Bongo Brothers

This review is on the Bongo Brothers food truck — I had it when it was parked at the World Financial Center location.
I had the ropa vieja. Holy cow. It was really good. If Ropa Vieja isn’t prepared correctly, the meat can be tough and stringy and get caught in your teeth, etc and just unpleasant. But their ropa vieja was tender and delicious. And I ate every bite. I was pleasantly surprised.
I can’t speak to their other food but definitely at least try the ropa vieja. If I have any of their other dishes or sandwiches, I will write an update.

The food is OK, not the best thing ever or the worst thing ever. Its fast and cheap. I got the marinated steak platter. I guess I’m used to my usual Cuban food, so I was not expecting what I got. The steak was more the consistency of pulled pork rather than steak. It was tasty, but not what I wanted or expected. The rice and beans were not the best, and not the most flavorful either. The side of maduros was literally two charred pieces of plaintain. I would probably opt to spend my $ 9 on something else next time.

Bongo Brothers is always a hit down in the WFC food truck court. Cuban sandwich is right on par with sophies… still think sophies and their green sauce take the prize though. Damn that green sauce turns me on. Mojo Chicken platter is my go to. Definitely a side of spicy sauce (similar to spicy mayo) One of the few trucks I can order a 9 $ food platter from and actually finish my lunch and feel mostly full. Comes with Rice, black beans a small salad and ofcourse the mojo chicken, a friendly lime wedge and some sweet plantains. All in all a very well rounded, filling meal for 9 $.

I am big fan of the Bongo Brothers truck and their menu. I have been impressed by the quality, affordability, and the authenticity of the cuisine. I have tried both the Mojo chicken «A la Plancha» platter and sandwich and they were delicious. The mojo aioli is very tasty and the side dishes, including the tostones and the empanadas hit the spot.
I have been visiting Bongo Brothers for a few weeks and I have got my office hooked.

Tried the Ropa Vieja Platter. It was… ok, I guess. The platter came with rice, beans, sweet plantains, and «salad».
The beef was quite chewy, and it didn’t have much flavor. The rice, beans and plantains were all kind of hard, like they’d either been made in the microwave or they just hadn’t cooked long enough.
I ordered a salad, as the menu stated the platter came with rice, beans and sweet plantains, but the guy at the window said the platter also included salad, so I nixed the extra order. When I opened my platter, the «salad» consisted of (and I counted) 9 pieces of the spring mix with a little too much citrus dressing over the few pieces of greens.
A couple of my friends ordered the chicken platter. They all had the same comments about the sides but mixed reviews of the chicken. One said the chicken was a bit on the dry side, one said the chicken was ok. It certainly smelled delicious.
Another of my friends tried the frita (the hamburger with chorizo mixed in). She said it was ok/​pretty good/​not bad.
All in all, I may or may not try this truck again. I may only because there are so few lunch choices in this area, but then again I may not.

A new street truck has emerged in Soho and it is pretty dang okay! Bongo Brothers Cuban Food Truck serves some very traditional dishes and for a food truck, it isn’t bad. The Ropa Vieja is VERY chewy but it’s okay. Always busy but very quick so don’t get discouraged by the line. Only out during the work week, no weekends.