Year ends with Spaceship tamales

For their year-ending outing our explorers finally made the trip across the loop to Wacker & Adams and found a season's worth of trucks lined up on the west side South Wacker.  We had delicious pork tamales from Chicago’s Tamale Spaceship.

Block-long lineup of food trucks on a cold, windy mid-day

Here's the Spaceship story from a May, 2013 post by The Latin Kitchen:  "With a theme of great food and Lucha Libre Mexican wrestlers, Chicago’s Tamale Spaceship food truck is serving Mexican cuisine with character!"

"The truck’s specialty is tamales, serving eight to 10 variations every day. All tamales are gluten free. Vegan options are available."
 

"'Our homemade-style food features flavors from all over Mexico,' says Manny Hernandez, the truck’s co-founder. 'From complex Oaxacan mole to simple sauces, our food is all house made, we use local and seasonal ingredients to reach the quality needed to satisfy the Chicago foodies.'"

Lucha Libre bobble head perched on the food truck counter.

Masked vendor.  Such colorful masks are de rigueur in Luca Libre Mexican wrestling

Pork tamale before unveiling

Two tamales seemed like too many but suddenly they were gone

Convenience, and Arepas, prompt return to La Cocinita

That's a cornmeal patty stuffed with meat (spicy sausage, in this case) and cheese.  That was one reason for a third time at the same truck.  And it was cold and windy.  And the truck was parked just outside the building.   Another round of "The Bowl" was also consumed, appointed with chunks of avocado.  (Debbie Murray from the Tulsa office joined in, regaling us with tales of Tulsa food trucks, as if there could be such things!).

 

 

 

 

The bowl

 

Arepas

 

 

 

 

 

La Cocinita - a happy repeat

Last week's outing was a repeat visit to La Cocinita food truck  (" 'The Little Kitchen,' is dedicated to serving fresh, authentic, gourmet street food from Latin America") - cold windy weather kept us close to the office and the truck was on our block, Randolph and Columbus.
 

Here's a valuable reference, the truckside formulary:

Step 1: Choose Your Vessel

AREPAS  White Cornmeal Patties Stuffed with Meat & Cheese
TACOS  White Corn Tortillas Stuffed with Meat & Cheese
“BURRI-TACOS”  Flour Tortillas Stuffed with Rice, Black Beans, Meat,  & Melted Cheese
“THE BOWL”  Rice, Beans, Meat, & Cheese

Step 2: Pick Your Protein

POLLO ESTOFADO  Braised Chicken
CARNE ASADA  Grilled Steak
LECHON  Braised Pork
ROASTED SWEET POTATOES & BLACK BEANS
ROASTED CORN & BLACK BEANS
BLACK BEANS & QUESO FRESCO

Step 3: Select Your Sauces

GUASACACA  Creamy Avocado Vinaigrette
ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
SPICY MANGO SAUCE
CILANTRO & GREEN ONION SAUCE
CHIPOTLE CREMA
ROASTED JALAPEÑO PEPPER SALSA
SALSA VERDE
ROASTED GARLIC SAUCE
“STUPID HOT” SAUCE

 

Pictured is The Bowl with pork and salsa verde.   Very good!