Brunch from a truck
Who says brunch can't come on four wheels? Food truck meals can work for as many occasions as they do locations. The La Jefa is a Mexican food truck for those who need a meal on the go without breaking the bank. It offers dishes like burritos, tacos and bowls, some of which you can customize.
I visited it this weekend and by lunch time, its line was already long enough to obstruct the South Clark Street sidewalk.
"I don't like being indoors, I like to be travelling," owner Aidee Angelica Diaz said. "I get to meet lots of people every day, and I'm happy!"
Her orange and hot pink truck stands out from the rest with its colourful Dia de Los Muertos skulls. Watching food trucks on Food Network inspired her to leave her office job and start this new venture six months ago.
Aidee now feeds those who still work in offices like Brendan Neff. He takes his lunch break to The Loop street, where he mixes up his lunch meals from the options in the truck lineup. At La Jefa, he orders the steak or chicken burrito.
"It tastes clean. You can tell it's not really greasy; it's a salad or burrito. Especially for seven bucks, it's one of the more reasonably priced options along here," Brendan said. "The ingredients are quality ingredients."
Aidee attributes that freshness to her in-truck grill, where she prepares and cooks her meats on the spot.
I tried the veggie burrito, which Aidee said is becoming more popular. The soft wheat tortilla was grilled to give the burrito a toasty and crisp outer shell. A bite into it oozed a mush mix of avocado, corn, fresh tomatoes and beans. This veggie lover missed the texture and flavor of other ingredients like fajita peppers, onions and lettuce for added crunch.
