Walnut Wednesday 2011

Last summer when I overheard a coworker talking about Walnut Wednesday I was so intrigued I jotted it down and later did some Googling….

Sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, this event was being coined the “Downtown Chow down” as it consisted of a mass of gourmet food trucks which gathered on Walnut St. every Wednesday throughout the summer months….

“Absolutely phenomenal eavesdropping,” I thought to myself…    

Though a traditional 5 day-a-week  brown bagger ($), attending Walnut Wednesday quickly shot to the top of my Cleveland Goal List as I was able to easily rationalize that the happiness afforded to me from this mid-week hump day extravaganza would justify the extra luncheon expense ($$). 

A mere week later I set out to accomplish this goal….. 

As Ashley and I walked the few short blocks to Walnut St. my belly was growling and my mind was racing about the food possibilities I was about to encounter…..Why the Cleveland Food Truck scene was in the midst of exploding, and I had yet to sink my teeth into any this street meat… Perhaps a little burger, maybe a taco, maybe a big ol’ sandwich… oh the possibilities seemed endless…   A smile on my face as I rounded the corner of Walnut…..

But the smile was not there for long….

“Where are the food trucks”… Ashley and I said to one another…. “Where are the food trucks….”

“Excuse me kind sir”… I said to the nearest passerby.  ”Do you know where the food trucks are?”  

“They’re filming the Avengers here today” he said. “They may have moved to another side street.”  

Hmmmmm… sounds logical….We continued down E. 9th St., block after block until my toes began to blister..

“Where are these freaking Food Trucks”…. hunger and heat were simultaneously setting in……

“Let’s call the office and ask someone” I said…. and it wasn’t long until we learned that our mobile eateries rolled away at 1:30 p.m.  

“You have to be kidding me” I said…….    Though a corporate downtowner, I had yet to land the coveted 8 to 5 shift, placing me in an obscure luncheon hour …..  It was then that the realization had struck me….  I had missed Walnut Wednesday….. as I would do every Wednesday for the rest of summer…… 

$10 was spent on a mediocre sandwich at an overpriced luncheon cafe….

Frustration…disappointment… sadness…      

Walnut Wednesday 2012:

Having both Landed the coveted 8 to 5 shift, Ashley and I jumped at one of the first opportunities to hit up Walnut Wednesday….  (*You’re not getting away from us this summer food trucks…)

Wow… “This is really going to happen” I thought to myself as we walked the short distance to Walnut St.  

As we rounded the corner a beautiful scene awaited us…… A massive crowd lined the street…. a vast row of food trucks…the scent of meat in the air….. 

“How am I going to decide where to eat…. How am I going to make it back to work on time”

Like any good fatty on a time crunch, I quickly weaved in and out of the well dressed corporate elite in order to get a full surveillance of this mobile lineup…. 

I was familiar with many.. Umami Moto, Jibaro, Hodge Podge, Angies Soul Cafe, Sweet! The Mobile Cupcakery.

Others were first time encounters… Cracked, StrEat Mobile Bistro, Zydeco Bistro…

So how did we choose… 50 % food selection / 50 % fastest moving lines… These lines were vast and the clock was ticking….

The Winner…. 

Process of elimination took us to StrEat where I feasted on a Dr. Pepper Roasted BBQ Pulled Pork with Honey-Lime Slaw on Ciabatta  ($8)

Ashley dinned on a Chicken Fajita Burrito - peppers, onions, shredded lettuce, rice, black beans, corn salsa & queso blanco ($8) and homemade Rosemary Seasalt chips ($2) 

StrEat did not disappoint….Simply delicious mobile fare….  

So Walnut Wednesday…. you were worth the wait…. and though the Slovak in me won’t let you become a habit, I think we’ll be seeing one another again come July.