This post says its author is Edwin, but it's really me, Gustavo. He asked me to step in, even after writing an elaborate post, because he wants to get my reaction to news that the Lime Truck (which I thoroughly enjoyed but also found a bit expensive for their minuscule offerings) named a dish after me.
The dish, and my thoughts, after the jump!
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“Gustavo's $8 Lamb Fries $8.”
Per Edwin's original post, Lime Truck owner Daniel Shemtob explained the
name to a quizzical customer thusly: “It's a joke. We had this review
where he said our food is delicious but expensive.”
It's true, cuz, and sorry my opinion stuck in your craw so–actually, I'm
not sorry. Per my original review:
Eight bucks gets me two bigger, better pita sandwiches at Kareem's in
Anaheim. Eight bucks gets me four much-bigger, better bánh mìs at Bánh
Mì Cho Cu. Eight bucks gets me 16 tacos and free pineapple juice at
Tacos El Chavito.
And, I forgot to add, eight bucks gets eaters two gargantuan tacos
acorazados at Alebrije's. Eight bucks for a gyros? Better cure cancer, and yours didn't. But eight bucks for lamb fries? Let's see…
Per Edwin's original review:
Reed-thin golden fries, the fast-food frozen type everyone uses, smothered with all kinds of gorgeous and delicious goop. Crumbled feta cheese, cooling cucumber pickles, creamy tzatziki sauce, seasoned ground lamb tasting like a slightly gamy burger patty, and a finishing salvo of Sriracha squirted all over. I loved it, and I think Gustavo would too, even it weren't named after him.
I trust Edwin's taste, but he didn't mention if he thought it was worth it. Judging by the size of the portions: no. For fries, eight bucks better buy a bucket–after all, they're just fries.
More importantly, though? The dish above ain't lamb fries. Lamb fries, traditionally, are lamb testicles, breaded and fried, and I doubt the Lime Truck guys, in their quest for organic everything, found some 'round these parts, let alone know how to cook them properly. You should've just stuck to what every other Greek deli calls this creation: feta fries. But points for the Sriracha!
Nevertheless, I'm flattered. I'm flattered anyone bothers to read my ramblings, let alone bother to immortalize me–even if for an afternoon–with a dish, and put the price that irked me so twice for further emphasis. Congrats, Lime Truck, for having a skin as thin as your delicious, overpriced lamb, and for not sending me a bag of shit.
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.