clamshell container with a brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fried onions on a potato roll
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Review: The Messy Pig BBQ

sign over a food truck reading "The Messy Pig" with a cartoon pig

More than a decade ago, the first BBQ spot we visited on Berks County Eats was a small roadside trailer called Muddy’s. It was the standard that we measured all over BBQ by – both in terms of its unique location and the delicious food. 

Unfortunately, Muddy’s is now long-gone. But from Hillbilly BBQ’s trailer near Douglassville to Backwoods Brothers and their Texas-style ‘cue in Hamburg to the ever-growing Stampede BBQ on the way to Morgantown, there is still great BBQ to be found in all corners of Berks County. 

And it’s the Messy Pig that anchors western Berks. 

black dry erase boards with menu and prices for a BBQ food truck

Though it has a permanent location in Womelsdorf, The Messy Pig primarily operates as a food truck, bringing its smoked meats to locations and events through Berks and Schuylkill Counties. Check their Facebook page to find out “wtf – where’s the food?”. 

The Messy Pig brand debuted in 2020, run by the namesake of the former Darryl’z in nearby Stouchsburg. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to try many of their delicious offerings. 

long line leading up to a food truck with an awning that reads "The Messy Pig BBQ"

Our most recent visit came in early March during the annual Presto event at Fleetwood High School. The annual fundraiser for the school district’s music program brings in five or more food trucks and stands every year, and the Messy Pig has been one of the anchors, offering the largest menu of any of the participants. 

The line was long but 15 minutes later I was at the front and soon I had my sandwich in hand as I filled a couple containers with sauce, of which there are a dozen flavors to choose from.

clamshell container with a brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fried onions on a potato roll

I ordered the Texas style brisket sandwich which came topped with coleslaw and onion tanglers. The brisket was very good, and the hefty roll was piled high with slabs of tender, moist brisket. The ends have a nice peppery after taste that I really enjoyed. 

Normally, I prefer slaw on pulled pork rather than brisket, but I really like the Messy Pig’s vinegary coleslaw and the notes it adds to the meat. 

pulled pork sandwich in a clamshell package

The Messy Pig also does a great job with its pulled pork. Like the brisket, pulled pork sandwiches come piled high with meat – they definitely don’t cheat you on the portions. I got the Plain Porker for mine, which as the name suggests, comes without any toppings, but their namesake Messy Pig sandwich is worth trying. It’s pork topped with cheese, slaw, pickles and jalapenos. 

The hardest part on my visits is choosing which of their sauces to get, which is why I always end up with at least two little cups of sweet sauce.

One other underrated aspect of the Messy Pig is that they serve Guers iced tea, a must-have for me every time I am at their stand. 

As much as we enjoy the food, we love their prices. Sandwiches top out at $12 each (for brisket) and platters, which come with mac and cheese and either slaw or beans, are under $20. 

Brisket, pork, chicken, sausage: the Messy Pig has you covered. Just ask “wtf” to find them.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Price: $$

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takeout container with a burger toped with coleslaw next to a pile of fries
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Review: Spuds Food Truck

side of a food truck with a cartoon potato and basket of fries and the word "Spuds"

When I was in college at Kutztown University – which feels like a lifetime ago – my favorite restaurant, hands down, was Spuds. 

My roommates and I absolutely loved their oversized, creative burgers and the delicious shoestring fries. And when I started Berks County Eats, it was one of my earliest reviews. 

Sadly, Spuds no longer has their downtown outpost. (That’s a joy that today’s KU students won’t get to experience). A fire in 2019 shuttered the restaurant, but those burgers and fries that I loved so much back then can still be found around Berks County. You just have to look for the Spuds food truck. 

(You can read our original review of the restaurant below).

white food truck with two windows on the side that are open and a logo in the back showing a potato holding a burger in one hand and a basket of fries in the other

We’ve found them at various stops throughout the region, including events like the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival and Art on the Avenue in West Reading. 

But Spuds also has some semi-regular locations in and around Kutztown, including pop-ups at the Kutztown Fire Company. 

