Location: Yearly Rd between Etna Road and Langley Ave., Whitehall, Ohio.

I arrived prior to the start of the shuttle service provided from Beechwood and Etna Rd.  Elementary schools. So, I took a chance and tried to find a close spot in the neighborhood. I was pleasantly surprised that there was ample free street parking within 3 blocks of the event. As a blogger, I wanted to interact with a few of the food truck owners to get insight on their claim to fame. As a foodie, I wanted to make sure that when I purchased my lunch I was getting the best of the best.

What is your claim to fame?

My jerk chicken. Anything really.  If you like jerk, you will like this.

Anything else you want me to include on the blog?

The name Twinado came from the fact that I have twin sons. And they are twin tornados.

So, you gonna tell me what’s in the special sauce?

No, no, no, no…

Sidebar: I had the jerk chicken, rice and peas, and coleslaw. I told Reana that I would just take the picture of the coleslaw because I rarely eat it. She insisted that I try it, and I’m glad she did. I ate every morsel. The meal was “da truth! ”

What is your claim to fame?

I like to make good food for good people. If you look at my Facebook page,  I have won some competitions. I was proclaimed the Sugardale Grand Bacon Champion. I thought I needed to be out here making my food, giving it to the people. About a year ago, I started this food truck. This was the first festival I was at last year and now we are back full circle.

Hold up, you giving out free food. Do you want to clean that up?

Yeah let me clean that up. I have a menu here with many lovely things to eat. Nothing is free but everything is affordable.

If I buy one thing off your menu, what is it?

If you buy two things off the menu, you buy the deep fried candy yam dumpling and the deep fried collard green egg rolls. If New York cheesecake and sweet potato pie had a baby and threw it in some grease it would be the deep fried candy yam dumpling. The collar green egg rolls are made from scratch using smoked turkey meat, collard greens, then wrapped in your classic egg roll wrapper.

Sidebar: I had both. Let me say that no words I use will be able to describe how wonderful both items tasted. In my mind I thought collard green egg roll would be good in concept but horrible in execution. Wrong.. “Da absolute truth.” The deep fried candy yam dumpling was like nothing I ever tasted before. If I didn’t think I would pass out from the combination of carrying my camera gear, the heat, and a sugar high, I would have purchased more.

What is your claim to fame?

Jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtail, goat, Jamaican beef patty, rice and beans, and cabbage.

Come on now, you done told me everything on the menu. I’m asking if I can purchase one thing. What should I purchase?

Jerk chicken.

Anything else you want me to include on the blog.

We have been here since 2003. The first one on the block.

Sidebar: I asked for a non-spicy version of jerk chicken. I love spicy but spicy doesn’t love me. I was served jerk chicken, rice and peas, and cabbage. The food was good.  I wasn’t able to finish it due to all the other food I already ate. I don’t believe in wasting good food so I viewed it as an opportunity to bless someone with a meal.

Several hours later I had my first beef patty for dinner. It was pretty tasty. I ate the whole thing. I ate it even though I was still full. Pray the spirit of gluttony doesn’t overtake me…

Yes, we have been doing this for two years. We offer Argentine flavors and Empanadas (chicken or beef). On our paella, we can do what the customer wants (chicken, chorizo,  veggies, vegetarian, gluten free). We have Churros with caramel and chocolate.

If I can only buy one thing off your truck, what should I buy?

The sampler because many people don’t know our food. For festivals it is one rib, 1 empanada, and a paella. And it comes with whatever you want on it (all protein, or exclude pork, or vegetarian, etc.)

Is this a family business?

Yes, my father started when he was 13 years old. He worked in a bakery for 15 years. After 15 years he started his own bakery where we served Empanadas and everything. At that time I was about 7 years old. I grew up in the business. We moved to the United States. For two or three years we had a home baking business. Then we started doing festivals. In 2016 we got a food truck. In one year we won the best food truck in Columbus, Westerville, Whitehall and third place in Springfield Food truck competition.

Anything else?

We do a lot of work to make this possible. We consider our clients our boss. So whatever they want, we are here to make them happy. We want to satisfy them with our flavors. This is our purpose.

This is a business that the Lord gave me. I have been doing it for 20 years. Homemade Italian ice. I make it like they do on the East coast. It is called water ice there,  but Iccees or Italian ice here.

What is the best flavor?

There is no best flavor. It’s all good.

If I can buy one thing, what should I buy?

I tell people to get what they are in the mood for.

Sidebar: As a youth, I would put fruit flavored drinks in the freezer,  go outside to play, then return to munch on our flavored treat. Eating this Italian ice brought back memories of that time. This new and improved version probably doesn’t have the high sugar content that our Hawaiian punch or Koolaid did.

Derrick Wilford, WF Foods

If I can only buy one thing off your truck, what should I buy?

Chicken wings.

Why a food truck?

It’s my passion. It’s what I wanted do my whole life. I want everyone in the public to know what I experience in my house.

Sabrina Wilford

I’m here for my husband to support him and everything he does. He cooks at work he cooks at home, and he cooks on the truck. We move the truck around. We have a Denny’s on wheels. This is basically a breakfast food truck, but we do have some lunch items.

What is your claim to fame?

We specialize in Angus beef brisket. We have been around for 8 years. We are pioneers in the food truck industry. Look us up on Street Food Finder.

If I can only buy one thing off your truck what should I buy?

In my opinion, the Billy Club. It has applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, romaine tomatoes, organic greens, with our signature 5 0 sauce. It comes with kettle chips.

Anything else you want us to know?

Columbus food trucks are on the rise. You better jump on now or you gonna miss the ride.

Michael Jackson, M&S Grub Hub

What is your claim to fame?

Just serve out good food fast.

If I have limited money, what do I buy?

A hot dog or sliders. 2 sliders are $6.

I’m trying to figure out what your signature item is?

Some good home cut fries.

What is your claim to fame?

Our fish boat that is what we are known for. It is a boneless fish on a whole wheat bun, our special tartar sauce, shredded cabbage, onions, and tomatoes. We also have daily specials like the fish and fries. We have tenders and fries, wings and fries, we have delicious creamy coleslaw, fried okra.

A few pictures to show that more goes on than buying and eating food:

My take on the Whitehall Food Truck Festival:

This festival is great! It packs a lot in a small space. They had two stages where bands performed, and lawn areas where people can sit, dance, play, etc. There appeared to be ample places to sit and eat. The food was excellent. I had a great time connecting with new people and reconnecting with those blasts-from-the-past folks.