A Popular City Trend Rolls Onto Campus

Urbanites and foodies, rejoice! A food truck is coming to Stony Brook University that will serve portable organic food to students looking for a bite to eat between classes.

The food truck hails from the Grey Horse Tavern, a Bayport restaurant that focuses on serving organic and local food. It will park and set up shop in the circle outside the Javits Center every weekday except Wednesdays, when it will be in front of the Student Union.

Menu items include salads, tacos, grilled cheese and even fried plantains. “The menu will change, as we try to offer seasonal foods,” said head chef Steve Cardell.

The GHT Rolling Kitchen will be open daily from 11am to 7pm, offering students and staff a faster, healthier option to lunch in the Student Activities Center or Student Union.

But there are a few caveats to the new campus eatery, the largest being payment options. According to an FSA employee, campus meal points can’t be used at the food truck, at least not at first. Only cash will be accepted. Most items fall within the $3-$6 range, with a few larger items like sandwiches running a bit more.

Jamie Pointer, who was part of the student committee that suggested the idea of a food truck on campus, explained why they picked the Grey Horse Tavern. “I think that they’re in line with Stony Brook’s mission to go green,” she said.

The Grey Horse Tavern uses local and organic vegetables when they can, and makes use of only humanely-raised meats and sustainable seafood. They even recycle all of their frying oil as fuel.

Besides being environmentally friendly, Cardell says the food truck will be convenient and well-liked. “We tried to pick foods that students could eat on the go,” said Cardell. “College students love grilled cheese and they love tacos.”

The truck doesn’t officially open until tomorrow, but FSA employees, a handful of lucky students and Think staff were treated to free samples at GHT Rolling Kitchen’s soft open Tuesday afternoon.

The tacos were made traditionally, with radishes, lime crema and just a little cheese. The grilled cheeses, a signature dish from the Grey Horse Tavern restaurant made with extra thick bread, were complex and flavorful, but just a little greasy. The peach tea and blackberry limeade were both light and refreshing.

All of the students who we spoke to enjoyed the food. The Grey Horse Tavern may be a tad more expensive than Charcoals and Caliente’s, but the ingredients are of higher quality and the flavor combinations are far more interesting and rewarding.