Food Trucks: Roll OK Please & 314 Pie at the Eastside Food Truck Snackdown

An event like the Eastside Food Truck Snackdown is problematic for a solo diner, such as yours truly at this second annual Crossroads shopping center gala. With twelve mobile trucks to choose from, I’m not able to sample more than a couple things.

I cased the possibilities three times. A few trucks drew my attention, among them one that was selling only paleo-diet meals (Outside the Box), fried chicken (Ezell’s Express) and Indian tacos (Off the Rez). One positive trend I noticed was the use of organic produce and grass-fed beef by more than one truck.

I settled on an item that I fell in love with in New Zealand, a meat pie, offered here by 314 Pie. The proprietors are neither Kiwi nor Aussie, but were inspired by the savo(u)ry snacks from Down Under. I found the Steak, Cheese and Mushroom Pie (☆☆½) somewhat of a disappointment. The crust was too thick, where fluting was needed to keep the substantial, vented crust restrained. The NZ pies I’ve eaten had thinner shells (no fluting) with a flaky, puff pastry-like top. 314’s steak was substantial, much more generous than its Kiwi cousins’, taking it beyond the realm of snacks to a bona fide meal. Though tender and flavorful, there was little savory sauce that should barely ooze out like Down Under pies. This pie will not make me forget the ones I’ve had from Copenhagen Bakery or Sheffield Pie Shop.

In order to try something else, I ate only half the pie, the rest to be eaten on another day. From the familiar, I decided on something that I’ve never had before. Roll OK Please sells Indian snacks called kathi (or kati). They sort of remind you of taquitos. Paratha bread is rolled around a filling and then pan-fried. The Chicken Kathi Roll features grilled chicken breast marinated in yogurt and garlic-ginger masala. Cilantro-mint chutney and pickled onions give a flavor boost. You can add the excellent complimentary hot sauce, which is more like a fine mince of Thai chile peppers and garlic moistened with vinegar. A side of cucumber raita cooled things down. Though I felt chicken thigh would have been a tastier choice, this was still a very good snack (☆☆☆½), especially with that killer sauce.