Food trucks as an alternative to cookie-cutter institutional fast food
Many decades ago, when I was a kid living at home with my parents, life was very different than it is today. Dad earned a living to financially support our family, and mom stayed at home to otherwise take care of us. I especially loved my mother’s cooking, and took it for granted. Only occasionally did we venture out of the house for meals — burgers at A&W, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Chinese Food (at the Jade Palace restaurant).
I really miss my mom’s cooking. The contrast is perhaps the greatest when compared to institutional cooking, like what I find when I am out of town to cover events at convention centers. Their meal choices are typically mediocre and overpriced — not food that I especially look forward to eating, while taking a break from hours of working the show floors, but we all need to eat.
This past year, while covering two major conventions, I decided to try something different for some of my meals. Foregoing the safe but boring certainty of mass-produced convention center food, instead I walked outside into the sunshine and fresh air to check out what was being offered at the food trucks, that were parked just outside the convention centers’ doors.
At CES (the Consumer Electronics Show), at the Las Vegas Convention Center, I checked out the King’s Sausage food truck. Their tag line is the popular Polish phrase “STRAIGHT OUTTA POLAND,” which is a play on the phrase “Straight Outta Compton.”
I ordered their stuffed cabbage. It consists of beef and rice covered in a thick tomato sauce (not spicy, which is the way that I like it). It is like home cooking, and absolutely delicious. I enjoyed it so much so that I returned to the same food truck the next day and ordered the very same thing.
While there, I met Jerry Kozielec — the owner. I raved about his stuffed cabbage and about how much more I enjoyed it than my previous day’s meal at the convention center’s food court.
I must have mentioned to him that I was a journalist, because he insisted that I also try their pierogies — on the house, so I did.
While I was at my table finishing the stuffed cabbage, he brought over the pierogies. Let me tell you, either one of these entrees is a meal in itself, but the pierogies were so good that I ate all of them, too!
Then we walked inside the Las Vegas Convention Center. In a large hall that was not being used for exhibits, was where Jerry’s other location was — and it offered an expanded menu. His wife was working there. Together they do the cooking at this family business.
My only regret — and it is a big one — is that Jerry does not have a food truck in San Diego. I would love to eat their home-made stuffed cabbage or pierogies right now.
If you visit Las Vegas for a convention or trade show, check out King’s Sausage at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and on Yelp and Facebook. They also do private parties, events and catering.
Last summer I was covering a major event at the Anaheim Convention Center. I had eaten inside the convention center before and was underwhelmed, so I decided to check out the food trucks that were assembled in two rows on the promenade, in front of the convention center.
The German Yum Truck caught my attention. Years earlier its owner, Samuel Caklo, had left his home in Germany and invested his life savings in pursuit of his dream to serve popular food from there in America.
The German Yum Truck’s “German-Turkish-Mediterranean Fusion” cuisine features daily fresh grilled and thinly sliced rotisserie meats, and includes kebabs, shawarma, falafel, German bratwurst, chicken tenders and more.
My protein bowl was delicious and filling.
They serve Orange County and LA., and also do catering. You’ll find them at https://germanyumtruck.com.
Food trucks co-exist with brick-and-mortar food service outlets at convention centers. Wouldn’t it be great if shopping centers also included food trucks, so that we could enjoy food truck food at home?
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Copyright © 2025 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #872
I would venture food truck business here in the Philippines.
Filipinos really love mouth watering food, cook it uniquely and serve or make a special presentation and for sure it will become a hit.
Love this article especially reminiscing childhood coz I definitely can relate those good old days and mom’s dishes.
Wonderful article Jan
I’m glad you enjoyed this column. The cabbage rolls were especially mouth-watering. I wish I could buy them in my home town.
Jan
Jan, with all your traveling I can see that food trucks can be a welcome alternative to fast food or traditional restaurants. I live in the suburbs of a small city where food trucks are not common. My son and I like to eat at small family owned restaurants when we are not eating the usual staples at home.
With your excellent reviews of these two establishments, it was only fair that you got a few freebies for your hard work.
David.
Thanks David.
Food trucks and small restaurants owned by family and friends — like where it sounds like you eat out, are similar. They each can bring the culinary visions of a small group of people to fruition. They both have the option of doing catering, too.
Jan