Brazilian bursts into Drexel’s already impressive food truck menagerie.
[media-credit name="Sarah Tse" align="alignright" width="284"][/media-credit]
Say what you want about Drexel—but damn are its food trucks good. Penn isn’t exactly a food truck desert. Mssrs. Bui and Hemo consistently deliver superb food and the devotees of Koja and Yue Kee are legion. But the world north of Chestnut is the true promised land for mobile fare, and BrazBQ is a major reason why.
The BrazBQ is the creation of a proud Brazilian, Adriano Redante, who immigrated to the United States in 2000. The truck stands out from the more conventionally–colored ones on 33rd Street: its hue is a deep green and the sides are decorated with the yellow diamond and blue globe found on the Brazilian flag. After a decade of cooking experience in the Philadelphia area, Redante decided it was high time Philly had a truck that served Brazilian rotisserie meat, called churrasco (chu–HA–sco), and BrazBQ was born.
Late in the lunch rush on 33rd Street, Redante is outside of his truck, shaking hands with customers and speaking with them in English, Spanish and Portuguese. He shakes hands with me and my friend, then tells the young cook inside the truck to “take good care of these guys!” Redante and his team at BrazBQ deliver on that promise.
While sipping a can of imported Red Bull–flavored Guarana soda ($2), I order the steak sandwich ($6), which comes on a kaiser roll loaded with steak, thin slivers of potato, lettuce, tomato and homemade chimichurri, a tangy, herbal sauce that accompanies beef. The sandwich is simple, meant to highlight the star of the show: the steak. The bite–size pieces are flavorful, succulent, not too rare or overdone. BrazBQ’s steak is what Chipotle steak wants to be when it grows up.
My friend ordered the Sao Paulo sandwhich ($6). Between its kaiser buns sits ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese and a sunny–side–up egg, drizzled with herb mayo. It’s a creative sandwich, one that you’d be hard–pressed to find anywhere nearby. That’s good news for BrazBQ because this it’s addicting. The runny egg soaks into the bun, mixing seamlessly with the generously portioned ham and bacon, making for even, delicious bites. It’s a Brazilian Cubano on steroids—hold the pickles.
If you’re feeling indulgent—and carnivorous—you can’t do much better than BrazBQ. Sure, there’s Fogo de Chao, but save yourself $50 and the carton of Tums and pay Mr. Redante a visit instead. There’s always the walk back to campus to work it off.
BrazBQ
33rd and Arch St.
@BRAZBQ
(215) 208–5755
Don't Miss: Sao Paulo
Skip: Guarana
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