Why you need to go getta some Vanchetta…a rolling rotisserie food truck

Take a gander at this custom built truck…

There are food trucks and then there are food trucks, serving up hand crafted, custom made, awesome food. We’re not talking about your standard street food fare, we be talking ’bout Vanchetta, a rolling rotisserie truck that had its soft opening last week in Stamford. When we broke the news to everybody, people were excited…even the owner, Andy Dolan, who said he was a big fan of our blog but was trying to keep things quiet and take things slowly (oops, sorry for that man).

Well, now that it’s public knowledge, we’re ready to share our experience…

Before we get to the food, let’s talk about the truck and how the food is made. First off, we are amazed that Andy built the truck himself over four months in a self storage parking lot. And, it’s even more amazing to know there’s a custom built, one of a kind, Old Hickory rotisserie on the truck right behind the cash register. The chicken they serve is kept on the spit, while their porchetta rolls are roasted then cooled down. Then, when they are ready to serve a porchetta (layers of pork, herb stuffing, and pork belly, rolled up) sandwich, they take off some slices and grill them up for an added flavor burst.

Here’s the porchetta sandwich! Look at it, locked and loaded.

So, when we checked them out this past Saturday, we knew that we were in for something unique. We both wanted the porchetta sandwich, but Dan decided to try the pulled chicken for some variety. Yeah, he took one for the team. Starting off, you’ll find their sandwiches share the base of the Vanchetta Slaw which is made of cabbage, kale, carrots, apples, onions, pepitas, and sunflower seeds tossed in an apple vinaigrette. The slaw adds a nice crunch and a slight tartness to the sandwich, contrasting nicely with the provolone, red onion marmalade, and heaping portions of porchetta. The ciabatta bread is excellent, too, made by Tom Cat Bakery in Long Island City. Everything worked together nicely and the porchetta was especially moist and flavorful. One of our favorite parts was the little fatty parts that added that extra unctuous flavor.

Next up, Dan had the pulled chicken sandwich with the slaw, tomato corn salsa, and garlic mayo. As per Dan, they went light on the mayo. That’s true devotion to food and a chef’s vision because he’s a mayo hatah! We weren’t honestly expecting much from a chicken sandwich, but this sandwich was such a pleasant surprise. The chicken was incredibly juicy, the mayo was nice and not overpowering, and the salsa added some brightness, color, and tartness to the sandwich. On the side we had some slaw by itself, but felt so-so about it. Alone it felt too bland, but on the sandwich it served as a good flavor and texture complement to the rest of the ingredients.

Final Thoughts

For a soft opening week (Andy’s still not sure when he’ll be regular open but will continue the soft part), we were impressed with our sandwiches. The prices were good and they take cash or card, too. The menu is constantly evolving, too, so you’ll always have something new to check out. For example, Andy is working on a rotisserie roast beef that will rival his porchetta and even a lamb sandwich that ain’t so baaaad. Muahahha. Sorry, not sorry.

We wish Andy and Mike (he’s learning the ropes of the rotisserie and even brews his own beer) the best as they go out into the brave world of fancy food trucks popping up all over Fairfield County!  We’re sure they’ll do well!

Vanchetta Food Truck

Noms:  TBD after a second visit, but we recommend

Cost:  $$ (cash or credit is accepted)

Locations:  Stamford as of now, especially The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point

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