Food Truck Rally today benefits Waterford police K-9 unit

A caravan of food trucks will be headed to the lakes area to serve up tasty fare during a Food Truck Rally today, Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 4 to 9 p.m.

The Motor City Street Eats event will take place at the Pontiac-Waterford Elks, located 2100 Scott Lake Road in Waterford Township. The Food Truck Rally is sponsored by the Pontiac-Waterford Elks in conjunction with the Michigan Mobile Food Vendors Association.

A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Waterford Police Department K-9 Unit.

“This came about when Officer Annette Miller and her dog were injured in the line of duty,” said Jim Mastrangel, the vice-president of the Michigan Mobile Food Vendors Association. “We originally wanted to work on her behalf, but the department said she’s taken care of and asked for donations to go directly to the K-9 unit.”

The last food truck rally event was held in May, and drew between 1,200 and 1,500 people.

“Each of the events gets bigger and bigger,” Mastrangel said. “The momentum is growing and we anticipate going to different cities here in the tri-county area, from Port Huron to Ann Arbor, to offer rallies for different fund-raising opportunities.”

Mastrangel’s gourmet food truck, Jacque’s Tacos, serves up fresh Mexican cuisine. His truck earned the distinction as both Best Food Truck in the Metrotimes Best of Detroit and Real Detroit Magazine reader surveys in 2011.

In addition to Mastrangel’s six signature types of tacos — short rib, grilled chicken, slow roasted pork, shrimp, fish, and marinated avocado — he will introducing a new menu item: Chicken or beef chimichangas.

He will also be selling a few types of tamales.

Mastrangel has lined up a variety of food trucks from southeast Michigan to participate in today’s rally.

Big R BQ will be serving up smoked and roasted beef and pork finished off with various barbecue sauces. Dago Joe will be selling Italian cuisine like pastas and sauces made from scratch. Frank’s Anatra will be serving up hot dogs and Italian sausages. Concrete Cuisine will be offering a slew of deli-style sandwiches and wraps; and Treat Dreams, a microcreamery, will churn out homemade ice cream in gourmet flavors.

Added to the line up this time around is Ned’s Travel Burger, which features Michigan-raised beef and other varieties of sandwiches, like pulled pork and veggie burgers.

A pair of other food trucks may be on site. The Green Zebra may be selling its upscale American street fare, and the People’s Pierogi Collective may be on site serving up grilled Polish fare like kielbasa and pierogi.

The Pontiac-Waterford Elks will be selling beer, wine coolers, and pop in a beer tent. Up in the Air Disc Golf will be providing disc golf demonstrations on a specially set up 9-hole course, and live music will be provided by the classic rock band The Vintage.