Super City! Super Foods! Super Bowl XLVI!

Super Bowl week officially kicked off today!!  As an Indiana native who has been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to play host city to one of sport's most amazing events ever, I got downtown as soon as I could to soak up the excitement.  I wanted to beat the crowds that will, undoubtedly, be converging onto Super Bowl Village today.  I have February 3rd tickets to the NFL Experience so I'll just have to wait to get inside there.  Even at 11am, the circle and the surrounding streets were abuzz with people: Super Bowl Host Committee volunteers, vendors, business people and all the locals, like me.  I was so happy to see an overwhelming amount of faithful fans reppin' their Colts apparel.  I wore my #18 jersey.  It felt like Blue Friday! 

I started my way to the Monument Circle because it was lunch time and I was starving.  I was anxious to see all the food trucks, new and old.  As I approached, I had to stop to admire the 33 Super Cars that lined the south end of Meridian St.  Each of the 32 NFL teams are represented plus 1.  It was such a wonderful way to intertwine Indy racing in with the Super Bowl.

Hopefully, the winning team's car!

I took this pic for my friend, Pat, who is a die-hard Dolphins fan

The most beautiful one out there, of course! (No bias)

The Super Cars create a path to the most focal point of downtown Indianapolis: the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument standing so stoically on Monument Circle.  And right now, you can't miss the GIGANTIC, Super Bowl XLVI Roman numerals.  

Gives me the chills just to be standing down there!

At this point, my tummy was rumbling!  (Think Chris Farley on SNL "Back off!! I'm STARRVING!")  The first rotation of Super Bowl XLVI Food Trucks were set up along the Northwest side of Monument Circle.

I have been a follower of the local food truck scene in Indianapolis from its infancy.  I love that so many people are able to create a successful start up business and my belly gets to reap the rewards! 

Here are some of my personal pictures, some of my favorites and some newbies.  Also, be sure to check out some of my old posts!

Duos - @duosindy

Featured in Duos Food Truck Revisit from July 4, 2011

Featured in Duos Food Truck - Slow Food Fast from June 2, 2011

Taco Lassi - @TacoLassi

Gypsy Cafe - no Twitter (bad!)

Edwards Dashboard Drive-In - @dashboarddiner
For a true Indiana Pork Tenderloin
Previously featured in Here Come the Food Trucks

Their house-made Root Beer! Awesome!

 Safari Kitchen - (again, no Twitter. Boo!)

Marble's Cafe - (Tweet, tweet...?)

Little Eataly - @littleeataly
Man, these guys look good!

Ivey Spice (Rocking out in the former Hoosier Fat Daddy Bus Cafe. Sorry to see those guys go)

Mac Genie - @macgenietruck

These guys lured me in with the robust aromas of cheese.  I think they used specialized fans to waft it into everyone's nostrils.  Mac and cheese with a gourmet twist. O.M.G. Get out of town! No, wait! Please stay and stay for a long time.  The menu sounded quite impressive and offered several different flavor combinations.

I went with the Steakhouse Mac - Blue Cheese, Steak, Asparagus, Sun Dried Tomatoes.  It was heavenly!    The seasoned, toasted bread crumbs added a flavorful, textured bonus to the entire meal.  A bit on the rich side but warmed me up and filled my belly.  I saved the leftovers for D.  They are are going to do A-OK in Indy if they keep dishing out food like this!

Scout's Treats - @scoutstreats

Featured in  Here Come the Food Trucks from November 2, 2011

Despite being completely stuffed, I knew I couldn't leave without grabbing a delectable goodie from the Scout's Treat Truck.  I asked for a suggestion and went with Mrs Scouts Red Velvet.

These mammoth delights are a mix between a cupcake and a muffin.  They are always jam-packed with surprise morsels like chunks of chocolate, and then they are generously slathered with the smooth, cloud-like icing - in this case, cream cheese flavored!

I didn't stick around long enough to see the second rotation of Super Bowl XLVI Food Trucks and sadly I was missing out on some of my oldies, yet goodies!

