gaztro-wagon

Got freebies for «Chew» promotion in September 2011.
Tried:
The Lamb Wrap:
Was oily, but the flavor was awesome. Just popped. Lots of flavor and just delicious.
The Duck Wrap:
Nice and moist. Tasty. Good creative mix of flavors. (Wife thought it was OK, but I liked it more than she did)
FYI: I think they change their menu often, So, what we ate might not be on their menu now.
But, they really showed off their skill and creativity. I’m definitely a fan.

I was a little underwhelmed, but I do intend to try them again.
The day I decided to seek out the gaztro wagon their veggie offering was the corn/​fennel/​leek/​fig/​apple/​white cheddar naanwhich. There was a lot of corn, some leek, a bit of apple and some cheese. I wanted to find the fig and fennel, but I couldn’t quite find it. It was a good effort, and I certainly do appreciate their veg-​friendly creativity, the corn was just a little overwhelming. I’m intrigued by the roasted pear naanwhich, and look forward to giving that a try.
Also, I ordered the plantain chips. About a block away I looked in the bag and realized there were no chips. As I walked back up to the truck, another man was there with the same problem. He got a free cookie, but I didn’t get any cookie love. At the time I was there, they weren’t busy, so I don’t know why we’d both walked away without our full orders. The chips were good, not exciting, but nice to have something other than regular potato chips.
From my office to Aon where they were parked was a 40 minute round trip. For something that takes the majority of my lunch break with just walking, I want to love it. Next time they’re somewhat close I’ll give them a second shot, and hope I’ll feel more 4– or 5– stars about them.

So this place was at Ethyl’s for the Thursday night food truck-​aganza.
I was a virgin to this experience so I was really excited about trying all of the food trucks. It was sweltering hot, but I was determined to get there. Off all of the food trucks at Ethyl’s…this was the one that I wanted to try… next to the Mac N Cheese one (that wasnt there… tear came to my eye). So I was SUPER pumped when I spotted it.
The guy in the truck was so nice. I didnt know that these guys are the people behind Morso that just had opened on Armitage… interesting. Of course, we asked what should we get… we decided on the pork papusa and the roasted corn.
The first bite of the pork, I was excited… alas, I was let down.
Lackluster
…it needed sauce or spice or something. It just didnt do it for me… at all. I was like a little kid on Christmas hoping for the most amazing gift and then didnt get it. Bummer. The roasted corn was pretty much the same. It was just there. I think with a little sauce, it would have been perfect…
:(
I think the let down was partly my fault because I had heard of gaztro so I had high expectations… unfortunately, it didnt deliver.
Plus, the price was a little on the «higher» end at $ 5 per sandwich.

I mean… I dig it. But it a’int all that AND a bag of chips. It’s just all that… maybe just that.
The concept is there, and so is the menu [
. But something just didn’t click for me. But I’m more than happy to keep trying it… and I’ll probably go to the storefront rather than trying to find the wagon.
I’ve tried… three or so naanwiches. Two of them were memorable, but the reasons are because I just had it last week and I’ve never had wild boar before. With that said, I had the cheesesteak and the wild boar. The cheesesteak was not very cheesy, but it did have a nice taste with the grilled peppers and onions. The boar, as I recall, was kinda dry… but I’d be up for giving this one another go.
The driver[?] is super friendly and will give opinions and answer questions if you have any. The truck is easily recognizable, what with its red and blue paint-​splashed design.
It’s cool to catch it on the street, but you may as well truck over to the storefront for more options. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Usually my updates are pretty blah. This one is *uh-​MAYzing* (trust me).
#1) Did you know the storefront is byob!!!
#2) The wild boar belly is unbelievable. Cherries, pistachios & manchego tucked in there, too? Omg. If you are on a diet do not get this sandwich. You’ll fall off the (gaztro) wagon and have nightly dreams about this thing. Boar naanwich = sex.

I’ll up this place an overdue star, since I tried the lobster roll ‘naan-​wich’ a good number of months back, and really enjoyed it (albeit it costing more, than I believe anything else on their menu). Wish I could try the oyster po-​boy sandwich at the store that’s only served on Friday and Saturday, but it always seems to either be sold out, or out of season (latter being the case, the last time I went in either May or June of this year).
I doubt I’ll up my rating any further, but who knows. I have been enjoying this place more, than when it first opened. And am thankful that they did not turn out to be one of those places which in reality, was overrated.

