As you read in last week's review of Oaxacan Kitchen Mobile, my office in Mountain View has been hosting food trucks. Most have not been very good, but then again, they are food trucks, not Michelin star restaurants after all. I'd pretty much given up on them, until one truck immediately caught my eye: Waffle Amore. It didn't matter that I was on my way to a real cafe for lunch, I stopped dead in my tracks. I love waffles, particularly when they have interesting mix-ins or toppings, which I assumed these would as they were presumably going to be savory.
I'm no stranger to savory waffles, and have a hobby of taking random leftovers and asking the question "Will it Waffle?" (The answer is generally yes. Mac and cheese, pizza, and mashed potatoes are all at the top of my list, happy to provide details on how to best waffle things! Maybe I should start a second blog ...). The all time best savory waffles are of course the Vadouvan waffles with foie gras from the glory days at Spruce, but obviously, alas, those are no more.
Anyway, back to Waffle Amore. The food truck is based in the South Bay, featuring both savory and sweet waffles, although sadly for me, it seems Google only ever gets the savory ones. Their website proclaims they top the sweet ones with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, hot fudge, and even maple bacon butter. But I've yet to encounter these.
My first introduction to street waffles was through b. Street Waffles, where I fell in love with Liège waffles. Before then, I always thought waffles were to be eaten with a knife and fork, loaded with plentiful toppings. I also didn't realize just how amazing waffles can be. Seriously. b. Street Waffles are ridiculously delicious, and unlike any other waffles I've ever encountered.
Waffle Amore does offer Liège waffles, but ... only for sweet ones. Alas, the savory ones all seem to be Brussels style instead. I really prefer the crispness and denseness of a Liège waffle.
Anyway, the Waffle Amore waffles aren't exactly true Brussels waffles. They are more like something in-between a street waffle and an American waffle.
There is no way you could eat one with just your hands, and they are covered in toppings (not that this is a bad thing of course, but, it isn't quite what I was expecting). They have the characteristic deep, large pockets and doughy style that I was expecting, and the square format.
"Brussels waffle with bacon and cheddar cheese baked until golden brown, and topped with sour cream and green onions. Oh and more cheddar cheese!"
On the first day I visited, I had the choice of a vegetarian pizza waffle, or a bacon waffle. Like that is really a "choice".
Unfortunately, it wasn't very good. It was lukewarm. It was really, really oily. There were little bits of bacon in it, but that couldn't really save the off-putting oily nature of it. The sour cream seemed like a good idea, but didn't really go with the dough at all. And, why was the shredded cheese dumped on top cold and unmelted? Meh.
"Thick-cut bacon and Macaroni and Cheese baked into a crispy cheesy waffle".
On my next visit, there were again two choices, this time, a vegetarian Mac 'n Cheese waffle, or, one enhanced with bacon. Again, not really a "choice". Bacon is always better. Also, zomg, mac 'n cheese waffle?
I expected some garnish on this one, like the previous waffle, even though the description didn't say it would have any. Like some cheese sauce or ... something?
The mac and cheese was baked into the waffle. They used gouda and sharp cheddar, but, I didn't really taste any particularly interesting cheesy flavor. And having macaroni noodles inside a waffle doesn't turn out to be very good (now, waffling straight leftover mac and cheese, that is another story - delicious!).
Like the previous waffle, it was really oily. It was crispy on the outside, but it wasn't fluffy or moist or light or anything nice inside. And it was served quasi-warm.
Serious meh, which is sad for something that sounds so promising. Oh, and it also didn't have any bacon. I'm assuming my order was messed up, as "thick-cut bacon" should have been noticeable ...
I'm no stranger to savory waffles, and have a hobby of taking random leftovers and asking the question "Will it Waffle?" (The answer is generally yes. Mac and cheese, pizza, and mashed potatoes are all at the top of my list, happy to provide details on how to best waffle things! Maybe I should start a second blog ...). The all time best savory waffles are of course the Vadouvan waffles with foie gras from the glory days at Spruce, but obviously, alas, those are no more.
Anyway, back to Waffle Amore. The food truck is based in the South Bay, featuring both savory and sweet waffles, although sadly for me, it seems Google only ever gets the savory ones. Their website proclaims they top the sweet ones with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, hot fudge, and even maple bacon butter. But I've yet to encounter these.
My first introduction to street waffles was through b. Street Waffles, where I fell in love with Liège waffles. Before then, I always thought waffles were to be eaten with a knife and fork, loaded with plentiful toppings. I also didn't realize just how amazing waffles can be. Seriously. b. Street Waffles are ridiculously delicious, and unlike any other waffles I've ever encountered.
Waffle Amore does offer Liège waffles, but ... only for sweet ones. Alas, the savory ones all seem to be Brussels style instead. I really prefer the crispness and denseness of a Liège waffle.
 |
| The truck! |
There is no way you could eat one with just your hands, and they are covered in toppings (not that this is a bad thing of course, but, it isn't quite what I was expecting). They have the characteristic deep, large pockets and doughy style that I was expecting, and the square format.
 |
| Bacon Cheddar Brussels Waffle. |
On the first day I visited, I had the choice of a vegetarian pizza waffle, or a bacon waffle. Like that is really a "choice".
Unfortunately, it wasn't very good. It was lukewarm. It was really, really oily. There were little bits of bacon in it, but that couldn't really save the off-putting oily nature of it. The sour cream seemed like a good idea, but didn't really go with the dough at all. And, why was the shredded cheese dumped on top cold and unmelted? Meh.
 |
| Bacon Mac 'n Cheese Waffle. |
On my next visit, there were again two choices, this time, a vegetarian Mac 'n Cheese waffle, or, one enhanced with bacon. Again, not really a "choice". Bacon is always better. Also, zomg, mac 'n cheese waffle?
I expected some garnish on this one, like the previous waffle, even though the description didn't say it would have any. Like some cheese sauce or ... something?
The mac and cheese was baked into the waffle. They used gouda and sharp cheddar, but, I didn't really taste any particularly interesting cheesy flavor. And having macaroni noodles inside a waffle doesn't turn out to be very good (now, waffling straight leftover mac and cheese, that is another story - delicious!).
Like the previous waffle, it was really oily. It was crispy on the outside, but it wasn't fluffy or moist or light or anything nice inside. And it was served quasi-warm.
Serious meh, which is sad for something that sounds so promising. Oh, and it also didn't have any bacon. I'm assuming my order was messed up, as "thick-cut bacon" should have been noticeable ...
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