That’s where I found them on a late spring afternoon. 

The truck is rather plain – painted white with the Spuds logo, a cartoon potato in a cowboy hat holding a burger in one hand and fries in the other, gracing the space at the back next to the order window. 

takeout container with a burger toped with coleslaw next to a pile of fries

While the truck may be bland, the food is anything but. In addition to the “plain” cheeseburger there were three specialty burgers on the menu for the event: the California cheeseburger, the wild mushroom burger, and the chipotle slaw burger. In addition, they were offering a chicken sandwich, pierogies, and fries – regular, loaded, garlic herb, and truffle. 

I opted for the chipotle slaw burger and a side of regular fries. 

The chipotle burger comes topped with a homemade spicy slaw and arugula (I skipped the cheese). The slaw had a good kick to it, a pleasant burn to complement the creaminess. The slightly bitter arugula was there to provide some subtle flavor notes. 

But even a plain burger from Spuds is a great offering because the thick patties, probably around half-pound each, are grilled to perfection and are solid on their own. With the addition of the slaw, it’s one of the best burgers around for my money. 

And then there are the fries. With the size of the burger, they are a completely unnecessary indulgence. But I will always indulge because they are that good. They’re fresh-cut style and fried to a perfect crisp. I can – and have – eaten them long after I was already full. 

burger smothered in mushrooms and cheese with a boat of fries

I mentioned before about Spuds’ appearances at local events, and we’ve had the the opportunity to check them at out several around Berks County. At a recent Taste of Hamburg-er Festival, we had the wild mushroom burger, which comes topped with mushrooms, melted brie, arugula, and balsamic drizzle. 

At home, we often make blended burgers with both chopped mushrooms and ground beef. They don’t come close to this burger which hits the right notes at every turn. The balsamic drizzle has the right balance of sweet and sour, mixing perfectly with the earthy flavors of the brie and mushrooms. All around, an excellent offering. 

basket with checkered paper filled with fried cheese curds and a cup of marinara for dipping

So too are the fried cheese curds. We had those during Art on the Avenue last year. 

Cheese curds are one of our favorite apps, and Spuds’ did not disappoint. The curds were a beautiful golden hue, served with a delicious pepper sauce for dipping. 

While I may not be able to walk into a downtown storefront to get my Spuds fix, I’m very glad that they are still around and still serving those same great burgers, fries, and more.

And we’ll keep enjoying them wherever we find them. 

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Price: $$

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Original Post: June 23, 2014

sign that reads "Spuds" with a cartoon potato in a cowboy hat and a basket of fries

Editor’s Note: Spuds is now closed. The restaurant suffered a fire in the summer of 2019. Instead of reopening a brick-and-mortar store, Spuds now runs a food truck serving burgers and fries around Berks County.

Berks County is a land of extremes when it comes to food.

On one hand, you have the finest dining establishments, places with white table linens, strict dress codes and suits and ties.

On the other, you have the celebrated greasy spoons, locally renowned holes-in-the-wall serving great food without any of the frills.

There may be no better, or greasier, greasy spoon in Berks County than Spuds in Kutztown.

Spuds doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. There are no fancy decorations on the walls, only the photos of those brave souls who have conquered “The Beast,” the restaurant’s three-pound burger challenge (the current record holder finished it in a very impressive 13 minutes).

The menu, a single piece of paper printed front and back, is headed by the “Assembly Line,” where you build your own burger, hot dog, steak or chicken sandwich from a list of toppings and “over the top-pings” which include corned beef, ham, mozzarella sticks and onion rings.

A handful of salads appeal to those who want to trick themselves into thinking they are eating healthy, though I doubt the cheeseburger salad (which includes, you guessed it, a freshly grilled cheeseburger) or The Mob (topped with ham and pepperoni) have much redeeming nutritional value.

