Global Soul Food Truck

Global Soul had an unusual item at it’s booth. of course, i tried it.
locale:sf streetfest 2012(8/18)
eats: «suicide stick» (1)
–definitely not from hamas nor can it start a intifada
–just a long, thin, moist green pepper, not even hot.
–served on a napkin with a smile.

We needed a change of pace in our sandwich and sandwich downtown lunch schedule, so my co-​worker and I headed over to 7^th and Fig for a food truck break. It ended up being over an hour-​long excursion to pick up food. Oy.
Part of that was distance, but most of it was a forty minute wait at Global Soul, around fifteen minutes in line waiting to order, another twenty-​five waiting for the food. Kind of an ordeal, but okay, I understand it takes time to make and serve food to the hungry downtown lunch masses. Service was fair enough. When our food was ready, the server packaged it up nicely to go.
I had the Shrimp Toastie and shared a Bucket of Fries with my co-​worker. The Shrimp Toastie was a bowl of marinated jumbo shrimp with coconut bourbon curry, roasted garlic chile oil, and toasted coconut on top of a «toastie roll.» The shrimp was excellent, snappy, plump, and flavorful, smothered in hot garlic oil. The coconut bourbon curry was also great, and I enjoyed taking my shrimp for a swim at the bottom of the bowl. The «toastie roll» compromised everything. It had a nice texture, sort of between brioche and Hawaiian bread, but it was overly sweet. Something about it tasted like a cinnamon roll, and it was off-​putting with the savory shrimp. The fries were decent, and they were nice to munch while we walked back to work. Nothing special, but they came with a chipotle crema that tasted like a spicy tartar sauce, in a good way.
So I enjoyed the food to an extent, and it was a nice diversion from my months of Mendocino (love you, Mendocino, I do), but I wouldn’t do it again. There was too much hassle for a small reward. If I find Global Soul on an empty street corner, I’ll be tempted, but as that seems unlikely, I’ve probably had my last Shrimp Toastie.

Should be called Global Slow truck! 30+ minute wait for an english muffin that was so greasy everything slid out with the first bite. When I ordered they said 15 to 20 minutes which I initially thought was excessive for a food truck. Nothing served out of a truck should take that long. Even if you are cooking it fresh. I can make an entire meal for my family in less time. People were waiting to order. The customers on both the waiting to order and waiting for food were ignored for a good 10 minutes while I was there. There were maybe 5 people in each side. Not a big group. Should have been manageable. Another woman waited so long they had to place the order again. I didn’t stick around to see what happened with her but she was not happy either.
The food tasted just ok but I was too upset by this time to really enjoy it. Hardly any bacon in this «Hangover», just a slimy runny egg and pesto. I still have the runny egg taste in my mouth. Not good! This was my second attempt at ordering from them. The first time they were out of the maple bacon I wanted to try and they didn’t have much of a line to be out I thought. Oh, and I’m still hungry! Next time, I’ll be at the pupusa stand next door. Now that was tasty. Sounds like the Slow truck is leaving LA for San Francisco anyway so farewell and good luck! Maybe they should have a phone order line or a text message feature so you can place your order before you arrive.

LOVE this truck, these girls are making amazing food. My husband isn’t quite the foodee like I am but he said «best food truck that I’ve had».
Girls it’s me ‘party tray’ had you 1^st at Figueroa Produce with my daughter then with my hubby at Eagle rock brewery.
Loved the Chicken wrap, and the breakfast sandwich.
And you guys are so nice and that makes a big difference, it makes the whole experience. Last time I went to NOM NOM they were kinda rude, like they were doing me a favor. So you were such a pleasant welcome and the food was amazing.
LOVE you guys.

What is best in life?
Eat Shrimp toasties.
Drink fancy lemonade.
And to hear the digestion in your tummy.

