Normally we probably wouldn't have ordered sandwiches for dinner.  However the Pepe truck is a new one for the neighborhood and furthermore it's by Jose Andres so absolutely must try it.  We ordered the Barcelona Futbol Club and the Spanish style pulled pork sandwich.  Both were tasty although as sandwiches go nothing particularly notable.  The bread is very fresh, size pretty hefty, especially the pulled pork - almost enough for two light eaters to share. The futbol club is - well, a chicken sandwich with bacon.  One thing about the pull pork is since the meat is quite juicy the bottom part of the bread gets soaked and soggy very quickly so that could use some improvement. Ordering online is easy - they have a nice website with beautiful photos of the food, detailed descriptions and you can specify a pickup time from the available time slots.  You have to provide a mobile number and they'll text you a code for verification - first time I encountered this extra step when ordering food - so be sure to have your phone handy. read more

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I was happy to see Jose Andres' food truck come to our building, given all the hype his restaurants get. However, we had been to one of his restaurants, America Eats Tavern, that used to be in the Ritz at Tysons II. We were both underwhelmed with the food. For what it's worth, that restaurant wasn't around for long. Yet, when the food truck came, I still wanted to try his food in hopes that our previous experience was a one off. Well... We were first in line (the only ones in line at the time, actually) when it opened for business. The truck has an option called "Jose's Way" which consists of a sandwich, side dish and a can of soda for $20. We both ordered a Serrano ham "flauta", a cup of gazpacho and a can of Coke. That's when the fun started (sarcasm). The man in the truck told us that he was in a rush to get here on time and forgot to bring his tablet. He told us to scan the QR code on the side of the truck to place our order. My husband went back upstairs to get his phone. In the meantime, the man in the truck prepared our food. DH returned with the phone, scanned the QR code...and...their website order form was screwed up. We gave the man our phone and told him to order---he couldn't do it either. Finally, he said if we had cash, we could pay for the food that way. Gee...why didn't he say so in the first place? We paid cash and I told the man it was going to get interesting when others try to order their food---yikes! As for the food --- The Serrano ham flauta comes either with or without cheese. We ordered 2 without but still got cheese. Since Serrano ham is pricey, we expected the flautas to have very little ham, which was the case. They put a spread made of tomatoes and olive oil on the bread. The sandwiches were okay, nothing to write home about. As for the gazpacho, it was on the bitter side plus I found myself wishing that I had croutons to add to it. In the end, we both found that the gazpacho didn't agree with us. Well...we both agree that we're done giving Jose Andres' food anymore chances. Maybe Minibar, pricey as it is, may be worth it but we're not going to find out. read more

Pepe - gazpacho - Food Trucks Near Me

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Thank you Pepe for coming to Northern Virginia. I admit I hadn't heard of this food truck but found out about it via word of mouth/facebook. I can say now that I know about it, I will be looking forward to when they make another return to NoVa Let's just start with the fact the have my beloved patatas bravas. I mean, that's enough to get me out. I also got the spanish style pulled pork which was very good. Definitely want to try other menu items. read more

Had a couple sandwiches and apps from the Pepe food truck last week and it was all sooo good. I would like the opportunity to try a few more of the sides and sandwiches so I hope to run into the truck again soon. We had the Datiles (bacon wrapped, fried dates) and croquetas de pollo (fried chicken fritters) as apps and they were both delicious. For sandwiches we had the Elena Bocata (mushroom) and the pollo frito (chicken w aioli and peppers). The pollo frito was better in my opinion but I like meat. Both very good. Highly recommend anything from here read more

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For lunch today, I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. My coworker ordered the jamón serrano y queso manchego and it looked a little too thin, like something that wouldn't fill me up, so I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It had some heft to it, and all the orders came out of the truck pretty quickly. After carrying my sandwich back, I unwrapped the sandwich and was impressed with the size. I love big portions and I cannot lie. I was a little concerned that the bread would be hard, but it ended up being quite soft. The pork was very tender and quite juicy. The slaw wasn't as saucy as I thought it would be, and overall, the pork took the show without being overpowered by sweetness or other flavors. The bread was a nice complement in texture too. It truly was a pulled pork sandwich as opposed to a pulled pork barbeque sandwich that one might expect. The service was polite and speedy and the ambiance was, well, food trucky. :) I'd come here again to try other dishes! A little pricey, but what truck isn't these days? read more

