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Food carts offering unique cuisine

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Also by Tom McGrath:

Food carts offering unique cuisine (April 7, 2005)
Post-drinking food finds (April 14, 2005)
Drink offerings at Terrace appeal to summer cravings (April 21, 2005)
Majority of area restaurants sadly lacking quality soup, bread bowls (May 5, 2005)
Dumplings quickly becoming popular (March 31, 2005)

by Tom McGrath

Thursday, April 7, 2005

Recently, I found myself out of food. Nothing left in the fridge left to eat other than a case of beer, which probably has enough calories to count as a meal, if not two.

Of course, like any resourceful student, I ventured out onto State Street to forage nearby delicacies. However, the sad and honest truth is choices near campus are seriously limited.

Walking up and down the street, I probably looked like a bum. I had no set path to travel. Most likely because no one place stuck out. Burritos get old. Sub sandwiches have worn themselves out. Hell, we only have a near-saturated market of places that sell the damn things. Not that any of these options are bad, just overdone. As warm weather has approached, a glimmer of hope arrives as tailored carts (or tents) appear each morning.

It is a long, often painful wait for the food carts to line Library Mall. Almost like waiting for the ice on Lake Mendota to melt for the upcoming sailing season to begin. However, once they appear, campus is instantly transformed. We no longer hustle from class, to class, or away from a snowstorm. All of us sit outside and, with food carts in full force, why not?

The ability to choose from delectable dishes from across the world should not be missed, especially when served for an average price of about $6 or $7. A few of the favored food carts or tents include Buraka, Thai House, Jamerica and the Fruit Stand.

Buraka is actually a restaurant that is hidden at 543 State St. The food selection focuses on East-African cuisine, which is a trip in taste. Dorowat is the dish of choice and can either be served with injera (moist Ethiopian bread) or rice. Dorowat is a mildly spicy stew of chicken and vegetables served with lentils and sour cream (if you ask for it). There is a reason why a line always forms at Buraka, as it is not a cart to be missed.

To be perfectly honest, Thai House outpaces Suko Thai in the flavoring of Thai food. A prime dish from Thai House is the Golden Curry Chicken, and it should not be missed. Consider opting for the smaller size rather than the meal size at Thai House; it satisfies hunger quickly.

The Jamerica cart, like Buraka, is another extension of a restaurant gracing Library Mall. A prime dish is the Jerk Chicken lunch, which is less expensive than the rest of the other carts. They do offer an array of other foods, but the Jerk Chicken definitely stands out.

It is a true shame that our Fruit Stand is not open year-round. Without any food, I picked up a ton of fruit this morning. In fact, I was able to pick up a fair amount of quality fruit this morning for only $3. The stand is one of the best deals on the mall and its products are always incredibly fresh.

When the usual does not sound as good, be adventurous and visit your nearby food-cart vendors. They will appreciate the business and you will receive tastes of dishes from around the world.

As the choices within a food category have increased, the choices across food categories have decreased. What does that leave for us to enjoy? Not much. The idea behind this column when established is that it should showcase the Savory Secrets of Madison. It would provide praise to the best of area establishments.

If you’ve got ideas for future Savory Secrets columns, get them in soon via the electronic mail service. The semester is closing and there are not many more Badger Herald Thursdays this semester.

Tom McGrath is a fifth-year senior majoring in journalism and mass communications, among other things. He is interested in new and different foods including the cooking of those … foods. Tom can be reached at tmcgrath@badgerherald.com.

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