How dare they?
I reviewed this truck in October 2010. 14 months later I get this note from the truck
«Hey Bill — Thanks for your review & for posting pictures on Unilocal.However, the photos posted of our food & menu are now outdated, would you mind removing/​deleting them? We would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much!
Global Soul
streeteats@globalsoult…
323−874−2134»
I find a note like this quite offensive! I have visited 207 food trucks, and no one on any of the other 206 have dared to make such a demand. Why should I have photos from the other 206 trucks and not them?
Obviously these people have no clue what Unilocal is about, The photos are dated on Unilocal,and also on the date stamp on my camera. And, of course, like all businesses, they evolve. I notice that other people posted photos of the same menu items that looked more appetizing than mine. I’ll grant them that, but the photos don’t lie. My photos show the food as it was served up to me. The review (and the generous 3 stars i gave them) has been up over a year. If they feel they served me a subpar meal, they should have offered to replace it. Rather than censor it.
— — — — — — — — –
How dare they again?
The owner comment that posted today claims they are asking me to remove the item because it is no longer on their menu.
WTF???
My menu item was a shrimp toastie. On Feb. 15^th (1 day ago) they were encouraging someone on their Facebook page to order one,
Now I am just speculating at this point, but I truly believe that my photo
looks a lot less appetizing than these other photos from different Unilocalers of the same item, that Global Soul did a much better job preparing,
I wonder if the other shrimp toastie customers got a similar request.
I can see why they would be embarrassed by what they served me too

Had the gyros at the Yamashiro «awesome» Market. It hit the spot but maybe only since I was dying of hunger and other lines were short… but I did have to wait quite a while (longer than the 10 minutes or so quoted to me upon ordering). The gyros itself was tasty but not phenomenal…
If I ever come across you again, I’ll give it another roll.

This truck was so shrouded in mystery that I just had to try it.
They had a facebook. They had a twitter. But NOTHING showed a menu or any information about what specific items they carry. Just testimonials and their next destination. Counter-​intuitively, this made me want the truck even more because curiosity often kills the Kat.
The order:
Babylon Taco
I had no idea what it was — all I saw was a picture of the taco. From the name, I deduced it would have some sort of Middle-​Eastern taste to it (yay for paying attention in history class!)
I’m eating it right now as I write this review. Inspiration bit me in the ass as I bit into the taco and I just had to jump on Unilocal to rave about it.
The chicken is tender and not dry. The delicious tahini dressing drizzled over the meat was simply creamy, little bit peppery and spicy, and subtly savory. There was enough flavor on the chicken so the sauce did not overpower the overall taste of the taco.
Provolone was an extra 50 cents and I think one can do without, unless you absolutely need cheese for everything you eat.
Also, take up on their offer to put tomatoes in the taco. These are slices of pear tomatoes, which are generally sweeter and more flavorful.
I was also surprised that the taco is jumbo-sized.roughly 2.5x the regular size of truck taco for about the same cost.
Be prepared to never eat this in the future, or not know when you’re going to see this on their menu again. I just skimmed through their photos and I do not see this anywhere. The issue with this truck is that they do not have a working website up yet, even though they’ve been serving for 7 months. They also do not have a set menu because their menu changes each time they go to a location. I hope they do a sample menu like Animal on Fairfax does — just a ‘sample menu’ that lists usual suspects at each destination.
Ladies working the truck were fabulous.
I just finished eating the taco and I’m full. Did I just get full off $ 3.50 and not from Taco Bell?
5 solid shining stars.

I really enjoyed this truck, the quality of the ingredients were amazing!
My friend and I shared an order of the Shrimp Toastie which is their signature item. Wow, this was such a suprise, the flavors worked so well together and were so unexpected. We both couldn’t get enough of this.
It’s basically two pieces of toast topped with a delicous coconut curry and 4 huge pieces of shrimp with a garlic and chili oil on top. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and each piece was 3 or 4 bites, they were a good size. The sauce was a genious blend of sweet and spicy, a lot spicy actually, not the burn your tongue kind but the leave your lips tingling kind. The toast almost reminded me of sweet croissant french toast or something, it all worked so well together.
I highly recommend stopping and enjoying this dish if you see the truck, you won’t be disappointed, just make sure to have water on hand to cool your lips off.

