THE MODERN WAFFLE/THREE KIDS LOBSTER
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★
District: Food Trucks/Pop-Ups
Creative takes on Waffles
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Takeout; Breakfast/Brunch; Lunch
Standout Dishes: Chicken Waffle Skewers; The Cinnamon Roll; The Chili Waffle
It might seem crazy to start a restaurant concept based solely around sweet and savory takes on waffles. Similarly, who would think to open a joint specializing in lobster rolls in the middle of the Midwest?
And the thought of cramming them not only under one roof, but into one food truck? That just seems like madness.
Until, that is, you visit dual-personality food truck that houses both The Modern Waffle and Three Brothers Lobster. By morning/afternoon, it serves creative takes on America’s favorite cratered breakfast creation; at night, it becomes a lobster roll joint that transports New England natives back to their home.
THE MODERN WAFFLE
If you asked 100 strangers on the street what condiment they put on waffles, the overwhelming majority (if not 100%) would say syrup. A few might suggest peanut butter or Nutella, but many people consider waffles and syrup to be inseparable partners.
The Modern Waffle dares us to expand our minds and think a little bigger.
This food truck explores the whole array of what a waffle is capable of, from breakfast staple to brinner delight; from sweet treat to savory meal. Owner Jonathan Taylor, a trained chef with a decade’s worth of experience managing kitchens and instructing at culinary school, isn’t afraid to pair anything with waffles, and in doing so, he makes a great point: why have we put limits on the waffle’s potential?
Think about it: waffles are sturdy vessels that can be eaten with utensils or one’s hands. They have built-in receptacles perfect for holding sauces and drizzles, and they can fall into either the sweet or savory camp.
In many ways, they’re the perfect blank canvas. And The Modern Waffle uses the full spectrum of colors to paint with.
The food truck, which is available for events and catering, can be found for breakfast and lunch a few times each week at Trucks & Taps, Patio, an old Sonic drive-in repurposed into a food truck hub. The menu is comprised of a few staple waffles along with several rotating seasonal specials.
The Classic, The Modern Waffle’s base waffle, is relatively mild in flavor. It’s hearty and cooked to a golden brown so you can pick it up and eat it without any droopage, but it doesn’t taste like much on its own.
This is likely intentional, as it allows The Modern Waffle to steer in any direction it chooses. It can roll the waffle in cinnamon sugar and fill every crevice with a luscious cream cheese frosting to create The Cinnamon Roll, a sweet delicacy that’s reminiscent of its namesake without going overboard with the sugar.
Or it can turn 180 degrees in the other direction and go completely savory, as it does with The Chili Waffle. The truck smothers this offering with beefy, tomato-forward house made chili, sour cream, and shredded cheddar. The chili is excellent in its own right, but the waffle adds a welcome starch; think chili and cornbread, but less sweet and more portable.
The creativity really bursts forth with The Kong, which uses chocolate chips and a peanut butter drizzle to elicit memories of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Slices of banana add a nice sweetness, and peanut butter whipped cream ties it all together with a smooth richness.
With its sweet waffles, The Modern Waffle consistently employs the natural sweetness of fresh fruit to balance other sweet elements. The mandarin orange slices in The Orange Nutella add citrus to the rich, creamy Nutella and sweet whipped cream, and chopped mangoes brighten up the cinnamon sugar and Ghirardelli chocolate sauce in The Tropical Churro.
With so many enticing menu options, it seems unfair to be forced to pick just one. That’s why The Modern Waffle offers a Waffle Flight, which divides a waffle in fourths so you can try a quartet of flavors.
Fans of chicken and waffles will be delighted to discover The Modern Waffle also serves their favorite dish, but in a completely reimagined way (come on, you thought this truck would do something traditional and expected?!).
To create Chicken Waffle Skewers, The Modern Waffle dips breaded chicken thighs into its signature batter and cooks them in the waffle iron, producing an item that possesses the awesome flavor of fried chicken with the texture contrast a waffle provides.
Whether paired with syrup or the truck’s honey mustard (a thick delicacy that leans heavily into the honey side), it’s a delicious and clever take on a classic dish.
Nothing The Modern Waffle does is normal or expected, and that’s what makes it fun and special. It takes a product most of us have known for all our lives and flips it on its head, topping it with fruits, drizzles, and unexpected accompaniments (chili? pulled pork? pumpkin spice sauce?) for a special treat.
When it comes to waffles, don’t let your mind stop at syrup. As The Modern Waffle proves, waffles can be so much more.
THREE KIDS LOBSTER
Jonathan’s family traveled to New England each summer growing up, and he distinctly remembers the delectable lobster rolls. Even with hours of waiting in line, none of his clan regretted a second. He longed to bring these flavors to Omaha, and the food truck finally provided him the opportunity.
Three Kids Lobster‘s menu features two styles of lobster rolls: cold New England-style and a warm, buttery Connecticut-style.
The New England-style is Jonathan’s favorite, and it’s not hard to see why. The star of the show is the sweet, buttery lobster, and these sandwiches are packed with it. The rich, melt-in-your-mouth meat is complemented by a light application of creamy mayo, which adds just a bit of tang without overwhelming the dish. A touch of brown butter is added upon plating for an extra hit of nutty richness.
The kicker is the New England hot dog bun, which is grilled nicely to add texture and just a bit more butter-y goodness.
Jonathan says this dish brings him back to those bay-side meals with his family in Massachusetts, and it’s not hard to see why. These rolls are an incredible journey for those who’ve never experienced a meal on the East Coast; for those who have, it’s a trip home.
Alongside the rolls are several regional sides like New England Clam Chowder, Clam Strips, and Parmesan Truffle Fries. The Clam Steamers are a bit chewy and sandy, but they have that perfect delicate flavor you want in a clam, and a squeeze of lemon gives them just the citrus punch they need.
A few bites into one of these sandwiches and it’s clear how much these memories mean to the chef. He cooks from the heart, and his rolls are good enough to be served off a dock in Massachusetts.