by Arielle Antonio, contributor
The Atlanta Food Truck Park and Market, on Howell Mill Road, is a permanent spot for food trucks created a little over a year ago by Howard Hsu, Brian Harvin, and Anita Hsu. They had a bit of a rough start, but here is where food trucks (around 15 of them) can come and set up shop any day of the week. The park is open seven days a week and has plenty of umbrella-covered tables for patrons to sit, even a little park for the kiddies with a bocce ball court.
There are several trucks, ranging from snacks to full-on meals, allowing you to mix and match at will across the globe. However, it’s wise to check on their Facebook in the mornings to check which trucks will be there that day if you’re looking for a specific truck. Each day there are different ones that roll in, making it somewhat like a game of Russian roulette.
Some of the trucks that you can find here are Masala Fresh, for those looking for Indian fare, The Blaxican, for a taste of two delicious worlds, and Sweet Auburn Barbecue Truck, ran by Howard Hsu himself. But there’s more! The bacon, maple buttercream icing on top? They are all affordable without skimping on the portions or the quality. The average entree cost $8 – $10, with sides and drinks costing $3 – $5. Portions were significant, allowing a person to easily get full — without gouging their wallet.
The amount of creativity and care put into the dishes is surprising as well. When one hears Jalapeño mac ‘n cheese, you’d think spicy right? You think you’re going to immediately need some of cool, refreshing bubble tea a few trucks down. Well, The Blaxican’s mac ‘n cheese isn’t spicy at all. There’s plenty of jalapeño flavor minus the full-mouth burn.
At the WOW! truck, you will find yourself treated to arepas, stuffed South American corncakes, and other yummy combinations on top of grits or potatoes. Wonderlicious On Wheels? Yes. For example, the WOW! factor bowl is 20-hour smoked pork served on top of cheesy grits with their barbecue sauce and homemade chipotle cream.
“This is like a movement, it’s the new trend. Where else can you get all kinds of food from all over, all kinds of cultures, all in one place?” said Chef Kimberly Smith of Dottie’s Wraps. This is the beauty of the food truck park, where taste buds can experience new flavor combinations and stomachs can be satisfied at relatively low costs.
So if you’re a foodie that has a hard time deciding what to eat, or looking for an adventure for your taste buds, this place is for you. At the Atlanta Food Truck Park and Market, you can get some of everything to satisfy your cravings and then some.