And then there are the famous fries from which Spuds takes its name. The original fries and curly fries are great, but why settle when there are 30 topping options, including Sweet Heat (Cajun seasoning, sweet chili sauce and mozzarella), San Antonio (ground beef, fried onions, cayenne ranch, mozzarella and bacon) and Lonely Hearts (mushrooms, peppers, onions, parmesan pepper sauce and mozzarella).

burger topped in barbecue sauce and onions

I decided to splurge on the burger, topping it with barbecue sauce, onions and pulled pork. The quarter-pound burger on its toasted bun would have been plenty filling, but not nearly as much fun. The pulled pork was tender and moist, and it would have made an excellent sandwich on its own. Together, it was a deliciously messy dish that no bun could contain.

basket of fries tossed in Old Bay seasoning

Of course no meal at Spuds is complete without fries. The Chesapeake fries, which are tossed in Old Bay and olive oil, are one of the simpler creations available, but sometimes less is more. The thin-cut fries were dripping of oil and doused in seasoning. The cook could have probably held off on the extra salt, but the fries were as good as any that you are going to find.

burger topped with cheese, lettuce and tomato

Taking the opposite approach, my wife went with a simple cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise while loading up on the spuds, literally, with an order of loaded fries. The “gall bladder goodness,” as my wife calls it, is like eating a fried baked potato, with cheddar, ranch, bacon and chives.

basket of fries loaded with sour cream and chives

A fork is a must as the cheese hardens atop the potatoes, but it is worth the extra effort it takes to eat the extra special fries.

Though reasonably priced (with drinks, our meals came in at under $25.00), don’t confuse Spuds with fast food. All of the burgers and fries are made to order, which can mean long waits during the dinner rush, especially when class is in session a Kutztown University. Of course, you can always call in your order (and probably should if you need more than two or three meals).

Spuds is a favorite of students, especially those looking for a late-night meal. But the food is too good to dismiss it as a college town dive.

So if you’re in the mood for a burger and fries, and if you have a few thousand calories to spare, skip the fast food and gorge on some greasy gourmet instead.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: Reasonable

Spuds
163 W. Main St
Kutztown, PA 19530

Closed Food Trucks Lunch & Dinner
Black food truck with yellow letters reading "Beansie's" with a yellow coffee cup with white smoke for a logo
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Review: Beansie’s Cafe Food Truck

Black food truck with yellow letters reading "Beansie's" with a yellow coffee cup with white smoke for a logo

What if I told you one of the best breakfasts in Berks County doesn’t come from a restaurant, but a food truck? 

Beansie’s Cafe is a mobile breakfast and lunch spot. In addition to corporate catering and serving at local events, Beansie’s does pop-up breakfasts in the parking lot of Wilshire Pool in Spring Township. 

That’s where I first tasted Beansie’s in 2023. And since that first visit, it has become one of my favorite breakfast spots. 

In the Wilshire parking lot, the black truck sets up parallel to Van Reed Road. The yellow Beansie’s logo is clearly visible to all those driving past. 

wooden cornhole board with face painted black with a brown coffee cup and white letters that read "Beansie's"

Lines queue up early for their 8 a.m. opening. On my last visit, I arrived a little after 8 only to find a line of about three ahead of me. Ordering is a process. Rather than take all of the orders, everything is done one at a time. An order is taken and prepared – or at least started – before the next order is taken. This can make the line feel slow, but the prep time is fairly quick so it doesn’t take long to receive your order once it’s placed. 

And if you do have to wait, Beansie’s often sets out a cornhole set on nice days to help you pass the time. 

black Styrofoam container with a flatbread sandwich next to a small takeout breakfast bowl and a coffee cup with "Beansie's" printed on the sleeve

I’ve tried many different items on the menu and have yet to have a bad one. On my last visit, I tried the bacon, egg and cheese flatbread with country gravy dipper. It was my first time ordering it, but it certainly won’t be the last time. The flatbread was a savory delight – stuffed full with plenty of bacon to go along with egg base. Beansie’s uses a four-cheese blend that gives more depth than just American or cheddar. 

