With so many delicious food trucks and carts around town, someone needs to test them out.  I volunteer.

Most food trucks develop around a specific theme (burgers, tacos, arepas, cupcakes, etc.) but the offerings at the green and white Vernalicious truck are much more varied. “I just LOVE comfort food,” said Verna, owner, operator, face and namesake of the truck. That comfort was clear to me from the start, as the first time I caught up with the truck the menu was full of grilled cheese sandwiches, which happen to be among my all-time favorites.

Throughout the summer, the Vernalicious staff was also been serving up BBQ in various forms, including inside grilled cheese (pictured above). Yes, perfectly crispy and melty grilled cheese with saucy, cooked-until-it-falls-apart pork or chicken inside. It’s a revelation. I also found a Twitter mention of “griddled mac & cheese” so alluring that I made a special trip to investigate, and was very happy to discover two crispy-edged blocks of mac & cheese on my BBQ pork platter.

Verna explained that develops the menu for the truck based on what she likes to eat and what’s in season, and she goes to great lengths to get the freshest local produce and other local ingredients. I was lucky enough to snag a caprese grilled cheese in the prime of summer when tomatoes were at their peak, but now that the weather has turned cool, the menu has turned to heartier fare like soup and spicy banh mi-inspired chicken burgers (pictured above). I’m very much looking forward to the continued cooler weather, especially if it brings rib-sticking fare like pierogies, biscuits, pot roasts and stews like Verna is brainstorming for the months ahead.

Just as the menu varies, so does the location of the truck. Keep in touch on Twitter and Facebook to stay apprised of the current location and offerings of Vernalicious. You never know when specialties like grilled Nutella banana bacon on perfect Le Bus bread are going to make their appearance!

This weekend, Friday and Saturday October 19 & 20, catch Vernalicious at Ritz East for the Philadelphia Film Fest.