Curry Up Now

Love this truck. My favorite is the channa roti, deconst. samosas. Burritos are good as well. Mango juice!!! yum!

After seeing the Curry Up Now truck nearly everywhere, walking by the restaurant every time I eat at Osteria Coppa, and hearing a friend rave numerous times about how the food is the closest to the food she ate while she lived in India, I finally tried out Curry Up Now.
I’d eaten at Dosa Republic and LOVED it, so I knew the food would be high quality. But for some reason I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to eat, so I typically kept walking. But not this time, and I’m glad.
Props to the guy on the truck (sorry, didn’t catch your name, and I should’ve!) who took the time to explain the menu to me, and encouraged me to try out a couple different things (I went with the chicken tikka masala burrito). IT WAS REALLY GOOD. Thanks! The time you took to flag me down and talk to me paid off in a return customer who will tell her friends about your tasty food.

This is one of my all time favorite food trucks. The food is spicy, but you have to expect that. Personally, I love it.
Update: the store is good too. We’ve been there twice & the food was good & spicy both times.

OKOK Unilocal,quit yelling at me to finish my review! So what if it’s been sitting for probably 2 years? I’ve been busy, alright? Anyways, this is how my review started:
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So at work, we’re all about food runs. Unfortunately, we’re limited in the distance we’re allowed to go. Oracle is a little far for us but on weekends, the Burlingame location is just perfect. I’m also all about roach coaches. how else am I supposed to build up my resistances for living in the wasteland of the world after 2012?
I didn’t make the run this day, but the person who did said it was HELLA crowded (yeah, I said hella.). I guess that’s a good indication of the truck’s popularity, and somewhat of the quality of food. Overall, it didn’t seem like it took a crazy long time or anything.
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Alright, now to continue with the review. Since my first time at CUN way back when, I’ve had them a few more times. They now have 3 trucks (or is it 4 now?) and their brick & mortar store in San Mateo. It’s funny, now that there’s so many more opportunities to find them, I find that I’m actually LESS inclined to get CUN at one of the Off the Grid events. My feeling is that it’s so much easier now to chase one of the trucks down, I should try one of the other options.
That being said, the food itself is still very good. Their Chicken Tikka Masala burritos are their «go to» item and they have tons pre-​made and stocked in their warmer. Also on point (who am I, Guy Fieri?) are their regular and deconstructed samosas. I’ve also had their Butter Chicken in a burrito, which if I remember correctly, was actually more spicy than the CTM «regular».
On that topic, as I’m sure many have already mentioned, CUN’s food is HOT. Whatever you may have in your mind as «regular», «medium», and «spicy», kick it up an extra notch (who am I, Emeril?). Their «regular» is pretty spicy for most people. just know that going in. Obviously, some people can handle some super spicy foods, but I think most people don’t. It seems like some people like to get into a flexing contest on who can eat spicier foods. My thought is that spicy is fine, but if it starts to take away from the actual flavor, then I don’t want it. I wish they had another way to control how spicy your food was, and then bring down the spiciness level of their «regular».
Well, there you have it. a review 2 years in the making. I hope it was worth it! Now stop yelling at me to finish it, Unilocal

The Chicken Tikka Burrito is very good. To break it down it is Chicken, curry, and rice, wrapped in a tortilla. Despite its simplicity, the flavors are up there with what I would consider good indian food. Now packaged in an easy to-​go format.
I only wish that instead of a tortilla they would wrap the burrito in an actual piece of naan. But the tortilla works too and probably keeps things a bit neater and off my lap.

Thank you a million times over for making a vegan burrito option.
I ventured out today in the search of another tofu bahn mi (can’t stop eating them since Friday) and ended up turning the wrong way down Bush St (was heading to Happy Donut although everything within my b being is against getting savory food at a place that sells donuts) and stumbled upon the CUN truck with less than 2 people in line.
EXCELLENT.
I’ve walked by before and there was always a line 15 people deep and a whole slew of business people waiting for their lunches off to the side so I’ve always passed it by since I was never quite sure what was vegan and what wasn’t. When I stepped up to the truck today I saw they had denoted what was vegetarian and what was vegan and my empty stomach noted an audiible «HOOORAY!»
I’ve realized from my first Off The Grid experience that being 3 apples that food truck order windows are at least 3 feet above your head.
Tip: Yelling your order helps when you are short.
HELLA VEGAN BURRITO PLEASE.
Also, the tip jar is really high up so I threw my dollar up in the air and crossed my fingers.
Nothing but net. The crowd went wild.
Tip to Food Truckers: Lower the tip jar somehow? I can’t always make 3 pointers.
I waited no more than 5 minutes (go early, 11:30 or so to beat the lunch crowd) and was handed a small paper bag with a short squat foil wrapped burrito.
I managed to eat it at my desk with minimal damage. I lost some stray rice down my shirt but that happens often. I usually don’t realize until i stand up and do the «Shake-​The-​Food-​Out-​Of-​My-​Bra» dance.
The burrito, in my assumption, was a mixture of their deconstructed samosa rolled up with some rice and various chutneys. All of it was great. The little crunchy samosa wrapping pieces I found inside were like gold.

