Food Truck Wars at 6 Bends Harley Davidson's Top Rocker Field in Fort Myers, FLorida

This is an optimistic Post Mortem on the April 16, 2016 Food Truck Wars at 6 Bends Harley Davidson's Top Rocker Field in Fort Myers, Florida

"Half a league, half a league,  Half a league onward,

Into the valley of the Top Rocker Field

 Rode the Six Thousand.

"Forward, to the Food Trucks!

"Charge for the craft beers!" he shouted.

 "Get on line now, dear,  for the pork sliders and fish tacos," she pleaded.

Into the valley of Dehydration

 Rode the Six Thousand.

The Good News is that the attendance by the well behaved crowd at the goodly assortment of nicely chosen food trucks  exceeded the promoter's expectations. (Note: 6 Bends Harley Davidson was NOT the promoter.) Many are willing to attend next year, IF some much needed changes are made.

The Bad News can be listed on a few Food Trucks' long chalk menu boards. I'll cover the highlights. 

 No one correctly estimated the crowds that would arrive. The saying "Piss Poor Planning Prevents Proper Performance" comes to mind.  Those who arrived by car at the start, 11:00 a.m., were guided by police and volunteers into one of two pathways-to the left, or to the right. There was no walkie-talkie communication among the parking attendants  for coordinated parking. There was No back up system to handle the increasing flow of cars already trapped in the long one-way parking routes   when the parking  spaces ahead were already  overfilled. Soon, as the lots filled, people spent 20" en route to an already filled lot on the left side, then 20 minutes later, were directed into yet another filled lot on the right. Thus parking could take 45"+. There were a lot of unhappy campers.   Piss poor planning, or inadequate expectations?  I favor a bit of both.

 The small Top Rocker Field was maxed out with  about 40 food trucks. Planners  intended it  to hold perhaps 3,000 people, spread over 7 hours, from 11 am to 6 pm . The promoters were not prepared for the crowd of perhaps 10,000+, concentrated instead over 4 afternoon hours.  What a "Cluster Truck" mess ensued.  Once parked, it was yet another 45" line to just get in the gate. People were NOT happy, and that was before entering!



 Once in the Field, they were told that craft beers were sold out. That was the vendor's responsibility, not the promoter's, as back up kegs could have been planned.  Free water was not available in the heat, only $3.00 small bottles. Those fortunate to had had a beer or two were likely to have a touch of dehydration.  There was not ANY shade to escape the sun. That's POOR planning. There were no Porta Potties at all in Top Rocker Field. NOT SMART, guys. Nearest bathrooms were a few hundred yards away in the beautiful 6 Bends Harley Davidson dealership.  A steady stream of ambulances lined up to take away a steady stream of people, aged  from 40's to upper 70's,with heat exhaustion (not the more serious heat stroke.)  

  Once in the small Top Rocker Field, the wait time on lines for each food truck ran from 20" to 50 minutes!! Fifty Minutes! There were insufficient order takers. Orders were written by hand on paper tickets, instead of using multiple order takers with iPads for more efficient order taking.  Groups of 4-6 friends, or families, hoping to try the wares from 4-6 different food trucks realized the absurdity of the situation. Then, instead of ordering one top item from each of several  food truck, they backed off and wisely instead ordered 3 or 4 items from one or two trucks, and called it a day.

My group of friends struck culinary gold at famed Robin Almodovar's Palate Party Gourmet Food Truck, truly "A Party in your Mouth." We had read in advance of that she was a Hell's Kitchen Top 6 Finalist, and won Best of the Best Food Truck from Miami New Times.

That whet our appetite.

 

Robyn's tacos on left , Short ribs on right

The  BBQ short rib grilled cheese ($10) came on deliciously crisped bread enclosing hot crispy onions, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, with roasted garlic aioli. HIGHLY Recommended!

The Slow roasted pork sandwich with caramelized onions, arugula, tomato jam and garlic aioli ($9) was juicy! Most added a fried  egg on top, for $1 more! Recommended.   With such competition for a palate, the quite nice Crab cake sliders with sweet chili tomato jam , aioli and mixed greens offered goodly crab, however the taste of the sauces were not sufficiently different in ingredients to stand out from their more highly regarded brethren. The Soft shell crab, and fish tacos were other top sellers.
  

