Dayton-based food truck
Spring Valley, OH 45370
Facebook page
Spring is finally afoot in Ohio, and this year brings a very welcome new trend here in Dayton. I’ve been reading about a ton of new food trucks which have been starting up in the winter months, and while a few of them have remained active through the cold snap, they’ve been hard to spot. Per reader request, I thought I’d take the chance to go searching. And I found Harvest. Founded in Spring Valley by Patrick Sartin, this truck seems to prefer the southern and eastern parts of town, with a special message pf promoting localvore cuisine.
I’ll admit, it was a real learning experience for me to find out how many different foods are produced locally; it’s easy to pass by farm fields in Ohio and assume they’re all corn. Not only does Harvest source most of its ingredients from around Dayton, it also has a rotating menu each month with new dishes. Sartin and his truck sought to showcase the variety of foods that can come from local ingredients, and he certainly appears to have succeeded. The “pot luck” has to be my favorite; it’s braised beef brisket with a horseradish sauce and onions served on a roll. Delicious. The brisket is juicy and tender, and the horseradish sauce seasons it nicely. Served with a side of sweet potato chips, it’s very savory, though the chips could have used a little more seasoning. Definitely left me wanting to come back.
Also on the menu at one time or another are a turkey burger with cranberry mayo, fish tacos with jicima slaw, and a chicken tortilla soup. Bring something to drink, all of the food is on the savory side, but it’s very filling. And it’s absolutely worth a special trip. It tastes just a little better knowing the ingredients come from right here in Dayton.
A locally-sourced meal with comparable prices to the kind of food you can buy at a big chain restaurant. That’s a real challenge to pull off. Fortunately, Harvest has accomplished the mission it set out to do; I feel a little more aware of what food Dayton has to offer, and I’m frankly a little excited to see what kinds of local cuisine others can pull off, too. Next time I spot this green and black truck, I know I’ll make a special detour to grab some delicious food. I think you should, too.
Recommendations
- The truck doesn’t seem to have a regular spot, it seems to float around Kettering, Beavercreek, and Yellow Springs pretty frequently. You’ll want to check the calendar on the Facebook page to see when they head your way.
- Some of the menu items appear to change now and then, so if you want to try something that looks good, I suggest trying sooner than later.
- Some of the food is also a little salty. It’s not a huge problem, but make sure you have something to drink.
Another Food Critic 