BERKELEY – As hot summer weather gave way to one of those perfect summer evenings, a crowd flocked to Bayville for unusual eats and special treats.
Billed as the Berkeley Township Food Truck and Music FEASTival, it took over Veterans Park on a recent Saturday.
Mike Kestin, president of MES Event Services, the company which put it on, said that they do shows like this all over the state. That day they had 12 trucks, three bands, 15 vendors and a beer garden. The event had been rescheduled from June 7 due to weather.
Food truck festivals offer the chance for everyone in a group to try something different. One person might want a diner staple like bacon cheese fries while another person in that same group might want paneer biryani with tofu. These two people could each satisfy their cravings at different trucks and then sit down together and eat in the park, picnic-style.
When you think food trucks, you usually think something akin to fair food, and there were options like that – stuff like hamburgers and hot dogs. But there were also variations that kicked it up a notch. How about lobster tacos or lobster grilled cheese?
A lamb gyro might be common at an event like this, but the same truck also had kebabs and halal food.
For drinks, you could warm up with coffee or chill out with ices. The coffee truck had “fall flavors” like s’mores roll and pumpkin maple bacon roll. They also served baked goods like caramel apple pie.
Lemonade or limeade were summer favorites, but if you were feeling more adventurous at the squeezes booth you could try an “electric mermaid,” which had lemonade, pineapple, green apple, cream, and blue lotus; or the “nerdy lemon” which had strawberry-grape lemonade and Nerds candy.
Families could enjoy pony rides and a small petting zoo. Dogs were welcome and several people brought their beloved pets. Live music was performed from the bandstand throughout the afternoon into the evening.
Before or after trying a food truck, you could hit up a number of vendors spread out in the field. Some were local contractors looking to sell home improvements, while others made their own items for sale – such as knit stuffed animals or 3D printed toys.
