Woodbridge Food Truck Festival aka Food Truck Heaven

Woodbridge Food Truck Festival | getinmymouf.com

[This is post #050 towards #100DaysOfFoodBlogging, our goal to do 100 posts in 100 days as part of The 100 Day Project. Yeah, we’re WAY behind, but we’ll catch up…or not.]

Cost: There is no admission fee; however parking is $5 per vehicle. There are optional $10 VIP tickets that allow you access to the festival for an hour before it opens to the public, along with free parking, and a beverage. Food from the trucks ranges in price, but be prepared to spend at least $20 per person to get a good sampling of food, drinks, and sweets. I ended up spending $31 for myself on all the food shown below along with a bottle of water. I was STUFFED by the time I left.

Dates / Locations

July 10, 2015: Prince William County Fairgrounds – 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112

September 26, 2015 (11 AM – 7 PM): G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium – 7 County Complex Ct, Woodbridge, VA 22192

Okay, so we’ve complained in the past about the lack of food trucks out in the ‘burbs, but on Saturday, July 10th we had absolutely nothing to complain about. With approximately 30 food trucks at the event, the Woodbridge Food Truck Festival arrived at the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, VA. Previously held at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, VA, the original festival attracted somewhere between 8,000 – 10,000 attendees, so the fairgrounds provided a larger venue, which can more easily accommodate that type of crowd.

With so many options, it was hard to decide what to eat. I think I spent more time wandering around the aisles of trucks lined along the the paved walkways than I actually did eating. And obviously it would be impossible and very expensive to try and eat something from every single truck (by the way I’m willing to do this if someone wants to be my financial backer). None the less, here are a few of my favorite bites and trucks from the event.

Meggrolls

Literally two days ago, a co-worker of mine was telling me how she wished there was a food truck based solely on egg rolls. You can pretty much stuff anything inside of a crispy wonton, so why not, right? Well, Meggrolls is doing it and doing it well. Their “Big Megg” is a play on a Big Mac, complete with special sauce and pickles. I’ll take the egg roll version over the classic burger any day. I also loved the Meggrolls truck because they offered smaller dishes ($3 for one egg roll), which helped me save room and money to try some other fare.

Feelin’ Crabby

I’ve heard great things about this crab-themed food truck, so I made it a point to stop by Feelin’ Crabby to check out the Crabster, their “hybrid” slider. For $6, The Crabster includes 1 oz of jumbo lump crab and 1 oz of lobster claw and knuckle meat dressed in an Old Bay seasoned sauce (it’s kind of like cold crab/lobster salad sandwich). The slider was outstanding and was packed full of meat with a sauce that added that classic Old Bay taste without stepping on the delicate flavor of the seafood. If you’ve never tried this truck before, add it to the top of your “Must Search Out and Devour” list.

Arepa Zone

Having had a less than stellar arepa experience from restaurant in another city, I was eager for Arepa Zone to make me a fan of arepas. “What’s an arepa?” I’m glad you asked! It’s a grilled corn patty that is sliced open and stuffed with meat, cheese, and/or other delicious toppings. I opted to try the Catira, which is filled with shredded chicken and shredded yellow cheese. The corn patty had a nice exterior crunch, while the chicken was moist, packed with flavor, and plentiful. It’s also served with a spicy sauce on the side that added a nice kick. The arepa was made to order, so it was burning hot which meant I was battling my will power not to quickly devour the whole thing and burn my mouf. In the end, Arepa Zone did make me a fan of arepas. BIG TIME.

Dyvine BBQ In Motion

In an industry dominated by fusion food, quirky dishes, and food trends, sometimes it’s nice to take a break with something simple, honest, and satisfying. All three are easily achieved by the chicken on a stick from Dyvine BBQ In Motion. An entire boneless chicken thigh, perfectly juicy with an awesome house rub (no BBQ sauce necessary) was the perfect way to end my adventure at the Woodbridge Food Truck Festival. So, yes, I basically had BBQ chicken for dessert.

#100DaysOfFoodBlogging, Reviews

Review: Popeyes® Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp

Popeyes Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp | getinmymouf.com

[This is post #049 towards #100DaysOfFoodBlogging, our goal to do 100 posts in 100 days as part of The 100 Day Project. Yeah, we’re WAY behind, but we’ll catch up…or not.]

The wait is over. At the beginning of July, Popeyes introduced their newest limited time offer: Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp.

