Tacos Don Memo

If you go to Penn your familiar with the lunch scene. Freshman year you feel forced to use your meal swipes and eat at the dining hall, and you have those days where the idea of eating one more Houston Salad is the equivalent to walking into a pole. Now that I'm not a freshman anymore, I've been able to ditch my dining dollars and meal swipes for some real lunch food without the guilt. At Penn, lunch is all about the food cart scene. While we all love us some Magic Carpet and Lyn's, the options are endless, and I've taken it upon myself to show you the ropes. Today I bring you lunch with a little Mexican flair. Parked on 38th and a little past Market, rests Tacos don Memo. A taco truck serving up tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas and tostadas, Tacos Don Memo is offering quality meats and ingredients that really make it a standout. This isn't regular food truck fare; this is authentic, delicious, and surprisingly fresh Mexican cuisine made by a native Mexican who seriously knows his stuff. After the truck opened in 2006, the owner found such success that he opened a restaurant, so not only can you get your taco fix at the truck, but at a sit down spot as well.

For some reason I was unusually hungree this day, and I was really craving something filling and hearty. My cousin Whitney was obsessed with the truck, so I decided to try it out myself. I headed on over and after deliberating for a few minutes to whether or not I could handle a massive burrito, I decided on three tacos instead, for a nice price of $7. Pick from steak, chicken, marinated pork, or carnitas. I went with one chicken, one marinated pork and one carnitas and asked for avocado on top. Minutes later I was greeted with a steaming foil package that I couldn't wait to tackle. I passed on the Mexican sodas available just cause I'm not a soda gal, but you shouldn't *they also have Coke in glass bottles and glass bottles make everything taste better*.

 Once I sat down and unbundled my treasure, my mouth began to water. I snapped these pix fast because I couldn't wait to dive in. Topped with cilantro, onions, and a special homemade sauce, these tacos were BOMB. Served on corn tortillas, they were warm, dripped meaty juices, and had a creamy fresh bite from the avocado that added a light contrast to the meaty flavors.

this is from a food truck....4 real?

The carnitas one was my favorite, the chicken was passable, but the marinated pork was intensely flavored and tenderly soft.

I couldn't believe these were out of a truck, they tasted incredibly fresh and the fact that I had 3/4 of a full avocado on the three just made me fall in love more. I want to check out the restaurant, so stay tuned. At prices of $2.50 a taco, and three for $7, you really get a bang for your buck. Next time I'm going for that burrito. Lets make every day Taco Tuesday and check out Don Memo.

38th and a lil pass Market

Philadelphia, PA

TTTET *time to totally eat tacos*

xoxo

hungreegirl.

LOS Burgers Truck

LOS stands for Lucky Old Souls. I may not be old, but today I certainly feel like a lucky soul. Why? Well, because today was the day I had my first taste of the LOS Burgers Truck. Great a new food truck, no big deal, right? WRONG. SO wrong. Let me explain. Firstly, I've been stalking LOS Burgers Truck on twitter for about 2 months now. Yes, its a little ridiculous, borderline obsessive maybe, but i love how they use social media to connect with their hungree followers and while I was one of their hungree-est followers of all, I had never even tasted their food. Well, that all changed today when Bree and I ventured to their tweeted location to check them out.

Their menu featured delicious sounding burgers, shakes, fries, and sauces all made from locally sourced ingredients. I'm a sucker for locavore status so I was already on board. First you pick among grass-fed beef burgers, veggie burgers, or turkey burgers #iloveoptions. Then you pick your toppings from a variety of cheeses to pickled tomatoes, sautéed onions, and bacon. Then your sauce, ranging from roasted garlic mayo and bacon mayo to today's special scallion mayo. But it doesn't stop after this. You have to pick your dipping sauce for your fries and your flavor of milkshake too. Well, we wanted to to get a good sampling so that is my justification for order a lot. I went with a veggie burger topped with pickles, lettuce, tomato, sautéed onions, and the roasted garlic mayo, while Bree went with a beef burger topped with sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato and ketchup. We got fries with the scallion mayo dipping sauce and a salted caramel black pepper milkshake. It was a little bit of a wait, but all good things take time, and I knew they were making mine to order which I totally appreciated. My veggie burger was flavor packed, had a great texture, and was juicy. A veggie burger juicy? I don't know how, but it was. It tasted fresh and wasn't heavy or greasy and the pickles and garlic mayo gave it a sour note that married nicely with the richness of the patty.