Okay, so I was very excited to see their storefront near my neighborhood because I’d heard so much about their food truck. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with the food. I’m giving three stars for trying so hard to be different, but this review could easily be two.
1) Their food seems overpriced for vegetarian options.
2) The sandwich I ordered (figs, leeks, peppers, cheese) lacked seasoning. The figs were dried, not fresh and the leeks were big hunks, not thinly sliced for better cooking. It lacked a certain delicacy that would make it more enjoyable and worth the price tag. And, overall very greasy for a veggie sandwich.
3) One redeeming element: they serve Goose Island ginger ale which has got to be about the best tasting ginger ale I’ve ever had. YUM!
I want to give them a second chance, but I feel like they need to hire a real chef. If I’m paying Xoco-​style prices, I want Xoco-​style food! You can do better.

While the husband’s away, food trucks come my way. On a particular Friday night, my husband embarked on a guy’s trip. Usually, this is an excuse to eat marshmallows and coconut milk ice cream for dinner. Yes, I’ve done that. Don’t judge. However, this night, my Chicago Sconnie Unilocaler friend texted me to go get dinner with Gaztro-​Wagon in my hood. Hells yeah! No marshmallows for dinner tonight.
I scoped out their Twitter feed and found where they were stopping near me. The truck didn’t have a line, so I ordered a Fidel sandwich: cubano and some plaintain chips. When I got home, my sandwich was piping hot and so tasty! I happily devoured my sandwich and drank some Michigan wine. I loved the fluffy naan bread surrounding my meaty confection. Give me delicious bread and I’m there.
All in all, my first gaztro-​wagon experience was great. So happy that they go elsewhere beyond the Loop and during prime dinner hours. Thanks for giving me a night off of the marshmallow dinner while the husband’s away.

«Dear God, it’s me Ebs and I have one request. Please let me to continue to enjoy the decadence of tender duck wrapped between a fluffy and fulfilling naan!»
Here’s the interesting thing with gaztro-​wagon; the food from the truck was so much better than when I went to the storefront. Jeezus, I have no clue why, but I’m not complaining (especially since the store is so far out there).
The thrill of checking the weekly truck schedule, mapping out where I will be getting my naanwich this week, and rushing to the truck before the items I want are sold out are the accessories that make the experience so much better.
What I think could be improved on:
— The dessert cookie sandwiches (They’re not great, skip it)
— Better wrapping (by the time I get back to the office, I always have some drippings on my clothes that came through the bag)… Once again, not a huge complaint since this means these babies are juicy
Otherwise, I love y’all! Beware; I’m following you…

I went to the Gaztro-​Wagon during the food truck summit and was extremely excited to try it as it just won best food truck in Chicago!
I tried both the Pork Pozole Naanwich and the Wild Boar naanwich w/​fig & bacon and I must say I was disappointed. The Wild Boar was absolutely better then the Pork Ponzole but both were pretty bland and mushy and just not too good. I am going to attribute it to circumstances because there were tons of people at the food truck summit. But… still a disappointing first time of having Gaztro-​Wagon. Both were just missing something in the flavor combinations. The pork just tasted like dry pork on naan. And the wild boar was good but still it was missing something in taste and was a little dry. I must say prices were good at just $ 3 each.
I would try them again but my expectations are way lowered for next time.

Finally had a chance to try me some Gaztro-​Wagon at the food truck summit. I was able to get in line, through the huge crowd getting shelter from the rain, and ordered both of that nights offerings. At $ 3 a naanwich, it wasn’t bad at all.
The Pork Pozole naan was okay, but the Wild Boar Belly naan w/​fig & bacon was delicious. Figs & bacon are a tasty combo, add that to some tasty boar belly, inside a soft naan. I usually don’t like my naan that soft, but it was still good. All the flavors went well together and I would get it again.
If I happen to come across the Gaztro-​Wagon in the future, I’ll be sure to stop by.

I really want to like this truck more, but honestly I just can’t right now…
So far I’ve tried two sandwiches and their plantain chips. Love the chips. The pork pozole naanwich… it was good, but I wasn’t impressed like I’ve been with other food trucks. The lobster was a miss for me even though I knew it wasn’t like a classic lobster roll. Good chunks of the lobster, but it just wasn’t good.
I’ll go back for the boar as I’ve heard good reviews about that. I just haven’t been impressed by gaztro-​wagon yet.