Basically, they take their marinated butterfly shrimp and toss it in a hushpuppy-inspired sweet cornmeal batter. To continue their cycle of new dipping sauces, the shrimp are accompanied by a Creole Cocktail Sauce. Makes perfect sense to combine two seafood favorites into one bite, but I honestly didn’t have high hopes for these shrimp. I’m the first to profess my love of Popeyes chicken, but rarely does seafood translate well in fast food form. So, I liked the concept, but didn’t expect it to be an item I’d want to order again.

Well, I was completely wrong.

Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp

Price: Prices vary by location, so these are based on the Manassas, VA store.

Combo: Approx. 8 shrimp + 1 Side + Drink = $5.99
Platter: Approx. 8 Shrimp + 2 Sides + Drink = $7.99

I opted for the platter with sides of cajun rice and mashed potatoes. The platter also comes with an even larger drink which I believe they call Diabetes Size. Seriously, take a look at this monster, which is next to a half-gallon carton of milk:

Looks: The first thing I noticed was that the Shrimp are disappointingly small. I suppose for the price, it’s hard to complain, but I would recommend going for the platter, which will help fill you up with that extra side. The crust is noticeably different than previous versions of their shrimp, which is clearly made with cornmeal. The shrimp are not quite uniform, with some looking more like a group of fried amoebas.

Smell: I picked up my meal through the drive-through, so I had to spend about ten minutes smelling these things on the drive home. I can’t say they specifically smelled of hushpuppies, rather they smelled more generally like a seafood restaurant (in a good way). I wanted to sneak a bite at a stoplight, but my hands were dirty from playing basketball with my brother. (And yes, I beat him two out of our three games, with a three-pointer at the end of the third game to confirm my greatness. I’m ready for you, Lebron.)

Texture: The exterior crust was deliciously crunchy without being too heavy. A lot of fast food restaurants attempt to hide the actual shrimp with too much thick, cakey breading, but I like the shrimp-to-batter ratio on these. Hey, and shockingly, the shrimp wasn’t overcooked! It was moist and as pretentious as it sounds, “its softness contrasted nicely with the crunch of the cornmeal breading.” Yeah, I know…

Taste: The good times kept rolling with the taste of this batter. As advertised, it had a nice hushpuppy-style sweetness, but the surprising part was that the shrimp were also a little bit spicy. It took me off-guard because I wasn’t expecting any spice. It was a decent heat, but I wouldn’t call it burning hot by any means. Overall, it reminded me of a hushpuppy, but even better. Most hushpuppies wish they were this good. I quickly became sad that I only had eight small shrimp to eat and regretted not getting a second “backup” order.

Creole Cocktail Sauce

Sadly, the name of this new dipping sauce should have been Unnecessary Cocktail-Sauce Inspired Ketchup. First, the shrimp are so good that the don’t need any sauce. Second, if the shrimp did need a sauce, I would think a cooler tarter sauce would work well with the spiciness of the shrimp. Overall, I didn’t hate the sauce by itself, as the Creole Cocktail Sauce’s heat was pleasant and I wouldn’t mind dipping some fries into the thick, dark red sauce, but it just seemed superfluous with these shrimp.

Verdict

Although I’d skip the sauce, I would absolutely order the Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp again. In fact, there’s a 93.4% chance that I’ll be stopping by Popeyes again this weekend. I loved everything about these, except for the size, which is in-part due to the fact that they taste so freaking good that I wanted more.

Not sure if it would translate well to chicken, but I’d be curious to try some chicken tenders with this batter. (You listening, Popeyes?) or maybe Popeyes should just PUT ACTUAL HUSHPUPPIES ON THE MENU. Just a thought.

Want a second opinion? Check out these other reviews:

Grubgrade | Review: Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp from Popeyes

DanimalCrossing | Popeye’s Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp Review

If you liked this post, you might enjoy this review of POPEYES SMOKY GARLIC CHILE CHICKEN:

Disclaimer: No free shrimp or cash money was provide to us for this review; however, they did accidentally give me a free side of mashed potatoes.

#100DaysOfFoodBlogging, Reviews

Duck Donuts – Fairfax, VA

[This is post #048 towards #100DaysOfFoodBlogging, our goal to do 100 posts in 100 days as part of The 100 Day Project. Yeah, we’re WAY behind, but we’ll catch up…]

The legend of Duck Donuts has grown fairly quickly around Northern Virginia over the last year.

A staple of the Outer Banks (a beach vacation destination for many in the area), the donut shop has recently expanded up the east coast via franchised locations.

Exterior of the Fairfax Duck Donuts location

Although I have been to the Outer Banks before, I never had an opportunity to try Duck Donuts, so last year at this time, I didn’t even know what a Duck Donut was. Now they’re popping up all around us, including one in Herndon, the newly opened Fairfax location, and the soon-to-be open Bristow shop (which happens to be about five minutes from our house).

