StirFryKing

Re:1993 Chevrolet P30 Food Truck Build 1 day and 16 hrs. ago ()

Greetings all, I JUST BOUGHT my P30!! 
A Gruman Olson 95'. I'm a newbie to the food truck ranks, and an old school chef looking for a electronic home/family. I've been quietly following you guys for many mos. The great build's (both triumph's and failure) have all been an informative/ inspiring to me. I can't wait to hit the streets of Bmore,Md. this spring (then Raliegh, N.C. summer) and I'm bursting at the seams with anticipation. In Balt. Md., the word's spreading as is the spirit and taste our Fd Trk culture. I recently shut down my small Intnl. cuisine restaurant for my new diggs. I've contemplated for 5yrs. seriously and finally, all my resources came together to form Voltron... 
After visiting mom in Raliegh/ Durham, N.C. for Xmas Iv'e decided on a mongonlian style (stirFry) truck. 1995 w/16' kitchen. Formerly a taco truck, Drive-train is excellente! I think I got a steal! Im in the process of converting to my specific needs. w/ 3way combo grill, 35-40lb fryer , standup stainless single dr. fridge and portable salad bar/ cambro+ gen. 48"hood fan. Also leaving space for a/c unit this spring. Considering the coming A/C.....
 1)What size gen should I buy I am going out tommorow?
2) My question is when buying a used vehicle. What should I have done mechanically? 
Thanks all, StirFryKing 

Welcome StirFryKing!!

Mongolian BBQ is a fantastic concept for a food truck!! Fast fresh & fun!!

Thanx CCinNJ, Although I can perform culinary acts with surgical precision in the kitchen... It was as natural as a fish in the water as soon as I set foot into my first Mongol rest. in N.C. I'm telling you, or maybe yu yourself are well traveled. I have seen a lot of styles in ethnic America and this one is IT! Here I am a African American in love with asian cooking. 
As a result not only do I love the culinary art but especially  the food truck nation as it allows one to find oneself irregardless of skin color or race or class. My GOAL-With WOK in tow I travel the land like the late Caridine "Grasshopper" characrter in KUNG FU
With tinted glass service window my customer' respectfully bow and turn away, chopstick in hand to a hot bowl of steaming "drunken noodles".

CCinNJ


Welcome StirFryKing!!

Mongolian BBQ is a fantastic concept for a food truck!! Fast fresh & fun!!

I like you already...StirFryKing!

Bring a little punch to the party!

I have a nice pic of my Mongolian BBQ friend...in Jersey City NJ. Not much of a travel there...but lots of fun when in the neighborhood.

send it...please

So I'd love to see a pic of a giant inverted wok in your truck...are you serving traditional or Americanized?  Been eating Mongolian BBQ since the 70's in Taipei.  The best ones these days are not in Taipei proper but in the industrial areas such as San Chung more variety and much cheaper.  

Dang..Now that's a big grill, and the very same kind that inspired me/ my theme. Thanks for the pic. I have some of my own that I'll post as soon as I figure out "how to" on this site. I only wish that one would fit it in my truck My grill is on order w/ a 3wk. fabrication/ delivery period. Unfortunately I had to go w/ a reg. flat-top grill combo w/ 2burner's and a radiant heat salamander built-in underneath. The combo grill plus my deep fryer has to fit under a 48" hood soooo... I'll make it work. I also went with 2 burner's instead of a wok jet burner for diversity, plus WOK burner's are so expensive. I'll get one further down the road. I DO however use a nice wok and have become quite efficient w/ Asian and India's seasoning's. I use the traditional Mongolian sauce's ( around 7-8) but I am always on the lookout for gourmet sauces and marinade's. I like to keep pace with the ever changing industry as well as the finicky foodie palate. For example; I know that in the coming SUMMER months, Sriracha heat might not resonate on an already blistering afternoon, so I'm looking out for /experimenting with a refreshing mint salsa etc.. 
To answer your American or Traditional question, I've decided on an International menu. Of course the customer can still "build-a-bowl", that's the cornerstone. My special's are top-secret, that's where the salamander/ deep fry comes in case you were wondering. 
Say. I used to live in Long Branch on Jersey Shore, Monmouth Co. Right on the beach. Talk about a nice place for a food truck, wow are you near there?

I am right next to Staten Island...on the NJ side.

Tell us that top secret include the thought of a snappy fusion version of a Pu Pu platter and I will do a back flip in the middle of Times Square. Hopefully...I can still do that....and land according to plan.