Sandwich wagon — upscale. Tried this right outside of my office. Love the idea but another reason why Chicago should allow these trucks to be able to cook fresh from them. Tried the Pork and Kimchee sandwich which was was really good and unique. But then had the ham and swiss sandwich and the bread (nan bread) has become too soft and mushy and you can tell it has been made a long time ago. Flavors, for my taste, became ok. Also tried the plantain chips — but disapointed that they were soggy and no flavor.
Worth trying at least the Pork and Kimchee sandwich, but would rather wait until then can drive by and make them fresh.

I’m all for food trucks roaming the streets of Chicago and the Gaztro-​Wagon is definitely a good place to start. I’ve been tracking their truck for a little while now and it finally made its way to my work ‘hood for lunch.
The menu is pretty simple. About a half-​dozen «naanwiches» (they use naan as their sandwich vessel), a couple soups, plantain chips, and some sweets. On this particular day I went with the Pork Cheeks naanwich (dressed with bacon, apple, sweet potato, and fennel) and a side of plantain chips. The pork itself was moist and very tender. The hints of sweetness from the sweet potato and slight licorice flavor from the fennel were a nice touch, too, but that smoky/​savory bacon flavor just didn’t come through. Yes, bacon makes everything better, but a little more here would have added some nice depth to this sammich. The plantains were sliced super thin and sprinkled with just the right amount of salt to balance their subtle sweetness. Definitely a good lunch side dish.
I applaud their effort to create a higher end food truck sandwich, but $ 8 for this portion size is a tad steep. If you need a frame of reference, my naanwich was smaller than a regular Potbelly’s sub. I’m curious how dining at their storefront stacks up against the truck, but I’d definitely swing by to at least check out the menu if they were in the area again. For now I’ll rate my street experience at 3.5 stars, and hope this is the start of some new & tasty food options on our fair Chicago streets.

Gaztrowagon — I love you!
I have been attempting to try Gaztrowagon since they started… I always lament the fact that I’m not usually in the right areas for lunch OR dinner… until today!
I waited patiently for Gaztrowagon to arrive for lunch (a crowd had the same idea). I chose the porchetta sandwich (and plantain chips). It was a divine lunch!
Please — find Gaztrowagon by twitter, text, etc and eat there!!!

I am definitley a self proclaimed fat kid, my office has enough snacks to feed a small country, but the fact that I stalk down Chicago’s local food trucks on a daily basis just cements my fat kid status !!
…and maybe by the fact that my fingers are still greasy as I type this…
I saw the Gaztro’s update on FB and couldn’t believe my eyes, of course the one day I bring my lunch, good bye leftovers, I’ve been waiting for this day for WAY TOO LONG !
Ran through the maze that is the Merchandise mart to Franklin and Hubbard where the Touchdown had taken place, only not to see the truck in sight, after making a few laps and getting a few weird creeper stares I decided to head back to my boring leftovers at the office, and then it happened. I saw it, wooooo.
There was no line so I himed and hawed the menu a little and dedided on the duck contfit, with sauteed onion, apple chutney, and melted brie. It was ready in 45 seconds and I was back off to work with my warm little paper bag in hand. After keeping my hands warm the whole way back I finally got to my desk and unwrapped it, it just looked like a burrito made with fluffy pita instead of a tortilla. To my surprise it was packed with Duck confit !!
My first bite was a little boring and I started to regret my $ 8 decision, but then I got a bit of warm apple chutney and I was in fall heaven !!
Also at $ 2 the plantain chips are super crispy and a deliciously good deal, though after all of that naan which you may not have room ! But they will be a good afternoon snack.
It is defintley not something I could afford everyday, good thing they aren’t in walking distance every day either !!
This is a must try for all downtown workers, what better way to spice up your mudane work day than to stalk food trucks around the city !!

Maybe I built this up too much in my head. I am a big fan of mobile food and love the trucks in Vegas. I’ve been waiting for a Kogi-​style truck like the one in LA to come here forever. So when I heard about Gaztro-​wagon, I assumed it would be a reasonable facsimile for me.
Driving to brunch one morning, I saw it parked in Bucktown, and immediately swerved into the opposite direction of Milwaukee and turned around (ok, I didn’t really do that, but it makes for a better story). I turned around legally via sidestreets after I realized I had just boogied past the Gaztro-​wagon.
I have mixed feelings about what I ate. I mean seriously, a sandwich on naan sounds like it should be as awesome as the voice of the lead singer of Temper Trap. So yeah, that good. I went with the pork shoulder, and unfortunately it was just average. The bread was great, but the pork was dry and flat. Cilantro was a welcome choice, but the radish was overwhelming the rest of the naanwich. It wasn’t bad, but I was expecting better.
The staff was friendly and very helpful when I had questions, so I’m more than happy to come back. Don’t worry Gaztro-​wagon, I follow you on twitter like a hawk and plan on making return trips. Come to Bronzeville/​IIT for lunch one day!

