Triad Food Truck Roundup: Smokiin Mac, Havana Flavor, and J.J.’s Cuban Kitchen

 The Triad is home to an impressive number of food trucks. In addition to those based in Greensboro, High Point, Kernersville, and Winston-Salem, several trucks from the Triangle or down Charlotte way make regular appearances in the area. This may come as a surprise to those whose fleeting interactions with food trucks are limited to the occasional festival. However, you needn’t wait for such an occasion to present itself. Many will make their rounds at local breweries, with Bull City Ciderworks, Oden Brewing, (Greensboro), Potent Potables (Jamestown), Brown Truck Brewery, Cork and Grind (High Point), and The Brewer’s Kettle (Kernersville) frequently playing host. For those looking for a new source of bites on the go, consider one of these:

 

Smokiin Mac

 

A gourmet mac and cheese concept, Smokiin Mac delivers a tastes-as-good-as-it-sounds experience. The menu includes mac and cheese bites, loaded fries, and green beans, but the mac and cheese dishes are the main attractions here. Get them plain, or go for BBQ chicken, brisket, lobster, or surf and turf. A vegan jackfruit option is also available.

 

So far, I’ve tried the brisket mac and the Carolina chicken mac, and both are phenomenal. The four-cheese sauce is incredibly creamy, and the contrasting sharp and smooth flavors add complexity. The brisket comes with bits of bacon while the chicken brings slightly sweet spiciness. At $15 and $13 respectively, they are filling, and they are worth it.

 

Havana Flavor

 

Normally based out of an Exxon in Summerfield, Havana Flavor will sometimes pop up in random residential neighborhoods in Greensboro/Jamestown/High Point. They are worth tracking down when they do, but for whatever reason, they usually take quite a while to set up.

 

The food, however, makes up for the inconvenience. Havana Flavor’s menu is fairly expansive for a food truck, boasting everything from classic Cubanos to Hawaiian sandwiches to a version of a tripleta and more. The Cuban Love (guava jelly in place of mustard) is as far from the original as I’ll venture because the original is just that good here. The meats are tender, the bread is authentic, and portions are filling (especially if you are willing to add a side of plantains). At $7 per sandwich and $4 per side, pricing is perfectly reasonable, and Jose and his crew turn around orders quickly. Havana Flavor offers as good a Cuban sandwich as I’ve had anywhere, and if you find yourself craving one, make this your preferred option.

 

J.J.’s Cuban Kitchen

 

A Kernersville-based truck, J.J.’s Cuban Kitchen runs a small menu of Cuban favorites. Cubanos, plantains, yuca fries, croquetas (ham croquettes), and fritas (Cuban burgers) are among the offerings.

 

The food is solid, but it is neither the best nor the cheapest ($10 Cubanos/$4 sides) of its kind in the area. The Cubanos use the right kind of bread, are assembled and pressed well, and are plenty filling, but they are also a bit dry. Among the sides, the tostones (fried plantains) are bigger and the maduros (sweet plantains) are less sweet than what you might find elsewhere. The owner, Jerome, runs the truck with his family, and all have been pleasant to deal with.

 

J.J.’s Cuban Kitchen wouldn’t be my first choice for a Cubano (maybe the lechon or frita burger knocks it out of the park), but it’s still worth a look if it lands at a brewery nearby.