The "least effort needed" to write review that I have ever posted thanks to Juli S. Because I can simply recommend you read her FTR and then I'll say "ditto". Then I could also suggest you find Umami Avenue's Facebook page to keep track of where Chef Richard Jimenez will have his food trailer serving when (note that it is very often at a brewery or winery). Then say "GO". And then 'the end'.
But I'll add more because, well, I can't help myself. Read on or move on as you choose because all you really need to know is in the first paragraph above.
FOOD ENTHUSIAST BUT NOT FOOD TRUCK FAN: I am a long time food enthusiast (I so dislike the word 'foodie' and I am now going to crib...ummm...borrow the great alternative term in Juli's review). But I have never cottoned to food trucks although I lived in and visited big time food truck fan cities like Bend, Portland and Austin. (I don't like standing in line for food, I don't like eating off of disposable plastic or styrofoam, I have MS with associated balance issues so I sure don't want to try to stand to eat, as a person who pays attention to the quality of ingredients I also know most trucks selling low cost eats are not using good quality ingredients and, frankly, having been inside a working food truck or three I'm often concerned about hygiene...yep.)
WHY THIS IS A FOOD TRUCK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NERVOUS ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS: Through Juli's review I learned Umami Avenue is owned by Chef Richard Jimenez and I wondered where he was after his departure as Le Coq d'Or Executive Chef (which closed after he left).
Because of Juli's review, my husband and I went out of our way to find the Umami Avenue truck where Chef Jimenez and his Sous from Coq - who left with him - were serving up their splendid food from Umami Avenue's food trailer - which is really like a professional kitchen on wheels - in the parking lot at a winery where we are club members.
Given we were first at the service window when it opened, we had a chance to talk to Rich a bit to learn of how he came up with the Asian - Italian fusion concept for his mobile food kitchen and his passion for making it possible for people to eat high quality, expertly crafted food through that medium. We also told the Chef that as his fans and people who normally didn't seek out food trucks we hoped he might have a bricks and mortar restaurant in his future plans. We are hopeful he is looking at that option on the horizon to add to this.
TOP NOTCH FOOD: You'll find Juli S.'s and my photos of the menu - which changes often - that is posted on the truck. You'll note in Juli's that on his pasta carbonara dish Rich calls out the source of the egg he uses, Meriwhether Farms, which is a sustainable, family run farm recently recognized as family farm of the year in its' Idaho region. We seek out Meriwhether when we are purchasing animal proteins, including eggs, because we know of how responsibly and humanely they raise everything. And discussion about egg with the Chef led to us talking about a technique he uses to cure eggs, a salt and sugar cure technique, which makes them grateable for umami flavor in the way that parmesan cheese is. I'm familiar with the technique which is currently a "thing" in cutting edge kitchens elsewhere, think David Chang-like, but I had not seen anyone in Boise doing it...until Umami Avenue.
Those are the kind of 'food enthusiast' discoveries you can have as you enjoy the splendid food from Chef Jimenez's kitchen trailer. We thought our choices - a riff on an Italian classic pasta dish Amatriciana using bacon, an umami tomato sauce and yakisoba noodles ($11), and a Thai pasta dish with plump shrimp and the Chef's 'coco-chi' sauce and cilantro ($13) - were excellent. Both came with a baguette piece served in the style of garlic bread but using organic nori.
PRICE POINT AND OTHER DETAILS: Menu prices run about $11 - $13. There are take out containers if you want to order to go or have leftovers (portions are generous so we did). The menu also contains a note "Good Food Takes Time" and given this is largely scratch cooking that is good to know. Your patience is rewarded with delicious food. And as final note, if you are a person who is concerned about hygiene in food trucks - I'll raise my hand for that - this commercial kitchen on wheels is gleaming clean. read more