Now...on a truck how do you plan on keeping the aspect of the big show to the venue?

My inspiration

Your concept has so much appeal to the visual sense...and the preparation is very rapid. There might also be the element of mystery involved for many who might be first time out...or first time out in the mobile aspect of the venue.

Will your signage include a visual set-up of how it works?

Did your high school teacher tell ever you that you ask really good question's? They should have, cuzz u do... Well as for the SHOW. The concept is still in my head (and Bus. Plan) since I haven't officially launched yet. Even though the Bennyhana's, Habachi grill's and Mongolian brick and mortar's have the platform for such, all that I can do is give the customer a mini food truck version & a smile. My grill is not "front & center" so I'll have to compensate with a Trick or two that I learned from a very cool Exec chef I was worked under. Can't tell it all, forgive me not giving full disclosure but can never be too careful online. Nothing personal. But I will say it that involves Signage, presentation and customer's standing on their tippy-toe's...Oh and fire 
Well there you go, so start stretching for that back flip........ What type of food do you serve anyway CCinNJ?  

I ask questions related to the food industry for a living. Sometimes I have to come up with answers as well. I can do flips from my bar days. A good set of heels keeps me on my toes.

A sample "guide" to be out there to work the audience and answer any questions might also serve you well. Intimidated might not be the right word for the feeling some get when they find something new to try...and would love to try it. Shy away might be a better phrase. This might also keep the pace up for you. When people pause to think think think when they have to make decisions they often get stuck in time...like in front of the Supermaket freezers when staring at a box of waffles.

Been sanding/ prepping truck for paint alll day, looks like a week long job so far. Your answer was as good as your question. Wow, I believe that you just may do this for a living. Okay, now ya got me hooked on question's. What's this sample guide consist of?
My Idea was to print a stack of colorful handouts that double as both 1.Mongolian bbq lesson/.Build your bowl directions, and 2. (on reverse side) My own International bowl stirfry creations + favorites and list of sauce's and ingredient's. 
Please explain, b/c the last thing that I want is people being hesitant. I pictured excitement and touch of boldness in the those stare's. Certainly not frozen waffle eyes.
 Tell you what, you expound and we can put that flip on hold for the time being

My idea of a guide would be live. Like a StirFry Queen...Prince or Princess!

Someone engaging and versed in the concept to be part ambassador and part expeditor when things get busy.

Now is the time to look at your wife and tell her you want to make her Queen for the Day! Take it from there.

If your wife says no thank you then you can contact art schools in the area for a great candidate or candidates that would love the gig...and would be out there working it as an externship assignment (aka inexpensive enthusiastic help in exchange for experience).

Hey CCnNJ, forgive me for the long pause. Duty called in another area. Guess what? Ordered my grill maybe week/1/2 ago and it was delivered ttooddaayy!! Feel like a kid opening birthday present. Wish That I could BOX that feeling and sell it in a bowl. Speaking of which, once again you are the Prince(cess) (?) of conceepts/ ideas. THat was so FRESH and alive. I seriously like it. and I'm telling you as much.. I usually create my own or build off of faar out concepts. But that one is really good as is. Tommorow I may get NO I WILL get on the phone and get busy with that.
If there's anything that I can do in return let me know. I'll also share more frquently / post pic's tomoro. Too late right now. early start in the a.m. Thanks 
 
 

Have you considered closed circuit TV?? Camera inside, Large Flat Screen outside!!
Mongo-Jumbotron!

Yeah right S-A.. Was going to play boot-leg videos all day but jumbo-tron screen wouldn't fit. I'll stick to flyer's..Oh I'm soory, thought u were being a S-A @ first... Maybe, if hugely successful, you think BIG FoodBme, that's good. Right now I'm just mom & pop status. Struggling to find a used R.V. a/c roof unit. It's getting unseasonably warm here on the EastCoast, I have serious fears about what this SUMMER may have in store. Iv'e got to get an a/c unit. Any sugestions on that one. How many BTU's is enough??? I have the feeling that I'm going to be BAKING inside come high noon w/o one. Don't know how many customer's would pay to see me sweat.

You're welcome StirFry!

When you say you wish you could box that feeling and sell it in a bowl...I will root for you.

Have you seen my new thread yet? Check out the topic CC, I know that you will have an approach that I can seriously consider. Heat is the topic..