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NYC Food Truck Lunch: Merguez Platter from BistroShopp

Guess who's baaack? One of our favorite NYC street vendors, Bistro Truck, who opened a restaurant a couple of years ago.

The restaurant, Rustic LES, is doing fine (and we highly recommend it), but Yassir gets bored easily, and there's nothing as interesting as working outside on the NYC streets.

Bistro Truck has now been resurrected as a sidewalk cart called BistroShopp. Good move, with the police squeezing food trucks like The Mountain squeezed Red Viper's head.

It's been a couple of years, so we went with an oldie but goodie, the Merguez Platter for $11. You can also get a merguez sandwich for $10.

Merguez sausage has always been very popular at Bistro Truck. After we ordered at the cart, the next 3 people ordered merguez sandwiches, too.

The merguez platter comes with 3 grilled lamb sausages. They are semi-spicy, and we could taste the fennel and red peppers, as well as other spices. It's pretty clear why people love merguez sausages. They have a vibrant, meaty, semi-spicy taste.

On top of the sausages was charmoula, a Moroccan condiment along the lines of a spicy mayo.

Merguez Sausages From BistroShopp
(credit: Perry R.)

BistroShopp usually has couscous, but today they only had basmati rice. The rice was gently spiced and good, but we have rice so often, couscous has become an enjoyable alternative.

On the side was a kale salad, which is a huge cut above the usual iceberg lettuce and tomato salads of many street food vendors. We're not big salad eaters, but after eating the kale salad, we felt like Popeye after eating spinach.

It's great to have BistroShopp back on the street. They are making the rounds of their old parking spots, and trying to find some new ones. Your best bet is to follow them on Twitter here or on the Mobile Munchies Twitter feed.

Merguez sausages, chicken tajine, chicken pastilla, lamb meatballs - it's always difficult to choose what to order at BistroShopp.

BistroShopp Cart
(credit: Perry R.)

 

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