Sometimes the smallest food cart packs the biggest of bites. Check out FoxFire Tacos this summer to find out yourself.
This summer, 1400 Food Lab’s 17 registered food trucks are making their way around the Tri-Village and greater Columbus area.
With a wide variety of cuisines, ranging from good old American barbecue, Thai and Indian, to Mexican and South African dishes, your tastebuds can travel the world right here in Tri-Village.
"Helping the owner grow it to what it became was an amazing experience.” - Brendon Fox
Among these trucks are Kenny’s Meat Wagon, which features meat sandwiches made from locally sourced ingredients, Cluckwagon, which only offers chicken-centric dishes; Fetty’s Street Food, which features a variety of South Asian and South African cuisines; and FoxFire Tacos, which offers a variety of Mexican street tacos.
Still new to the Columbus food truck scene, FoxFire Tacos launched in February 2017 by owner Brendon Fox, a former manager in the food industry who was looking to try his hand at the entrepreneurial side of things.
“My previous job was running Taste of Belgium at the North Market for almost six years,” Fox says. “That gave me the fire for entrepreneurship because at that time the company was still a fledgling. Helping the owner grow it to what it became was an amazing experience.”
Fox said he’s out with his cart about five to six days a week, and preps the food two to three days before he goes out so everything is kept fresh. On a weekly basis, FoxFire can be found at Actual Brewing by the airport, Local Bar in the Short North, Little Rock Bar in Italian Village and Endeavor Brewing Co. in the Grandview area.
Fetty's Street Food's Boerowors Bites are just one of the delectable dishes that you can get from this South African food truck.
“It keeps me busy,” Fox says. “I love the interaction with the new (customers) and the regulars. I get to know some of them pretty well because I see them so often; it really makes what I do a personal thing, rather than just business and cranking food out.”
FoxFire’s menu features authentic build-your-own craft tacos. Each includes classic taco toppings with a twist to reflect Fox’s personal tastes and personality.
“My three signature sauces — sweet, smoky and spicy — my slaw and my jalapeños in particular (reflect me) and they’re all made to order, there’s no pre-designed tacos on the menu,” says Fox. “Just a list of six to eight toppings to choose from.”
One unique food truck in Tri-Village that residents can expect this summer is the Thai and South African fare of Fetty’s Street Food, owned by South African chef, Damian Ettish.
Fetty’s started out as a small market stall in Cape Town, South Africa, before chef Ettish moved to Ohio with his wife, to hopefully find more financial success.
Fetty’s Street Food has a rotating menu that features dishes like Boerewors — a special South African sausage, homemade egg rolls and dumplings, Bombay Samosas, tacos and Thai egg fried rice.
Fetty’s can be found pretty much everywhere food trucks can be found in Columbus, from festivals, to outside bars and breweries, to catering private events.
For more information about the food trucks of 1400 Food Lab and where you can find them this summer, visit www.1400foodlab.com.
Emily Real is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Boerewors Bites
Courtesy of Fetty’s Street Food
Ingredients
1 lb. ground sirloin steak
½ lb. ground pork belly
1 small finely chopped onion
5 cloves finely grated garlic
3 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
¾ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
½ cup cold white rice
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2-3 beaten eggs
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
Dipping Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsp. Sriracha sauce
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients in order from sirloin to cilantro, and mix together with 2 eggs in a large bowl. Let stand for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best.
After letting it sit, fill 3 smaller bowls with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, respectively.
Using a tablespoon, scoop the meat mixture into the palm of your hand and make ping pong-sized balls.
Roll each ball in flour, then beaten egg and finally in bread crumbs. Set aside until each Boerewors Bite is coated.
Heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and fry the bites in batches of 5 or 6 until golden brown.
Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together in a bowl and serve.