Cucina Bambina Gourmet Italian Eatery was manned by friendly efficient folks. Only in service for 3 months, the tiny truck did not have a following yet, and the line was just 5 minutes long. Hallelujah! 

We enjoyed their "Bambina Sandwich" ($10) with a big hunk of fresh mozzarella, Prosciutto di Parma, salad with arugula, roasted peppers and balsamic on a torta roll. Recommended.

 

Food was inspected by the pros

Red Zeppelin Rockin' Lobster Roll was tops with a generous amount of real Maine Lobster on a roll for $15. Highly Recommended.

Moca Loca had a great chocolate shake.

We tried 3 items from another truck. Let's just say that we left most of the forgettable pulled pork and other items on their plates. Yuck. Better vetting of a truck's wares before accepting them to the Food War is in order.

The judges had it a little easier!

Guy

Shana

With the long waits for food at each overwhelmed food truck, one of our group bugged out early. We left earlier than anticipated, having tried far less food trucks than we wished. Bummer.

Attendees dodged the rain

I'd go to the next Food Truck War/Rally. Really, I will. This was the inaugural event-a first time for the promoters, trucks and attendees. Hopefully lessons were learned. Next time have it at Jet Blue, with oodles of parking spaces, bathrooms easily accessible, free water to avoid dehydration, and better crowd control. Did I mention SHADE?  Many table and chairs are needed for tired customers.  It's an endurance contest standing on lines for hours.


 So cut customers a break, and give them ample table spots (in and out of shade)  to put their food, drinks and tired bodies, PLEASE!! Vendors need  more efficient order taking. They need to create dishes that are quicker to prepare. Better vetting of trucks to maintain high quality of food across the board is hoped for- this is subjective.

Thank you 6 Bends Harley Davidson, for letting the promoter use your Field!




PS, my car-ful of friends were so emotionally distraught from the experience (and lack of beer)  that we cured it with  Norman Love chocolate therapy, followed by

Fort Myers Brewery's "medicine!"

Attempted Balloonacy at Immokalee, with Seminole Casino's "Balloons over Paradise"

I did the unthinkable. So did hundreds of others. Excited over the prospect of seeing 30 balloons glow, then rise over Immokalee, we woke at 4:30 am, and got on the road from Naples at 5:00 a.m. to be on time for the 6:00 a.m. balloon "glow", that's when balloons are first filling with flame and hot air,  against a black sky.

  We arrived at the airport entrance  at 5:50 am, early. Instead of  seeing a wonderful 6:00 am "glow", we and hundreds of others needlessly crawled along in a single file of cars, due to the poor preparation of the parking organizers. At 6:10 am, we parked the car, only to get on  another, very long line to take a bus to the balloon area. Our bus driver admitted  there were pathetically only "three or four" mid size buses to get hundreds of people to the site.  People were not happy. After 7 bus loads came and left, each with perhaps 25-35 passengers, we got on our bus. We finally got to the balloons after 6:40 and it was waay too light out for any "glow." Seminole Casino inadequate parking and transport set up took WAY too long at 50 minutes.  I told disappointed people to underexpose their photos  by f 1.5 stops, to make photos look much darker than it was-see below, with some Photoshop-type adjustments!

It was nice to be walking among the 12 balloons that did partially or completely inflate to see the fiery process, as flat blobs of colorful gossamer fabric  rose to become 60 to 100 foot tall balloons!.

 Alas, the wind was just over 9 knots, and NO balloons took off. Better to be safe than sorry for the balloonists.
    The balloons were deflated and packed up, and so followed the crowds!

A Deflated Balloon Being Packed Up

 We had a delicious croissant filled with steak, cheese and egg for $5 at one booth. Others had mimosas while seated.

 Only Fat Tortillas and another food truck were open then.

If more food trucks were there at 6:30, instead of coming later,  they'd have done a killer breakfast business! It's a long day for a food truck, and one can only bring enough food for so many folks, so they are wise to stagger their times/meals. The food trucks' gourmet quality delights alone are really worth a trip to Immokalee for a food lover. Had we stayed till lunch or dinner, we could have sampled 6 trucks's foods.