Just another Wednesday night and a high school classmate posted that the lunch trucks would be at the Signal Hill Best Buy. Figured I’d swing by and grab something before I head off to my oh-​so-​exciting graveyard security job.
Several trucks, but I opted for something healthy (fried chicken, waffles and fry bread didn’t float my boat). Tried the chicken mojo wrap.
Ok. Just Ok. Not any better than Ok.
At least it was one of the more health-​conscious selections and it was tasty, but there were a few issues, namely wait time, price and selection.
Wait time: 15 minutes. At least they have a sign that says something to the effect that «we make our food fresh so it takes time». I’ve received faster service at Babe’s Kitchen (which can be notoriously slow).
Price: $ 8. Call me a tightwad, cheapskate pennypincher all day long, I could care less. Seems a bit on the high side for a piece of flatbread with grilled chicken, spinach, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Selection: Only five or six items on their menu. I guess they specialize and are good at what they do, but a bit more variety would’ve been nice.
Also didn’t appreciate that a couple people that ordered after I did got their food before me… grrrr!

I am going to copy my pal Cesar R’s review
2 words
SHRIMP
TOASTIE
OK, 2 more
EAT
THIS
Ok, ok one more
NOW
Shrimp Toastie = EAT THIS NOW
I have been dying to try this dish that that awesome Jessica and Christina serve up. On my first visit I went with the OOE. I had the pleasure of trying them again recently at a Unilocal Elite Event where they served up Spicy Chili with a mini cornbread muffin and a Pork Tacoesque item. Finally on a Tuesday night at the SaMo food truck lot I was able to try this coveted dish.
4 PERFECTLY COOKED shrimp atop toasty buns (hawaiian rolls maybe) and then jazzed up to the nines in the most succulent yellow coconut bourbon curry broth. The dish becomes complete as it is then topped with toasted coconut and cilantro. When this dish is handed over to you with a smile, you almost can’t believe that you are eating at a food truck as it is visually stunning. The taste, the taste of all the components are magical. Much CG food eating noises going on with this dish.
This dish was so good it inspired a new Unilocal list for me. You really can not go wrong with whatever these ladies are cookin up but it’s really all about the Shrimp Toastie. Now that I have ate it my food life is complete.

Love them! I was lucky enough to catch them one day in the OC area. Tried everything on their menu and loved all of it. I don’t remember the names of anything I ordered, but one of them was some kind of shrimp tacos. It was amazing! Everything was full of flavor. Please come to OC more often!

I don’t know about relating this truck to soul food, but i got to try a couple of bites and it was pretty good.
I had the vegan black bean chili which was the perfect warmth on a chill day. The sauce tasted just right, i would have appreciated a bit more spicy kick to it but it was still great. And the jalapeño mini corn bread on the side was to die for. Complemented it perfectly.
There was another something we got a taste of, it looked like a won ton chip with some ground beef on it. I thought it lacked a lot of flavor and originality. Not memorable and not anything special.

