A few months ago, I received an invitation to review a food truck and at the time I was busy.

Not the, “I have to wash my hair” fake kind of busy, but more of the “Did I put on deodorant this morning?” kind of busy. I was in a place where I was so busy with work, fitness, and the website that I was barely keeping my head above water. I didn’t have any free time and the thought of adding anything to my day felt exhausting.

Exercise? Sure, that was an essential item.
Sleep? You wish, Danielle.
Blogging? Definitely not happening.

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At the time of the invitation from the food truck, I was so engulfed in my priorities that I had to decline despite wanting to go. As the minutes, hours, days, and weeks turned over, I found myself in a different space with the chance to return to the food work that I love. It was then that I felt the Jesus, the universe, whatever you believe allowed me the space to finally visit the truck. With limited time to do anything I prayed that the trip would be worth it. Walking through Bunker Hill of Downtown Los Angeles on one of the few days I had off, I saw the bright green Triple Threat Truck. It didn’t take long for me to foresee that it would in fact be worth it.

In the time I was at the truck, I didn’t want to leave.

The sun was coming down hard on the city, but in spite of the heat it felt good to be there. The people crowding excited to order their favorite dishes, felt like family. The scent of the food wafting around me felt like happiness. I couldn’t believe how happy I was to be there. A smile couldn’t come off my face as I talked with the owner, Omayra. It glowed a bit more as I listened to her two daughters talk about working with their parents on the truck and their interests. It honestly, just felt good to be around the space where the truck momentarily existed.

What felt equally great was the food.

From beginning to end of each dish that Omayra suggested I order, I couldn’t stop but think of how much time had kept me away from this. What may have been my first-time having Puerto Rican food in Los Angeles, the Triple Threat Truck set the bar pretty high. The Tripleta sandwich with marinated pork, steak, and chicken topped with shoestring fries and their Triple Threat sauce was packed with all of the best ingredients you could ask to have. It was filling, it was hearty, and the sauce was exciting. Not to be overlooked, but I could have eaten all of the Tostones (above), fried plantains, that were on the truck. Paired with the same sauce from the triplet sandwich, they were mouthwatering. They were crunchy, salty, with a quiet sweetness that crept out of nowhere and drew me back for multiple bites until each tostone has disappeared. Well, I ate it, but ‘disappeared’ makes me feel absolved.

Jumping between those dishes I spent some time with the Mofongo. It may have appeared to be small, but it towered in its taste. Fresh and pressed green plantains were covered with pernil. It tasted like the kind of dish you run to when you feel a cold coming on or the kind of dish that greets you whenever you go to your parent’s house. As much as I could sit focused soley on the bowl of mofongo, the Coquito Bread Pudding came out and I was eagerly distracted. A traditional bread pudding with a twist as it was made with a custard infused with Puerto Rican Rum. Dessert with a bit of liquor? Sign me up. After finishing it, I knew that it had become the best bread pudding I have ever tried. Sweet, smooth, and with a kick to it, it was perfect.

Looking at the remains of food that I called defeat to I had no qualms in throwing in the towel. I was so happy with what I had, who I met, and that I finally had the chance to be in the moment that I was in. And maybe that’s part of the beauty within the universe. That beyond the phrase of “whatever is meant to be will be” is something bigger. That a hand working behind the scenes will create such divine moments where time can pass and seasons can change and still something will lead us where we need to be. That we’ll end up stepping into the place where our feet are supposed to be. For some people they may end up standing in the office of the perfect job or side-by-side with the perfect someone. But for me, that moment had me standing in front of the perfect food truck, with the perfect people, and the perfect dishes and it was as if no time had passed at all.

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