And that country gravy is perfect. I only wish I would have had just a little bit more because I used up the entire cup. 

takeout container with a bowl with scrambled eggs, peppers and onions in front of a to-go coffee cup

The cheese blend is also a star of Beansie’s breakfast bowl. This has become a go-to favorite on my trips. The bowl also includes scrambled egg, breakfast sausage, peppers, and hash browns. The sausage has just a little bit of heat to it which I absolutely love. No condiment needed for this dish as it shines on its own. 

five mini pancakes with a black cup of syrup for dipping

Jakob’s favorite is the mini pancake dippers. They come served with a choice of regular or berry syrup. These are the perfect size for kids, but there are plenty in the order for adults, too. I would splurge for the berry sauce, but that’s just me. 

two Styrofoam containers with grilled filled banana bread from Beansie's Cafe

While Jakob may favor the pancakes, if I want to splurge, I’m going to get an order of their grilled, filled banana bread. It’s basically two layers of banana bread with a cream cheese filling (peanut butter is also available) and a delicious sweet topping. It’s definitely an indulgence, but totally worth it. 

Of course when I get breakfast, I like my favorite breakfast drink: a chai latte. Beansie’s has a real good one – not too sweet, not too spiced – but they also have all the coffee drinks you could ask for, including their signature wakey shake, a vanilla espresso milkshake with dark chocolate covered coffee beans. 

One of the best things about Beansie’s is that everything on the menu is more than reasonably priced – I can easily get breakfast for the whole family for between $20-30. 

Next time you see Beansie’s is open on a Sunday morning in Sinking Spring, make the trip and give them a try. You know I’ll be there. 

Beansie’s Cafe
Food: Excellent
Service: Good
Ambiance: N/A
Price: $

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Review: Truck N Brew

Now that Berks County has entered the green phase of reopening, restrictions are starting to be lessened for area restaurants and eateries, but restrictions remain in place.

The new rules and regulations have forced businesses to adapt and innovate, from the way the food gets from kitchen to consumer (contactless delivery, curbside pickup) to how seats are arranged – inside and out.

Food trucks parked on gravel with picnic tables in the foreground

One of the innovations that has come out of the restrictions on dining is Truck N Brew, a weekly event at Willow Glen Park in Sinking Spring.

Photo of a food truck called Uncle Buck's that's shaped liked a retro camper

Willow Glen is best known as the site of Shocktoberfest, the Apple Dumpling Festival, weekly outdoor flea markets and countless other events throughout the year. But on Friday and Saturday nights, Willow Glen is now home to Truck N Brew, an outdoor dining and entertainment venue with food trucks and concessions.

Food trucks parked on a lawn with cars in the background

Not being ready for a dine-in experience quite yet, Truck N Brew seemed like a great alternative for a Saturday night dinner.

Picture of a food stand under a pavilion with a sign advertising Spanish food

We arrive at 5 p.m. just as the stands were opening. We weren’t the first ones there, but there weren’t too many others around as we bounced from food truck to food truck and stand to stand in search of our meals.

The lineup of food trucks changes every week – this week featured wood-fired pizza, tacos, Cuban sandwiches, barbecue and more – but the venue is owned and operated by Konopelski Katering, and their concession stands are the anchors of the event.

A photo of a tent set up in front of a building for Fat Jack's at Truck N Brew in Sinking Spring

One of those stands is Fat Jack’s, which operates out of a large kitchen at the end of the row of eateries. The menu was also the most varied of all the options with burgers, sandwiches, fried foods and more.

We both opted for burgers – Julie got the guac and bacon burger while I went with the fajita burger.

Photo of a big yellow food truck called the Biggest Cheese next to a tree

For Jakob, we stopped at a food truck called The Biggest Cheese where mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches dominate the menu. Actually, there’s mac and cheese in the grilled cheese sandwiches, but they were accommodating and made a plain old grilled cheese for our toddler to enjoy.

Seating was plentiful. There is a large pavilion with picnic tables spread out (it’s also where the bar is set up – the brew in Truck N Brew). And many more tables surrounding the pavilion. There’s also some wooden counters set up along the lawn’s edge, a place to stand and enjoy your drinks.

