Vegas Streats Food Festival El Cortez Hotel Las Vegas

It was the first anniversary of Vegas Streats Festival, we were here last year with Rick's Dad where we ventured downtown to try some food trucks;  Rick Sr. had an awesomely fun last time, so we were psyched to return and Marian was with us too!

Totally disappointed that Fukuburger wasn't going to attend, (they were off at the Nascar Races) Rick Sr. was the most upset: 'Say it isn't so'!  He was heartbroken......

But being that the festival occurs while they're here, it would have been a shame not to go.  And now that the whole family has gotten involved with the review process, we were able this time to branch out and try multiple food trucks!!



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And there were many!  To start off, we went there early;  the lines at the food trucks get WAY TOO LONG if you don't get there early!  Well, I guess that secret was out, because a long line awaited us at the Festival's gates, and they weren't letting anyone in!!!

But after fifteen minutes, the crowd was allowed in, and so started our food crawl.  There were a couple of Food Trucks we were hoping to get to this year, as well as some mainstays.



Everyone was hungry, so I knew the one Food Truck that would deliver: TastyBunz!!

TastyBunz Foodtruck

Now a little bit on the service delivery of food trucks: you go up to one window, order and pay, get your receipt with number, then wait in an uncomfortable claustrophobic huddle with other annoyed people, crowded around the pick up window waiting for you're number to be called, hoping that it does before everyone else's in the most unreasonably shortest amount of time....which never happens......

Okay, back to TastyBunz; We had their buns last year, and they were so good! (omitting the little SNAFU they had with passing up my order and making me wait for over an hour).   This year, they only had two selections of buns: Pizza Pizza Buns with Pepperoni and Chicken Swiss Prosciutto in Cream.  We got an order of both and an order of Me Tots: Tater Tots topped with Truffle Fried Egg, Bacon, Onion and Ranch Dressing.  The Chicken Buns were really creamy and satisfying, the Pizza buns were alright.  But the Me Tots took the Prize;  the crunchy Tots with the Fried Egg, Bacon and Ranch were exceptionally sinful seeing as they came right out of the fryer and then into and oven with the ingredients, (I was intently watching them make it) it was a perfect truck food snack!


While I was went and for our TastyBunz order, Rick went over to wait in line at Sliding Thru, Rick Sr. went to Cheesesteak Truck and Marian secured a table for us to eat.  After I got our TastyBunz food, I went to the table and Rick Sr. had already brought the Cheesesteak over, so I got Rick and we gave up on Slidin-Thru.  To be honest, they aren't the best Sliders I've had, and their line is way to long for what they produce...

Really?   Twelve bucks for this?

We all tried the Cheesesteak and it was your typical street food sandwich.  What we didn't like was the price: $12!!!  That was a major rip off considering the amount of choices there were for alternative fare.  We did not give this food truck a passing grade.....

Round 1:
Tasty Bunz:               Yay
Cheesesteak Truck:    Boo!

So post round 1, we moved on and separated to try out the other food trucks...

I shimmied my way on over to Haulin Balls and stood online like the bread line in war torn communist country.......We're such food victims.....

So I've been hearing really great things about these guys, and I was getting psyched to try them out! As always, I really wanna order everything off the menu to get a well rounded culinary vision, but I've have to incorporate harm reduction into my food intake..

I was intrigued by the Lump Blue Crab Balls ($8?) and had to ask how many were in an order......And after picking myself off the ground when she said two.... I composed myself and ordered it....

Added an order of the All Thai'd up and the Three Cheese Mac-n-Cheese, hobbled off to the pick up line and waited like a dog waits for a treat!

Lump Blue Crab Balls

Needless to say, the wait was worth it.  As for the $8 Crab Balls, they were the best snack of the night!  You wrap them in the lettuce, squeeze a little lemon on them and pop in your mouth...soooo freakin good!!!  So good they remind me of the crab cakes in Maryland, Rick Sr. gave it a thumbs up-best thing there!

I ordered as well the All Thai'd Up -Turkey Balls with Thai Pickles, (Carrot, Daikon) with a Thai Sweet Dipping Sauce.  I was blown away to say the least: not expecting much, the flavor of the Turkey with the Thai ingredients blended harmoniously. Ingeniously, they serve their Balls in Lettuce Cups, which makes it easier for us to pick up and eat with our hands.

All Thai'd Up

Last of all, we had the Triple Mac-n-Cheese; and it was great-rich and creamy like you want from this dish and with an added kick, it rounded up the meal!
















Rick went to the Rusty Pickle Truck-which was an utter disaster!

Rusty Pickle Food Truck

Rick waited for over an hour at this place, what a mess...This was the worst of all Food Truck experiences.....It was clear that the staff at Rusty Pickle were unable to handle the overflowing amount of orders coming in.  We ordered the fried pickles and looking at the staff's actions, we could tell that they were frying to order one by one!!! (I mean, your got several orders coming in-you can fry batches)!  Meanwhile, several staff were huddled around one doing all the work, and there was a mob in front of the truck waiting forever-it looked hopeless....

The fried pickles were nothing great, especially after that long wait.  And the Tri-Tip Sliders were horrible-dry and flakey without any condiments or sauces, it had to be the worst thing ever....not worth any comments....

Fried Pickles

Tri Tip Sliders

Round 2:
Haulin Balls:   YAY!!!
Rusty Pickle:  ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!

Barring the last Food Truck fiasco, overall it was fun to come back and get to hang out at a festival.  But, like going to the Carnival that comes around every year, it's ok to skip it once in a while and go eat at the trucks on their own. 

Rating (Out of Five Stars)

Food           2.5

Ambience   2.75
Service       1