As an old saying goes, the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. The Happy Belly eatery food truck has captured the hearts of many students here on campus as it is a perfect place to grab a tasty plate of lunch.
Happy Belly is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, or until their food is sold out, parked in front of the concourse. The food truck has daily specials that change daily, which can be found on their instagram posts. They also have an item called the “Panda Pack” for $5! It’s a mini mixed plate, which is perfect for college students looking for an affordable meal. It changes daily, just like the specials, so this information can also be found on their instagram page, @Happybellyeatery. Keep in mind, the panda pack usually sells out, so get them while you still can!
Walking up to the food truck already got me excited to try their food. They even had some cute sailor moon stickers on one of the windows, along with a sunshade with their mascot on the front. The general look of the truck was quite welcoming, and so were the people working! When I asked what items on the menu that they recommended, the worker smiled and said, “Everything.”
I ordered the “Pork Katsu Explosion,” which was $15.00, but very much worth it in my opinion, as the portion size was quite large. Lifting the katsu to my mouth, I took the first bite and I was hit with a wave of flavors! My first reaction was just to exclaim “Oh wow!” before I even realized I was talking with my mouth full. The pork katsu was savory, sweet, and a little bit spicy. It had a mix of so many flavors that came together to make an explosion of flavors. I guess that’s why they call it the “Pork Katsu Explosion”! The texture was nice and the meat was cooked consistently all the way through with no extra chewy bits. If you plan on ordering this plate, be sure to ask for a few extra napkins, as it was quite messy. Overall, it was amazing from the first bite to the last!
I ended up eating a bit of it even before we got pictures, because I enjoyed it so much.
Angel, the illustrator on our team, ordered the “Country Fried steak with Chorizo Gravy” for $14.25. She said that “the gravy was bomb.” She told us about how the steak and gravy had strong flavors. The salad was refreshing as well as the side of rice, but the dressing was a bit too thick in her opinion.The country fried steak is a breaded cutlet of tenderized steak that is deep-fried to a crispy texture. She offered me a piece of the steak, and I tried it, but it was a bit too crunchy. I suppose it just wasn’t for me.
Serah, one of our staff writers, got the Shrimp Katsu Burger. The burger, which was $8.50, was a good sized portion. The burger had a sweet poi bun that was perfectly toasted, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. She said that the shrimp katsu had an extremely even crunch with a soft shrimp center. It was a mild taste, surprisingly not too heavy considering that it was fried. Serah also noted that she usually has food sensitivities, especially with fried foods, but Serah was able to enjoy eating the Shrimp Katsu Burger. The burger was topped off with melty american cheese, creamy sriracha mayo sauce, and fresh greens.
If you have the time, feel free to check out other items on the Happy Belly food truck’s menu, as we only tried a few things, and there’s much more in store for you! It’s a great option if you don’t want to leave campus for more food options.