Despite all of the turmoil surrounding the food truck operators, there is yet another one entering the fray. This time, the operator is also a longstanding restaurateur. Kenny Moriarty, owner of The Place on Lexington, has gone out and purchased a sleek, stainless steel (interior) food truck that features just about everything a rolling cooking operation could ask for. “It’s got heated floors, a pizza oven, a fryer, a flat top grill and a char-broiler,” Kenny boasted. “We’re going to be selling comfort food such as grilled cheese and tomato soup, breakfast pizzas and sandwiches, French dip sandwiches (on Mondays), hand cut fries… homemade sweets… nothing is going to be priced over $6.”
To start, Kenny’s truck, called The Place To Go, will be setting up shop on North Division between Ellicott and Washington. Kenny plans on servicing the Medical Campus – a growing population of students and professionals who might be hungry for some inexpensive, fast, comforting food options come fall. Kenny is hoping to have the food truck operational by September 12. “I want to go to where the people are who have limited food choices,” Kenny said. “I’m happy with my location… who doesn’t like mac and cheese, chili, or even just a good cup of coffee on a cold day?”
I’m liking Kenny’s attitude when it comes to the relationship between the restaurants and the food trucks. He told me that, “As long as I’m not pulling up in front of someone else’s restaurant, and another food truck is not pulling up in front of mine, we should all be able to make this work.” Kenny certainly is enjoying the best of both worlds, and is showing us that there’s more than one way to play the game. You can try to beat them or you can join them. In this case, Kenny is leading by example. After all, when the going gets tough, the trucks get going.