 All good things are messy.

 Bree's burger was BOMB.COM. A simple classic done right. Nicely charred on the outside and gushing moist and luscious flavors with every bite. This did NOT taste like food truck food. This is quality ish.

 NOM PLEASE

My beautiful Bree with her burger. Bree went with cheddar, not her namesake, LOL.

 Then the milkshake. It was creamy and refreshing and unique in flavor, but wasn't the best I ever had. I wish it was a little thicker but it was a nice treat on a hot day.

Then we got to the star of the meal, the special scallion mayo. I actually could have eaten this by the bucket load. I know it sounds kind of gross to think about bucket loads of mayo, but this isn't regular mayo. Its tangy, tasty, and bursting with flavor and while the french fries were crispy little morsels that were delicious on their own, I couldn't bare to take a bite of one without completely dunking it in the sauce. Would I like some french fries with my mayo is the new question.

 Overall, I am a BIG fan and will continue to stalk/follow and now eat everything LOS Burger Truck has to offer. Its worth the walk and the stalk so follow them on twitter and join the cult that I am proudly naming myself head of.

proud 2 be a Lucky Soul

xoxo

hungreegirl. 

Definition Bento-licious

So lunch time came, and I was hungree. But, today I was in the mood to be somewhat healthy and was already tired enough so didn't need a meal that would weigh me down and would force me to take a nap. I wanted tasty and light, yet healthy(er) and filling. The food truck, Bento Box, popped into my head and the crew around me was in full support. I was the only one who had previously ventured to the Japanese food truck and was excited to introduce them to a new spot. Bento Box, located on 38th and Walnut, is a not-so-widely known food truck that deserves some recognition. The first time I went I had a great experience, quick and friendly service, great food, and kick@$$ price. The menu at Bento is simple and straightforward. You can get a hibachi meal, a teriyaki meal, or a yakiudon meal, as well as Vietnamese pho and a few sides. Each meal comes with a choice of chicken, beef, vegetable, tofu, or salmon, and is accompanied with jasmine rice, a salad with killer ginger dressing (MY FAVE), and two crispy dumplings (pictured below).

Today I went for the chicken hibachi, and they were super friendly when I requested light sauce and double salad rather then the usual rice accompaniment (health kick GO ME!)  Ali and Dre followed in suit with the chicken hibachi, Feli went with the tofu hibachi, and Nes tried the beef yakiudon, a stir fry of thick flour udon noodles with strips of tender beef and vegetables.
Feli's veggie version:

Ali, Dre and I all agreed that our chicken hibachi was great. The chicken and vegetables were well cook and well seasoned, with a salty and tangy hibachi sauce that wasn't too overwhelming or potent. Ali and Dre's meals were served with a fluffy jasmine rice that sopped up the extra sauce and married perfectly with the chicken and vegetables. The salad, while small, was fresh and crunchy and the dressing is awesome. Its that perfect ginger dressing that you crave and secretly want to ask your favorite hibachi place if you can take a few bottles home. Not only was my tummy happy, but with a price tag of $5.50, my wallet was happy as well.

Nes' yaki-udon was awesome as well. The noodles were thick and perfectly chewy, the sauce was sweet and salty and was just the right amount, the beef was tender and had great flavor, and the vegetables added a great crunch. Topped with sesame seeds, the noodles were slurp worthy, yet not too heavy or over-sauced that you felt sick.

Basically, we all lurrrved our lunch and Bento Box once again proved to be a great experience and was certainly bento-licious.

iz all about da bento baby

xoxo

hungreegirl. 

