Cucina Andare: Mobile Food Biz Hits Manila

TheMommist
The team that made us all a lot plumpier {but happier} by launching offbeat hawker centers {Mercato Centrale} is at it again! No mercy! People, loosen your pants and prepare your belly for the first food truck market in the country: Cucina Andare!

The concept is actually not all that new here in our country. We've always had food trucks here...hold on, let me rephrase that...stationary food trucks such as Burger Machine.  The food trucks at Cucina Andare {Kitchen-On-the-Go} are authentically mutable, hence the term. Most of the trucks are not as big as the 30-feet-long food trucks that one would see in the States; but what they lack in length, they make up for in taste.

It's not only the new food entrepreneurs who are into this concept. Many mega food companies have jumped on the bandwagon - Taco Bell, Red Robin, Johnny Rockets, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, to name a few. Food Trucks have become extensions of their brands.

We visited the place a week and a half ago, and here are some of the modish finds we discovered at Cucina Andare:


Shawarma Bros Food Truck at Cucina Andare

Shawarma Bros

This one is phenomenal. I don't know how others feel about their experience with Shawarma Bros, but ours was simply that. They offer non-traditional style of serving shawarma - still with all that jazz sans the wrapper - on a sustainable packaging. Their best seller is the Lamb Steak Plate, but we think that the Beef Shawarma Plate and Chicken Shawarma Plate are as equally great. The meat was very tender, the sauce divine and the biryani rice magnificent! 




Food Truck by Chef Broosy at Cucina Andare

Food Truck by Chef Broosy

No Manila food center is complete without ramen - very popular among the food crowd as of late. Food Truck by Chef Broosy serves a hot bowl of the noodle dish along with other Japanese and Filipino favorites with fusion twists. They also have Glazed Chicken Pops, Tonkatsu, Soft Tacos {Sisig, Pork, Chicken} to name a few. The brains behind the mouthwatering menu is Chef Bruce Ricketts of Sensi Sushi fame.




Hungry Rover Food Truck at Cucina Andare

Hungry Rover Menu

Hungry Rover

This is the most unique of all the mobile canteens in the area in terms of functionality. You can have your meal inside instead of scouting for vacant tables after you buy your food. But, given the limited space {seats a maximum of 8}, you have to either come in early to score a seat or just opt to eat outside. They have Sliders {mini-burgers}, Grilled Wraps and Surprice! We were told that the Surprice {grilled meat with chili-hot rice and veggies} is the one most loved by food buffs.




Guac Truck at Cucina Andare

Guac Truck

I'd give my two thumbs up to Guac {Guacamole} Truck in terms of design and packaging innovation.....for now. I've yet to try their Fil-Mex food - Nacho Bowl, Pork Adobo Burrito Bowl and Arroz ala Cubana Burrito Bowl. They use beautiful, eco-friendly, highly-functional origamiesque food box which one can exchange for a free meal! One {1} free meal for every 10 food boxes returned. You get stuffed by helping Mother Earth. Good deal, yes?




Mio Gelati at Cucina Andare

Mio Gelati

Red Velvet is my favorite flavor from this gelato haven. Their gelato is made fresh in small batches every single day. Apart from the conventional flavors, they also offer curiously unique flavors that are alcohol based  such as Baileys, Beer, Tequila Rose, Strawberry Grand Marnier. Mio Gelati's Sorbet and Mochilato {gelato-filled mochi balls} are also must-tries!




Brothers Burger Food Truck at Cucina Andare

Brothers Burger

Brothers Burger is one of the country's established food brands that joined the food truck craze. Being an extension of the well-received food company, one can expect the similar quality to be served at Cucina Andare. We don't know yet how their infamous burgers fare when prepared in a mobile kitchen. We have yet to try this one too.




Potato Corner Food Truck at Cucina Andare

Potato Corner

Another known brand in the food scene. This is my kids' {and probably yours too} favorite food truck! They seriously love those flavored fries. I had to stop them after a second Giga!




Some of your favorites from Mercato are also at Cucina Andare. There are also fresh food concoctions which are definitely worthy of a try!

Petra and Pilar Menu


Adobong Kangkong Petra and Pilar dishes at Cucina Andare



Banger at Cucina Andare

Petra & Pilar


Sean of Chicken and waffle haus at Cucina Andare


Chicken + Waffle Haus

Chicken + Waffle Haus

Fried chicken sandwiched between two delicious Belgian waffles, drizzled with maple syrup is Chicken + Waffle Haus' "magnum opus". It is surprisingly good! The owners are helluva funny, and one {I think it was Sean} was very much interested in my bright yellow H&M britches. Cool.




Crunchy Belly at Cucina Andare


Deep fried crunchy pork belly

Crunchy Belly

You need extra, extra, extra rice for this one! I've always had a penchant for the big F's - fried and fats - of the food industry, so to say that I like Crunchy Belly would be a definite understatement.




Top Dog gourmet sausages menu at Cucina Andare

Top Dog

The names on the menu made me really curious about Top Dog's sausages. My pick was the Winterfell because of two things: I'm obsessed with Game of Thrones and I miss Lord Eddard Stark. *sniff* Anyhoo, the garlic sausage lived up to its mighty name! Delicious!




Cucina Andare

Wash down your meal with your choice of beverage! They have an extensive list of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.

Drinks at Cucina Andare



Cucina Andare is situated at the Glorietta Park 3 - the park surrounded by Shangri-La Hotel Makati, Glorietta Malls, 6750 and The Link/Anson's Makati. Open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays from 4pm until 3am. 



Facebook: Cucina Andare
Twitter: @CucinaAndare
E-Mail: admin@cucinaandare.com

Receive The Latest Posts Directly To Your Email - It's Free! 
Email rss
Onward and Upward!
 
Twitter: @themommist 
Facebook: The Mommist




0 comments :

Post a Comment

Comments are very much appreciated! Thank you!