Nom Nom Truck - Offal Sandwich Extraordinaire

It was my first few weeks at the new job on the Westside - and I was going to say I was 'still' in my honeymoon phase, but with this one I think that feeling is going to last!

On top of the excitement with new responsibilities, I was also happy about the whole new world of lunch options that are now open to me - and that is not just about restaurants, but extends to food trucks as well (some of which did not make their way to the Valley, at least not by my old office!).

When I saw that Nom Nom Truck (which Food Network fans might recognize from The Great Food Truck Race) was by my new work one day, I practically leaped out of my chair. I had tried their infamous Bahn Mi (Lemongrass Chicken) before, and while it was good, it wasn't mind blowing. What I really wanted to try was their Deli Special sandwich - packed with a combination of things that would make my non-foodie friends cringe, but which sets my Spidey Foodie Sense a-tingling!

What's in it? According to their menu description: Vietnamese head cheese, meatloaf, ham, pâté. The last time I encountered Nom Nom Truck, they had been out of this. Ever the optimist, I set out that day hoping to catch the Deli Special for lunch.

And: cue triumphant music: they had it!! Perched in a 'cookie cutter', all-business-business-park that day, I was pretty much the only one in line that was excited to give the offal sandwich a try. The 'suits' loss, my gain.

So what exactly is head cheese? It's definitely not dairy or, in people's worst imaginations, some form of mucous-y extrusion from the cabeza of a four legged beast. It's just a well-intended but misguided and epic fail of an euphemism for a cold cut made from various bits of meat taken from the head of a cow or pig - if you like beef or pork cheek, that's one of the bits of meat you can get from the head.

I loved the sandwich, with its intriguing mix of various textures: cold cut of head cheese, slightest crunch, with more hefty tasting bites of meatloaf and juicy smooth ham with creaminess of pâté (mousse made from duck liver). And the signature flavors of Vietnamese cuisine with savory and sour and sweet all coming through at the same time, all in balance with each other. All in a fresh and delicious baguette.

LOVED. Can't wait til Nom Nom Truck comes back around again.

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Nom Nom Truck
All over Los Angeles (and in San Francisco too!)
Follow on Twitter:
@Nomnomtruck

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http://onemorebiteblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/nom-nom-truck-offal-sandwich.html