Nip and truck
When I was in San Francisco, I just had to check out the best food trucks there.
And it led me to one selling Philippine sisig (chopped pork in soy and lime with onions).
Heritage and comfort street food can be found around the world, in hawker centres, food trucks, food carts, hole in the wall cafes and restaurants.
But the food truck scene in the US is different from Singapore's.
In Singapore, it is more practical to run hawker stalls subsidised by the Government. With a set-up budget of under $18,000, you can be on your way to serving up your first meal.
But to set up a food truck, you have to fork out about $50,000 for a truck COE first, and you need a central kitchen of sorts to prepare the food.
I checked out the growing food truck culture in San Francisco at Off The Grid, a lifestyle company that delivers experiences in music and food.
It has food trucks all over the city at regulated time slots. Check out the locations on its website.
SENOR SISIG
This fusion Philippine food truck, which has been featured in numerous food TV shows, was nominated for the best food truck award there.
The Senor Sisig folks place sisig in tacos and burritos, and with nachos - something not commonly done in the Philippines, where this is regarded as a national dish.
They made their food more palatable for Americans by jazzing it up with guacamole, salsa and cheese.
They also offer Tapsilog (sweet meats with rice) burritos stuffed with carrots, egg, and garlic rice.
SAM'S CHOWDER MOBILE
It has won a food truck award, and offers the most comforting American street chow on its menu.
The seafood chowder is just right - it is not too thick or creamy, with seafood chunks.
The winner was the Lobster Roll. At US$18 (S$26), it was a soft and toasted bun with almost too much lobster, with more that had fallen off and got stuck under the bun. It was simply buttered, and came with coleslaw.
But the ultimate champion was the crab cake - a whole ball of lightly battered fried crabmeat served with fries and coleslaw.
One bite in and I was reminded never to pay attention to crab cakes that are made with thickeners.
COUNTRY GRILL
Grilled chicken and ribs, or loin with potatoes or grilled Brussels sprouts are all that is served at this food truck. And frankly, you don't need more.
It has a rotisserie at the side of the truck, right in front of the customers.
The chicken, rubbed with some Cajun spices, was moist with a crackly and dry skin - something not easy to achieve unless it is fresh off the grill, like it is here.
The ribs were in the same league, except that I had asked for some BBQ sauce and it was too thick and rich, overwhelming the natural marinade.
KF Seetoh, the founder of Makansutra, dabbles in street food businesses like Food Markets, his own TV shows on cable, publishing food guides, consultancy and online content. He is also the creator of the World Street Food Congress. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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