I’ve visited this truck several times now and I must say that the two women who run this truck are the nicest I’ve come across in this business. They are warm, friendly, and totally on top of their game — which is doling out delicious gourmet food off of their cute little green truck (aka Bright Eyes).
Chris, the chef, has an arsenal of dishes in her repertoire and it shows in their ever-​changing menu. I’ve seen main entrees made with pork, lamb, shrimp, beef, or veggies — all in different styles, each one worth a try.
Specifically, however, I’ll go over what I’ve eaten myself.
I’ll start with my favorite — the shrimp toastie. You can order this in half or full portions. The shrimp itself is huge and is grilled and dusted with toasted coconut flakes and roasted garlic chili oil. The shrimp comes sitting atop some form of toasted biscuit and is smothered with a creamy slightly sweet coconut bourbon curry. Whew! Sounds almost overwhelming but it’s not. Everything works together and the only thing you’re left with is wishing you had more. It’s a finger-​licking, messy dish and it hits the spot. I usually end up with a bit of the biscuit and I use it to sop up whatever curry is left on my plate. And then I lick my fingers.
Another favorite of mine is the Babylon taco. Plain old chicken taco, you say? Naw. Get this — two tortillas stuffed with a ton of Middle Eastern spiced chicken breast and topped with chipotle cream, cucumbers, and cilantro. This is another great dish where the flavors meld into something so edible, you find yourself thinking about having it again, just a few hours later. Finger-​licking good? You betcha.
I’ve also tried some of their veggie items. The ‘girls’, as I call them — Chris and Jess — who run the truck always include a veggie option on their menu. The veggie gyro has Kalamata olives, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and hummus. The veggie taco has pinto beans, a creamy (possibly chipotle) sauce, a sprinkling of cotija cheese, cucumbers, onions, and is topped by a fried egg. Does it work? Indeed it does. Quite well, in fact. Finger-​licking well.
I’ve also had different variations of their veggie quesadilla, which inlude some form of sauteed veggies, usually mushroom, and a great salsa. I’m thinking the different salsas/​sauces probably depend on Chris’s mood or what she could get her hands on at the market.
Nothing has disappointed.
Their menu varies which at first made me sad. I’d show up to the truck, just waiting to taste the shrimp toastie — and it’s not on the menu. But I’ve learned that it gives me the chance to try some of their other dishes. And my taste buds have been very happy. So happy, in fact, that lately I’ve been venturing out of my safe zone (aka ‘shrimp toastie’ zone) and I’ve tried their juicy Franciscan burger, hot mess sandwich, and sausage jambalaya, to name a few. Fingers have been licked many times over now.
I don’t like lamb or pork that much but my cohorts who have tried dishes with those meats all give them thumbs up. I even get the ‘you many not like lamb or pork, but you will in this dish. Here, take a bite.’ One day I will. If there’s any kitchen that’ll make me eat those meats, it’ll be Global Soul’s.
I’ll post pics so you can check out some of the dishes virtually but definitely get out there and try Global Soul.
If they have homemade teas/​drinks on the menu, try them! Jess whips up some great concoctions!

Some of the best food in the city — truck or no truck. They have a great menu that changes up every so often to keep things interesting. They recently parked outside of our monthly event and after the event, everyone was raving about the food.
Props to the pork pita wrap.
The service is crazy nice, too. Bonus.

After reading all the Unilocal reviews, my mouth started watering… I had to have the Shrimp Toastie. Since I have the appetite that exceeds that of 90% of Americans, I opted for the quad for $ 10… and I am still hungry.
But… food isn’t just about stuffing your face to the limits. It’s about the flavor. And the flavor was delicious. Would have been a great appetizer to an entrée. Definitely worth checking out… and they provide service with a smile :)

The Hot Mess Sandwich was sooooooo good!
It’s Louisiana Hot Links sausage, on a bun covered with grilled slices of red pepper and grilled slices of white onion. It also had a spicy aioli on it too. It was $ 6 and it really hit the spot.

2 words.
SHRIMP.
TOASTIE.
OK, ok, 2 more.
EAT.
THIS.
A ridiculous, original conglomeration of flavors…
Basically a base consisting of a buttery, toasty sort of garlic bread, if you will… perched atop this «toastie» is a generously sized marinated jumbo shrimp that is drizzled with chili oil and then sprinkled with toasted garlic and dried chili bits… this all sits atop a delicate pool of yellow/​green coconut bourbon curry and is topped just a touch of toasted coconut and cilantro for color.
You get 3 tasty toasties for $ 8.
The flavors were unique, spicy, sweet, warm, delightful.
Any curry or shrimp fan will really enjoy this.
Any human being with a pulse and a functional tongue will appreciate the exciting flavor combinations.
Any human being with a pulse and a NON functional tongue will probably be like …
«pfff ftt pff ftt pf ff tt pffftfttttttt mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm»