We snagged one of the tables outside the pavilion. Despite our car’s thermometer reading 90 degrees, the shaded picnic area felt very comfortable. And we were well-distanced from the nearest occupied table, making it easy to enjoy our delicious burgers.

Close up of a burger with cheese, lettuce and tomato and a side of fries in a to-go boat

My fajita burger came topped with grilled peppers, grilled onions lettuce, tomato and jalapeno cheese.

I personally love grilled peppers and onions on my burgers (they are among my go-to toppings at Five Guys), but I wasn’t sure what to expect with the jalapeno cheese. It added only a little heat to the dish, but it certainly added some flavor.

Overall, it was a very satisfying burger.

Photo of a burger topped with guacamole and bacon in a to-go boat with french fries

Julie was also satisfied with her guac and bacon burger. As you might guess, the featured toppings were guacamole and bacon (with lettuce and tomato). You can’t really go wrong with either of those on a burger.

Both of us got a side of fries with our burgers. The small, fresh-cut fries were very good though a little on the salty side (not too salty to stop me from eating them).

Toddler eating a grilled cheese sandwich at a picnic table

Meanwhile Jakob seemed to enjoy his grilled cheese (Julie tried some and said it was good. The bread was toasted well – not burnt – and was nice and buttery). However he was a little distracted because from his seat, he was looking directly at the Sweet Ride Ice Cream truck.

Photo of the Sweet Ride Ice Cream food truck under a tree

I ventured over and grabbed us some dessert, a cup of vanilla ice cream for Jakob, a cup of banana peanut butter chip ice cream for Julie and an orange cream float with chocolate ice cream for me.

Sweet Ride has always been good, but we’ve enjoyed them even more since they started making (most) of their own ice cream. Julie loves their banana peanut butter chip with the creamy banana base so there was never a doubt as to which flavor she would get.

Close up of two cups of ice cream and one large cup with orange soda

My float was also very good. The chocolate ice cream was rich and I always enjoy the mix of chocolate and orange. It was definitely worth the extra calories.

It wasn’t the cheapest night out we’ve had but it was still pretty reasonable. Our burgers and fries were less than $25. Jakob’s grilled cheese and bottle of water were around $7. And the ice cream added another $12, bringing our total for the night to right around $45. That’s not bad for three meals and three desserts.

We kept our expectations low going into the evening, but were pleasantly surprised all around. There was more than enough seating to spread out (even at 6 p.m. when we left). There was a great variety of food, and what we had was very good. While I would say the majority of the other patrons weren’t wearing masks, a few were. And all of those working, at least the ones I could see that were interacting with customers, were wearing masks and gloves.

Really, it’s a great idea, one that was obviously fueled by the restrictions of the yellow phase of reopening. But it’s an idea we hope keeps going because we enjoyed it and would definitely go back.

Truck N Brew
94 Park Rd
Sinking Spring, PA 19608

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

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Review: Aaron’s Tacos

Editor’s Note: Aaron’s Tacos now has a physical location at 242 N. 9th Street in Reading.

We saw the red wagon being towed north on Route 61 that morning. “They must be setting up at the Fiesta,” I said to Julie.

The red wagon is distinct around Berks County. It’s the center of operations for Aaron’s Tacos, a mobile food business that has been making the rounds in Berks County for the last several years.

The Fiesta was the Spring Fiesta, held at Jim Dietrich Park in Muhlenberg Township on June 8. The event is hailed as having Berks County’s Best Tacos (you may remember our recent visit to the Berks County Taco Fest – a completely unrelated event with a couple overlapping vendors). Aaron’s was one of about 15 food vendors schedule to take part in the event.

Aaron's Tacos is probably Berks County's smallest mobile restaurant - the little red wagon is barely big enough for the two employees who were running it.

We were at the festival early. It was shortly before noon and the lunch crowd was still rolling in while we were there. There was no line at Aaron’s when I walked up to the window to order my three tacos – one each of steak, chicken and chorizo.

As I waited, two things were clear to me.

