Rolling Ficelle

My recent reporting, or lack thereof with food trucks became apparent when I noticed how far back my last post was. This prompted me to make a greater effort to escape the confines of Georgetown and bike to various food truck hotspots during my lunch break. Last month I accompanied a friend to the weekly Farragut Friday gathering of a large number of popular food trucks.

The number of new trucks I saw was a complete shock and speaks to the rapid evolution of this industry. As I walked around the park slowly observing each individual truck a black and orange truck immediately caught my eye. The Rolling Ficelle led Juan Jose Quintana serves a variety of sandwiches whose recipes are drawn a culinary team with years of experience. Each sandwich is served on a ficelle (French for string) which is a thinner version of baguette from the Lyon Bakery in DC.

While waiting in line I was able to scan their menu and look enviously at sandwiches that were being eaten. Flabbergasted at which sandwich I should try I finally decided on the Davis which consists of chicken breast topped with parsley, lemon aioli, and slivered almonds over avocado, red tomatoes and romaine lettuce. I also ordered a soda and chips which set me back about $10 which as you know is average in DC. Once I had my sandwich in hand I joined my coworker and made camp under a tree during the warm summer afternoon to enjoy our meals.

My initial thoughts were of how large the sandwich was and whether I could actually finish it. Leaving this thought behind I began to dig in. My first couple of bites were met with sheer amazement at both the quality of the bread and the contents within it. The ficelle felt like it just came out of the oven; it was as soft as butter and full of flavor. The sandwich as a whole was superb, the ingredients blended well and made for an incredible meal. Both my coworker and I were surprised that I was able to finish it and in such quick time.

(Davis Ficelle)

Upon returning to work I bookmarked them as my next food truck post. I kept track of their daily location in hopes that they would return to a reasonably close area. My prayers were met when they stopped by my alma mater the very next week. As I walked to George Washington University my only hopes were that they could replicate the delight I felt during my first visit.

Once my turn came I approached the truck and placed my order. This time I decided to sample the Calder which is their take on a cold cut. The Calder consists of hard salami, mortadella cheese, and Danish ham which is adorned with romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, pepper relish and Italian dressing. Once I received my sandwich I nestled myself under a tree, opened my book and had a quiet lunch.

To my delight the same positive characteristics were present in this sandwich as well. The freshness of the bread and natural blend of the ingredients were on full display. The sandwich was also not drenched in dressing which was a huge positive for me because this error occurs more often than not.

(Calder Ficelle)

Since then I have had the opportunity to visit two more times. During those ventures I ordered another Davis as well as the Gorky which consists of Danish ham layered with sliced mozzarella, tomato, kalamata olives, pesto sauce, basil and olive oil. I can gladly say that I enjoyed both and will continue to visit when I am in the mood for a fresh sandwich.

If like me you are a sandwich lover, especially on a baguette then I would highly recommend visiting this truck. Their ingredients are fresh, the bread is fantastic and their prices are on par with any food establishment. I have never had to wait too long in line and the service is prompt. For all these reasons please skip the abomination that is Subway and try this, it is a real sandwich. Did I mention how much I hate Subway? I will save that for another post entirely but please try this if you want a real sandwich.