Cruising through the cities of Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Lucknow, Madurai and Kochi, Marriott on Wheels — Marriott International Inc’s first-ever mobile food truck in India — has covered a distance of 6,761 km in around 40 days, and is finally in Pune.
Today, the food truck will be stationed at Amanora Town Centre, Hadapsar, between 12 noon and 10 pm. If you are someone who loves to experiment with international flavours and yet appreciates local food, here’s your chance to treat your tastebuds. For the pilot project, Marriott’s select brands — Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft Hotels — have come together to promote its F&B segment.
Painted in a refreshing orange, the food truck looks appealing, hence attracts a large crowd wherever it is stationed. When we visited the truck, which was stationed at Rohan Mithila Cooperative Housing Society, Viman Nagar on Tuesday, we saw a huge crwod waiting anxiously to grab their meals and why not! Every item is sold at a pocket-friendly price of Rs 150 each (all inclusive). Some of the dishes available on their menu include Kosha Mangsho Kathi Roll (Bengali style spicy shredded mutton wrapped in paratha); Chicken Shawarma Kebab Wrap (Lebanese grilled strips of chicken marinated in Arabic spice, cinnamon and garlic aioli and wrapped in pita bread); Molten Cheese Nachos (heated tortilla chips covered with melted cheese, refried beans and caspsicum); Falafel Wrapped in Pita (deep-fried patty made from ground chickpeas, herbs, spices, and onions and wrapped in pita bread along with hummus and salad); Bombay Toasty Sandwich (popular Mumbai street style sandwich stuffed with mix vegetables, green chutney and chaat masala) etc. You can also sip on your favourite soft drinks sold at the food truck.
Feroz, head chef, Fairfield by Marriott, Pune Kharadi, along with a team of six chefs, has been ensuring that the food truck serves the most delicious dishes wherever it travels. “It is aimed at presenting food with a local touch that is appealing to all. Every item that we are serving has an interesting twist to it. The idea is to attract both the guests living at our property as well as people from the residential societies nearby, so that they are drawn towards the culture of food trucks,” says Feroz.
Despite the growing trend of food trucks, some people are wary, so he is ensuring that proper hygiene and cleanliness is maintained. “Marriott being a big brand, we make sure that the quality is not compromised at any cost. We are using bowls and plates that are made from sustainable material. Also, the ingredients used in the preparation are locally grown and sourced,” he adds.
Talking about the twists, Feroz says, “We are trying to bring closer local and international cuisines like we are serving Kohapuri Missal with a Buddha Bowl by adding sprouts in an interesting way. Similarly, Falafel Wrapped in Pita Bread has been given a Maharashtrian touch — we are serving it with Mirchicha Thecha. Chicken Sharwana Roll has both a Mediterranean taste and an Indian twist as we have added Ghati masala to it.”
He adds that the response has been great. “We are planning to come up with the next edition of Marriott on Wheels soon. In our pilot project, we learnt the pros and cons and how to make our services and food better in the future. We want to add new flavours and twists and make it more interesting for our patrons. You’ll soon be able to see multiple food trucks by Marriott on the roads of every city,” he says.
ST READER SERVICE
Marriott on Wheels will be stationed at Amanora Town Centre, Hadapsar, today from 12 noon-10 pm
