Smithsonian Magazines Ranks 20 Best Food Trucks in the US

by Prince Of Petworth — February 28, 2012 at 12:00 pm 20 Comments

Photo by PoPville flickr user Dave Kleinschmidt

While Fojol brothers get a nod, it is fun to have a look at other types of trucks across the US. Think a creme brulee truck would do well in DC?

Anonymous

I’m of a cultural group that wear turbans and long hair, including facial hair. Seeing the Fojol brothers in their costumes make my stomach fall to the ground. Whether or not their intent was to be, to me they are racist at worst or culturally insensitive at best. I don’t buy their explanations that it is just in good fun when it’s at my people’s expense. I’m disappointed the Smithsonian, known for being culturally inclusive, picked these guys. And can you use another picture on this site so we don;t have to look at them?
- Anonymous
  
  thank you! I have always thought these guys were totally racist pricks. when I tried to talk to them about it once, they were such pinheaded flakes. plus, their food SUCKS!
- fo-wha?
  
  Wait – lemme get this straight – this is an indian food truck being run by some white guys in costume? honest question, I’ve never tried/seen it. If this is true then *cringe.
  
  I’m not sure people would be so excited if it were a few white guys running a ‘mr. jackson’s southern bbq truck’ in costume… or one of the other hundred offensive scenarios I can think of…
  - anon
    
    They’re almost as bad as this guy in California!
    
    http://www.theonion.com/articles/chinese-laundry-owner-blasted-for-reinforcing-nega,1563/
  - Anonymous
    
    You wanna know why they dress like that? Years ago, these two young, aspiring chefs went on a culinary tour of India. The food they at there made them Sikh!
- Anonymous
  
  Have you at least considered that you may be a bit oversensitive about this? There is a pretty big difference between intentionally making a mockery of one’s culture, and dressing up in colorful costumes.
  - fo-wha?
    
    WOW.
    
    I could definitely be wrong but if Anon 12:12 is Sikh then I imagine his inherent response to your ridiculous question will be one of understanding and patience… unlike mine…
  - Anonymous
    
    My girlfriend and I tried Fojol Brothers during the Thievery show on the waterfront. She’s Indian, and I’ve been exposed to her culture long enough to pick up on racist undertones, but neither of us gave the costumes a second thought. Don’t they also wear big red clown noses too? I thought they were just being silly and fun.
    - Anonymous
      
      right. so if I want to sell soul food and I wear blackface to do it, but I make sure it’s “gotcha” blackface, like I wear a clown nose or exaggerated colors, is that okay?
Anonymous

totally agree with the above. plus, to call them one of the best food trucks in the country is an insult to taco trucks everywhere.
- Anonymous
  
  Insult Food Trucks? C’mon. Food Trucks are to Food what “Twilight” is to literature.
m

ok, I just looked at the whole list. this is a list of hipster food trucks, not food trucks. personally, I think the Korean dumplings you get from the cart on 79th & broadway in NYC outrank most of the foodtrucks I’ve tried. not to mention egg & cheese on a kaiser roll …
- eric_in_ledroit
  
  oh wow we got through 15 replies without some jerk posting that the food trucks are better in NY.
  
  how about pizza – what do you think of that? how does dc pizza compare to brooklyn’s?
otberbur

I don’t think Fojol Bros. is one of the top half-dozen food trucks in D.C., much less among the top 20 in the country. (The better food trucks — I’ve patronized 26 so far in DC — have lunchtime fare that outshines many of their brick-and-mortar counterparts.) They have the most attractive truck paint job and operators with goofy outfits, but that’s about it. The one time I tried Fojols’ Indian cuisine, it did not rate any better than what one could get at a mid-level downtown Indian buffet (although, in fairness, we have none of these in SW Federal Ghetto).
binpetworth

Damn, that Viking Soul Food truck looks good.
sapo

Eaten this food twice and was not impressed at all. The fojol bros definitely had a hipster thing going on. I remember they were playing good music. Probably won’t eat this again.
anonymous

Fojol is awesome and they are really nice people. They certainly don’t deserve the sort of abuse they are getting here. Talk about cringeworthy. I don’t know why I even bother looking at blog comments anymore, people in this city mostly make me cringe.
- Anon
  
  +1
- orderedchaos
  
  I like Fojol’s food — all three trucks. In fact their Ethiopian is my fave. Always found the folks in the trucks to be friendly and efficient.
Joe Blow

I’d rate Tasty Kabob the best food truck in D.C. – at least that I’ve sampled.

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