They say the third time is the charm; well, it definitely was for me. You see, I have been hearing about the Green Truck Pub for a while. I had heard about their local, sustainable food and great beer list, not to mention their burgers! Eating there was a must, so the hubby and I went out with another couple after a Forsyth Park event. We arrived at the Green Truck Pub on a Friday night around 8:30 and the place was PACKED with an hour wait! Our growling stomachs told us to go somewhere else. A few weeks later, the hubby and I were in the same situation. Another couple, another weekend night, another packed house, another hour wait, another stupid decision to leave. (It’s probably important to note that both times we left, we went to other restaurants that ended up having similar wait times! Geez!) I just kept striking out with this place, but I knew that if that many people were coming out to the Green Truck Pub, it had to be something delish or something at least worth giving a try. So, I set out on my third mission.
I met one of my best girlfriends there on a Saturday afternoon, hoping that a new time would help with the crowds and the wait. We walked right up and got a table, but I have to say the place was still hopping. Shortly after we were seated, the wait increased for people waiting on tables. We got there just in time – must be something to do with the third time being the charm! I grabbed my menu and quickly began perusing through it. Immediately, something caught my eye. It was a list on the back of the menu that detailed exactly where all of their meats and produce come from. Now, how many restaurants do you go to that can tell you precisely where they got their goods? The tree-hugger in me fell in love. This is how restaurants should be run! Our waitress came to tell us more good news! All of their items are seasonal, meaning if it does not grow in the summer, don’t expect to get it here in the summer. The menu changes with what is locally available. At that particular time, the waitress raved about some collard greens they had just gotten in and they were putting them on a burger. Oh yum… but that was going to have to wait. I knew what I wanted!
I had seen Jesse eat it (and like it) on the show last season, so I knew the Trailer Park Burger was the one for me. The Trailer Park Burger is topped with your usual burger suspects, but with a generous dollop of fresh pimento cheese and a few strips of bacon to top off this local, grass-fed patty. The burger itself was cooked perfectly; a nice char on the outside, like you would get at home on the grill, and so moist, juicy, and flavorful on the inside. This is definitely the place to come for a tasty burger! After wiping the drool off my face from my first few bites, I dug into the fresh cut fries that surrounded my burger. One of my biggest weaknesses is French fries, and these are simply irresistible! Green Truck’s fries are a thinner cut, but not stringy. They were fried just so that the outside was crunchy and the inside still soft. I couldn’t stop eating them! I’m not sure if it was the fries keeping me coming back for more and truly blowing my calorie limit for the day, or if it was Green Truck’s homemade ketchup!
I am strictly a Heinz 57 kind of girl. I get mad when people skimp and buy a lesser variety. So, I had to say I was a little hesitant about trying this ketchup I had heard of. I just knew I wasn’t going to like it. I was almost kicking myself for not sliding a few Heinz packets into my purse, until I slathered up my first fry. It was DELISH! The ketchup was chunky, with a pleasantly sweet and tangy flavor. It definitely wasn’t Heinz 57; it was better. I couldn’t stop soaking it up! Writing this makes me want to eat it all over again!
Even though my first two attempts at dining at the Green Truck Pub were a bust, it was all worth the wait. The food was fantastic, and eating it made me feel like I was doing something good for my neighborhood. I helped out the locals in my small, indulgent way. I will be back! Go check it out for yourself, but remember to try it out on a weeknight or an afternoon. You may be in for a wait if you attempt to pop in on a Friday or Saturday night. Even though the place is simply a made-over Hardee’s, it is quickly making a name for itself, nationwide! Go see what all the fuss is about. I promise it’s worth it! Green Truck Pub is located at 2430 Habersham Street. They are open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Written by Kristin Davis
For more information about Green Truck Pub, click here. And for more information about the Eat Squad, check out their bios here.
