
Photography by Garth Bishop
Intrigued by the idea of a burger that uses grilled cheese sandwiches for buns or macaroni and cheese as a topping?
Just follow the man in the yellow hat.
A cartoon character looking an awful lot like Curious George’s human companion – along with a crowd of unruly monkeys – is painted on the Hungry Monkey food truck, which plies its trade throughout central Ohio.
Hungry Monkey is the brainchild of Neil Hertenstein and Adam Frontuto, who started the operation in April 2011. Hertenstein is a 1999 graduate of Pickerington High School.
Its specialty: burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches – and the weirder, the better.
“(We’re) looking for the extreme items that are not necessarily designed to go together,” Hertenstein says. “We go for items that aren’t necessarily healthy – that are messy, but work together.”
The names of the truck’s oddball offerings include classics such as the King Kong, a burger with Yuengling-soaked onions, Swiss cheese, a fried egg and “Brennan’s Fancy sauce” (a reference to 2008 Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly buddy comedy Step Brothers) served with two grilled cheese sandwiches for buns; sentimental favorites such as the Mr. Miyagi, a burger with muenster cheese, grilled bean sprouts, caramelized red onions, lettuce, egg yolk sauce and yum yum sauce on a grilled onion bun, named for a character from The Karate Kid; and cinematic shames such as the Joe Dirt, a burger named for 2001 David Spade vehicle Meet Joe Dirt and boasting bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, jalapeno peppers, hot ketchup and peanut butter.
“Customers are usually hesitant to try (the Joe Dirt), but once they try it, they like it,” Hertenstein says.
Hungry Monkey even has its own eating challenge: the Voodoo Burger, an uber-spicy creation Hertenstein refers to as “the hottest burger in the United States.” Photos of the brave souls who finish the whole thing are often posted to Hungry Monkey’s Facebook page.
“Our goal is to be on Man vs. Food by summer,” Hertenstein says.
Tracking down the truck is as simple as checking its website, www.hungrymonkeyfoodtruck.com, or visiting its Facebook or Twitter page.
Those looking to sit down to enjoy a Hungry Monkey burger have two additional options. In February, Hungry Monkey took over the kitchen at the Alumni Club in Gahanna, and in late March, it began serving at Flannagan’s in Dublin along with Junior’s Tacos.
Amanda King is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
RECIPE:
Monkey Sauce
Ingredients:
16 oz. sour cream
3 Tbsp. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Fresh cilantro
Diced red onions
Directions:
Combine sour cream, hot sauce and a handful of fresh cilantro. Add diced red onions to taste and serve on sandwich, wings, fries or any other item of your choice.