July 23 – For the past, several years the most fashionable and inexpensive way to get your breakfast and lunch is from a food truck. 

While this mobile food service is all the craze at the moment the concept is as old as Americans dining out. Chuck wagons rolled along the Great Plains and into the West serving up food for hungry cowboys and loggers. In the large cities like Chicago and New York the pushcarts served up meals for city folks and both of these types of food wagons and carts date all the way back to the time of the Civil War. The chuck wagon was designed to prep and cook meals on the spot which makes them the ancestor to our beloved food trucks. Pushcarts on the other hand did not cook food but served prepared foods like meat pies, fruits, and sandwiches to working men who relied on the cart for nutritious quick reasonably priced food-and as such was nearer to the purpose of today’s food trucks. 

Now a mainstream food outlet, there are annual food truck festivals held across the country and they are featured in several series on the Food Network.

Last week my friend Perry and I were starving on a Wednesday at lunch time in Barryville and saw a new food truck parked and open for business in the parking lot of the former Barryville General. It’s a nice bright blue truck called “River Eatery and the logo featured a guy wearing shades with long hair riding down the waves on a hot dog roll – definitely my kinda place! 

There was a small line waiting for their food. The co-owner and cook is Shane Pearson from Highland Lake. He is well known in Highland and is a very experienced chef and a cook of all trades, and the President of the Marion O’Neill Culture Club (who was responsible for the return of the much-loved St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Yulan this past March.) The River Eatery Food Truck is a family business, and Shane works preparing the menu with his favorite aunt Christine Pageau, Marion O’Neill’s daughter – who wears the best summer straw hat ever! 

The truck starts with breakfast items with four different egg sandwich combinations including prosciutto, egg, and provolone cheese sandwich which I have ordered and it is as amazing as it sounds. For lunch there are four different Sabretts hot dog combinations- plain with sauerkraut, onions in sauce and relish, Sloppy Dog ( with chili, cheese, grilled onions, and potato stix) River Dog (with spicy coleslaw and pickles) Surf and Turf Dog (with lobster chunks, onions) and a traditional New England lobster roll. The truck also has a vegan bratwurst option with toppings and new menu items are added all the time as specials. 

My friend Perry got a plain hot dog with freshly caramelized fried onions – which were heaped on top and he immediately devoured all the steaming onions even before we paid for our food. I ordered the single patty smash burger with cheese which came on a delicious fresh roll with bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. Other burger toppings are bacon, onions, and gorgonzola cheese truffle. The Truck has a wide variety of cold soda and beverages to choose from as well as chips and homemade cookies for dessert. 

The food was plentiful and delicious  and very reasonably priced. The River Eatery Food Truck is already booking catering events and private parties and can customize any menu food choices to serve. For more information about catering call 386-341-6980. The River Eatery Food Truck is open seven days a week starting at 8 a.m. for breakfast and closes around 3 p.m. There are tables and chairs set up in a nice shady spot to sit and eat your meal so stop by and have some great food the next time you are in Barryville.