Spencer On the Go: The Newest, Hautest Roach Coach in Town

Who needs to invest in a sous vide machine when you can have a taco truck instead? The recession continues to bring out the street food vendor in some of the city's top chefs. First there was Mission Street Food and now Laurent Katgely of Chez Spencer has made the pilgrimage to Stockton—the land of taco trucks—to shell out 15K for his own kitchen-on-wheels: Spencer On the Go. (Not cheap, but as he puts it, "cheaper than a restaurant.")

Of course, the French chef is putting his stamp on the truck. When I called him yesterday he was working on its finished form, making it all stainless, hanging copper pots and pans on the inside and adding a window. The idea to serve small plates of French food from a taco truck has been with him for a couple years, but it took the insane popularity of the Korean BBQ taco truck down in LA to inspire Katgely to make it happen. There will be no kimchee in sight, but do expect grilled sweetbreads, frog leg and curry, vol au vent and esgargot puffs—all around $10.

If all goes as planned, Katgely will be down to his parking space in the lot of Oil Can Henry, at 7th Street and Langton, this Thursday, right across from Terroir, the Frenchie wine bar. This is no coincidence. Terrior welcomes you to bring in your skate cheeks with capers and sit down to enjoy it with a glass of rosé. The initial idea is to be start by serving Thursday, Fridays and Saturday nights from 6 pm to 11 pm or even later. To come: Stops at farmers markets and more. Katgely might even be bringing along Chez Spencer's 78-year-old blind pianist who has a plug-in piano for a iittle added ambiance.