Pepe - Pulled pork sandwich - Food Trucks Near Me

Having tried their admittedly tasty jamón serrano y queso manchego and butifarra 'burger' at a cookbook promotion, I was eager to sample new flavors across the gloriously enticing menu. Having skimmed my fellow Yelpers' recommendations, I opted for the pollo frito over the pepito de iberico. With a cheat dinner in my near future, I also reluctantly passed on the temptation of Spanish grilled cheese with a gazpacho. I was impressed by the @pepefoodtruck pollo frito. I normally avoid fried chicken breast sandwiches since they either trend too dry or too greasy, but this was neither. The breast had been pounded thin, but still had moist interior that wasn't tough. The crispy exterior wasn't made soggy by the scant bed of lettuce. Bread was toasted to tolerable limits for a vessel so thin. The piparra peppers intermittently brought faint heat and a fresh crunch to many bites, but it was the robust brava sauce swirled with aioli that sealed the deal. I also tried some of my coworker's escalivada. Roasted eggplant and red peppers dominated the sweet onions, spinach, and mojo rojo. Good flavors but I feel like the balance between bread and ingredients was better on my sandwich. Cute and friendly staff passing out free tapas coupons for Jaleo as a bonus. Since they found a spot in front of the aforementioned restaurant, their outdoor servers were bringing Pepe diners glasses of ice water. I was glad to make their debut Maryland week, and intend to try the pepito de ternera next go around. read more

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Not the José Andrés food truck experience I expected. It wasn't bad. It also wasn't a flavor bomb. I've a huge JA fan, frequent his restaurants often. I was so excited to see the food truck as I went in search of food for lunch. But...... I ordered the pollo frito and the patatas bravas. Both are quite large in portion size. Therefore, you don't need to order both. And, it was $18. So, a wee bit pricey for average flavor. Eh! Maybe the other items on the truck are more tasty. In the meantime, Happy Eating! read more

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Ordered online in anticipation of PEPE coming to North Springfield, have to say it was underwhelming and yet overpriced. Jaleo, this was not, and certainly the two cooking in the rig where not Jose Andres, or cooks at any of his restaurants. It seems the Jaleo has turned into a ghost kitchen and seems to be parsing out certain items from the menu to local "Jose Andres" owned garbage haulers -- sorry food trucks -- and still charging restaurant prices for the chow. First time, last time, and truly enjoyed the explosive diarrhea 30 mins after I ate. I guess I start my cleanse now. read more

Pepe is a high quality food truck serving simple Spanish style sandwiches on soft bread. I have seen many reviews that critique the bread as weak and soggy, but I personally prefer this long, thin, soft style of bread to a hard style, thick hoagie roll. It lets the ingredients shine, as opposed to a generic, hard, palette slicing hunk of bread. I tried the pulled pork, and the flavor was excellent. I wished there had been more slaw and peppers, but the pork was just perfect with the roll. I also tried the patatas bravas, which were fine, but not excellent. They did not seem as freshly fried as I would like,so they lack some heat and crunchiness. The aoli was great with the potatoes, but they were pretty expensive at 7$. I'll try the pollo croquettas next time, they were sold out today. The line moves fairly quickly, it took about 10 minutes to get my food with about 10 people in front of me. read more

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OMG. Great sandwiches. Just had the futbol club and it was super delicious. The chicken will melt in your mouth. I don't know which part I like best - chicken, bacon or the bread. I'll have to have another! read more

Pepe - Barcelona Futbol Club - Food Trucks Near Me

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Ordered the pulled pork sandwich (sorry, I forgot the menu name). It was juicy and flavorful. To this day, I can't say that I've had the opportunity to dine at a Jose Andres' restaurant so I like to think that this sandwich was a decent representation of what one could expect from his food. So so so good! Get it. I only gave this 4-stars due to the fact that the sandwich is a bit pricey ($11-12ish) in my opinion. read more

