This weekend was the second time I went to El Pincho Man for a 2 a.m. snack.
El Pincho Man is a Cuban man who bought a small truck and built a kitchen inside of it. He drives out to a warehouse parking lot in Miami Lakes, parks and waits for his clientele. What once consisted of late night club-goers, his clientele has now expanded to include a range from families with their kids to couples with dogs.
El Pincho Man used to be in Downtown Miami until he was told to find another place to park. The problem is that some of his customers throw their trash on the floor, despite the numerous trash cans he sets up, and he gets in trouble for littering.
You'll know you're in the right Miami Lakes warehouse complex when you spot about 30 cars parked (including tow trucks; hey, the drivers have to eat, too) and people setting up a camp site with chairs and tables, people sitting on top of their cars and two long lines stemming from a white truck.
Patrons line up at the back of the open truck to place their order (everything costs $5): Off the Chain Burger, a cheeseburger with the special and super-secret Pincho sauce and Cuban fries; a Sammy Dog, a hot dog with Pincho sauce and Cuban fries; and a chicken or steak pincho in a hot dog bun with Pincho sauce and Cuban fries.
After placing your order, you stand in the line that extends from a window on the side of the truck to await your food and pay... cash only.
With your delicious food in hand, you can either sit in your car, on top of your car or stand to enjoy your meal.
For the Pincho Man fanatics, you can even buy a shirt or sticker that reads "I love Pincho Man."
Most of all, eating at El Pincho Man is an experience: it's the Fast and the Furious-like collection of cars mixed in with the construction workers' wait at the Lonchero truck.
El Pincho Man is up and running Friday and Saturday nights from 11 p.m. to about 4 a.m.
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