Parched: A Beverage Profile.

My daily lunch dilemma was further complicated today by Hola Arepa's announcement proclaiming they were serving ginger mint lemonade. Having already set my heart on the crab roll, a special of the day at Smack Shack, I would likely still be thirsty. Lucky for me there was no line at Hola when I was walking by and was able to get said lemonade.

Most of the trucks have some wonderful and refreshing beverages to go with their food offerings-- long lines typically make getting just a beverage at the truck a near impossibility, but there are certainly some beverages worth the wait, and at around $2 each for a 10 oz. cup, are a bargain to avoid the old soda stand-by.

Dandelion Kitchen serves a variety of house-made sodas. So far this season I've seen basil-lime, lemon-ginger, orange-cardamom and my personal favorite: rosemary-grapefruit.

Hola Arepa boasts several different kinds of lemonade, including cucumber-lavender, rhubarb-ginger, pineapple-caraway, and today's mint-ginger-- which tops my list. They also have iced teas: blood orange-hibiscus, strawberry-hibiscus... And if you're serving lemonade and iced tea, you may as well mix them together. So they do, offering an Arnie Palmer.

Vellee Deli serves a watermelon mint agua fresca, Chef Shack offers an Arnie Palmer, get a strawberry lemonade from Fork In the Road, and Barrio Truck serves a variety of Jarritos sodas.

If you want coconut juice, you'll need to go to WSK.

Beware of trucks parked near the Cupcake truck.

Today, House of Hunger was parked dangerously close to Cupcake's truck which caused me to pile a salted nut cluster cupcake, and, well, a chocolate bottom cupcake, on top of my House of Hunger order.

You don't need me to tell you they were delicious-- but I can tell you it's worth seeking them out when you think you deserve a little treat. The folks working the truck are very friendly.

Hint: At between $2-$3 per cupcake, your safest bet is to buy at least 4 cupcakes so you get the cute and convenient cupcake box (pictured conspicuously empty, above). Keeps your cupcakes from smooshing together. We bought a triple chocolate and a red velvet for some appreciative office pals.