Walking south on 38th Street, you pass the Steak Queen food truck underneath the Locust bridge. Then just behind Bui’s, an imposing black truck comes into view: Mojo Gourmet Coffee. It stands taller than the rest of the food trucks on the block. At the window, a man with a salt-and-pepper beard towers over you to take your order. Is he as smokin’ hot as the Hubbub owner? Sadly, no. Despite this shortcoming, Mojo has a lot on offer.
The coffee is better than Starbucks, but not up-to-par with Hubbub. The French roast is standard, but the Americano ($2.25) leaves you with an unwanted sugary hazelnut aftertaste. This proved true of most of their drinks. When I requested half a packet of sugar, my iced coffee ($2.50) was too sweet to drink, while the unsweetened wildberry iced tea ($2) had an unexpected hint of the strawberry flavored Juicy Juice you once enjoyed in your first grade bagged lunch.
For breakfast, stop by on the way to class and grab a three-egg sandwich on a toasted hoagie roll ($2.25). With the right amount of salt, pepper and ketchup (copyright Bui’s!), the on-the-go sandwich is a perfect pre-class meal. I know, it may seem sacrilegious to order a breakfast sandwich next to Bui’s — the mecca of hangover bacon, egg and cheeses — but Mojo’s sandwiches are of a different caliber, using quality ingredients and alloting individual care to your breakfast. Take note of the large hunk of cheese that comes with your sandwhich (we reccomend chedder).
For lunch, try the Mojo Cuban sandwich for under $6. Enjoy roast pork, prosciutto, a thick slice of swiss cheese, fresh pickles and a special lemon juice and garlic-based “Mojo sauce.” Make sure to ask for the sandwich to be well-toasted and crisp; otherwise you will end up with a spongy panini with partially melted cheese.
Bottomline: the food is good, the coffee is drinkable and the owner is friendly. But make sure to voice your specifications so that you don’t end up with syrupy-sweet coffee and a soggy panini. Mojo will need some guidance from customers to capitalize on the hints of its potential and become a full-blown food staple on campus.
MOJO GOURMET COFFEE 38th and Spruce St. 609-731-2202 Don't Miss: Three-Egg Sandwich Skip This: Americano $ of $$$$$