Snack Attack

Visited Tyson Bees today for a quick snack fix. Hit up the Thai BBQ Chicken Wrap, a nice flour wrap filled with sticky rice, bbq Thai chicken, fresh cucumbers and cabbage, and a spicy thai bbq sauce. Quick, well priced, and ooooo sooo GOOD. The rice was sweet, the cabbage and cucumbers crunchy, the chicken tender, and the sauce tangy and spicy, making it the PERFECT snack. (a very large snack, which is even more perfect).

hungree for that quick fix

xoxo

hungreegirl.

The Bee's Knees

When grabbing lunch, my friend Maddie suggested that we hit up a food cart that neither of us had been to, but had heard plenty about. Tyson’s Bee, located right outside of Franklin Field on 33^rd street was certainly hard to miss. It’s bright orange vibrant body covered in graffiti made it a unique standout and it’s definitely the prettiest food truck I’ve seen around campus. So, as per Maddie’s suggestion, we went to try it. I was glad when she had the idea because not only was I eager to try but I had class right across the street and was literally DYING of hunger. I mean it’s not like I eat a lot so I had total reason to be hungree right? #biggestjokeofalltime

Tyson’s Bee features innovate Korean and Thai inspired food that’s easy to eat on the go, fresh, and totally delicious. They offer a weekly curry, multiple kinds of tacos, hotdogs **shoutout to KELSEY we must try**, rice-bowls, and sandwiches. Having the appetite of a small horse, I decided to really go for it, and luckily, Maddie was feeling hungree right there with me. I ordered the Thai basil chicken over sticky rice and Maddie went with the tofu wrap. And because I always say one dish per person is never enough, we ordered 3 tacos to share: two Edamame and one Korean BBQ beef short-rib. After placing our order we were handed a playing card which was to be called when our order was ready. Seriously, how clever! (We were Queen of hearts, totally fate, because we both happen to be queens of many hearts, duh).  After a quick wait and a completely fair price tag, (all our food together was $15), we ventured to find somewhere to have our picnic.

Well, today, for whatever reason may be, seemed to be the most crowded day of the year in terms of lunch spots. Everywhere was packed. But we were two determined hungree girls eager to dig in so when we spotted an open window bench we created some makeshift chair tables and went to work on the food.

My Thai Basil Chicken was fragrant, potent, and flavorful. Hearty chunks of chicken were smothered in a vibrant creamy sauce that packed a bit of a spicy punch. Cashews were also thrown into the mix and gave the silky texture of the sauce a nice crunch. The sticky rice was also awesome, super sticky and sweet and majorly absorbent of all the flavors of the dish. Topped with some fresh basil, it was bit chin.

Maddie’s tofu wrap was light, refreshing, and the absolute perfect thing to grab and eat on the go. It had clean and crisp flavors and was full of a great mix of textures that added up to a great combination. The kimchi within the wrap really pushed it to the next level making it oh sooo good.

The tacos were simply beautiful. Served on little corn tortillas, the vibrant green of the edamame stood out in stark contrast against the white radish and the purple cabbage. The edamame ones were crunchy, tasty, and light. Also, definitely innovative, like edamame tacos from a food truck? Whodda
thought?

The short rib taco was savory and rich. The short rib had that melt-in-your-mouth quality that I just go weak at the knees for.

So it seems that after this meal and this large amount of consuming Maddie and I wouldn’t be able to move. But that was the unexpected and great surprise. We didn’t feel weighed down and like we needed to curl up on a couch. We felt revived, healthful, and like we were ready and able to be active and do something. Finally, the perfect lunch.  THANK YOU MADDIE for opening my eyes and my stomach to a new hot spot on my list.