Wild Boar Belly Naanwich, where have you been all my life? Oh dear lord, can it get any better? I think not!!!
The smoked salmon naanwich … blissfully good.
Very pleasant staff, great plantain chips. So far, practically perfect. I’m so happy I’m high on life. Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Good but not great.
I had never heard of this place until I saw it pop up on some friends’ reviews recently. A new fancy sandwich place only two miles from home? And getting rave reviews? Jackpot.
Of course I got the wild boar belly. And the chicken thigh with mushrooms and brie. Both were pretty good but surprisingly one-​note. Elements such as these should function together as a beautiful concerto, but I got only one tone from each sandwich. And Jesus, were they ever greasy. This is street food? I could never eat this more than ten feet away from a cupboard full of napkins and a sink with plenty of soap.
I also tried the seasonal soup – chilled garlic and fennel. This was a very simple purée – too simple, as a matter of fact. It had a lovely flavor, but it was too thin and didn’t do much for me as a soup. However, I used it to great effect for the next several days as a sauce and a dip (absolutely killer with Snyder’s hard pretzels).
But of course I couldn’t give up after just two naanwiches, so I next tried the cappicola with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Ah, now THAT is a great sandwich. Four wonderful flavors all helping each other up the mountain of deliciousness (yes, I switched metaphors). I also sampled the plantain chips (a bargain at $ 2 a bag) and the oatmeal crème pie, but both were just so-​so.
Visit #3: Going for broke, I ordered the smoked salmon and the italian sausage. The latter was good overall, but I would prefer a much zestier (not necessarily hotter, but at least more seasoned) sausage meat. Now, pay attention here: the «smoked salmon» wasn’t smoked salmon at all, but regular cooked salmon. W. T. F.? ? I was really keen to eat a nice cool sammich with some lovely lox but instead I got a pile of warm, soggy, fishy, pink naan-​ards which did NOT make for a pleasant dine. BOOOO.
The menu faux pas was a big disappointment, and the sandwiches are hit or miss. Plus, the store was infernally hot all three times. However, there are other sandwiches on the menu that I would try, and although their location is wretched (just try driving there from any point north or west), I do plan to return. But I just can’t rave about the place.

Tamale Guy, watch out.
Let’s face it, the best street food we have is the Tamale Guy, and I’ve heard more incidences of food poisoning resulting from that nasty blue cooler that comes out to play after midnight than of any restaurant or mobile food operation anywhere in this beautiful city.
I love you Tamale Guy, but I am not eating those unregistered tamales anymore. Dangerous. (But, good… c’mon I’m not doggin’ the TG, he’s great… but, we need real food trucks, STAT!).
Unfortunately, Chicago is a BIT behind the FT movement. And, frankly… they’d do so awesomely swell here… such an independent, transient type of experience. Wistful and charming. Street food… on the street. I love it. We need more of it.
Introducing: Gaztro-​Wagon.
Now, I know what you are thinking…“But, but, but… this has an address!?” Is this a parking lot?!
No, they actually do have a storefront with a large kitchen and a small «dining» section. Just your run of the mill tables/​chairs, nothing too crazy. It’s just north of Andersonville, near the corner of Elmdale and Clark. Easy parking.
What’s crazy good? The food. Of course… you knew THAT was coming!
They specialize in «naan-​wiches.» Just sandwich served on fresh naan. I opted for the Capriocola, thinly sliced… very tasty. My pal enjoyed the roasted lamb, and we split an order of «oh-​so-​crispy-​and-​light» fried plantains with a bit of green sauce that I am blanking on. Add a few sodas (they do carry the full line of Goose Island sodas)…and well, you’ve got a fresh, fast, tasty meal for about $ 20 or so.
My naanwich was a bit… wet, but I’ll forgive it. It was gone in about…10 minutes.
Served in a tinfoil wrap, just like out of the truck. Now, yes… they are working on the truck details (I overheard), so lookout for the roaming Gaztro-​Wagon and please report back.
Super friendly staff (owner was on site, makin’ up excellent food!) and I got a chance to chat with Danielle for a bit. The service was excellent.
YAY food trucks! Support, support, support!