Curbside Cupcakes opens in Pentagon City Mall

Curbside Cupcakes Pentagon City Mall Location
Photo courtesy of Curbside Cupcakes

Curbside Cupcake is undoubtedly one of DC's favorite food trucks! But for people like me who can't always catch one of their three trucks, we can now purchase their yummy cupcakes, milkshakes, and treats from one of their kiosks in Pentagon City Mall or Union Market. Both locations are metro accessible and offer the same variety as you would expect on their trucks. The expansion couldn't have come at a better time with recent legislation making it tougher for food trucks to operate in DC. I'll be sure to stop by soon and give an updated review. Congrats Curbside! 

Curbside Cupcake's Union Market location
Photo courtesy of Curbside Cupcakes

Cupcake Blvd

Location: Cupcake Blvd, Food Truck (Montgomery & Anne Arundel County)

Flavors: Vanilla, Fuzzy Coconut, Cookies-n-Cream, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Squared, Snickerdoodle, Key-Lime, and Dulce de Leche

Price: $3 

Score: 3

L-R: Vanilla, Dulce de Leche, Fuzzy Coconut, Salted Caramel,
Snicker Doodle, Chocolate Squared and Cookies-N-Cream

Sweeping through Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties is Cupcake Blvd; a new food truck that opened in February of this year. After coordinating with its owner, Angelette Citron- Aviles, I picked up my cupcakes from their commercial kitchen in Crofton, MD where they will be opening a cupcake shop this fall. Retailing for $3 a cupcake I was given* 8 cupcakes in a wide assortment of flavors: Vanilla, Fuzzy Coconut, Cookies-n-Cream, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Squared, Snickerdoodle, Key-Lime, and Dulce de Leche.

Lauren, Editor of Haute off the Press

When I picked up my cupcakes, I was accompanied by fellow blogger, Lauren, of Haute off the Press. She tried the key-lime cupcake first, and when asked how it was she stated: “It's okay...”  Lauren is a consummate cupcake lover and legal eagle with a superb eye for fashion so I value her opinion. 

There's an Oreo on the bottom of the cookies'n'cream

My first cupcake was the vanilla. I bit into it a few times in an attempt to grasp the flavor. What I got was a very moist cupcake with gelatinous frosting but no real flavor to speak of. Next I tried the fuzzy coconut and found myself again grabbing for flavor despite a deeply moist texture. Thereafter I tried the cookies-n-cream cupcake which was also moist and provided a sweet surprise at the bottom- an Oreo ® cookie. Although it did have more flavor than its predecessors, it was moderate at best.

Filling inside the dulce de leche cupcake

My favorite cupcake of the bunch would be the Snickerdoodle cupcake. The flavor was there and reminded me of a cinnamon bun (which is my fav). Speaking of flavor, the chocolate squared cupcake provided a rich and fudge-like experience. Unfortunately though the dulce de leche cupcake was less stellar with an indistinguishable flavor despite a moist texture and a caramel surprise in the center. My final cupcake was the salted caramel which came off more salty than sweet. 

Overall Cupcake Blvd’s cupcakes were a treat to my eyes and extremely moist despite the indistinguishable flavor amongst the generous variety. Catch the Cupcake Blvd. truck rolling through your side of town or visit them in Crofton at Roundz Gourmet Market. 

           

*The cupcakes for this review were gifted but did affect opinion of the reviewer. 

Help The DC Food Trucks!!

Sweet Bites Food Truck

We've all done it...stood outside in the pouring rain or freezing cold after having received a Tweet from your favorite food truck. Once you walk away with your gooey treat, suddenly the sun comes out and the rain clears. It was all worth it. Well troops, it would seem that more than ever the DC Food Trucks need your help. (But don't worry, you won't need your umbrella for this one). 
  Today is the last day to sign the petition to pass new regulations releasing food trucks, which operate under archaic ice cream truck laws, license to roam the DC streets without fear of harassment or routine stops. In essence, help them help you and your tummy. Support the Food Trucks!! I know I do :0) 
Visit www.passnewregs.org

Curbside Cupcake

Curbside Cupcake

Location: Food Truck (varies) Washington, DC

Flavors: Lemon & Vanilla Classic

Price: $3

Score: 4.75

Photo courtesy of Curbside Cupcake

I was geeked when I first heard about Truckeroo! It’s a food-lover’s dream! This is where area food trucks come together to hock their digestible wares in a centralized location. Given the recent cupcake craze, it didn’t take long for them to also be sold out of a moving vehicle. 