Afternoon Snack

How can you get through the day without an afternoon snack? You can't, so don't even try because you're depriving yourself. Anisha and I decided to hit up Magic Carpet before psych. She went with the Magic Meatballs (**tofu meatballs in a red sauce for all you non-MC regulars**) topped with cheese, all served with a garden salad dressed in balsamic. I got the Sultan Stew Special, a stew of hearty vegetables and raisins in a red sauce over fluffy couscous. The addition of raisins were too brilliant and good, totally turning the dish into a good to a great. Obviously I tried Anisha's, (thanks NEESH), and her meatballs, like always, didn't disappoint. So grab a friend and pick yourself up with a MC snack!
Neesh's snack:

 Special Sultan Stew, yummy couscous is under there

GOOOD MORNING.

Why aren't you starting your day with Lyn's? Newsflash: TRY IT. Yes you have to wake up 7 minutes earlier, but when you get that steaming bite of bacon egg and cheesy goodness, you'll thank your lucky stars you did. I love giving people their first food experiences. Louise, my little French lady, had never tried a Bacon Egg and Cheese. I felt it was my job, no, my DUTY, as an American citizen to educate my dear friend on a large part of our culture. And Bronwen, my baby B, had never eaten from a food cart on campus until this morning. This fact had blown my mind, because I literally live off of them, and I thought I would help her in my new endeavor to make her taste every single one on campus. Well, they both enjoyed my offerings immensely. Louise is now feeling more American then ever, and B is officially a Penn student. Also, Louise just informed me that this sandwich "illuminated her rough morning." Needless to say, mission complete.
Here's a pic of mine, egg white, spinach, cheese, salt, pepper, ketchup, an sriracha on rye. OMG SO HEALTHFUL! ...nawt.

just helping the world one helping at a time

xoxo

hungreegirl.

My Lunch

Today I was running short on time but wasn't willing to skimp on lunch. I ran to Magic Carpet and ordered a large garden salad with baked tofu with a mixture of balsamic vinaigrette and soy sauce and topped with toasted sesame seeds. Healthy, light, surprisingly filling from the tofu, and VERY good.

Bui's with the Boys

I'm still cart crazy, as always, and am always in the mood for a good cart fix. So Saturday morning after a late night the idea of an amazing egg sandwich from a cart was just what I wanted. My crew that morning consisted of Shein, Nick, Felman, and Tyler, and they were insistent on going to Bui's, a truck I've heard about but never ventured to. So we made the trek and it was very worth it as it was the perfect breakfast to jump start a lazy Saturday. The Bui's menu consisted of steak sandwiches, hoagies, and egg breakfast sandwiches. I had strict instructions that no matter what I ordered I must top it with Bui sauce. I went for the egg white sandwich with spinach, salt, pepper, ketchup, and Bui sauce. It only took about 5 minutes and for $3.50 I was delivered a long crusty sandwich roll topped with a steaming fried egg white, some sautéed spinach, and the infamous light orange sauce. The sandwich was great, the sauce was greater. Tangy and creamy it kind of tasted like a mix of tartar sauce and ketchup but had this little spicy kick that really made the sandwich come together.

The boys got classic bacon egg and cheeses, all which were demolished in seconds, before I could get a taste. Felman ordered a steak, bacon, egg and cheese, an interesting double meat combination, and luckily I got to taste his when he handed it to me to hold while he tied his shoe...oops. The steak was well seasoned and moist and the crispy salty bacon and the sauce worked really well together.

Felman doesn't even like eggs and he eats egg sandwiches here. In fact, this was his second egg sandwich of his life and he loved it, so if that's not selling you I don't know what will.

Here are Tyler (left) and Felman (right) enjoying their sandwiches. Felman loved his second egg sandwich of his life so much his eyes are too excited to be opened!

Definition hungree-licious

xoxo

hungree girl.

Fruit Frenzy

Fruit is the perfect snack. It's refreshing, healthy, cools you down, easily portable, and totally delicious. The Fruit trucks around campus are awesome. When walking to and from class and looking for a little pick me up, or coming from the gym and getting that afternoon snack, look no further then the fruit carts. Located all over campus, they're easy, quick, and have great options. You can make your own fruit salad with the fruit of your choice or get one of the mixed variety they make themselves. They also offer insanely good smoothies for that perfect morning breakfast not the go or that energy boost when you're in the need. I got a small make my own for $3.50 which also includes a banana. I was in the mood for my two favorites, pineapple and watermelon, and they certainly didn't skimp. The fruit was cold, crisp, and fresh, just the way it should be. CHECK EM OUT!

hungree in a HEALTHY way..today at least.

xoxo

hungreegirl.

