This is a story about food.

Ah, the ubiquitous Taco Truck.

For reasons known only to the City Council—and more likely, certain brick and mortar restaurant interests--Our Fair City has done its best to try to squash Food Truck Culture, but they cannot seem to kill the Taco Truck.

I remember having the best Grilled Cheese sandwich I ever tasted served to me from a lovely girl named Jenn of Mooncheez, delicious gyros from a little stand parked outside of the Kaplan Hat Company (Now Court Avenue Brewing), and of course the punk rock Hot Dog guys who used to park between the Surf Shack and Fong’s.

They’re all gone now, victims of petty zoning laws and other distractions.

One success story is Sam Auen, owner and operator of Tacopacalypse.
Just a couple years ago he was slinging his unique fusion tacos at farmer’s markets and in front of bars, and now has finally moved to the big time with a brick-and-mortar store of his own—and is now arguably the hottest chef in town.

For the moment, though, let’s take a step back and take a look that the Taco Truck.

Summer’s here and the time is right for eating in the streets.

Taco Trucks, as well as other trucks that sell everything from egg rolls to gourmet sandwiches, are the subject of this blog.

Let’s explore the world of food right here in our backyard, and the culture of the sidewalk gourmet.

As long as the Taco Truck survives, and imaginative chefs still dream of going rogue, the Food Truck Culture that thrives in so many other cities might still have a chance here in Des Moines.