We strolled among the rows of  vendor booths-many sites were unoccupied-less than half bothered to be there at 8:30 a.m..

We, and most of the people we talked to were bored at the lack of shopping at the empty stalls,  and decided to leave. Another jam for to wait for the too- few buses ensued! One woman with the festival asked people "Why are you leaving now?"  Well...lack of preparation on the festival organizer's part and  absent vendors, that's why. We were so disappointed at the festival's poor planning that we forgot to go in the Seminole Casino on the way back to Naples; .

 Maybe next time the Seminole Casino organizers will  spend the money from the $5 parking fee and hire six to eight additional buses, and truly  organize parking to speed it up. More vendors need to wake up and be there when customers are hungry for breakfast. It's a first time event for everything, people learn from boo-boos, and things should improve. If you have a terrific advertising campaign, be prepared for a great crowd.

Wendy went back at sunset, and reported that "The evening glow was also a bust .. No glow.

One or 2 balloons made attempts to go up and then they came down and got packed up and back into the trucks." Oh well....

 I give the Casino great credit for the idea, and I look forward to coming back to an improved "Balloons over Paradise" later!

Food Truck Rally at Seminole Casino Immokalee with Naples Food Tours

History was made Friday night, January 20^th,  in Collier County!

The first ever  Food Truck Rally took place at the Seminole Casino in Immokalee, under the stars, as ten top rated food trucks rolled in from Tampa to Miami.

What’s the attraction of  food trucks? Variety, quality, novelty and availability.

    Across the USA, larger cities like Los Angeles, NYC and  Philadelphia have dozens to hundreds of food trucks, each perfecting their tasty recipes. As featured on Food Network TV, these licensed trucks appear singly or in clusters at events, feeding hungry customers drawn to creative and delicious foods. They bring customers to associated events such as Art Festivals and Church functions. Friday’s event brought some foodies who tried their luck inside the Seminole Casino. A food truck rally is an upscale Food Court for foodies and regular folks alike who relish being able to try dozens of cuisines, all located within a few hundred feet of each other. Dining food truck style, standing up at tall tables perched on an outdoor bench or communal seating, is not your usual restaurant experience-It’s all part of the charm!  

     I read Kelly Merritt’s article on the Food Trucks  http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/jan/18/wagon-train-of-food-trucks-circles-immokalee-for/ )  and decided to go, rescheduling a long planned event to a less favored day.

    I am not keen to drive friends out to Immokalee and back in the dark, especially  after eating and drinking, so we signed up for a ride on Naples Food Tours’ air conditioned bus. Wise choice!

Naples Food Tour's Elaine and Roger Osbond in Front of the Sopher's Nosh Truck

   Limousines are intimate and can be expensive for five hours. Being in an elegant yet  long narrow car to Immokalee on a dark road is not appealing.  Naples Food Tours bus is well worth a $25 round trip ticket! Owners Elaine and Roger Osbond were delightful hosts. I could stand and walk inside the minibus without my head ever touching the  raised ceiling.

    The brand new bus seats 14 folks in cushioned comfort. This new addition to Naples is safe luxury travel at wallet-friendly pricing. Water and soft drinks were supplied; no need for nibbles on this trip! Best part-we had fun talking with other food loverss on board, making new friends.  Unexpected bonus-The bus allowed for drop off and pick up right at the event-no need to walk long distances to and from  your car, often parked waaay in the distance! 

    The food trucks were parked together, yet nicely spaced apart, right outside of the Seminole Casino.

Patient Diners

     Food prices ranged from $4 to $10, and my friends and I shared many items. The event was a success for diners and food truck owners alike, with some vendors running out of some items towards the end. The food is cooked to order-wonderful for freshness, yet some lines were 20 minutes long. (Hey, ya wait that long or longer for food in a bricks and mortar restaurant.)  How do you deal with that wait? Easy! My group of friends reserved a central stand up table. Each took off to a different truck, waited on line and returned with their booty to share with others back at the table. Couples did a similar routine, often joining up with new found couples and groups like mine. All shared stories and food with on-the-spot new friends. Fun!!!