Don’t let the pretty faces or the smiles of Jessica and Christina suck you into the tidal rocks like sirens from a Homer epic. They are evil and tempt you with their charm and delicious food.
GlobalSoul is one of those trucks I have passed by and scoffed at for whatever reason at the time. I look back on those times and wonder why I haven’t tried them. In the end I indulged myself and finally took a sample when I found out they were near my office.
What originally was supposed to be a quick bite and a light lunch turned into something altogether different. On my way to Pershing Square, I tweeted my friend Wendy (another avid follower of trucks) what I should get from Global Soul. I messaged her … «Apart from EVERYTHING, what should I get?» Of course, she replied with EVERYTHING. Ask for the OOE! Just do it!
WTF is an OOE? And why would I want it?
I really didn’t know what to expect. The menu on the truck seemed a little short and sparse. (I found out through talking with the ladies that its only because of the space limitations of the truck, which is completely understandable) I usually like to try a signature dish or the flagship item off the menu to set the barometer of any eating spot. It helped to see clearly the Shrimp Toastie was the SIGNATURE dish. As I mentioned earlier, I only wanted to sample a couple of things and be content. I ordered a turkey chili and just one shrimp toastie.
I enjoyed the chili very much. As I continued eating it I noticed a spiciness that started to open up nicely. It’s one of those spicy levels that sneak up on you and build gradually. Very much the comfort food its intended to be.
The shrimp toastie was one sexy bitch. It’s an item that is easily a food porn item. I had to snap a shot of the little yummy once I got it. This pretty little amuse bouche of southern thai influence will knock your socks off. A well cooked (yes, not overcooked) jumbo shrimp sitting on green curry with a dribble of chili oil and sprinkled with toasted garlic/​coconut and dried chili. It just looked gorgeous. Taking it a bite of it was a flavor bomb of an experience. It’s hard to eat something when you are smiling so much. Already I regretted only ordering just one. (A full order has 3 toasties.)
I went back to the window applaud the ladies how nice my food was and how much I enjoyed it. I don’t know what happened but I wound up ordering two more toasties. By this time I knew my foodie beast was in full effect so I succumbed to curiosity. I also order the lamb gyro. Its very telling if I repeat a visit to a truck, buts another thing if I make a repeat visit to the window the very same trip.
The toasties were again nicely cooked. The spice level very nice. I like my spice level high so it was nice to have these dishes so spicy. These girls don’t pull punches when they are spicing it up. And it is not hot just for the sake of hot. Like a good thai dish, the heat is a big element of the flavor. So wimps need not apply. Jessica and Christina are unapologetic about the heat level of their dishes. They also shared they could make it spicier but generally have to keep it a somewhat sane level for the masses. Maybe a special request is in order.
I still have no clue why I ordered the gyro.(I’m a fat stinking hog who eats with his eyes) I assumed it would be a small morsel. Instead I got this weighty wrap with some tasty gyro. I really didn’t expect such a big item. A very hearty wrap that would fill any appetite.
Jessica and I laughed because I almost ordered an OOE without even knowing it. An OOE is «one of everything» I almost did order dessert but I had to decline Christina, as hard as that was. In talking with Chris, it was great to hear all the menu ideas she has in her head that may pop up. I look forward to seeing some of their creations the next time I visit, which will be soon, I hope.
GlobalSoul does have that — soul. It’s got style and it’s got flava. Definitely worth a try. 4 stars four now that will easily and surely grow to a 5 as I experience them more and more.
*addendum
Jessica and Chris, if you are reading this… I would love … LOVE… to see the shrimp toastie sitting on a plantain tostone rather than the bread. I think that would take it another level. That’s my special request!

What a difference a few minutes… or another batch of shrimp… makes.
I arrived here 15 minutes after Bill C.‘s experience with the overcooked shrimp (which will now be called shrimp-​gate) and had a completely different experience.
Jessica is Cuban and Thai while her partner Christina grew up in a Nicaraguan family in SF so I was intrigued about the flavors they would bring to this new truck on the LA scene.
The menu was rather makeshift but was drawn to their «signature dish» Shrimp Toastie which was marinated jumbo shrimp (jumbo is the key word here), coconut Bourbon curry, roasted garlic chile oil, toasted coconut on a toastie roll. To drink tried their mint citrus cooler comprised of fresh lemon, lime and mint leaves.
While getting ready to take my first picture, my name was called with my toastie and a moment later my drink was ready.
Even before I took my first bite, the exotic flavors were profound and could be smelled as I ran across the street to my car. My first bite did not disappoint as the chile oil blended perfectly with the curry making for a very happy shrimp in my mouth. The mint from the citrus cooler added another layer of flavors which were alternated between bites until both were gone.
Alright Bill in honor of this being my 200^th review, next time this truck and our schedules coincide (we’ll synchronize watches this time), the single order Shrimp Toastie is on me so hopefully you can add a few stars in your review update!