Pepe Food Truck Review

Jose Andres is such an omnipotent presence in DC dining that it's no surprise to me that he opened a food truck. Why confine all of that culinary excellence to a brick and mortar structure? That would just deprive the masses of what they need most: unique Spanish sandwiches on the go.

Pepe has a rotating menu of sandwiches that revolves around a few sandwich staples, including a pollo frito (fried chicken sandwich) and jamon y queso (ham and cheese), as well as some standard Spanish sides, like patatas bravas (fried potatoes with an aioli sauce) and a light tomato soup. The best part of these sandwiches is the bread--a delicious Ciabatta style sandwich bun from DC bakery Panorama--which is toasted for a little added texture and crunch.

The sandwich I chose was called "trigueros con romesco," and it was piled high with seared asparagus, lettuce, and romesco (I added thinly sliced serrano ham to my sandwich). This sandwich is based on an asparagus and romesco dish at Andres' Jaleo, which is one of the most renowned Spanish tapas restaurant in the DC area. But ironically, the added serrano ham was the best part of the sandwich--aside from the delicious, crispy and slightly buttery bread. The ham was thinly cut, perfectly salty, and melted in my mouth. The fat content of the ham paired perfectly with the asparagus and romesco.

The sandwich was pretty expensive, but food trucks often are. I would definitely revisit Andres' food truck and most likely order the same sandwich again because it was just too damn good.


Find Pepe roaming the streets of DC during lunch hours (11:30-2:30 pm)