1. Aaron’s needed one more person.

2. One more person couldn’t fit inside the wagon.

The flat-top grill was between myself and the woman taking my order. She was very nice and went through the full list of proteins available. But she was also responsible for cooking them while a colleague stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her while pan-frying pastelillos and Jamaica beef patties.

She was also the one accepting the money, and with so little room, she had to walk outside the wagon to a table with a cash box. Eventually, a third person came and was on the grill, at least some of the time, which helped the process.

And while I appreciated that my meat was being cooked to order, it felt like an eternity as I watched sevreal people come through and get their ready-made fried meat pies while my tacos remained unfinished on the cook-top.

Fifteen minutes later, they were finished and I paid my $10.50 before joining Julie and Jakob at a table nearby.

(Julie and Jakob enjoyed a meal from Tlacuani Mexican Restaurant in Temple, a restaurant we visited in 2015).

All of Aaron's tacos are served on corn tortillas with the traditional onions and cilantro plus sliced radish and lime wedges for garnish.

My tacos looked great and – like all tacos from Aaron’s – were prepared in the traditional Mexican style with onions and cilantros. The only additional embellishments were radish slices and limes. The former added a splash of color; the latter, a little DIY citrus flavor.

I enjoyed all three. The corn tortillas were also grilled on the flat-top and were served hotter than any other tacos that I have been served, but they also stayed together better than any other corn tortillas so maybe that’s the trick.

With all of the toppings the same except the proteins, they became the only differentiator between the three. The chorizo was at the top of my list because the spiced sausage has more built-in flavor. The chicken and the steak were both good, as well. I would gladly eat all three again in the future.

But I don’t know that I would wait for them again, at least at an event like the Spring Fiesta where there were 14 other places to get tacos that are just as good without the wait.

Maybe I caught them at a bad time – and I hope that’s all it is – but it just seems like the little red wagon isn’t quite big to do the job as well as it could.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Fair
Ambiance: N/A
Price: Reasonable

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pulled pork sandwich topped with onions with a side of slaw
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Review: Smokehouse Food Truck

Smokehouse Food Truck

The Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf, Pa., has always had special meaning for me. Growing up in the Conrad Weiser Area School District, we had many field trips to the site. In college, many research papers were dedicated Conrad Weiser the man (a pre-Revolution German immigrant who rose to prominence in the local community as an interpreter with local native tribes) and Julie and I had our engagement photos taken there seven years ago.

In 2016, a new event debuted called Artisans in the Park, bringing local crafters to the historic site on the first Saturday in May. This year was the first time Julie and I (along with Jakob) were able to attend the festival as it was our first time in recent memory that we were home on the first weekend in May.

small child in a bucket hat holding a stuffed fox
Jakob modeling his new bucket hat at the event

While we loved browsing the craft stands, and Julie picked up several nice Mother’s Day gifts, what you all want to know about was the food. Part of the draw of the event this year was the addition of food trucks, including The Perk-Up Truck, one of our favorites. The other two trucks in attendance were Fultz’s Pretzels and Smokehouse Food Truck.

The Smokehouse is a newer food truck, having debuted in 2017, serving Berks and Lehigh Counties from its home base in New Jerusalem.

(A few people at the festival also confused the truck with Johnny & Hon’s Smokehouse, located just a block from Conrad Weiser Park, but the two businesses are unrelated).

There was a long line for the truck around noontime when we arrived. It wasn’t surprising as the only other option for lunch food was pork barbecue and hamburgers from Zion Lutheran Church in Womelsdorf (my childhood church, which I love dearly, but a review of their food would be rather short).

Smokehouse Food Truck

What we didn’t realize was that the line was also so long because the truck was completely understaffed. As far as we could tell, there were only two people working. The owner, who was taking orders, and a cook was putting everything together, one at a time. Julie and I took turns standing in line to order, then took turns waiting even longer for our order to be ready.

In all, it was nearly an hour wait from the time we entered the line – we were probably about 10th in line to order – until our food arrived. And when the order came out, we were handed only half of it (thankfully, the other half was done and sitting on the counter and retrieved in short order).

I had the pulled pork sandwich; Julie had a beef brisket sandwich, and we shared a pair of sides – seasoned fries and cole slaw.

