Midtown Lunch

I kind of love it when new trucks pop up without a hype machine (or even a Twitter account) behind them, so that you have no idea what they’re even serving until you physically go check it out. That was the case with the Marrakech Chefs truck last week, with a lunch’er tipping me off that some new truck was parked way down in the Financial District selling burgers. While this was true, once you see the non-burger items on the menu you’re probably not going to be ordering a burger. Pictures straight ahead!

Even at a late lunch hour there was a solid line at the truck, showing how truly starved we are in the FiDi for something new and different for lunch. I mean yes, most of the new food trucks have started coming down here once a week, but almost all of them come on Wednesday, and there are four more days of the week we have to feed ourselves!

Anyway, as I showed you before, they traffic in beef burgers with different toppings that aren’t all that interesting (avocado, blue cheese and an over easy egg is about as crazy as it gets). And that was why I ordered the merguez platter over couscous ($8). You can also get it over rice, or in a sandwich for $7. When you pay they’ll ask what kind of sauce you want out of the olive, lemon, cilantro lime, and hot options. I went with cilantro and hot sauces although the lemon one looked interesting.

The sausage had been nicely charred on the flat top and was very lamby with just a hint of heat to it.  Also in the container were some cooked peppers along with a potato salad that was halfway between German and something else. I really liked that they give you sides other than the requisite lettuce salad. I couldn’t really taste much of the hot sauce but the cilantro lime was great and did a good job of giving the couscous some flavor. I’m all about options other than rice, but the flaw in getting the merguez is it wasn’t all that greasy and that left the starch below a little on the dry side.

If you’re feeling peckish after 2 p.m. you can get sweet crepes and tea. They don’t really make it all that clear that you can’t get crepes at lunch and I saw at least two people in line after me try to order one along with their food and get denied.

Hopefully Marrakech Chefs will keep their promise to park in the FiDi two or three days a week. Just look for the flaming orange truck with the flying burger on the side!

Marrakech Chefs Truck