It was a gorgeous day to grab a bite on the infield at Yonkers Raceway this weekend, where instead of horses there were more than 20 food trucks from New York and New Jersey lined up to compete for the title of No. 1.
While the offerings were delicious at every outpost, in the end, there could be only one king of the concourse. And according to popular vote at the end of the night, that title went to Westchester's own Walter's Hot Dogs.
"The most popular item was our signature Walter's hot dog, with our housemade mustard and our funnel-cake fries," said co-owner Gene-Christian Baca, in between serving a steady stream of customers hungry to bite into the proprietary blend of beef, pork, and veal that is split down the middle and grilled in a secret sauce.
"The best!" yelled an onlooker,almost as if on cue.
MORE: Lohud Food Truck Mash-up draws crowds eager for a taste
Lohud's first-ever Food Truck Mash-Up pitted popular mobile vendors from New York against New Jersey, including local pizza heroes like The Cookery's Dough Nation, Brooklyn-based truckssuch as Los Viajeros, and Garden State food champions like JimmyDawn's Cheesesteaks and Callahan's red hots. Thankfully, if you missed the event, you can visit the Walter's truck at various locations in Westchester or at the family's iconic pagoda stand on Palmer Avenue in Mamaroneck.
5 more crazy bites...
While a local classic holds the title of best of the Mash-Up, there were a number of other dishes that attempted to steal the spotlight. In fact, some creations were so unusual, they had to be tasted to be believed.
Here are five of the craziest foods we encountered at the lohud Food Truck Mash-Up.
1. The Avo-Cannoli at The Guac Spot
There were many popular items onNew Jersey-based truck The Guac Spot's menu, but the one that raised the most eyebrows was undoubtedly The Avo-Cannoli with Candied Bacon. You read that correctly. Owner John Gonzalez put his own spin on the classic Italian cannoli, substituting avocado cream for mascarpone insideof the pastry shell and studding it withshards of bacon instead of traditional citron. A bottom layer of chocolate married the salty-creamy-crunchy flavors together. Those who tried it dubbed the dish a savory-sweet success –and it subsequently sold out early in the day.
2. The HAPA Burger at the HAPA Food Truck
The lines waiting to try some of the Asian-Pacific cuisine being served at the HAPA Food Truck snaked across the infield at Yonkers Raceway from noon until dusk, with many visitors praising the Korean short rib tacos and furikake fries. But the most eye-catching bite being whipped up was decidedly the HAPA Burger, an ample grass-fed beef patty topped with pork belly, Vermont cheddar, caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato and aioli —all resting inside of a purple brioche bun that is made using ube, a violet-hued yam that offers a slightly sweet note to the dough as well as an awesome, vibrant color.
3. The Quesadilla at Stuf'd Truck
Rockland native and Brooklyn Vendy Award nominee Rebecca Mitchel was slinging all sorts of toothsome sandwiches at the Lohud Food Truck Mash-Up at Empire City Casino's infield, from meatball subs to BECs. But the two-hander that received the most double takes was their spin on a Quesadilla, layering cooked beans, chipotle corn, cotija cheese, avocado and pico de gallo inside of a savory Parmesan-pankocrusted Challah bread.
4. The Salted Caramel Milkshake at Carnivale
At the Carnevale Donut Bar and Milkshakes truck, each towering confection looked more magical than the next. From Funfetti-flavored doughnuts to freshly torched marshmallows topping s'mores-themed smoothies, the guys inside the kitchen are creative thinkers. But one of the showstoppers of the day was the Salted Caramel, a vanilla shake with caramel syrup anda pinch of sea salt, crowned with a sugar-dusted doughnut and caramel popcorn. There was just enough room for a straw.
5. The Pico Fries at Los Viajeros Food Truck
The unique combination of tacos, burritosand quesadillas on offer at this Cuban-Dominican-Mexican influenced truck are represented in full-flavored, multi-textured creations that hit all the right notes. Co-owner and "Chopped" alum Caitlyn Napolitano told lohud.com that the hottest seller of the day was her crispy fish tacos, which were lightly battered with afresh mango-salsa and coleslawtopping. But the Pico Fries—loaded with jack and cheddar cheese, queso fresco, cotija, chipotle sauce and scallions—was the gut buster that you had to impulse buy (and devour) once you spotted it.