Floribbean Flair - @floribbeanflair
Featured in  Here Come the Food Trucks from November 2, 2011

Tacos Without Border - @tacoswoborders

The NY Slice - @thenyslice
Featured in  Here Come the Food Trucks from November 2, 2011 

West Coast Tacos - @westcoasttacos
The truck that started it all :)
Featured in  Here Come the Food Trucks from November 2, 2011

Scratch Truck - @scratchtruck
Another one of my all-time faves
Featured in Scratch Truck - Modern Comfort Food from May 28, 2011

For the full line up and description of all the food trucks, visit Bob over at Around Indy.  He's assembled a very organized and professional round up of all 23 official Super Bowl XLVI Food Trucks. 

After I had conquered my hunger, I used the warmth and convenience of walking through Circle Center Mall and the Convention Center to check out Super Bowl Village running down Georgia St.  Here are some awesome pics I captured while walking around!

The Zip Line

The Super Sized Signage

Is it wrong that I cringe every time I see the Patriots' logo?

The Turf

The Ice Sculpture Wall & The Fire and Ice (over 21) Lounge. VIP!!

More Indy Cars

The Entrance to the NFL Experience (See you next Friday!)

The Right-to-Work protesters/Party Poopers!

Georgia St. all blocked off to motorized vehicles

ESPN setting up to broadcast at Pan Am Plaza

The heaters were up and running but after being outside for over 2 hours, I had hit my wall and my fingers were starting to go numb.  I made my way back to the parking garage, paid the criminal lovely $20 "Event" parking fees and made my departure. 


I couldn't leave downtown without stopping to admire one other Super Sight....


The JW Marriott and the Lombardi Trophy signage

 Wow. Wow. Wow.

Regardless of the outcome next Sunday, (GO GIANTS!) Indianapolis is going to be the real winner!  (Go Eli!)  I am going to relish in every moment next week.

[ 100th Post!!! ] Here Come the Food Trucks! What I'm Eating: Super Street Food Showdown at City Market

Once upon a time, (let's call it a year and half ago) on a warm, early Summer night, a group of my friends and I (after a long night out at the bars) stumbled down the strip and came across an unusual sight in the parking lot of Cardinal Fitness in Broad Ripple.  A large, black truck with slightly familiar, yet totally exotic smells wafted in the air and tugged on our nostrils.  As it lured us closer I realized that it was a food truck!  Yes, the same type of not-so-roach-coach, elevated dining experience on wheels that dominates the streets of big cities like LA and NYC. 

West Coast Tacos (the self-proclaimed "Best Damn Tacos") had set up shop in Indianapolis.  My friends and I devoured several orders of delicious bulgogi-style beef tacos topped with super spicy red salsa, pico-de-gallo and cilantro on 2 thin, authentic corn tortillas.  Being Korean, I already had a natural lust for Korean BBQ and the strong taste buds that could withstand the spicyness of kimchi.  But for a lot of people, the unique flavors of Korean cuisine was new, uncharted territory.   At the time, WCT, myself and everyone else in Indy, had no idea that their revolutionary courage and business savvy would transform the landscape of food culture in our great city.

Flash forward a year later and it's official, food trucks are here to stay.  Over the past summer, close to two dozen food trucks emerged onto the scene.  If you were following and trending on Facebook and Twitter, it seemed like almost weekly, a new, distinct concept was launching.  Local.  Organic.  Italian. Cajun.  PIZZA. Sweets.  I did my best to get around to as many as I could.  Living downtown made that easy.  And as local businesses and farmers markets saw the no-brainer potential of working with these new food trucks, it became easier and easier to find them. 

Now, with the Super Bowl less than 100 days away, the city and the Super Bowl XLVI Host Committee is gearing up to showcase what we have to offer and to accommodate the thousands of hungry, locals and out-of-towners that will be taking over in February.  The food trucks are going to be an integral part of making sure everyone is fed, and fed well. 

I Love this City!