I tried this food truck at Fan Fest before today’s Stanford football game. I’ve heard a ton about the chicken tikka masala burrito and since I love both chicken tikka masala and burritos I had to get it. $ 8 seemed like way too much, since for a few bucks more you can go to an Indian buffet (based on Unilocal it seems like price has steadily risen from $ 5 to $ 8 in the last year or two… lame), but I ordered it anyway. It seems like a great concept but unfortunately it was so insanely spicy I could not eat it. I’m the first to admit I have a fairly low spice tolerance but: 1) this was THE spiciest Indian food Ive ever had, 2) chicken tikka masala is normally pretty mild, 3) there was no indication it would be so hot or I would have asked if they could make it mild and 4) it was a football game so i had no water or yogurt or anything to neutralize the spice.
I made it through about ¹⁄₃ of it before I was in too much physical pain to keep eating. I spent about 10 minutes at a drinking fountain and only another 10 minutes after that did I start to feel ok. I have been to many Indian restaurants and never have I had this much issue with spiciness. At a minimum they need a warning and ideally an option to make it mild. (It seems from Unilocal like there is a way to get it mild but nobody told me about this or suggested that it would be off-​the-​charts spicy). I was really looking forward to it and it was a HUGE disappointment.
FYI for those who have a very high spice tolerance — even without that
issue I would give 3 stars at most. It was too expensive and awfully oily.

Without knowing anything about the hype, my friend and I split a paneer keema for a snack. It had potential to be good, but was too dry with the fried egg in the middle. I don’t think I’d order it again especially at $ 6 a pop. But I would like to revisit the truck for its famous burritos ($ 7.50).
Another time around, Curry Up Now is amazingly popular, I tried the paneer tikka masala fries – their take on chili fries. I really really liked the idea since it combines paneer, ‘tates, and masala, but didn’t like the delivery. The fries come criss-​cut and soggy-​sog-​sog. There is far more paneer than fries, which makes for an imbalanced bite. And furthermore, it’s expensive! $ 8/​full serving. I do however like how spicy it was and how it was topped with raw onions that were mild (perhaps soaked in water prior to serving?) and flavorful. It really added to the texture and flavor of the snack.
Great service though I must say! I’ll also try the mango lassis if I get a chance. They just glisten «drink me!» in the sunlight!

I haven’t tried the burrito again just yet, but it’s on my list.
I ended up here for a team lunch and ended up getting the deconstructed samosa with paneer along with a mango lassi. Delicious! I love the concept of it and it came packed with channa with four little samosas. It is the perfect vegetarian meal (I’m not vegetarian, by the way, I just didn’t want any meat at the time) and is a good portion.

So I’ve recently tried Indian food (no Curry Up Now didn’t pop my Indian food cherry) and heard so much about Curry Up Now, so at my second visit to OTG Upper Haight we shared a Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito ($ 7.50). The burrito was so yummy! It had a little kick to it but wasn’t very spicy. I think I needed the Mango Lassi more for the spicy Señor Sisig burrito then this one. I just didn’t like the garbanzo beans because I don’t care for beans. I’ll eat garbanzo beans when they’re blended in hummus, but otherwise I just don’t eat them because I don’t care for the texture. We were also surprised that none of the curry dripped out or anything. The Mango Lassi ($ 3) was just as creamy & refreshing as the first time I had it.
Will try their San Mateo location or come back to OTG for another Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito… hopefully I can say no beans!