Pepe - Pulled pork sandwich - Food Trucks Near Me

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When José Andrés contemplated the idea of opening a food truck, he couldn't have scratched his head more than once or twice before settling upon the idea of selling flautas. Served in slender ficelle loaves that mimic the look of a flute (thus, the name), flautas are a popular street food option in Barcelona. Naturally, with Andrés entering the fray of DC's food truck scene, it is quite understandable that he would want to sell these unique sandwiches. They tap into Andrés' own storehouse of food memories, can be efficiently churned out within the relatively restrictive confines of a food truck, and, are, at least theoretically, discrete, easy-to-eat items that folks in Barcelona, anyway, can eat with one hand while hailing a cab with the other. However, few people here would concede that the flautas offered by Pepe are that easy to eat. Instead, most of the flautas (all of which are about ten inches long), in fact, are quite unwieldy. Certainly, to eat these sandwiches generally requires two hands in order to stabilize the bountiful meats and generous condiments so that the whole does not fall (or slide) apart. The daunting Pepito de Ibérico, Pepe's signature offering, might be the heftiest of the eight sandwiches on the menu (and not necessarily by weight and girth only). At $20, some have already jokingly claimed that the Pepito de Ibérico is the most expensive legal item for sale on the streets of DC. Made with ultra-exclusive Ibérico pork and glorious Serrano ham, the sandwich is further graced with roasted green peppers, caramelized onions, and an authentic garlic-based aioli. The pork is tender but inordinately greasy; the ham is decadent and salty. With the pasty lather of onions and aioli, the Pepito de Ibérico is a delicious, unmistakably messy indulgence. Whether it is worth its price tag is debatable. Certainly, the simple but assured Jamón Serrano y Queso Manchego flauta, which is essentially a suped-up ham and cheese sandwich, is a more than adequate substitute for the Pepito de Ibérico at half the cost. Other sandwiches also rival (if not surpass) the Pepito de Ibérico in flavor and taste. The Fútbol Club Barcelona, reported to be Andrés' favorite on the menu, is well executed and deceptively assertive. Consisting of thinly shaved chicken and bacon topped with lettuce, tomato, and shallot mayo, this flauta truly shines. It is a taut torpedo of a sandwich and a perfect melding of meat and mayo. With one bite, the bacon might offer a tempting cameo; then, with another, the crispy ficelle or an array of shallot notes may rear its head for attention. And, unlike its cohorts, the Fútbol Club Barcelona is clean and unexpectedly neat. The Spanish Grilled Cheese is ultra-thin, crusty, and features a seductive blend of Manchego, Murcia, Valdeón, Membrillo, and fresh goat cheese (with the blue cheese notes of the Valdeón gaining favor but not dominantly). The Escalivada is Pepe's lone vegetarian option, which, intentionally or not, showcases the wonderful ficelle bread at the expense of the nonetheless tasty roasted eggplant inside it. The Butifarra Burger and Pollo Frito, featuring a pork loaf and a boneless fried chicken patty respectively, are good with an oozing tomato-based brava sauce at play on each occasion; but, they strain to be special. However, only the Pepito de Ternera is a clear miss. Its seared beef tenderloin is bland, chewy (even sinewy in spots), and, with its slather of caramelized onions and piquillo pepper confit dripping out at the edges without offering much in the way of flavor, this flauta is, in a word, unappetizing. Why the chefs at Pepe don't rein in the grease and fussy condiments to ensure a less messy experience is unclear. Although the level of grease may be tolerable (depending on the customer), the state of affairs surely makes for an aesthetically unappealing product. Oh, well...nobody said gourmet fare from a food truck had to be pretty. Just be prepared. read more

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I am sad that I spent $30 on two small sandwiches that left me completely disappointed. I am especially sad that I spent $20 on a sandwich that ended up being the greasiest meal I have ever had. I worked in a greasy diner for four years and I still remember a disgusting hot mess that I ate at Cracker Barrel in my teens, but this meal still reigns supreme as the greasiest meal I ever took a bite of. When I was waiting in line I had a hard time deciding if I should spend that much money on one small sandwich. My curiosity about trying the Iberico ham got the better of me and I went ahead and ordered Pepito de Ibérico (seared Ibérico pork and Serrano ham with roasted green peppers, caramelized onions and alioli). I also ordered the Spanish grilled cheese (Manchego, Murcia, Valdeón, Membrillo and fresh goat cheese) with a plan to split them both with someone else. The plan was foiled by grease. I was a little surprised when I was handed the wrapped Iberico sandwich. It almost slipped out of my hands because of the oil on the outside of the wrapper. My suspicions grew when a pool of grease started to form on one side of the wrapped sandwich. Oil overload was confirmed with the first bite. The bread was somewhat like a warm crouton - extra crunchy doused in oil - and the added alioli added additional oil/grease. The serrano ham on my sandwich had huge globs of fat and the onions and peppers were drenched in oil. Eating these all together was grease overload. I basically ended up eating the Iberico, picked at a couple peppers, and threw the rest out, which leaves me with a sad face even typing it. The Spanish grilled cheese was pretty tasty, with a good mix of sweet and savory. It was rather small for $10 though, and looked really unappetizing. Not that food has to look good, but I was a little weary before I took the first bite since it looked like mushy, moldy bread. I took photos of both this and the grease fest so that folks could get an idea of what I am writing about. Overall, it was a disappointing visit to Pepe. While the Spanish grilled cheese was not that bad, I would never pay $10 for it again. Whenever I see that silver glittery food truck, I will be continually reminded that their sandwich was greasier than Cracker Barrel, a feat I did not even think could be accomplished. read more

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Truckaroo Review This was not supposed to be the highlight of my Truckaroo experience, but it pretty much turned out to be, since Takorean was such a waste of my time. As I noshed on my Escalavida veggie sandwich, waiting in line for Takorean , I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty it was! I seriously had not expected much, but the ingredients were fresh and yummy, melted together tot create my perfect sandwich! My friend had the pork sandwich and that was great too! He wanted another one immediately :p and I had to remind him we were in line for another round of food, lol! :p Loved the fact that the sandwiches are designed to be eaten on the go, so they are not too wide and not too thick. That being said, the truck is definitely on the pricier side - I would not want to make them a lunch habit! :) Next time, I will be back for the gazpacho :) read more