Smokehouse Food Truck Pulled Pork Sandwich

The pulled pork sandwich came topped with pickles, onions, Swiss cheese and Carolina gold sauce on a Kaiser roll. The menu listing the toppings was printed out and hanging in the window, but orders were being placed at the door where the sign board merely said “pulled pork.” We were only close enough to read the window sign while we waited for our food (which was served out the door as well).

I pulled off the pickles and the cheese – not my style when it comes to barbecue – and dug in. Maybe it was the hunger talking, but once I finally got to take my first bite, I thought it was a fantastic sandwich.

The pork was really well done with a decent spice rub. The caramelized onions were delicious. And the Carolina gold was a surprising hit. I normally shy away from mustard-based sauces, and probably would have passed on the pork had I known, but I thought it was the perfect sauce for this sandwich.

As hungry as I was, though, I didn’t take time to savor the flavor and instead finished off the sandwich very quickly.

Smokehouse Food Truck Beef Brisket Sandwich

Julie’s brisket sandwich was also a hit. It was topped with cheddar – not Swiss – and a sweeter, less tangy sauce. The meat was melt in your mouth tender and the sweet sauce really shone.

I think what I enjoyed most about my own sandwich was that it was different (at least from my usual). The brisket sandwich was good, but much more in line with what I would expect. Still, I can’t think of another barbecue joint in the area that puts cheese on their sandwiches.

While the mains were solid, the sides were a bit of a letdown. The cole slaw had a little pepper, but not a whole lot of flavor overall. It looked more flavorful than it actually was.

And the “seasoned fries” were generic French fries that were lightly salted. Maybe there were other spices, but I didn’t taste them.

And the fries were probably what slowed down our meal and others as they were the +only item on the menu that would be made to order. Unless the fries get a makeover, they’re just taking up space on an otherwise solid menu.

In the end, we spent about $30 on our two meals. Was it worth the wait? Probably not. But the barbecue, itself, was a definite hit. With a little faster service and a little more organization (and without the fries), it could be one of the best food trucks around.

But it’s not quite there yet.

BCE Rating
Food: Good to Very Good
Service: Poor
Ambiance: N/A
Value: A Little Pricey

Smokehouse Food Truck
Serving Berks and Lehigh Counties

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Review: WOW Wagon

food truck with the words "Wow Wagon" on the side

One of my favorite events every year is the Garden Party at the Reading Hospital.

In addition to benefitting a great cause, the organizers always bring in some of the best in local eats. This year, they brought in some of the area’s best food trucks, including Gourmand, the Potato Coop, Scott’s Hot Spot and the Gilbertsville-based WOW Wagon.

Julie and I made our way through the sea of people, trying to decide where to go. The WOW Wagon was at the end of the row, and with no line, it was an easy choice for two people who were ready to eat.

white pizza topped with roasted red peppers and broccoli

I first tried the WOW Wagon a year ago at the VF Outlet Center Food Truck Festival. That day’s menu featured artisan pizzas, like the white pizza with broccoli, green peppers and sun-dried tomatoes that I got to enjoy.

But the menu is ever-changing, and at the Garden Party, there were no pizzas to be had.

Instead, they offered a six-item, limited menu that included an item called Pig Dippers that sounded too good to pass up.

deep fried bacon in pancake batter

The fair food-inspired treats featured candied maple bacon, rolled in funnel cake batter and deep-fried (topped with obligatory powdered sugar).

Pig Dippers are also sometimes referred to simply as cholesterol. Delicious cholesterol.

Biting into one is a truly unique taste experience. First, you have that familiar funnel cake flavor. Then you get the bacon, with strong maple overtones. It’s a sweet and savory explosion. Together, it was almost reminiscent of breakfast.

They came in orders of two. I thought when I finished that I would need something else to eat. I didn’t. I felt great after eating one. The second one was almost too much, too heavy (but I finished it anyway).

lobster roll atop a hot dog roll

Also on the menu during our visit was something completely different: lobster rolls.