Ok CUN folks, you got that extra star and this is why:
I tried the CTM burrito two more times to check for consistency and what I found was a spice lover’s dream: Habenero!
My first try at CUN proved to be mediocre at best. I got a burrito with no sauce, missing some ingredients and very dry. This time around I ordered the CTM burrito extra spicy. To my surprise every bite had an explosion of spice. It was almost too much for me to handle, but I loved every bite of it.
WARNING: If you order the extra spicy burrito you are forewarned. They use habeneros and from what I heard Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili). You may find it extremely spicy so proceed with caution!
So yes, CUN, thank you supplying me with something that is actually spicy and saucy. Now if you can lower your prices and add a few other items on your menu I think you would have a 5-​star truck. Email me for suggestions! ;P

We were driving to San Bruno trying to think of something to eat and then we saw the truck parked on the corner of Howard and El Camino and the boyfriend immediately pulled over. I was excited because I read a lot of their Unilocal reviews and I really wanted to try it. We actually seen the truck at the Eat Real Festival in Oakland this weekend but we just finished eating so there was no way that we could try anything.
Anyways, I’m not sure of what we both ordered from here last night but all I know is it was delicious! We both love spicy and the spiciness of our food was perfect.
We had a chance to talk with the owner a little bit, he is a really nice guy. He was telling my boyfriend he’s had the truck for about a year and they first started on the corner of Howard and El Camino.
Can’t wait til we spot the truck again, I really want to try some of the other foods they offer.

Kevin kinda burst my bubble when he said
«So… why eat all these carts at once instead of spacing them out?» I thought about it. and realized. I am binging because I haven’t gotten a chance to eat them since I heard about them in the fall… oh yes. teacher on vaction heeeeeeeeeeeeeey!
So Treat Bot check. Sam’s. check… Lumpia. check… MoGo’s… hellz yes… which now leads me here to Curry Up Now.
OMG… I was thinking I was going to have to drive all over friggin Yahoo today… at the stoplight I was having a MFB moment… by a lucky chance I saw a huge line and an orange looking paint job. yes. I have found it! Found parking on the street and HOLLA! In a relatively short line.
I got the four buck samosa and mango lassi dealio. Quick service. quick food… Found a shady spot near the Cortina building and went to work. I had a bite of a chicken kathi roll and it was quite nommy. I am going to have to get that one the next time. My samosa was spicy and the inside I liked. the outside was kinda doughy but over all no complaints for me. The kicker (literally) was the weird burrito. If you don’t like spicy. like has a good thirty seconds of after burn where your lips are prickly I suggest you pass. Several of us had a bite and were surprised at the level of heat.
Follow them on twitter, facebook or their
website.

Woohoo! They have online ordering now! I once waited an hour to get a chicken tikka masala burrito – half an hour for ordering, half an hour to get my food. I couldn’t waste so much time during my lunch hour, so I was afraid I would never be able to enjoy Curry Up Now food again.
Now that I can order online, ordering has become a breeze! I put in my order during the morning (make sure your order is in before 11:30), specify a time, and my food is ready when I walk over! The wait for my food is minimal.
I have since tried their tacos, which are delicious. Today I got the chicken kathi roll: Unda (egg) Roti, piickled onions & chutney w/​chicken. It was the perfect size, and the meat was tender. Yummy!
To order online:
*sales tax is included in the price now, so it’s easier to pay

I’m downgrading because I got charged extra for chai when they didn’t even make any.
Desi Doughnuts are a bit overrated. It’s kinda like funnel cake with cinnamon and Indian spices.
I’ll be sticking with the food from now on.
Also: Get there early or order online unless you want limited choices from the menu. Check their twitter page.

Uh yeah, I am now a fan. Not sure I love them enough to friend them on facebook, but the food is really good. Chicken Tikka Masala burrito is awesome! Being that I am Mexican and all it is a bit different to have chick peas in my burrito instead of refried beans, sour cream guacamole and lettuce, but it’s very tasty and a bit spicy (the regular you can order it spicy)
with a lot of great flavors.

Follow them on Twitter, follow them on Facebook, follow them as they move every hour on Howard Avenue in Burlingame to avoid a ticket, follow the groups of people with their iPhones or other smart phones out, or if you’re close enough just follow the distinct aroma of Indian curry that can be discerned from over a block away emanating from this new model taco truck. In any event you are going to have to follow something in order to find the Curry Up Now truck, but you very well may be glad that you did.
I’ve tried a few food items from here so far — chicken tikka masala burrito, chicken kathi roll, and tandoori chicken tacos — and definitely have enjoyed everything that I’ve eaten. Ordering your food spicy also really brings the heat as I found myself wiping the perspiration off my brow a couple of times. Whether you decide to eat your food on the sidewalk or take it with you somewhere else, the food will stay piping hot temperature-​wise and travels pretty well.