-The people working at the truck are always friendly. The person who takes my order is always super friendly and helpful when I'm deciding between two sandwiches. She's the one who convinced me the futbol club was worth trying, and she was so so right. (probably my fav so far). The chef is also great. Although you'll typically see a line for Pepe, once you order, the food actually doesn't take too long to come out. Kudos to the chef -They started handing out loyalty cards recently (frequent customer card?), which I appreciate. I know a bunch of people in this area come out whenever Pepe is parked here, so I'm sure they were happy too. Only wish they had it sooner -The croquetas. For being fried, these were surprisingly not heavy. It was lightly breaded but the croquetas still had had a nice crunch, which gave way to the creamy filling. I appreciate the light breading so I can still get the nice crunch but enjoy the filling more than a heavy outside. Couldn't finish them all since I had the pulled pork sandwich today, so I gave the rest to my manager who said they were great! Also as a consumer, it's always great to know that our feedback is heard. I saw that Pepe was coming to Farragut today, so I didn't pack lunch in order to pick up a delicious sandwich. When I ordered, the person taking my order recognized me (probably because I go practically every week). They thanked me for my review and for being a repeat customer with a few goodies! It was much appreciated. Again, sorry for the long review. But if you haven't had lunch at Pepe yet, you are missing out! Writing this as I finish up my sandwich :) read more

Pepe - Pollo frito - Food Trucks Near Me

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I don't know who's the bigger jerk: Jose Andres for charging $12 for a lettuce & asparagus sandwih, or me for paying $12 for a lettuce and asparagus sandwich. Don't get me wrong, the sandwich was tasty, which is why this review isn't 1 star. But it's the same price as all the other sandwiches. Sandwiches full of atrisnal meats and cheeses. Do you think people would buy more of your vegetable sandwiches (and vegetables in general) if the prices were reasonable? read more

We found this truck parked at the Nationals game and immediately knew we were eating it for dinner. Chad got a chicken sandwich and I opted for the vegetarian offering. His was out of this world! The flavors were amazing and it was wrapped for easy consuming. Mine was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. They used a different bread and sliced it so it was not as easy to eat in a wrapper. It made a bit of a difference walking around the crowds with that instead of the easy to consume wrapper that the other sandwiches came in. This chef is well known in the area and I was glad to be able to check out one of his concepts without putting much effort into it. Next time I would love to try his newest venture, the veggie place where the focus is on fresh veggie bowls. read more

Pepe - Yummy food truck! - Food Trucks Near Me

Yes, the Pepito de Iberico is $20, but unlike a $15 lobster roll, which is made up from putting some perfectly average lobster salad in a roll, this baby, with serrano ham, roasted Iberico pork, caramelized onion, and grilled peppers with aioli took a lot of work and tastes as good as it sounds. I chuckled to myself with pleasure the whole time that I was eating it. Will I get one every week? Probably not. Will I be back to try some of the other, less expensive (but still not cheap) sandwiches? You can bet on it! Did i mention that it was not only the most expensive sandwich that I've ever seen, but it was also the tastiest? Well, the menu that I saw today, 3/11/2014, doesn't have have the Pepito de Iberico. You snooze, you lose. read more

Pepe - First day! - Food Trucks Near Me

So at first I was going to give this truck a pass. I didn't want to spend $15 on a sandwich. I decided to treat myself and bought the Barcelona futbol club. I made it a combo and got the chips and soda. Soda and chips taste just like you think they should. The sandwich was fresh but was a little sloppily made. The spread on the sandwich had more on one side than the other. A big plus is that the bacon was fully cooked and the meat tasted fresh. I'll be back to taste the other selections. read more

Pepe - Food Trucks Near Me

Pepe is one of the pricier food trucks that occasionally goes to Franklin Square and draws a line of people there due to Jose Andres' name recognition. They serve mostly sandwiches and small bites. The service is friendly and efficient, with about 2 people in the truck doing prep, one person taking orders, and one working on the logistics of keeping the sandwich prep efficient and accurate. I ordered the Spanish pulled pork and the fried potatoes, which proved to be a very filling lunch. Pepe does not skimp on its serving size, and the food is very hearty and flavorful. I'd definitely like to try some of its other lunch options the next time it rolls by. read more

