If for some reason you haven’t heard of Tasty Takeover, allow me to explain it again.
Formerly known as “Tasty Tuesdays in the Milk District” (it took at least a few years before they dropped that moniker), it’s a weekly food truck event featuring about a dozen trucks that takes place every Tuesday behind a row of charming local businesses in Orlando’s Milk District neighborhood. In fact, it’s right across the street from the TG Lee Dairy Factory.
We have regular customers like Baba Yaga here. Fried chicken sandwiches are the focus there, but creativity reigns (these are the same people who make Red Panda Noodles, after all). On a recent visit, I noticed the addition of “Public subs,” an homage to a certain Florida grocer’s iconic sandwich. I’m willing to shatter the original, but I’m sure Bubba’s version is better. There was also fried chicken skin. And the poutine that KFC would probably serve if the Colonel went to the pharmacy.
Mohawk Smokehouse, another favorite and former Orlando Sentinel Food Awards critic, was also there on my last visit.
Both are solid choices. But I won’t come and take what I already have. I came looking for something new.
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And this week, I happened to check out The New, which turned out to be a winning combination.
From my quiet table at The Nook, a cozy little craft beer bar I’ve loved since it opened, I ventured back to the parking lot. There, trucks, people, and sometimes dogs in costumes gather during happy hour/dinner/after-happy hour dinner, when the event runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m. You can also set up shop in Bull & Bush. Or a sports town. Or any of the outdoor tables.
This is what made mine crowded.
Nimbuya
This compact food trailer is packed with authentic burgers in the shape of Homer Simpson-level burgers that are simple but extremely decadent and made with high-quality ingredients. There are four options on the menu: American, Oklahoma (smash), Breakfast (featuring a fried egg), and the one I came with: Juicy Lucy.
I’m not very familiar with this Minneapolis-born classic, so I can’t speak to its authenticity About Matt’s Bar and The 5-8 Club (both (The birthplace of cheese-stuffed burgers). But what I can tell you is that Nimbuya’s, which costs $16, is insanely delicious.
All the burgers here come packed. That means garlic aioli, mustard, cheese, and bacon. Juicy Lucy, of course, has more cheese inside. It also comes with sauce. The fries were inedible. I ate a lot. But perhaps there is a possibility of dipping. The sauce on the hamburger steak, which was cut in half and grilled on a griddle, was delicious, so I had a lot of aioli.
At first, I was confused about Teppanyaki. Most places are set up for outrageous food-porn photos of towering burgers oozing with cheese and glowing. But this is actually a great move. The cross section here not only makes this thing easier to eat, it effectively “cauterizes” the cut, gives you enough time to find a place to sit, and once you’re in position to actually eat it, you have a fun and comforting cheese-oozing moment.
It also makes it shareable, which I recommend anyway. No one should eat this all by themselves. And in my case, it gave me additional room for continuous consumption. Burger fans, whether you find it here or elsewhere, add Nimbuya to your list.
Nimbuya: nimbuya.com; instagram.com/nimbuyatastyasf
lollipop hut
“It’s not wings. It’s better.”
This is their own genius marketing phrase and I can’t argue with it. The star here is the lollipop-style chicken drumstick.
For those unfamiliar, a lollipop drumstick is prepared by cutting off the end and pushing down both the flesh and skin to expose the bone, which then acts as a handle. Neat. And easy to eat. This is much more than you can say for traditional chicken wings.
Keto people. Atkins people. protein person. This is your truck. The sauce you choose will determine the diet-friendly level, but we used three different spices and none of them disappointed. The Mango Habanero, advertised as the spiciest, lit up well, but was not a full-fledged barn burner. The basic buffalo was tangy and enjoyable (maybe with or without sugar), and the garlicky version was equally delicious.
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The menu also includes snacks such as mini empanadas, tostones, mozzarella sticks, fries, and the popular mac and cheese balls. As I waited for my trio, I saw many participants. Three fat candies cost $13.
Lollipop Co-ops can be found all over town and breweries, including Windermere, the Toll Road, and the Rock Pit, which are regular stops. Being at The Nook meant sipping delicious local Florida drinks to the beat of the drums, and I can’t think of a better combination.
Lollipop Coop: thelollipopcoop.com; instagram.com/the_lollipop_coop
cake house
Wilda Casado likes to joke that she is the eldest daughter of a cake house.
“It’s a play on CEO, because I’m responsible for most of the branding, marketing, business strategy, etc. But the real mastermind behind the cake itself is my mother, Awilda.”
However, Casado is a co-founder of Cake House along with his brother William and father Wilmag. Originally from the Dominican Republic, they landed in St. Cloud in 2022, but their pop-up’s beautiful scratch-made desserts are right in the heart of their Caribbean hometown.
“Dominican cakes are different from traditional American cakes,” Casado tells me. “It’s light, fluffy, and moist, with a texture that’s somewhere between a sponge cake and a pound cake. It’s traditionally topped with Dominican suspiro. It’s basically a Dominican-style Italian meringue.”
This dessert has evolved to withstand warmer climates, be travel-friendly, and prioritize flavor over decoration.
“Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just because, cakes are meant to be shared, enjoyed, and brought to gatherings. There’s no need to save them for a special occasion.”
Still, these beautiful desserts each came in a compostable cup with a lid and made our time at The Nook so special. To be honest, it was even before I ran away with Red Velvet and Coconut Cream. Because right at your table, you’ll find plenty of complimentary two- to three-sip samples to explore eight flavors that fall into two categories: traditional Dominican flavors and playful twists on classic American flavors.
The first group: coconut cream, dulce de leche, pineapple jam, guava.
“These are inspired by flavors commonly found in Dominican cakes,” Casado says. His family makes everything by hand, including the filling and jam. “All cake jars are made with two layers of cake, a thick layer of filling, and topped with Dominican suspiro (Dominican-style Italian meringue).”
The name Suspiro (derived from the Spanish word meaning sigh) is quite fitting. Sweet and cloud-like. And that’s generously layered in each cup.
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On the other side of the menu: red velvet and white chocolate ganache. Carrot cake with chocolate fudge, pineapple jam and tres leches with fudge ganache filling.
All also include Suspiro. The cake is light so it’s perfect for eating afterward at a food truck event, but the lid makes it even tastier because it’s super easy to take home later. Or tomorrow. Or maybe a few days tomorrow? This is how long two cups for $20 will last, and the rest of your family will enjoy it as well.
Red Velvet: Soft cocoa flavor, marshmallow cream. Coconut Cream: It’s moist and has beautiful coconut flakes in it which is amazing. In fact, they had a great complement, but next time I’ll try everything from Cakehaus since they are trusted and verified. Probably everything.
I think next time I’ll just go for dessert.
Cake House: instagram.com/cakehausfl; Hotplate — Weekly pre-orders via hotplate.com/cakehaus. Orders open at noon on Monday and end on Thursday. Customers can choose their weekend pickup location
Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram @amydroo or the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, and for more foodie fun, join our Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
