luna Coffee that is setting up downtown and at events.



She has a littke seating area where you can enjoy one of the signature drinks. I ordered "Into The Wooda," which had mocha, toasted marshmallow and brown sugar cold foam. It may be my new favorite drink in recent memory. Absolutely divine. Just the right amount of sweetness and all of the cozy.



Grade: A

You know the type of lemonade that is just pure sugar water? It's that saccharine goodness you got at fairs and festivals. That is Rocky's World. They also offer shaved ice and energy drinks but the lemonade is my go to whenever I see them out and about. It's one part nostalgia, but one part absolute summer perfection. All parts tasty.

Grade: A

Toward the end of last summer, I discovered B.K.S. The Pa'TeO at the corner of Ruffner and Washington. This space features a few different food vendors hawking their delicious goods, and I was excited to check it out again this summer, but I haven't seen the space as busy.



"B.K.S. The Pa’Teo is the name of the development. B.K.S. stands for “Best Kept Secret.” Pa’Teo is merely an alteration of the standard patio spelling," according to the newspaper. The whole space is the brainchild of J.Z. Ali, who sells his own food right under the main banner. He's known for his Mr. Choo-Choo's Hot Dog at area events. But at this space, his business's menu is expanded.



He offers barbecue, beef ribs, hamburgers and brisket, as well as the trademark hot dogs. I wasn't sure what to go with, so they hooked me up with this lamb sandwich with lettuce, cheese, onion, cucumber and more. It's kinda like a lamb gyro meets grilled cheese. 



Definitely a bit different, and definitely enjoyable. I do like the cold ingredients in a gyro paired with the earthy flavor of lamb. But with the oozy cheese, this was a whole different experience.



Have you been here? What's your favorite dish?



Grade: B

Wild & Wonderful BBQ is a food truck that doles out pulled pork, smoked bologna & sausage, and brisket sandwiches in addition to a bevy of sides.



Based in Huntington, the truck can be found at events locally. I visited them to get my hands on some grub. First things first, I ordered the Mountaineer Cheesesteak with pork, sautéed peppers, and cheese on a hoagie roll. I liked this well enough, but I wish the cheese was cheesing more. I think the cheese sauce was a bit too thin, so it didn't lightly melt. It kinda got soaked up. I did enjoy the twist with the pork though; it added a nice flavor.



And while it might not be the most appealing visually, the smoked scalloped potatoes were pretty good. Scalloped potatoes are one of my preferred mediums of potato and, to have them cheesy and smoked, that took it up a notch.



Because the nature of the restaurant, the menu can change bit by bit. What have you had here? What's been your favorite?



Grade: B

Mister Crabs is a food truck, of sorts. Maybe more like a vendor, because there was no truck per se. And, I say Bridgeport, but these folks get around. I was able to check them out when they were in Huntington. Either way, these folks are dishing out fresh seafood boils like nowhere else locally. Crabs, shrimp, mussels and, of course, all the accoutrements.



I ordered a jumbo crab cluster - which was so big, it barely fit in the box. Another box was full of potatoes, corn, shrimp, sausage and both cocktail sauce and melted butter. I could eat this meal every day. Taking simple, fresh ingredients, prepared well, and only adding seasoning makes for such a safisfying meal. It was delicious, abundant and perfect for a summer afternoon.



Grade:

The Big LeBOWLski is a traveling food truck "with some spunk," according to their facebook. They riff on the famous movie with their tagline that they pack the freshest bowls.



Often found at Root 19 Outpost in Mt. Lookout (a gathering spot for food trucks and other vendors), the truck features sandwiches, nachos, mac & cheese and hot dogs.



I really wanted "The Dude," which is mac & cheese, beer cheese and bacon sloppy joe. They unfortunately had run out, so I went with "The Duder."



"The Duder" has mac & cheese with pulled pork on top. Plus hella jalapenos, apparently. Judging by the vast array of hot sauces they also have to top your dish with, these folks are not shy with spice.



They served up my order in a box tray with an old-school RC and side of sauce. It was more like a mustard-based BBQ, and I enjoyed that tang.



Both the mac & cheese and pulled pork were a touch dry. I'm not sure if that's because they're batch cooking, and it gets dried out over time or what. Some cheesiness or even fattiness from the pork would have helped. The sauce, though, helped with that.



Those jalapenos were a lot. Especially raw. I would have loved a pickled jalapeno. I moved most of them off to the side - but I am a wimp. They threw in an extra chocolate donut treat to top things off.