Pepe - Spanish pulled pork - Food Trucks Near Me

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These few days that it is pleasant to be outside in Washington, it is time to hit the food trucks and have a picnic on grass. Farragut North was our destination and among the many similar-looking gyro-kabab-falafel trucks and few Asian options, Pepe looked interesting. The wait time around 12:30 was significant, so it cannot be a quick lunch fix, but more of a "Spanish" lunch in the true sense. There are a number of "bocadillos" and American-style huge sandwiches. I went with the Serrano ham and manchego cheese. It was simply incredible: With four ingredients, ham, cheese, olive oil and a fresh, crispy baguette I was teleported to Europe. We also tried the patatas bravas with aioli and the croquetas with ham. Both were nicely seasoned and super delicious. I know that I will be back for more. Yes, it is not cheap, but Jose Andres does deliver in the food truck concept. read more

PEPE! Yum. So excited that Pepe won the food truck lottery and will be at State Department on Mondays for the next month. It's been a while since I visited Pepe, and I think this visit is the reason I'm perfectly comfortable rating 5 stars. The last time I visited Pepe, I ordered the Spanish Grilled cheese. It was absolutely delicious, but the sandwich was small and I'd wish I'd gotten a side. I will say that today I ordered the Spanish Pulled Pork and the portion size issue (with this sandwich, at least) is a thing of the past. This sandwich is pretty big (heavy, too!), and for the quality of the ingredients, I can't complain that it costs $11. The bread is fresh and toasted, the pulled pork is tender and juicy and has a nice kick. If they'd had it, I would have ordered gazpacho to go with my sandwich, but they didn't (and I'm now plenty stuffed, so that's fine). Jose Andres definitely keeps up the quality at his food truck, I'm happy to say! read more

Im updating my review to include the gazpacho soup. Sooooo YUMMY! Some of the best gazpacho Ive had although I think Ceibas is slightly better. What I didnt like about it was the pieces of tomato and bell pepper that they chop up and put in it. If it was just a garnish, that would be fine, but it was all throughout the soup. Definitely pricey at $8 for the small container, but Im still glad I tried it. read more

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Love this food truck! The staff is so friendly and the sandwiches are always fresh and delicious! I recommend the Jamon Serrano y Queso Manchego or the Futbol Club Barcelona. One star off though because it's quite pricey! ...but worth it every once in awhile. :) read more

Pepe - Futbol Club Barcelona - Food Trucks Near Me

Yum, yum, yum! I indulged in the $20 sandwich and let me just tell you it was so delicious! Not sure I would go out and pay $20 again for it but it was definitely worth trying. read more

Pepe - Food Trucks Near Me

I have been waiting for a GREAT food truck to show up at Union Station FOREVER and this is it! Got the Barcelona and it's amazing! Thick cut bacon, crunchy lettuce, juicy chicken and the aioli/mao is delish! read more

Pepe - Delish Barcelona Club! - Food Trucks Near Me

I try to go every time it's at L'Enfant Plaza. I love the vegetarian options. The veggie sandwich is always delicious. I love the potatas bravas. The gazpacho is delicious. You get what you pay for- it's expensive but worth it. read more

I would like to make one statement very clear from the beginning of this review: This is unequivocally the best food that I have ever had from a food truck in DC. If you've ever read through my list here (http://www.yelp.com/list/no-walls-needed-washington), then you can see there's a pretty good basis of opinion behind that statement. Yes, some of (some being the operative word) the options here are expensive, with sandwiches in the $20 and $14 price points, but it is just as good if not better than almost any sandwich you would find in the area from anywhere, and it comes up to your location once a week for you (and spares you the tax and tip part too, which many people conveniently forget). But, nobody is forcing you to blow nearly $40 on lunch, as I did here, you can easily get away with only spending $10 and being quite happy, so keep that in mind before spouting off ignorant assertions. It was opening day, so naturally the lines formed quickly, even without an appearance by Jose Andres himself (this is his brand, and nickname, after all). Thankfully they had 4 or 5 people crammed into this truck at any given time, so the food was flying out much faster than I anticipated. For his first foray into the food truck business there was certainly no lack of practice and research into what makes one successful. There is however a $15 minimum for paying by credit card, so keep that in mind if you're trying to eat here on a budget. The sandwich that will unquestionably garner the most comments, and which seemed to be uniformly popular amongst all who I overheard ordering, is the Pepito de Iberico, which features seared Iberico pork, Serrano ham, roasted green peppers, caramelized onions and aioli, and rings up at $20, currently the most expensive item from a DC food truck. Is it worth it? That's entirely up to you. First of all, do you know what Iberico pork is? I mean, do you really know, not just know it's something that you're supposed to know is good. Because if you do know, and you take a look at how much you get on this sandwich, along with its salty Serrano companion, then me telling you that it is absolutely amazing will only confirm the fact that you were going to order it anyway. It's a marvelous mess though, so be sure to stock up on plenty of napkins, as the flauta bread is rather thin and does not absorb much grease. In possibly the biggest surprise of the day, the sandwich with no meat at all, but 4 wonderful cheeses, was almost just as memorable, for half the price. Here, even more than the Pepito, the quality of the ingredients comes full frontal at you, with the bold flavors of the Valdeon easily taking the lead. It's not quite as robust as its cousin, Cabrales, but is still one of my favorite blues. The Manchego and Murcia (arguably the best goat cheese in Spain) cheeses do well to keep it in balance, but the Membrillo jam (also known as quince to English speakers) plays off of it wonderfully with a sweetness that many will likely confuse with red peppers. This is easily the best grilled cheese that I have ever had which wasn't created in my own home, and even rivals those pretty closely. Then I ate dessert, and my world momentarily stopped. At the first bite I was sold, and luckily Lindsay happened to also be in line, so that I could share just how amazing this chocolate cookie flauta with hazelnut ice cream really was with someone else. I would come back any day in the future, stand in line for half an hour, and gladly pay $5, just to have another one of these. It's not so cold that you can't eat it during chilly winter days, but absolutely perfect for when it gets warmer and you want something cooling. The cookie dough is so incredibly soft and fluffy that it reminds me of a treat I had as a child which I unfortunately cannot place... (perhaps those Little Debbie "devil squares"?) and the hazelnut filling is simply divine. It's a rockstar of desserts and remarkable that it's coming off a truck. The end of a rather uncreative era in stagnant food truck history is hopefully over. I was getting quite bored, to tell you the truth, with recent offerings, but leave it to one of DC's most famous chefs to spark some life into this genre which was in desperate need of a revival. The king is dead, long live the King. read more

