Aug 28 2023
Menu
I’m an Italian beef newbie, so I don’t have any basis for comparison, but I know I’d order this again in a heartbeat. Tender, moist, flavorful beef with a little spice from the peppers and cheesy goodness melted over the top – you can just taste the love and passion these guys put into the sandwich. And their secret beef seasoning blend doesn’t hurt either. There’s no better place to try this imported Chicago flavor than at Frankie’s Chicago Beef in the Marina Munch Food Truck Park, with the yachts bobbing in the marina and the breeze blowing off the San Sebastian River. Grab a picnic table by the water, order a beer from the cantina and celebrate the glorious Florida weather.
Funkadelic Food Truck is fresh, fun, and funky. This wildly colored 32-foot-long truck is so large that owners Amanda and Jerry Asker refer to it as the Funkadelic Food Shack. Its playful design was inspired by the couple’s love of funk music. The groovy exterior paint job isn’t the only thing that sets this truck apart. One look at the menu, and you might think you’ve landed in a fancy, sit-down restaurant: Locally caught blackened Mahi Mahi, beet fries with Japanese togarashi seasoning, and lump crab grilled cheese are just a taste of what’s offered. The names of some of the dishes give a nod to the funky music theme: The Freddy Burger, Galactic Funk Tacos, and The Doobie Wrap.
Kusina Colorado sits parked in a garden setting surrounded by colorful outdoor furniture, flowering tropical plants, and family-friendly yard games. The truck’s name comes from combining the Filipino word for “kitchen” (kusina) and “Colorado,” a nod to the place and flavors that brought the couple together. The menu, which is posted on a surfboard attached to the side of the truck, is divided into sections. Filipino favorites include pork adobo, skewers, rice noodles, and egg rolls. Colorado-style dishes are infused with green chile flavor, like burritos smothered with green chile stew and green chili cheese fries. A stop at Kusina Colorado is a great introduction to the culinary scene in St. Augustine, which also promises a melting pot of flavors passed down from the diverse cultures that shaped its history.
The Little Sombrero sold birria tacos – tender, meaty tacos served with consommé for dipping – long before they became popular in North Florida thanks to suggestions from Kelly’s circle of support. And Southern California-style Mexican dishes like fish and shrimp tacos made their way onto the menu by popular demand. Under the “So Cal” section of the menu you’ll find my favorite: Avocado tacos. I know, it sounds weird. Creamy slices of avocado are deep fried in a beer batter and tucked into a warm tortilla with purple cabbage, queso fresca and their secret Baja sauce. The result is simultaneously creamy, crunchy, salty, zippy, and surprisingly crave-worthy. I think you have to try one to understand. The smoked chicken tacos are heavy on the sliced jalapenos, offering a mouthful of heat. Get one of each, as the flavors balance each other out nicely. Burritos and quesadillas round out the menu at The Little Sombrero.