Sunday, January 19, 2014

Mac Mart Truck Review

Marti Lieberman's Mac Mart Truck has had a meteoric rise over the past year. Marketed as Philly's first and only Mac n Cheese food truck, it's an ingenious concept, brought forth by the focused marketing plan of Ms. Lieberman. From the name to the bright pink design, it's clear that this Drexel alum was made for this.


She's a mainstay at the 33rd street food truck scene, but with the press nipping at her designer heels, it's no surprise that she's a continuous presence at a variety of special events. Whether it's catering for the Starr Restaurants' executive team or a media event for Outward Bound Philadelphia, there's a reason everyone's clamoring for the Mac Mart Truck and it starts with the mac.


While the local media came out to cover Outward Bound Philadelphia rappelling off of the Four Seasons Hotel a few months back, I came to indulge in a bevy of mac n cheese.


Are you not entertained?! Sorry, for no reason at all, I felt that the Gladiator had to be quoted.


Clearly, I could not choose just one from all of the options available to me, so I went with all of the options that day. Check out the great packaging, but fair warning - these are not microwaveable, an important point that was clarified for each and every customer. 


But enough babble - let's get on with the mac! 

Mac's Mart [$8]
Original Mac, buttered Parmesan Panko bread crumbs, ketchup (optional)
 

The original mac maintained an al dente texture with the creaminess of the cheese interspersed throughout. The Ruffle-style chips added a nice salty kick though overtook the Parmesan Panko bread crumbs in terms of texture and taste. Still, this had all the elements of a good mac n cheese - creamy cheese, al dente macaroni, and texture on top.

Cowboy Cup [$8]
Original Mac, crispy bacon, cornbread crumble, jalapeno ranch drizzle 


The cowboy cup offered a jalapeno ranch drizzle that was subtly sweet, with hints of spice on the finish. Even the cornbread crumble had an innate sweetness that was countered by the salty bacon. Though I typically prefer crispy bacon, I actually enjoyed the meatiness of the bacon here considering there was plenty of texture from the cornbread crumble. 

Pesto Bowl [$8]
Original Mac, basil-pecorino-walnut pesto, Parmesan Panko crunch


As expected, the pesto bowl ventured into herbaceous territory. In fact, as soon as the lid was lifted, the delicious smell of garlic and basil wafted out from within. The Parmesan Panko crunch was more apparent here and offered great texture. With the undertone of pesto, be prepared for a salty, yet creamy bite! 

Spinach & Artichoke Mac [$8]
Original Mac, garlic sauteed spinach, soft artichoke hearts, cheddar cheese shreds, homemade pita chip crisps


The spinach and artichoke was a great interpretation, with each bite emanating the oft-enjoyed dip. The garlic sauteed spinach and tender artichoke hearts were apparent, though the homemade pita seemed to be overtaken, or even replaced, by the Ruffle chips. Regardless, if you like spinach artichoke dip, this is the mac for you!
  
Heart Attack Mac [$8]
Caramelized onions, crispy bacon, Parmesan Panko topping
 

But truly, my favorite Mac Mart Truck mac is the Heart Attack Mac. That shouldn't be much of a surprise considering my gluttonous tendencies. I was able to indulge in this at the 2013 Chinatown Night Market and it was simply incredible - creamy mac n cheese topped with thick-cut bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and a Parmesan Panko crust on top? You can't go wrong with that. The added sprinkle of Frank's Red Hot only added additional flavor and heat to a great mac.

So if you're ever craving Mac n Cheese, don't hesitate to check out Mac Mart Truck's Facebook page or Twitter handle for the latest on all things mac in Philly. You won't be disappointed. Mac Mart Truck recently celebrated their one year anniversary so congrats on that milestone, but here's to decades more mac for Philly's devoted.


Mac Mart Food Truck on Urbanspoon
http://macmartcart.com/

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