So after our very lame and disappointing meal at Brass Cabana…read more(http://www.yelp.com/biz/brass-cabana-charlotte-amalie#hrid:b4XZ8wAqhqqmnu6puclwRQ/src:self), we got back on track for our quest for yummy street food. On our way back from our dive to the cruise ship, we saw a food truck on the side of the road, nearish to our ship. As it was only a block from the ultra lame Brass Cabana, we headed over to the food cart
To start with - let me tell you about the menu and why we booked it over here so doggedly. When we originally passed by this truck, we noticed on the chalkboard menu, that they had something called "Goat Water". Yes, you read that right. And the majority of the dishes featured something called "Salt Fish". You see why we had to come back?!? How could we, self-proclaimed gastro-adventurers, pass up a chance to eat something called "Goat Water"?!?
We arrive at the truck, and not only were there "Goat Water" (which is a soup made from goat braised in it's own juices), but something called "Bull Foot" (which was a soup made from...yes, a bull's foot). We also ordered the Salt Fish platter, the Ox Tail platter, the Chicken platter, and a slew of empanada-esque things that they called "patties". We got the salt-fish patty, the shell-fish patty, the beef patty, and two shrimp patties. Each one of these patties, were the size of two hands, and stuffed to the bursting point with filling. And yes, all of this was just for my brother and I. My husband and cousins ordered their own food. We don't share - unless you want to lose an arm. And yes, it should be quite obvious by now that we have an eating disorder.
To start with, you know how disgusting "Goat Water" and "Bull Foot" sounds? Yeah, as disgusting as it sounds, it still sounds better then it tasted. No lie. The Goat Water had very little goat taste (which I actually quite love), but rather, it tasted as if they threw the entire goat into the pot - excrement and all. No really. The Bull Foot was just as bad. It was packed full of tendons - which we love - but it tasted as if the bull stepped in a pool of vomit, which they neglected to wash off, before cooking. No exaggeration. Please realize that my family eats everything. We have tasted some of the most bizarre foods that one can find. Heck, half the time when I'm watching "Bizarre Foods" or "No Reservations", I'm thinking, "oh, that's good, but you really should try it with the fermented rotten fish. It adds a complexity of flavor that really makes the dish pop!" So when I say that Bull Foot and Goat Water is foul and disgusting - you gotta understand...it is truly foul and disgusting.
But if those two dishes were epic failures, the rest of the food was marvelous! The Salt Fish was tasty and a milder, less pungent and salty version of the Chinese salt fish. The chicken was a little salty, but when coupled with a "Jonny cake" (fried dough), it balanced out quite nicely. The ox-tail was delicious as it should be, and the patties were beyond insanely good. I think our favorite was the shrimp patty, and we were very glad we got two of those! Yum!
To top it off, my brother and I spent only $40 for all of this food. The patties, which I highly recommend, were around $1.50, and wonderfully delicious and filling. I believe that after we were all done with our orders, we basically doubled their profits for the week. We ordered a *crazy* amount of food. While we were ordering, a local came up to order his lunch as well, which consisted of a salt-fish patty and a jonny cake. I'm sure the nice ladies that worked this truck thought that we were feeding the entire cruise ship. Heh.
All in all, despite the missteps with the Bull Foot and Goat Water, this food truck was a wonderful treat! If you visit St. Thomas by cruise, I definitely recommend that you take that 3 block stroll (or grab a taxi), and grab some patties before you go.