People who have enjoyed the fried treats at the beach are happy to sing their praises. So much so, that over the last year the lore of this brilliantly delicious, yet simple donut shop has spread with conversations that have included the following phrases:

“You’re getting a Duck Donuts!”

“I don’t eat donuts very often, but I always eat Duck Donuts when I’m at the beach.”

“OMG! Is Duck Donuts open already?”

“DUCK DONUTS?! [followed by weird exclamatory noises]”

With so much hype, I was a little bit concerned of being let down. Could these fried dough rings really live up to the legend?

Fortunately, the Fairfax shop is near my office, so a co-worker kindly picked up a couple dozen for us to sample. We tried nearly all of the possible flavor combinations, with the highlights being orange glaze, classic cinnamon sugar, chocolate with peanuts, and french toast (the daily special, which I believe was a cinnamon sugar donut with maple glaze).

So, what’d I think?

I ate three donuts for breakfast, then went to the store at lunch to take a dozen home.

These donuts are freaking addicting. I’m typically partial to yeast donuts over the cake style, but these cake donuts are very light. When eaten fresh you’ll be met with a nice crunch in the middle hole where the dough was fried crispy–I love that crunch.

What’s their secret to a simple, yet addicting fried treat?

They don’t have a case of pre-made items for you to pick from, because ALL of the donuts are made to order. What makes the process even easier is the order forms. You don’t have to use them, but it definitely helps for large orders, as a grid of toppings and flavors lets you easily choose your favorite combinations.

While waiting for your order, you can watch the efficient assembly line at work. On one end, guided by a human donut professional, a donut machine cranks out little fried halos of heaven. Another donut pro places them on a drying rack ready for the next group of employees to fill orders by glazing and topping the donuts with the customers’ choices.

When your number is called, you’re shown your box of donuts to confirm everything looks right. Then they close the box up, hand it to you, and–this is my favorite part–IT IS STILL WARM.

A warm box of donuts is a dangerous thing.

More dangerous though, are the actual donuts.

Like many before me, I am happy to help spread the legend of Duck Donuts. Go ahead and drool over this menu:

Disclaimer: No free donuts or ducks were provided for this post.

PS: Their donuts are fantastic fresh, but if you do happen to have leftovers, might I suggest using them to make this >>> Doughnut French Toast Waffles

#100DaysOfFoodBlogging, Reviews

The 1st Annual Virginia Festival at America Eats Tavern

Virginia Festival @ America Eats Tavern | getinmymouf.com

[This is post #045 towards #100DaysOfFoodBlogging, our goal to do 100 posts in 100 days as part of The 100 Day Project. Yeah, we’re behind, but we’ll catch up…]

Since 1969, the tourism slogan for our great state has been “Virginia is for lovers.” A nice sentiment indeed, but I’d like to propose a small change:

Virginia is for food lovers.

With a growing craft beer culture, acres of wineries, southern cooking influences, and innovative modern cuisine, what’s not to love?

I’m clearly not the only person who feels this way, as José Andrés’ America Eats Tavern is hosting it’s first annual Virginia Festival June 17th – 30th. The festival will include a “Blend Your Own Bordeaux Competition,” a variety of local wine and spirits tastings, as well as a prix fixe tasting menu and à la carte items with a focus on Virginia ingredients.

Wouldn’t you love to hold your private event here? Call and ask for Hannah; she’s the BEST.

We were fortunate enough to get a sneak peak of the food and beverages during a media preview night, so we’ve highlighted a few of our favorites below.

Cocktails and Fried Chesapeake Oysters

Blackberry Smash, Gin & Tonic, and Fried Chesapeake Oyster with rhubarb remoulade, cucumber and pickle rhubarb salad

José Andrés doesn’t mess around when it comes to libations. We enjoyed a refreshing Blackberry Smash and José’s Gin & Tonic. The Gin & Tonic was carefully constructed and nearly too beautiful to drink. Nearly. Not to mention the mammoth cocktail glass it was served in to allow the drink to breathe and to accommodate a giant ice cube that could have easily sunk the Titanic.

No hands.

As for the oyster… I didn’t intend on licking rhubarb remoulade out of an oyster shell. I also didn’t intend on eating every fried oyster that was put in front of me (I lost count at seven). These actions were not my fault. When an oyster is perfectly fried–crispy on the outside, tender and without chew on the inside–one cannot be held responsible for his or her actions. So, I shall plead temporary insanity.