Grade: B

Manna Meal is an incredible nonprofit that feeds the hungry every. single. day. And, they recently went mobile:



Manna Meal is on the move with a new mobile kitchen!

Our new food truck allows us to deliver nutritious meals to communities in need across Charleston. In the face of rising food costs and widespread food insecurity, extending our services to even more of our neighbors is crucial.

We’re so thankful for the support of our community as we increase capacity to achieve our mission: so the hungry can eat.

Service Locations: If you are in need of a healthy meal, our food truck will be serving dinner at the Giltinan Center from 5:00-5:30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Located at 505 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston.

Food truck service will occur three days a week on Charleston’s West Side in the old Save-A-Lot parking lot. We’ll be on the move, too so stay tuned for detailed schedule and locations info.



They were out & about recently to raise awareness. So I also wanted to help spread the word - including how delicious these biscuits filled with sausage are!

Oishii is a new food truck that has set up shop in the parking lot of the Kanawha City Piggly Wiggly. 



Offering hibachi and sushi, Oishii - which means tasty or delicious in Japanese - offers something new to the food truck scene.



It's like a hibachi restaurant on wheels. I started with the usual: crab rangoons. I like this particular shape. What is it called? It's like a small purse - instead of having four distinct portions. I should name them: There's the triangle pocket, this little purse guy (below), and then the crab. But then there's also the ones that are kinda wrapped. And then the ones that are like the crab shape, but sealed. There are probably more, but those are the ones that come to mind. All this to say - I like this shape as one of the best. I don't like the extra crispy bits that are just fried; I like the filling in every bite so these and the triangle shapes are best.



I ordered crabmeat hibachi because I don't think I've ever seen it? It's usually steak, chicken, shrimp, and that's it. What I didn't realize is that it was Krab, and not Crab. I think I genuinely would've liked it if it wasn't charred and was just in some garlic because I do like Krab. Just not really in this way.



Last but not least - the namesake sushi roll that is deep-fried with crab, avocado, cream cheese, spicy crabmeat and crunch.



I think very few places do the fried roll well. It usually ends up too oil-logged and soggy, and it doesn't add texture as much as it takes away from it. Overall, average.



Grade: B

Jonsey's D&D is a pop-up in the Charleston-Huntington area that specializes in pierogies. You'll have to keep updated on his Facebook to see where he's going to be next; I was excited when I finally caught him in Huntington last weekend.



Let's start with the basics: What is a pierogi? It is a filled dumpling "made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe." 



Being that I'm from the Northern Panhandle, I was familiar with pierogies because of my proximity to Pittsburgh. The city has a large Polish/Ukranian population; they even have the pierogi races at home Pittsburgh Pirates games. You might be familiar with the frozen Mrs. T's pierogies at your grocery store. 



To know pierogies is to love them. Think of a dense dumpling dough stuffed with potato or onion or cheddar or garlic or all of the above. In Huntington, Jonsey had potato & cheddar, as well as mushroom & potato. I just tried the former this trip, which were three delightfully plump dumplings filled with a tasty, unctuous filling. A nice little crisp on the exterior gives way to a pillowy center. And, sour cream makes everything better. My only regret is not trying the other flavor. Maybe sampler options will be on the way in the future.

Grade: A

While driving through Beckley, I saw The Bumbler Bee Baker - The Cake Box set up alongside the road.



I couldn't resist that sprinkled truck, so I stopped to check out what was up for sale. There were plenty of cupcakes, cinnamon rolls and pepperoni rolls.



The one that stuck out to me, though, was the "What Not Cup." It was a layered dessert with almond cake, cream and strawberry puree. This is really a smart idea for any cupcakes that may not turn out right - just crumble them up for a whole different dessert. And, I liked this even more than a traditional dessert - it's all contained, easier to eat and I get to decide how much of each component I want in each bite. The cream and strawberry were on point. I do think the cake portion was a bit dry, so some moisture there would've made this perfect. 



Grade: B

I made a trip to the Taste of Bridge Day this year just to track down one vendor: Twisted Sisterz BBQ & Catering.



Hosted at Adventures on the Gorge, the event brings together local food vendors who offer a variety of tasty options for attendees.



I have been trying to check out this particular place for quite some time, so I was excited when I saw that they were listed as attending. I got in line early, purchased enough tickets, and bee-lined right to the barbecue truck. I was one of the first ones in line and ordered the smoked pork sliders, which had a pumpkin barbecue and tangy apple coleslaw. I would've liked some punch your flavors with a bold barbecue and a strong smoky flavor from the pork but besides that, I do like that they had a creative spin on it.
 

Grade: B