The whole city’s got food truck fever of late, and I guess I’m not immune. Last weekend, idling in my car while a friend ran an errand at Chicago and Ashland, I was thrilled when the Gaztro-Wagon pulled up next to me at the light.
Driver Matt Maroni waved at me. I waved back — and then blurted out, “You guys should come to the Hideout on Wednesday! We have lots of hungry people!”
“What time?” he hollered back.
“6 to 8, every Wednesday night! We have bingo games!” I replied. (To self, in head, “Shut up! You sound like such a hopeless dork right now.”)
“We’ll be there!” he shouted. And then the light turned green and he drove away.
Well. Imagine my surprise when he actually showed up. (I did Twitter — or tweet, whatev.– to confirm, identifying myself as “the crazy lady yelling at you out of the Jeep on Ashland.” But, still.) It confirmed my faith in the power of social networking the old-fashioned way, unplugged and face to face. Or at least vehicle to vehicle.
I promised Maroni a hungry crowd and the bingo stalwarts did not let me down. He showed up just as the grill ran cold, and players charged the truck for boar belly naan-wiches and oatmeal pies.
The Gaztro-Wagon isn’t really a mobile kitchen, as city law still prohibits any actual food prep — including simple slicing, scooping, or spreading — from happening on board. Rather, the food is prepared in the outfit’s Edgewater storefront, and then packed up and kept warm on the truck. Thus, the menu is limited to easily transportable fare like the signature “naan-wiches,” high-end fixins wrapped in pieces of chewy naan bread. I opted for a rich short-rib ‘wich served with peppers and pickled red onions. It was fantastic.
And while I saw later on the Twitter that one diner thought the potato, pesto, and arugula naan-wich was bland, Anastasia could not stop raving about hers.
And Beckett gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to the chocolate pie. Or, he would have if his hands weren’t occupied making sure no one snatched it away from him for a bite
So, on behalf of all of Veggie Bingo, thanks very, very much to Maroni and co. for following through on one loony streetcorner request. And, will you come back next week?
Now, oh yes, the bingo! There was a swell turnout for caller Lawrence Peters, who has the distinction of being our first-ever caller last year and is to date the only person in Veggie Bingo history to call a game from the end of the bar, rather than the stage. This time, he commanded the stage, and the bingo cage, dispensing prizes of honey, hot sauce, beer, and vegetables with all the charm for which he is known.
Thanks to the generous gardeners at the Bowmanville Garden, we had lots of supplemental prizes. Jenny here took home a beautiful glass hummingbird feeder (“hummingbirds not included”), and they also provided gardening journals and several environmentalism- and gardening-themed books, some of which we still have and will be using as prizes in the coming weeks. Thanks Bowmanville!
I’m on vacation the following two weeks, but I’m leaving things in the capable hands of the Hideout, VB assistant Shaindy Robeson, and our all-star callers. On the 25th the bingo stage will be claimed by acupuncturist Claire Mooney and real estate assistant Sarah Frier, who used to team-call bingo at the California Clipper. Our caller the following week, on September 1, is the lovely Megan Larmer, of the Chicago Raritites Orchard Project.
Proceeds from next week’s bingo benefit the Altgeld Sawyer Corner Farm; September 1 we welcome the Peterson Garden Project. Photos and more information on both of those endeavors to come soon.
And …. that’s all for this longwinded post. See you in September!