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Overpriced and overrated. I ordered the ham sandwich. At $12, it's on the upper end of what I like to spend on lunch but what the hell, it's the Jose Andres food truck -- worth the splurge, I thought. When my order was called and the guy handed me my sandwich, I almost exclaimed, "That's it?" It was absolutely tiny -- much smaller than the pictures on here would indicate. With that said, it tasted good. The bread was fantastic and the jamon serrano was a clearly of a high quality. But it was $12 for a sandwich the size of a pinky so I was not pleased. I can't think of a food truck that's a worse bang-for-your-buck. read more

as i type this, i'm fairly certain that i'm getting grease all over my keyboard, and i'm positive that i reek of pork. and i paid for these privileges! this review may not make me very popular amongst the foodie masses, but someone has to put a stop to this nonsense. pepe is overrated. i sampled jose andreas' notorious P-I-G; his pepito de iberico. the hype around this truck and its $20 sandwich (presently, the most expensive DC food truck offering), is INSANE. the reality? is a big ole' mess. honestly, i'm the type of crazy food person who will gladly pay $20 for a sandwich... when the sandwich is worth it. and i know iberico pork is something like $80/lb, so i understand the high cost. my problem is that the return on investment for this sandwich is pretty damn low. for your money, you'll receive a messy, smallish sandwich that would clog even heidi klum's perfect pores. the iberico is flavorful, but my piece was a bit chewy and tough; not the melt-in-your-mouth pork perfection that i was promised. it was a fine sandwich, not a horrible one, but for that price, i want the best sandwich ever. i'd love to give jose the benefit of the doubt, that it was a one-time thing, and go back to try the pepito de iberico again. but at $20? i won't bother. read more

Pepe - grease bomb aka pepito de iberico - Food Trucks Near Me

I've been amped to try this truck because there has been so much hype about it. I wanted to love this place but I just didn't. I ordered the Pepito de Ternera, which was quite delicious. The beef was really tender and the seasoning was great. The bread was too crisp and I had trouble biting into it. The portion size is tiny, just longer that a hot dog bun but equal in width. I was left wanting more, but not in a good way. After eating a couple of bites I couldn't help but think "This tastes just like Cosi's Steakhouse Gorgonzola Melt!" And for the difference in the price. I think I'm sticking with Cosi. Comparison: Pepe-- Pepito de Ternera= $14 small, yummy sandwich w/good favor & hard bread Cosi-- Cosi Steakhouse Gorgonzola Melt= $7.99 (plus tax) Mass produced, yet yummy sandwich, bread won't damage my fillings, decent portion size, free chips or carrots, free WI-Fi, tables & chairs At the end of the day, it's just too expensive and the portion is too small for a lunchtime food truck. read more