When I first went to Truckeroo in July, Curbside Cupcake was sold out (ain’t that a *beep*). The second time around I was prepared. I got there much earlier and with flat-soled shoes. Once in line, their outdoor menu denoted that there were only four flavors left: vanilla, chocolate, lemon and snicker doodle (whittled down from the original 8 that were offered that day).

Photo courtesy of Curbside Cupcake

As expected the line was ridiculously long but moved very fast. Manning the truck was one-half of the husband and wife duo who own the truck. When I placed my order, I had my money in hand, and my order ready: “One vanilla and one lemon please!” The service was friendly, fast and efficient with the total transaction time under one minute! (Hey, that rhymes!)

One thing that I can say about Curbside is that they are classic! Their vanilla cupcake had a homemade appeal which I enjoy. Not overdone, moist, and classic at best. Their flavors are traditional such as vanilla (not Madagascan vanilla bean with shaved cinnamon bark), but simply vanilla. When dealing in cupcakes overkill should be a crime. The beauty of cupcakes is their individual simplicity. Save the layered experience for an actual cake which allows for nuances like Madagascan vanilla bean with shaved cinnamon bark.

Coconut Key-Lime (Photo courtesy of Curbside Cupcake)

Next up was the lemon. This one was the star in the lineup. The lemon frosting was fresh but not zesty (which is good). The cake was moist, appreciative and had great texture. The size was appropriate for the price tag and appeared to be what a cupcake should be: a treat and not a decorative ornament.

Although there were only three flavors left at Truckeroo, Curbside definitely offered variety. I was no less than pleased with my purchase however, like a true cupcake fan, I was disheartened that they have no centralized location. Like other food trucks they must be stalked and hunted to get the goods. Luckily there’s twitter! Follow their pink trucks (three to be exact) on Twitter @curbsidecupcakes to know where they are and what they are offering. 


Happy Eating!

*Originally published August 2011

Sweet Bites Food Truck

Location: Sweetbites /DC Food Truck

Flavors: Pina Colada
Cost: $3
Score: 4.8

The Sweet Bites Truck (Photo courtesy of Sweet Bites)

I ventured over to Truckaroo this past Friday anxious to hit up Curbside Cupcakes and get a lobster roll from Redhook. While there I saw Sweet Bites Desserts and their pink yet unobtrusive, colored truck. Considering that the lines at Truckaroo rival a Rolling Stones concert, I was curious as to why there were no customers but the lights were on. As I approached the truck, I saw a nice lady eager to wait on whoever would walk by. I asked, “Do you still have cupcakes or are you closed?” She perked up, “No, we’re open but we only have pina colada” SCORE!

Pina colada cupcake scored from Truckaroo

Sweet Bites service is impeccable! Their uniforms were both neat and clean. I didn’t feel like, “Please ma’am, tell me that you’ve bathed and had a recent STD test prior to baking/cooking or serving me my food”. Served in a cute white bag with a logo sticker equally as cute, I couldn’t wait to dig in.

Photo Courtesy of Sweet Bites Desserts

Traditionally coconut or pina colada cupcakes follow standard fare: hit coconut, make a left at pineapple and make a U on extra sweet, but not Sweet Bites. They actually made a Pina Colada cupcake! I could taste the liquor and even felt a little buzz within my first bite. It was fresh, crisp and not a cheap imitation with chewy penny candy flavoring. Not too crumbly. Not too moist. The cupcake just melted in your mouth. As far as I was concerned Sweet Bites was bonafied.

Photo courtesy of Sweet Bites 

According to their website they have 10 cupcake flavors. In addition they carry muffins, tarts and dessert bars. The only reason that they didn’t get a 5 is because they did only have one flavor left so I can’t comment on their variety. Further they do serve food out of a truck which means if you want to taste these delectable bites, you must follow them on twitter (@sweetbitestruck). There you can find out where they are and what flavors they have in store. But if the pina colada was any indication, you won’t be disappointed!

*Originally published in July 2011