Staff Writers Kathleen and Grace review the new food truck!

With the grand opening of Johnny’s Food Truck (although does Columbia really need another dining hall named after this mysterious “John” figure?), Bwog obviously had to review this new dining spot, which offers a rotation of unique bowls and burritos. For those of you hearing about Johnny’s for the first time, it’s conveniently located right next to John Jay’s, where the old Fac Shack used to be. Today, Thursday, February 5, we finally tried Johnny’s for the first time.

Our Order: 

Dan Dan Beef Bowl, with dan dan beef, jasmine rice, bok choy, and carrots, topped with scallions and sesame seeds.

Grace’s Review:

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

First, I want to preface by saying that dan dan noodles are probably one of my favorite Chinese dishes. So I might be a little biased when I say that while Johnny’s “dan dan beef bowl” is probably one of the better dining hall options out there, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. 

The taste of dan dan beef is certainly there, although I’d say the rice is mushier than it should be. Flavor-wise, the bowl was seasoned well and spicy with a hint of sweetness. There were also some vegetables (bok choy!) on the side, which were alright. 

On the side, the meal came with a pack of oreos, an apple, and water. Pretty standard for a dining hall meal swipe.

Johnny’s Food Truck is situated where Fac Shack used to be, and even though there is no seating directly adjacent to the truck, you can always find a good spot outside or on the steps. While this won’t be my go-to dining hall, I’m definitely looking forward to trying more options from them.

Kathleen’s Review:

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I was mourning the relocation of Fac Shack literally all the way across campus—it’s such a far trek that I think I’ll end up way too lazy to actually go there if I’m craving a fat burrito. Luckily, Johnny’s does exist now—and I surprisingly enjoyed the dan dan bowl!

I will preface this: I’m not a picky eater and pretty easy to please, but I know when a meal tastes bad. And overall, the dan dan beef bowl was not a flop! The beef, although it looked a little questionable, was delicious, and the rice wasn’t too dry or wet either. It came with a large helping of bok choy and vegetables. I did wish the bok choy had been cut up a bit more, as it was hard to chew neatly, but the meal overall was yummy.

I was pleasantly surprised, as my expectations were pretty low. If you have time during the day and want to try something new, I recommend Johnny’s lunch bowls!!

Bowls via Author

Header via Bwog Archives