Creeping closer to five stars but...not yet. I really like this truck. I really like Jose Andres and his food. And I really, really like that DC is representing to the country that we have some damn swank in our food trucks. Take those hot dogs and Korean tacos and I will up you one Pepe and one Chef Driven, New York or LA!! However, other than maybe Red Hook Lobster Pound (and hey, it IS lobster so you kind of expect the prices), this truck and Chef Driven are the top of the price point for DC food trucks. Simply: you are not getting out of here for under $10-15 if you are even remotely hungry. And, unlike Chef Driven, you very well might still be hungry an hour or so later. That being said, Pepe delivers some seriously high quality sandwiches. Yes, they are smallish. But the ingredients are so obviously top-of-the -line that it is still such an amazing experience---out of a truck! I wanted to write an update because I have tried most menu items now (not the $20 sandwich, however...I don't care if that pig was eating truffles and drinking grandma's homemade port for its entire life...I am not paying $20 for a ham and cheese sandwich) and I am in love with two, in particular. I love, love, love the Pollo Frito. I know others have criticized it here for being dry but, three weeks running, I have had an awesome sandwich. And I never think to order a breaded chicken sandwich but, here? Hell yes. The secret is that damn brava sauce that also features on the burger (but really not burger) sandwich called the Butifarra. I have no idea what this sauce is, I don't know how they make it, and I don't care...this is one of the best sauces/condiments around. Ever. Like in the history of the world. And it is on the fried (although it is really breaded and flash fried) chicken sandwich. And I love it. They do skimp a bit on the peppers in the sandwich but, really, I think with the spiciness of the brava sauce it would be overload so I am not too upset by this. The other one fave of late is the other chicken sandwich offering, the "Futbol. Barcelona Club." This is the most upscale club sandwich I have ever had and whatever bacon they are using is delicious. This is a bit more of a simple sandwich and not nearly as "dressed" as some of the other offerings but it is WAY less greasy and perfect for taking with you if you are going somewhere else to dine outside of a three block radius. I really like the simplicity of this one and the fact that the quality of the ingredients truly shine without help from elaborate condiments (although, as I might have mentioned, I might sell a sibling for a vat of the brava sauce). Other tips from multiple adventures here: 1. Get here early. The earlier you arrive, the better the food and your overall experience will be. They normally open at 11:30am and I always try to get here between then and noon. Your sandwich will still be crisp and yummy an hour or two later should you decide you are not hungry yet at this early hour. 2. If you like/love Gazpacho, this is where to have it. They may switch it off the winter menu but get it while it lasts. This is the same Gazpacho of Jaleo and Andres' other places and it truly is one of the best ever. 3. SKIP the drinks. The tonic is bitter-ish and the Sangria is like those nasty juice boxes we (of an certain advanced age) found in our lunch bags or in the cafeteria as kids. Neither is worth the $2+ IMHO. 4. Keep your expectations in check. These are smallish sandwiches with gourmet ingredients coming from one of the most famous chefs in the world---you pay for that. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of bang for your buck here but realize part of what you're paying for here is the name. Other than that, ENJOY! Try to Pollo Frito and the Futbol one---they are excellent. read more

There are very few times that I give a full 5 star review, for anything. But today, for a food truck, I decided to throw down the 5 stars. Yes, I did enjoy it that much. Today the Pepe truck was posted up on 20th and L. I decided to come right after class and got there around 1:30. The line at this point was pretty long, but I didn't mind waiting since my friend was biking it from Georgetown. Once he got there we finally proceeded to order. I decide to splurge on the Pepito de Iberico, which is $20. Since I was there late, there was only one left. I also order a Pepe tonic. My friend ordered the Futbol Club Barcelona and a tonic as well. The Pepito de Iberico included seared Iberico pork, serrano ham, roasted green peppers, caramelized onions, and alioli between a slim baguette. The Futbol Club Barcelona included thinly sliced chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and shallot mayo also between a slim baguette. I loved the Pepito de Iberico. Yes, it is $20. Yes, it is small. But with that sandwich and the tonic alone, I was completely satisfied. The pork was extremely tender and juicy while the ham provided some savoriness to the sandwich. The baguette giving the final touch of texture to the meal. I would easily pay $20 for it again. I enjoyed it quite a bit. My friend loved the Futbol Club Barcelona. He has been to Spain before and stated that the sandwich took him back and also that the size is just like how it is overseas. We also enjoyed the tonic as well. Almost had a gingery flavor to it, but also some tartness like a lemonade. Different, but good. From reading some of the other reviews, some complain of the sizes of the sandwiches. Mine easily left me satisfied along with the drink. All in all, I personally think if you aren't satisfied (meaning your stomach is actually full and not your brain telling yourself you want more food), then you're probably are fat and overeat on a daily basis. Sorry, but not sorry. But anyways, I will say that I would pay the $20 for another Pepito de Iberico again. I do want to try the other sandwiches on the menu as well as the desserts. Unfortunately, they were out of those as well as a couple of the other sandwiches. Regardless, I have to agree with Justin C. 5 stars. read more