Last Friday, the Super Bowl Host Committee teamed up with City Market to bring us The Super Street Food Showdown.  The main street in front of City Market closed down for 12 competing, local food trucks.  There was also a chef competition that featured some of the most talented local chefs around. 

Super Street Food Showdown @ City Market

I arrived around 11am hoping to have an advantage over all of the businesses that would be letting out for lunch time.  For a while I did.  I really wanted to try something from as many trucks as I could. 

***Click on the food trucks' names to go directly to their website, Facebook page or Twitter account

West Coast Tacos:

The O.G.s (original gangstas) of Indy food trucks slanging their addictive Korean/Mexican fusion tacos.  I went with the Pork Taco.  The flavors are out-of-this-world amazing: sweet, spicy, acidic.  The red sauce/salsa is killer!


West Coast Tacos



WCT Shredded Pork Taco


The NY Slice: 

Serving large, thin crust, over-the-edge NY style slices of pizza.  I went with the cheese.  Next time, bring on the meat!

The NY Slice



The NY Slice Cheese Pizza


Edward's Dashboard Diner: 

I've been to their flagship restaurant and mawed down on their famous tenderloins and onion rings.  To make room for other food, I just went with their homemade root beer.  So. Freaking. Good. 

BTW, they won the competition with the most fan votes.  Hoosiers love their tenderloins!

Edward's Dashboard Diner

Dashboard Diner Rootbeer (best in town!!)

KG Slider Station: 

I've been following them on Twitter but never been able to get to them.  I went with the Southern Bell Rosemary Slider which was their insanely scrumptious version of chicken salad on steroids.  This was my winner of the day.  The chicken was moist.  The flavors were mouth watering.  Even after eating a taco and a slice of pizza, this went down with ease!

Slider Station



KG Slider Station Southern Bell Rosemary Chicken Slider (My favorite bite of the day!)

 Floribbean Flair:

This food truck, if you can call it that, was new to me.  Their appearance didn't quite sell me but the fish tacos and crab cakes on display did.  By the time I got in line (which was only noon) they were already out of their coleslaw and only had 3 crab cakes left.  I was the lucky last one!  I was definitely glad I got one because it was pretty fantastic.  Made with real, fresh-tasting lump crab meat, it tasted like ones I've tried down in Maryland.  I have to say I was pretty disappointed in the over all presentation and lack of a side but I'm curious to see what the future holds for Floribbean Flair.

Floribbean Flair (They need to upgrade to a food truck ASAP)

Floribbean Flair Crab Cake

Scout's Treats:

Although some of the other trucks offered dessert, Scout's Treats was exclusively sweets.  It seemed like everyone down at the event was grabbing something for the road or for back at the office.  I was no exception.  I went with the Pumpkin Muffin which was topped with a sweet, rich chocolate ganache and a slightly tart cream cheese icing.  If that wasn't enough, they even concealed chocolate chips in the muffin.  Heavenly!!

Scout's Treats

Scout's Treats Pumpkin Muffin w/ Chocolate Granache, Cream Cheese Icing

The meter was running and my fingers were totally frozen so here are the other trucks that I didn't get around to trying that day:

Mabel on the Move -

Mabel on the Move - kickin' it old school :)

Tacos Without Borders -

Tacos Without Borders

Duos - They are one of my all time faves with a new menu created every day

Scratch Truck - I've tried them a couple times and have never been disappointed

Byrnes Pizza - Their line was so long by the end of my time there but it looked amazing!  You can almost always find them at the Flat 12 Bierwerks brewery.  What's better than brew and pie!?

Some of This, Some of That - I'd never seen this Cajun food truck before but looking forward to it


I left the event feeling like a complete gluton but totally psyched to have tried some great dishes.  I can only imagine what other food trucks are in the works! 

The Super Bowl Host Committee is doing a great job getting out in the community and getting the city prepared for the chaos excitement that the Super Bowl will bring to Indianapolis [even if our beloved boys in Blue are probably just going to be spectators.]

On a last note, I am absolutely in love with my new Sprint iPhone 4S! The camera is amazing if you couldn't tell!!