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With Latin Burger & Taco Truck, It’s “Bienvenidos a Miami,” Gourmet Street Food!
By Jackie Sayet on February 25, 2010
As the food world converges on Miami for the ninth annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival this week, Latin Burger & Taco Truck is just loosening its training wheels. But this converted DHL delivery truck is a quick study, and a pioneer in its own right as one of Miami’s first gourmet street food vendors. Last night iconic chefs Daniel Boulud and Masaharu Morimoto even stepped aboard as a guest servers for a Haiti relief fundraiser, one of the SoBe festival’s kick-off events.
Roger is waiting to take your order!
The menu is compact and packs a punch, featuring classic American fast food and south of the border favorites. Each item is thoughtfully composed of a few simple, fresh ingredients that when combined explode with flavor. Take the Latin Macho Burger, stacking two chorizo, angus, and chuck blend patties, a soft and sweet nest of caramelized onions, melting Oaxaca cheese, and red pepper mayo. The result it a mega rich and melt-in-your-mouth delicious burger, at a more than reasonable $5.75. This is George Clooney kind of macho. With class.
From its pasture of regular customers, you’d think Latin Burger has been around the block a few more times than its mere three months on the road, Tweeting its roving location to hungry followers. Maybe because Food Network chef (and Miami resident) Ingrid Hoffmann, star of Simply Delicioso, is behind the project.
This Latina’s spunky personality shines through in signature sauces, no less addictive than the main dishes, like “avocadolicious,” a cooling dip of avocado and sour cream, and “guachup,” a sweet, guava-infused ketchup.
If you’re not in the mood for a burger, the 3 Amigos await — a sampler of the truck’s three soft taco varieties for $6.95, including pulled pork, chicken mole, and chicken tomatillo (they’re also available a la carte for $2.50 each.) Fries come “plain Jane” or dusted in Cajun spices.
There goes the avocadolicious on the chicken tomatillo soft taco.
Avocadolicious on the side, por favor.
Like glitzy Miami’s increasingly self-confident and maturing food scene, Latin Burger & Taco Truck backs up with genuine purpose, the showbiz reputation that proceeds it. Hoffmann and partner Jim Heins are serving the streets in more ways than one by teaming with Frank Kelly’s Project Vacant Streets. Two Johnson and Wales students man the line, while rehabilitated homeless like Roger (pictured above) manage customers. It’s a combination that’s hard to beat. The operation is efficient and professional — and darn tasty, too.
Salomon, one of the truck's two Johnson & Wales interns mans the flat top grill, while Roger packs some fries up for a to go order.
The truck pulled up to one of its favorite locations down south on Dixie Highway, just outside of the Coconut Grove neighborhood.
To catch up with the truck and its whereabouts, follow Jim’s Tweets on Twitter @latinburger or visit its website. For my interview with Ingrid for the Miami New Times, click here.
Jackie Sayet is a Miami native and blogs at Kitchen Interviews and the Miami New Times’ Short Order food blog. She is the assistant to James Beard Award-nominated chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink and regularly posts restaurant updates on its blog The Genuine Kitchen.
About the author:
Jackie Sayet is a Miami native and blogs at Kitchen Interviews and the Miami New Times' Short Order food blog. She is the assistant to James Beard Award-nominated chef Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and regularly posts restaurant updates on its blog The Genuine Kitchen.
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