(Dined 05/19/18 SA @ 8:30pm): I loved how these guys got creative with their eats!…read more
I recently enjoyed a viewing of "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" during an Eat See Hear event at the North Hollywood Recreation Center https://www.yelp.com/biz/north-hollywood-recreation-center-north-hollywood?osq=north+hollywood+recreation+center when I finally had my first eating encounter with the CreativEats food truck. Since I frequently attended, worked, or volunteered at the myriad of year-around events throughout Southern California, I've seen this food truck on many occasions but somehow never made it to them until now. Truth be told, by default I made a beeline for them this time because of the short line and I'd already tried those that were present; and if you knew me, I thoroughly believed in trying new things whenever possible. Would I consider eating their creations at future events!?:
QUICK BIO
Based out of the South Bay (Hawthorne to be exact), look for the giant royal blue truck with its scripted name across both sides and some brightly-painted vegetables scattered about. The menu is eclectic yet simple with a variety of gourmet-like dishes all prepared fresh upon ordering.
PURCHASE
Shrimp Yaki Soba Noodles ($9.00): I was looking for something "healthy" since I've been eating crap for far too long, and this item caught my eye with its abundance of soba noodles, mixed shredded vegetables, large portion size, and a heck of a price! The five pieces of shrimp were large but wished there were more. This wasn't overly seasoned, the noodles weren't cooked to near perfection, and the vegetables were fresh. I was thoroughly stuffed once I put this entire meal down https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Pc9XPbixeNkU7VZefZXp2w&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
SERVICE
It was towards the end of their shift before they packed up and everyone was watching the movie, so I placed my order quickly, and the food came out fresh and hot in about ten minutes! I even scored a Strawberry Fanta with my meal! Of course, it would be an entirely different story at the start of the day, but if they were still cool at the end of the shift when they simply wanted to clear out and leave, I imagined they were just as chill at the start. All was good in "No 'Wood"!
PARKING (Varied; FREE this instance)
Being a food truck, they were at the beck and call wherever the event was held. In this case, the venue was at the North Hollywood Recreation Center which had plenty of onsite parking around the entire place. Otherwise, there were plenty of metered and timed street parking around the area (valid until 6pm). Another option was to hire a driving service like a taxi, Lyft, or Uber.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
Your standard self-sufficient food truck https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Uta9pY6y-KCX15SIsbVhKQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw with exterior menus, order and pick up windows, an area for condiments, napkins, and utensils, no designated seating area, and natural lighting was prevalent during the daytime while electric street and truck lighting glowed at night. There were no TVs nor background music.
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
I was happy to have finally tried the CreativEats food truck and would certainly try them again (FYI...they had salmon on the menu!). The prices were cheaper than I expected among the food truck scene, the options were highly varied from burgers, fried goodness, noodles, seafood, etc., and the service was very good. I found fairly good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $9.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, although I paid in cash, they accepted my credit cards of choice...AMEX! 4.5 STARS