Virginia Peanut Soup

Sally Lunn Bread with honey butter and Virginia Peanut Soup with celery and blackberries

Although I’ve lived here my whole life and Tina’s lived here her entire adult life, neither one of us had ever had peanut soup before. I know! A crime in a very peanutty state. And personally, I never did get the appeal of boiled peanuts. So, I didn’t expect to like peanut soup, but I really enjoyed it and found that the fresh blackberry worked very well to complement the richness of the peanuts.

Summer Squash Casserole

Summer Squash Casserole with zucchini juice, wood sorrel, Vella Dry Jack cheese, and bread crumbs

From the name of this dish (and at any other restaurant) you’d expect a heavy, creamy, cheesy dish with some overcooked squash in there somewhere. But this Squash Casserole was refreshingly light with crunchy squash and crispy bread crumb topping. Not what I expected at all and a good change of pace from what people tend to expect from southern cooking.

Shrimp ‘N’ Grits

Shrimp with Byrd Mill grits, Meadow Reserve cheddar, pearl onion petals, and ham hock

At events with passed hors d’oeuvres, I can always tell which dishes are my favorite based on the amount of time I spend hunting for servers with said dish. For the latter part of the night, I was playing a game of Where’s Waldo, zeroing in on any server with a tray of Shrimp ‘N’ Grits. It was also the dish we woke up craving this morning, so…yeah, we kinda loved it.

Cake!

First, let me say that I’m a pie guy. But I think a really good cake is truly a beautiful thing. With bakeries and cupcake shops being ubiquitous in the suburbs, it’s hard to get excited about cake nowadays. However, last night I was excited about cake. I don’t know what they heck they’re doing in the kitchen at AET, but I’ve been a huge fan of both their Coconut Cake and Martha Washington’s Chocolate Cake since I first laid a fork in them. For dessert during our preview, we were given a parting gift of cake pops–one chocolate and one coconut–and they were as good as the their forefathers. We ate ours in the car before we left the parking lot.

And that’s not to say the rest of the food wasn’t top notch (sweet stewed cherry tomatoes, a raw oyster bar, biscuits with Edwards Surryano ham and pepper jelly, and the simple, yet so addicting fresh bread and honey butter). With the talented Chef Nate Waugaman at the helm, a friendly staff, and a constant flow of outstanding dishes, it was easy to fall in love the food at America Eats Tavern. [Cue sappy romantic comedy music.]

If you’re in the mood to love some food, check out their Virginia Festival events below (most of which are complimentary). And if you can’t make it to one of the events, stop by any time during the festival to take advantage of special menu items including a selection of Virginia hams, Yohanan Farms Roast Chicken with Mushroom Jus and Pickled Lemon, and Lemon Chess Pie, a classic Virginia dessert.

Virginia Festival Events

Wednesday, June 17th (5:00 PM – 6:30 PM) – Catoctin Creek Rye & Gin Tasting: Sample Catoctin Creek’s award-winning 92 Roundstone Rye and Watershed Gin while enjoying delicious bites from America Eats Tavern. Catoctin Creek is Loudoun County’s first legal distillery, so come out and support a growing local business. Click here for more details.

Friday, June 19th (6:30 PM) – Blend Your Own Bordeaux Competition: Ever wanted to be a winemaker? Here’s your chance to create your own blend for a chance to win vineyard tours, dinner at America Eats Tavern, and more. Bring your A GAME, because the judges include Master Sommelier Andy Myers, and Barboursville Vineyards’ Chief Sommelier Jason Tesauro. Tickets are $50 per person (click here to purchase) and include food, wine, and all the tools necessary to blend your very own Bordeaux.

Wednesday, June 24th (5:00 PM – 6:30 PM) – Early Mountain Vineyards Wine Tasting: Enjoy a “Wine Wednesday” with Early Mountain Vineyards, an award-winning winery located in Madison, VA. This tasting is complimentary and does not require a reservation.

Monday, June 29th (5:00 PM – 6:30 PM) – Trump Winery Tasting: Start the week off right, with a complimentary wine tasting with Trump Winery, an award-winning winery and also the largest wine producer in Virginia. Click here for more details.

Disclaimer: We were a guest of America Eats Tavern during a media preview night. As always, all opinions are our own.

Get in my Mouf

Food Stories

Woodbridge Food Truck Festival aka Food Truck Heaven

Review: Popeyes® Hushpuppy Butterfly Shrimp

Duck Donuts – Fairfax, VA

The 1st Annual Virginia Festival at America Eats Tavern