Magic Carpet

Price: $
Rating: 4 forks

When I  used to think of Magic Carpet I thought of Aladdin and the song 'A Whole New World.' Now, I think of enticingly yummy all vegetarian middle eastern food which is just as good as Aladdin if not better. Magic Carpet offers sandwiches, soups, salads, sides, and daily specials. To say the least, I am a big fan. Nothing makes a better light lunch then a crispy green salad with baked tofu and a miso-ginger dressing with toasted sesame seeds. Or if you're in a savory and hearty mood go for the bella donna, the chili, or the falafel. The bella donna is a layer of brown rice and cooked vegetables, lathered with tofu meatballs in a thick red sauce, and topped with melted cheese. The meatballs are jam packed with flavor and even if you aren't a tofu fan you would thoroughly enjoy them. The red sauce that they are nestled in is so well seasoned and if I had the option I would also order a cup of it plain to eat like soup. The chili is a robust mixture of vegetables and beans and has a thick tomatoey-based broth. One has the option to top it with cheese and when given the option, it's the only option, and the melted cheddar pieces leak into the soup and add a salty tangy bite. I got my falafel served with tahini and tzatziki sauce and fresh tomatoes and lettuce. Falafel, for those of you who are unfamiliar, are balls of fried chickpeas. The crunch of the crispy outside mixed with a tasty pita and mouthwatering sauces is a party in your mouth. The contrast between the richness of the falafel and the lightness and tangy notes of the tzatziki and tahini really make for a great combination. I also recommend the grape leaves topped with the balsamic vinaigrette and everything else the Carpet has to offer. It's usually busy and has long lines but is SO worth the wait.

on 34th and Walnut
11-4, (M-F)

on 36h and Spruce
11:30-3 (M-F)

Lyn's

Price: $
Rating: 5 forks

Lyn's, lyn's lyn's. I cannot remember who told me to try Lyn's but Lyn herself probably wants to thank them because I am now her best customer. There is no better way to start the morning with a steaming hot egg sandwich, and Lyn's provides that and more. One can over egg sandwiches with all different kinds of breads and meats, cheesesteaks, chicken sandwiches, things called pizza steaks, and much much more. Recently I've been a creature of habit and have ordered the same thing every morning which is rare for me but its just so good I can't handle passing it up. I get egg whites, spinach, and cheese on rye bread toast with salt, pepper, ketchup, and hot sauce. Once you give Lyn your order, you can watch as her husband cracks fresh eggs, no pre packaged business for this dynamic duo. You can look as he slaps some steamed spinach on the stove and mixes it into the eggs and flawlessly flips them until they combine into the greatest breakfast treat. The toast is buttered yet crispy and the egg and spinach and oozing melted mozzarella cheese are just divine, hence why I order it every single day of the week. My friend Andrew goes with me on my morning visits and he gets ham egg and cheese and is obsessed as well. And what do I love more then good food? A good food bargain. Lyn's is the best bargain on campus. My sandwich only costs $2.75 which is out of control. I've also tried the bacon egg and cheese and the chicken caesar wrap and both are amazing and are slowly being integrated into my habitual routine. Apparently the eggplant park sandwich is godly so I'll be getting on that too. So hit Lyn's up and enjoy!

36th and spruce
6-3 (M-F)

Cart Crazy

Okay so at Penn food carts are a big deal. They line the entrance and exits of the area where I live and all other places around campus so naturally I've integrated them into my life. They're quick and easy and some of them are surprisingly really fresh. I've tried a bunch but have a million more to get to so if anyone has any suggestions puh-lease tell me your favorites !