Its the superior quality of the ingredients and the flavor of the food that kept this rating from dipping to 2 stars. The food itself, without a doubt, is outstanding. The price is what's killing it for me. **For me**, the food truck philosophy is all about well prepared, outstanding food, conveniently served at an affordable/reasonable price. Pepe stands the price point of food trucks up on its ear. I fear that other trucksters will assume they can raise their prices as well based on Pepe's success at their price point. For me, Pepe's is a one-time, novelty buy at their price point. It was good food but I won't be back for $14-$20 sandwiches (that are quite tiny - and this coming from a guy who has lived in Europe and Asia for a combined 13 years). I hope others don't follow suit and assume they can boost their prices. In a way, its like Neiman Marcus plopping their way into the middle of a bunch of mom and pop shops. NM has its place and more power to the folks that can afford to shop there and enjoy NM's fine products, but I say leave the mom and pop shops to do their own thing. read more

I brought my lunch today in an ongoing effort to save money and stay healthy, but I couldn't resist when my coworkers decided to visit Pepe. Normally, I would hesitate giving a food truck five stars because the whole food truck concept, while cool, adds annoyance to the meal buying process. Nowhere to sit! Standing in a long line wearing work clothes on a hot June day! Carrying an exposed sandwich around until you get settled! It's not that those problems went away at Pepe, just that the food was good enough to justify tolerance. I ordered the Spanish pulled pork sandwich. I understand that Pepe's prices seem high, but I think that is probably just because the average menu price is high. My sandwich was $11 with tax, and I feel like that is pretty much how much a good lunch costs around here. And this lunch was good. The bread : insides ratio was perfect, and the slaw added the right amount of texture to the already delicious pork. Basically, whenever Pepe comes near my office, my turkey sandwich and Sunchips will have to wait. read more

Does not live up to the hype. It's Jose Andres for goodness sake! I was expecting more creativity for the price. I had the jamon serrano y queso manchego. It was good, but really, when will jamon serrano and cheese on a baguette NOT be good? It was nothing special. The baguette was really thin, I don't feel like it was worth the $12. read more

A few people have commented on the oiliness of the sandwiches here, and I also have to start by saying that if I didn't know better, I would think I was a mechanic working in a shop with no working water, so I had to wipe my hands all over the sandwich wrapper before I started eating. I guess I suck at wiping my hands, because I still got oil all over my sandwich. Ooops. Basically, my grilled cheese was the most unattractive sandwich ever, but oh, so so amazingly delicious. Looks like I will not be going back to The Big Cheese ever again. Unfortunately I can't comment on how full I got from eating this sandwich, because I was already full when I ordered it (I kind of eat a lot sometimes) but there's nothing like a greasy grilled cheese to further stuff your face. Since I was already full when I ordered the sandwich, I did feel like the sandwich was never ending. The length of the sandwich gave me the illusion that I just ate more than I actually did. I'm assuming if my stomach was grumbling when I came here, the one sandwich may not have been enough, but that's when I order the ice cream sandwich, right? I did attempt to order the ice cream sandwich the day I ordered the grilled cheese, but they didn't tell me they weren't selling them until after they had swiped my debit card. In any case, they gave me back $5 in cash for the mistake. I like refunds in cash. Thanks! read more

Amaaaazing!! I think this is my favorite food truck in Farragut. It's Jose Andres' and they have amazing sandwiches. I've tried the morcilla (blood sausage) with egg, their flan, and a bite of their futbol club! The club is really clean tasting and isn't too heavy. The Morcilla reminds me of Korean soondae, with a twist. The fig jam definitely adds some sweetness. The worker (agh I should get her name) recommended I add an egg, and I did not regret it, despite the dripping of yolk... But that just proves that they know how to cook an egg right! The flan was amaaaazing. The cream was really interesting, and added a nice texture to the flan itself. They also add a few slices of orange which cut through the sweetness with its acidity, which is a nice touch. The people who work on this truck are super kind and remember you! (: Makes you feel welcome and loved! I wish they were at Farragut more often! read more

I ordered the Butifarra Flauta which includes a ciabatta bread, pork sausage, brava red sauce and aioli. I skipped the aioli. I finished the sandwich with a few truths in my head: 1. The sandwich should cost $7 or $8, not $10. 2. The portion size was too small. 3. The truck line was average to a little slow. BUT(!) 4. The bread was perfect. If bread is bad in a sandwich it is a non-starter for me. 5. The sausage was packed with fatty and spicy flavor. A processed meat that is worth it. 6. I'll probably go back if I'm feeling wealthy and not starving. read more

1. Small sandwiches for a big price 2. Great ingredients, but overall not that flavorful 3. Bread was too crispy, ruined parts of the flavor for other ingredients. 4. Bottom line: just too expensive to justify. read more