The New England specialty was meaty and delicious. The roll was overstuffed with chunks of lobster meat and one lone slice of lettuce to add a bit of crunch.

It wasn’t quite like getting a fresh lobster roll in Maine, but it was darn good for Pennsylvania.

During the Garden Party, all purchases are made in tickets, but our total worked out to be around $20 (this did not include drinks, which had to be purchased from another stand).

The WOW Wagon definitely brought a wow factor to its items on this day.

I don’t know that my heart could take another order of Pig Dippers, but I will definitely keep an eye out for the WOW Wagon at future events.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: N/A
Price: Reasonable

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Gourmand Food Truck
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Review: Gourmand Artisan Street Food

Gourmand Food Truck

The food industry is all about trends. Fads come and go.

Berks County has seen it many times in recent years. We are just coming out of a boom period for barbecue where it seemed every other restaurant that opened was serving smoked meats.

We saw the same thing with fro-yo. Just the other year, Berks County saw a half-dozen or more frozen yogurt spots open up around the county.

But while the industry ebbs and flows, its the innovators that thrive.

One of the hottest culinary trends today is food trucks. The restaurants on wheels have become increasingly popular in the last two years.

And the truck that truly started the revolution in Berks is Gourmand.

Advertising itself as “artisan street food,” Gourmand wasn’t the first food truck in Berks County, but it is arguably the most recognized. Its success has spawned two brick-and-mortar locations: one inside Body Zone in Spring Township and another on Berkshire Boulevard in Wyomissing.

The Gourmand Food Truck at West Reading Farmers Market

It seems like the distinctive two-tone truck with the gray hex sign is at every major outdoor event or concert.

Though the Gourmand truck makes its rounds across the county, we found it close to home, set up along Penn Ave in West Reading for the West Reading Farmers Market where the truck is a regular fixture.

One of the great things about food trucks is that the menus are ever-evolving. Menu boards are erased every day, allowing for daily innovation and creativity. And creativity certainly describes Gourmand’s menu on this day.

Gourmand Food Truck Menu

The day’s menu included a lot of things that you won’t see anywhere else in Berks County, like truffled goat cheese fries, lobster tacos and The Berks, one of Gourmand’s signature sandwiches.

The Berks Sandwich

The Berks is a work of pure genius. It starts with fried sweet bologna on a toasted hamburger bun. Then it’s topped with cream cheese, apple butter, and potato chips.

It’s a delicious combination of savory, sweet and salty. Fried Lebanon bologna will always be a favorite of mine (thanks to the Kutztown Fair), but cream cheese and apple butter add a layer of creaminess. And who doesn’t love putting potato chips on their sandwich?

Gourmand Fries

Another of Gourmand’s signature concoctions is the Gourmand fries. The truck’s standard fries are tasty, fast-food-style fries, but this takes them to a whole new level.

The standard fries are topped with fried pastrami, crispy bacon, provolone, pico de gallo and chipotle aioli. Pastrami sounds like the odd-man-out in this dish, but it makes a great substitute for a more expected meat, like pulled pork. It’s a side dish that eats like an entree, and a very good one at that.

Gourmand Trio Cheese

Everything on Gourmand’s menu gets turned up a notch, even their take on grilled cheese. The “Trio Cheese” sandwich featured mozzarella, provolone and gruyere on Italian bread. It was grilled to perfection and the three cheeses blended perfectly together. Unbeknownst to Julie, her grilled cheese sandwich also came with fries, but we happily added them to our other pile, half of which went home with us.

In French, gourmand literally means glutton or gluttony. And that’s pretty much how we felt when our meal was over.

Gourmand’s sandwiches are all less than $10 apiece (both of ours were priced at $7) so a meal won’t break the bank. Even with our additional fries and a pair of drinks, our total was less than $25.

The food truck craze is still going strong in Berks County, but it’s hard to say for how long it will last. Fads come and go; it’s just the nature of the business.

One thing I can say with confidence: when food trucks are no longer the talk of the town, you’ll still be able to find artisan street food at Gourmand. It’s just too good to go away.

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