Good on the verge of being great.
We saw the Curry Up Now Truck parked by the Walgreen’s parking lot over the weekend and I was really excited to try them after seeing them on Unilocal’s hotlist.
What I really like about their food is that they didn’t tone down the Indian flavors for the non-​Indian Burlingame crowd.
The best things on their menu are the tacos, $ 3 each or 2 for $ 5. My keema taco or ground beef was addictive with the contrast of flavors from the lime and their signature green sauce. I’m definitely making the pilgrimage to try all their different taco flavors. (
)
Where I can see some improvement and what’s keeping them from a 5 star from me was their chicken tikka masala burrito. Even though the white meat was moist, the burrito got boring quick since it was just filled with rice and onions. (
) I wouldn’t mind paying an extra buck to get a «super burrito» version. I could just imagine if some sour cream, a little fresh red onion, lime, and maybe a little jalapeño was thrown in there. OH MY SHIVA!!!

The aroma (all the spices) surrounding this truck makes it hard to resist. It was cute that something they were cooking was so spicy that it caused many people waiting by the truck to cough. Plus I liked how many people were standing around eating their foil wrapped Indian burritos in true street food fashion.
I could imagine something like this in India; I love how they sell Indian chips (Kurkure is the Indian brand of Cheetos manufactured by Frito Lay — soooo good, try it), mango lassis, Indian sodas (Thums Up, Limca). They offer free chai and have that condiment bar with delicious homemade pickles and sauces. Not all of the menu items are available at all times (e.g., desi donuts are available weekends only), so have some alternatives in mind just in case. There’s an express line for people who just want Indian burritos (they’re premade) and samosas. You can get a rice plate for $ 7. You can specify how spicy you want your food.
* Indian tacos ($ 3 for one, $ 5 for 2): These were cooked to order. They use La Palma corn tortillas. Each taco had two small tortillas. The tortillas were oilier than usual but they had a nice slight crispiness to them while remaining a bit chewy. Both my paneer taco and tandoori taco had explosive flavors but overly salty sauces. I liked the crunch of the onions and tomatoes (could have used more of these). The chicken was dry. Since the chicken and paneer cubes were so big, it looked like there wasn’t that much taco filling but it was probably the right amount (you could still fold the taco). The spice/​heat level was great (I asked for extra spicy but she said to try spicy) — not super spicy but definitely spicy. Fro-​yo would be a perfect way to freshen one’s breath after the meal.
Though it’s a mobile food truck, there is some regularity of their hours and locations (which I like). Follow on:

I know I can handle extra spicy.
CASH ONLY

We have Korean tacos, Chinese tacos, Vietnamese tacos (in LA), Japanese tacos (in LA), so now what else? How about some Indian tacos. Yay!
Curry Up Now (clever name) is a new taco truck parked on Howard street, near El Camino Real, in Burlingame — currently ONLY on weekends 10am until 6 or 7pm.
According to their website, on weekdays they offer family dinner catering specials ($ 24-​$ 60), free delivery within 5 miles of downtown Burlingame, by calling the posted phone #.
Super nice service. The menu includes a good variety of items, from Indian-​latino fusion of tacos, burritos, tortas (Mexican sandwich), as well as Indian snacks (Kathi roll, etc.) and food plates.
I sipped on a mango lassi (a yogurt smoothie) while I waited for my food order.
The tandoori chicken taco ($ 3) is just like a Mexican taco. The chicken meat was cold but still tender — in my opinion, cold but tender is better than hot and dry meat, so it was okay.
I added a couple of different tasty salsas, available on the left side of the truck. I’ll try the beef taco next time.
Next to the salsas, I picked some complimentary papadums (lentil crackers) that were great with the chana on my 2^nd dish — note that I used my toaster oven at home to crisp them up: 2 minutes on lowest setting.
The deconstructed samosa ($ 4) is an opened samosa that’s topped with chana (garbanzo beans/​chickpeas curry) — optional to add meat for $ 1 more.
This was better than the chicken taco (perhaps because it’s hot). Although I do prefer regular crispy samosas.
Chai spiced Desi donuts ($ 3) for dessert — VERY light, similar to beignets/​hollow inside, topped with powdered sugar and chai/​pistachio spices. Fresh off the fryer, LOVE it, Deeelicious!
I’ll revise this review when I try more menu items.
Get schedule and menu updates via Twitter or Facebook.
AND yes, they do plan to visit SF soon!