The crowd was happy, well behaved and spanned all ages and nationalities. People came form Tampa, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and even Miami! Young Miami Latinos shared food with  elderly Canadians from Cape Coral. Strangers chatted with strangers, asking “What’s that-do you like it?”, “What’s your favorite?”,  People freely shared opinions and tastes with each other. You don’t find that instant camaraderie and sharing in restaurants!  The most commonly asked  question at the end of the evening was- “Why don’t we have food trucks in Lee and Collier counties more often?

Well, so far Scott Sopher’s The Nosh Truck is the only one in the area. The Burger Beast (burgerbeast.com) , AKA Sef Gonzalez- my burger maven from the East Coast, may schedule more gatherings, depending on  factors such as local support and ease (or difficulty) of permitting. This will be a win-win success for any site they choose, bringing very good quality food to augment the number of customers attracted to art festivals and other venues. It works well in dozens of other cities.

 So what did we have, and what’s on our “next time” list?

 Our  favorite dish was The Nosh Truck Inspired Street Food’s Pad Thai hamburger topped with bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, peanuts sriracha and mayo for $7.

Succulent and a touch spicy, this big and bold delight had quite a few people go back for seconds! Try the Korean pork sliders, too.  Follow via Mobilenosh.com,  @noshtruck, and Twitter.com/noshtruck

Mr. Good Stuff  (http://www.facebook.com/MrGoodStuff)  $8  corn meal stuffed lunas “arepas” are more like a thin pita bread than an typical Latin arepa.

They were a hit stuffed with brisket, chicken salad, Asian pulled pork and coconut curry.

Their burgers, sweet potato fries and  Cheesy My Neesy were crowd magnets.

 Dog Eat Dog  ( http://www.dogeatdogtruck.com ) bright yellow truck had ten hot dogs simply to lusciously topped creations were some of the best we’ve had.

Cheeseme Mobile  ( http://www.cheeseme.com )  offered cheeses, breads and insertions.

Cheeses included cave aged Gruyere, American, and Green Island Blue; breads wee rye, pumpernickel, brioche Texas toast, and insertions wee Kobe beef, Parma ham, and grilled Portobello.

 Cool Haus serves gourmet, architecturally inspired ice cream sandwiches with unique flavor combinations such as spicy bacon caramel corn, or orange chocolate Cointreau ice cream.

Dolce Gourmet Cupcakes was the take home favorite, with long lines of people taking boxes of red velvet, banas foster and Key West Lime Pie cupcakes back to the cars.  http://www.facebook.com/DolceGourmetCupcakes

 Palate Party ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Palate-Party/126471837448657 ) offers authentic fish and chips, corn and crab fritters, patty melts and more.

 Slow Food Truck  ( http://www.slowfoodtruck.com )  has the best truffle fries and great burgers, short rib sandwiches, and pulled pork sandwiches with seasonal delights.

 The Flying Saucer  ( http://wingwiz.com ) offers  25 ways to have delicious hot wings, great sauces,  mini-burgers and even Philly cheesesteaks.

Fritaman & Croqueta Boy's truck could not make it. Jean Beltran and son Joshua’s  frita is a Cuban hamburger made of pork, chorizo and ground Angus beef. Beltran tops each of his fritas with julienne fries and serves them on a Cuban hoagie-delicious!

How does one find a truck, or gathering of trucks? Easy! Just follow a favorite via Facebook, Twitter or Google, and you’re set.

Burgerbeast.com's Sef Gonzalez,  with The Frita Man, Jean Beltran

A special, huge thanks goes to Sef Gonzalez, AKA Burgerbeast, who has followed burgers and the food trucks since their inception, for  creat this food truck round up with the Seminole Casino.

Kudos to Naples Food Tours for driving in style. Their popular restaurant tours are a great way for locals and visitors to see and sample the uniquely original and delicious cuisines of top spots (and my favorite "hole-in-the-walls) of Naples. Book the bus for a private event or  book tickets for the tours, call 239-200-7992 or go to www.NaplesFoodTours.com.

***GREAT NEWS***
I got this comment today-check  it out!

 The Food Trucks will be back to the Seminole Casino Immokalee every Friday from 6-10pm starting February 3rd through the month of March. Trucks will be on a rotating basis so each week will offer something new. 

Publish