The Out of Many Cafe is doing something that hasn't really been done in West Palm Beach: it's one of the first mobile food trucks of its kind to make it onto the Palm Beach County foodie scene.
Debuting as a Caribbean kitchen, owners Haiz Miller and Damian Phillips are filling a niche they believe has -- as of yet -- been mostly uncharted territory in the area they've staked out.
"Palm Beach is really a new market for this type of thing. This area isn't as trendy as Fort Lauderdale and Miami when it comes [to mobile kitchens]. But people see us here, and they're curious," said Miller.
Miller hails from Jamaica, where he cooked for fellow soldiers in the British Army. When he moved to Florida just over four years ago he followed his passion to graduate from the Le Cordon Bleu culinary college in Miami, and later learned much of his craft as a chef at local area resorts including The Breakers and the Four Seasons (both of Palm Beach).
During the past three weeks the Out of Many Cafe has been stationed near the intersection of Okeechobee and Congress (in an empty car lot across from Broward Motor Sports), Miller says the truck's burgeoning customer base is already creating demand for the jerk chicken club sandwich, a new take on one of his many Jamaican specialities.
The jerk chicken club comes prepared with Miller's own jerk seasoning, made authentic Jamaican-style by smoking the chicken in pimento leaves. He finishes it off with a spicy jerk mayonnaise, swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato stuffed between two toasted buns.
Although Miller and Phillips haven't decided the exact number of final items they will be adding to their regular menu lineup, their mobile truck currently offers a variety of daily specials, as well as mainstay lunch and dinner options. What Miller cooks depends mainly upon what's fresh, local -- and in season, he said.
Best of all: all meals are under $10. Larger plates are reasonably priced at no more than $8, and are served with traditional Jamaican-style rice and peas, sweet plantains, steamed cabbage or sauteed vegetables, and include specialities like chicken in beer ($6), oxtail ($8), curry goat ($8) and jerk chicken ($6). There is also a combo portion of the menu that features more familiar stateside items served with fries, like Jamaican patties ($2), hamburgers ($5) and hotdogs ($4).
If you're interested in stopping by for a taste, Out of Many Cafe operates weekdays from noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, and from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. And be sure to check out the truck on Fridays, which will begin a fish fry service starting June 10. Patrons will have their pick of fresh-caught snapper or grouper, said Phillips, which will be roasted on the spot, and served up with okra and callaloo, a popular Caribbean side dish.
Although the truck does not currently have a Facebook page or Twitter account to follow, you can always call to check on its whereabouts that day, or for future locations. It isn't unusual for the truck to take days here and there to work private events, or attend a local food festival.
OUT OF MANY CAFE
Haiz: (954) 701-2955
Damian: (954) 206-7058
E-mail: [email protected]
Follow Clean Plate Charlie Facebook on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB.
