2 DC Food Trucks Are Among Best In America: Are They Near You?

WASHINGTON, DC — Washington, D.C., has plenty of places that provide a quick bite to eat at any time of the day, and cost less than many of the upscale restaurants in the capital. Indeed, two food trucks in The District were named among the 101 best in the country in 2018, according to The Daily Meal, a respected food critic website.

The Daily Meal noted that operating a "food truck requires equal parts heart and culinary chops."

"Tight parking spaces, pesky traffic cops, cramped kitchens, and streets congested with competition are just a few of the obstacles a food truck must overcome," the website says. "But every year, more and more food truck owners start the engine, driven by a passion for cooking and the desire to share their innovative culinary concepts with the world (or at least their neighborhood)."

To create its ranking of this year's 101 Best Food Trucks in America, The Daily Meal drew inspiration from the publication's previous lists as well as other food truck and city guides.

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"We then hit the Internet, scouring review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato, and the trucks' social media followings," according to the website.

The new additions to this year's list deviate from traditional food truck fare, some introducing customers to lesser known dishes such as jianbing (Chinese savory crepes) and om gai (spicy herbed chicken thinly sliced in a chile-paste broth).

Here are the DC entries on that list:

No. 55 Arepa Zone, Washington, D.C.: "Arepa Zone takes pride in serving the Washington, D.C.-area authentic Venezuelan cuisine. They serve up — you guessed it — arepas with all sorts of meat and cheese fillings. Try the classic jamón y queso, with your choice of white or yellow cheese, or go for the sifrina, stuffed with chicken avocado salad and shredded yellow cheese. If you don’t want an arepa, go with the cachapa, which is a corn pancake prepared with ham, chicken, beef, or a combination of any meat with the classic queso de mano cheese. However, regardless of what you order, you can’t leave the truck without Arepa Zone’s 2015 Curbside Cookoff Food Truck Awards winner for breakthrough dish, tequeños — which are gourmet cheese sticks that come with their “famous” AZ dipping sauce."

No. 74 PEPE, Washington, D.C.: "With so many pizza, taco, and Asian fusion trucks on the scene, it’s great to see a fusion-free mobile eatery — especially because said truck is helmed by none other than José Andrés. PEPE rolls through D.C., Maryland, and Virginia during lunchtime every day, offering Spanish flautas (flute-shaped sandwiches), as well as seasonal soups, desserts, and non-alcoholic sangria. The menu changes often, but here’s what you can expect to find in their flautas: seared ibérico pork with serrano ham, roasted green peppers, caramelized onions, and aïoli; grilled cheese with manchego, Murcia, Valdeón, goat cheese, and membrillo; seared beef tenderloin, caramelized onion, piquillo pepper confit, and blue cheese; and for dessert, a chocolate and hazelnut ice cream flauta. You can’t go wrong with a side of patatas bravas, either."

SEE ALSO:

• Washington DC's Best Food and Drink For 2018: Popular Website
  
• This Is DC's Best Restaurant, According To OpenTable
  
• This Is The Best Italian Restaurant In DC: Report
  
• Where To Eat In DC, Virginia: Best Bars, Pizza, Diners, And More
  
• McLean Restaurant Ranked A Top Cheap Eat Of The Year
  
• Best Brunch Restaurants In Virginia, DC: OpenTable's 2018 List

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