Let’s be honest, Temple is known for the food trucks, not the dining hall. When you were taking your Temple tour as a junior or senior in high school, you remember seeing all of the food trucks lined up and the amazing smells coming from each of them. You may also remember being told that J&H was definitely the better dining hall. With J&H closing due to the Coronavirus, I knew I needed to push myself to find other amazing options because I can’t have the BLT from Which Wich every single day. I created a poll asking for favorite food trucks and favorite items from that particular food truck and rated each item so you know which are the absolute best.
- The Mexican Grill Stand- Beef Burrito with all toppings.
If I could eat this every single day, I would. I make my own beef tacos at home, but these definitely blew mine away. This taco had the perfect amount of beef inside, with the perfect amount of toppings, and barely any meat spilled out of the taco while eating. Plus, the actual shell was an amazing corn tortilla that tasted homemade.
- The Mexican Grill Stand- Chorizo Tacos with Guacamole
All I can say is wow. Once again the Mexican Grill Stand had the perfect ratio of meat to taco, and the guacamole was so fresh. Chorizo has never been my first choice, but after these tacos, I’ll definitely be considering ordering it more. The Mexican Grill has my heart, it’s official.
- Crepe Truck- Banana Crepe with Peanut Butter
I really didn’t know what to expect with this one. I’d consider myself a pretty big banana person, but the thought of a warm crepe making the banana warm and mushy was absolutely horrifying. I was pleasantly surprised, the bananas somehow stayed intact! Bananas with peanut butter is also an amazing combination that I’ve always loved, so I’d definitely get this a million more times.
- Burger Tank- Custom Burger: single patty, cheese, mayo, ketchup, and lettuce
Coming from someone who isn’t a huge burger person, this was a really great burger. It had the perfect amount of ketchup and mayo, and the bun never got soggy. If I was more obsessed with burgers than I am with tacos, this would definitely be fighting for the number one spot.
- E&E Gourmet Truck- Barbecue Chicken Wrap
Honestly, the first bite was questionable. I have literally no idea what the wrap was made of, but I’m not going to complain about it. The sandwich didn’t have the normal barbecue flavors I was imagining, but it definitely wasn’t bad. The only downside was the grease, which literally poured out of the sandwich each time I picked it up. I wouldn’t say that I’d never get this again, but it definitely would not be my first choice.
- Crepe Truck- General Tso’s
This crepe came with grilled chicken, mixed vegetables, cheese, and General Tso’s sauce. I was really suspicious about this one going into it. Personally, I’m much more eager to have any crepe with fruit inside but this was really good! The sauce didn’t make the crepe soggy at all and definitely added great flavor overall. Would I pick this over the bananas? Probably not, but if savory crepes are your favorite, go for it!
- Honey Truck- Chicken and Avocado Sandwich with Fries.
The chicken and avocado sandwich with fries looked so promising. The avocado was super fresh and so was the lettuce inside the sandwich. The chicken and fries were nice and crispy and surprisingly didn’t get disgustingly soggy on the walk back to my dorm. Unfortunately, I do need to deduct points for the chili sauce. The sandwich comes with a chili sauce which barely adds flavor to the sandwich, while you’re eating it you can actually barely taste it. After a while, the chili sauce actually makes the sandwich greasy towards the edges of the wrap, making the lettuce feel weirdly wet. If you’re like me and you save the other half of sandwiches for dinner, get the sauce on the side.
- Halal Food Truck- Chicken and Rice
This is the type of food I’d get if I was really avoiding dining hall food and it was the last truck open. The chicken and rice really didn’t do it for me. Normally I’m a freak for rice, I will eat it any day at any time. This chicken and rice barely had any flavor for me, but at least it smelled good and wasn’t super oily.
- Halal Food Truck- Lamb Gyro
Honestly, I’m the only Greek kid you know who doesn’t like gyros. I really didn’t have high hopes for this one, and I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed. I have also never been into lamb, so it’s definitely not surprising that I didn’t enjoy this.
- E&E Gourmet Truck- Pancakes
Don’t get me wrong, they were good, but I can make pancakes in my dorm. However, if you live in a dorm or apartment without a kitchen, I’d definitely get pancakes from E&E on a Sunday morning, or if you want to do breakfast for dinner styled meals.
With J&H’s dining hall being closed, you can find me at The Mexican Grill Stand probably any day of the week. Unfortunately, not all of the food trucks are open due to the pandemic, there’s still so many to choose from. No matter what you’re craving, there’s definitely a food truck to satisfy you. This will definitely be my new favorite alternative to the dining hall.