Stacie Overton Johnson
Stacie Overton Johnson gives her take on the food trucks and their dishes to try at the inaugural Love Food Festival.
• Love Food Festival is at Al Jahili Park, Al Ain, on Thursday from 5pm to 11pm, and from noon to 11pm on Friday and Saturday. It’s at Abu Dhabi’s Mushrif Central Park on February 18 from 5pm to 10pm, and from noon to 10pm on February 19 and 20. Tickets cost Dh30 at www.lovefoodfestival.ae, or Dh40 at the door. Children under 12 get in free. There is a Dh5 general admission fee for Mushrif Central Park, which is not included in the ticket price.
Big Apple Hot Dogs
Serves: Secret recipe hot dogs.
Dish to try: The BAHD Brat — a traditional veal-sausage recipe from East Germany, made with coarsely ground veal stuffed in a sheep casing, with flavours of marjoram and black pepper.
Churros Bros
Serves: Spanish fried-dough pastries.
Dish to try: Churros and Chocolate — traditional crunchy churros covered in sugar and served with a thick, dark chocolate dipping sauce.
Hix’s Fishdog
Serves: Classic fish-finger sandwiches and dog-nuts (hot cinnamon doughnuts with salted caramel dipping sauce).
Dish to try: Fishdog — a breaded, deep-fried fish finger served in a hot-dog bun with minted mushy peas and tartare sauce.
Oli Baba’s
Serves: Contemporary Levantine cuisine with a street-food twist.
Dish to try: Halloumi fries with zaatar yogurt, pomegranate molasses, mint, sumac, Turkish chilli and pomegranate seeds.
The Cheese Truck
Serves: Grilled-cheese sandwiches.
Dish to try: The cheddar, Emmental and onion sandwich.
The Crema Caravan
Serves: Vanilla desserts with blowtorch burnt-sugar tops.
Dish to try: Salted Caramel Brownie and vanilla crème brûlée, topped with chocolate fudge brownie and salted-caramel sauce.
The Other Side
Serves: Double-breaded fried chicken done right.
Dish to try: Chipotle Fried Chicken Bun — buttermilk fried chicken with chipotle mayo, peanut, spring onions and coleslaw.
The Roadery
Serves: "Head to tail" food concept, with a focus on the forgotten cuts of meat.
Dish to try: Pulled Beef Cheek Sliders — beef cheek cooked low and slow and served with pickles, cheese and peanut mayonnaise.
What the Dickens!
Serves: Classic British street food.
Dish to try: Kedgeree — a British smoked fish and rice dish, topped with a boiled egg and flavoured with Indian curry spices.
Happy Maki
Serves: Fish-free, vegan sushi.
Dish to try: Thai Sweet Potato Maki Sushi wrap — sweet potato wedges with avocado, roasted coconut, coriander, cucumber, red pepper and teriyaki sauce.
Local food trucks — six to try
1) Yumtingz (pictured)
Serves: Burgers, burritos, salads, fries and milkshakes.
Dish to try: The camel burger (of course) and Parmesan truffle fries.
2) Moti Roti
Serves: Pakistani food.
Dish to try: Roti wrap with masala chicken and mango chutney.
3) Taqado Mexican Kitchen
Serves: Tacos and burritos.
Dish to try: Burritos with lime-infused rice, frijoles, cheese, guacamole, salsa roja and chicken, barbacoa or chilli con carne, wrapped in a flour tortilla.
4) Meylas (pictured)
Serves: Emirati street food made from recipes passed down through the generations.
Dish to try: Legimat — traditional Emirati fried, sweet dough balls, served with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
5) Jake’s Food Truck
Serves: Gourmet burgers on a bagel or brioche bun.
Dish to try: Jake's Original — a grilled Angus-beef patty with blue cheese, red onion, tomato, Boston lettuce, caramelised onion and horseradish cream.
6) The Shebi
Serves: Lebanese-Indian fusion concept.
Dish to try: The Shebi's famous pulled-beef sandwich.
