The Great Food Race on Food Network is drawing attention to the gourmet food truck phenomenon. And there are several making a name for themselves here in San Diego.

One of our favorites is a bright orange roving coffee truck known as Joes On The Nose. Head to the biggest farmers market in San Diego on any given day and look for the lines of people by the giant orange truck. That’s Joes on the Nose.

Daily Specials

We had the pleasure of visiting Joes On the Nose at our favorite farmers market, the Little Italy Mercato. The first thing that you will notice is that Joes on the Nose is not a crappy lunch wagon. It is very clean, has a coffee menu that rivals Krakatoa in depth and creativity. No doubt this roving coffee wonderland would do just fine if they landed on any block in my neighborhood. They just happen to take their show on the road!

The team that runs the truck is equal in quality to the trucks outward appearance. They wear matching gear, huge smiles, and are full of personality. When theyasked my 7 year old sons name for his drink order the guy at the counter proceeded to engage my son in conversation about the meaning of his name. You won’t get that at your average Starbucks.

Now, onto the main course– the drinks. All together we ordered 5 drinks. All of them were excellent. I had the horchata latte and it was amazing from the first sip to the last. My son ordered a mango smoothie. While the small was too large for him to drink, he was gave up and said, “It is really good but my stomach is just too full.” (Daddy obliged by finishing the drink. For the review, of course.) My wife ordered a horchata flavored frappe called, The Jorge.  (Caffeine free since she is pregnant) My daughter ordered something with coconut in it. And our friend got the Green Flash… some sort of green tea slushy drink, which she loved. For those keeping track at home that is five 5-star drinks in one trip! This track record leads me to believe that everything on their menu is of equal quality.

If this place had tables and free wifi it just might have become my new mobile office.

Next time you are out at a farmers market or a local festival, keep an eye out for the orange truck. If you are on Twitter, make sure to follow @joesonthenose to find their daily location.

Here’s a quick, fun, cheap, family activity we did today. Even though San Diego has something like 300 days of sunshine, sometimes the grey sets in and you get a little stir crazy.

Here’s the challenge:

• Head down to the Little Italy Mercato. (Every Saturday)
• Give each family member $10.
• Let each member of the family buy their own lunch with their $10. (all change goes back to dad)
• Have a picnic at Balboa Park.

I can’t speak for all the vendors, but the ones we talked to who asked what we were doing– they loved it! Our kids certainly loved discovering what they could get for $10 at a Farmers Market.

And even though it wasn’t super sunny at the park our kids had a blast!

On top of that, us parents were pleased that the kids found something they each liked, everything they picked out was locally grown or produced, and they got to blow off some steam at a great San Diego gem.

With the Pacific Ocean as it’s backdrop, the Little Italy Mercato is a picture perfect representation of the 40 plus certified farmers markets operating in San Diego County. This is one of the many free gems which make San Diego such a wonderful place to live and visit.

On a recent Saturday morning our family of four piled into the car for a downtown culinary adventure. My husband and I were on a mission to buy farm fresh ingredients for dinner. The kids grudgingly accepted the task. You’d think we were taking them to the dentist.

The Little Italy Mercato is hard to miss because it runs across three blocks. We had no problem locating free street parking right around the corner. I also noticed paid parking for $7. The atmosphere was festive as we approached to market – live music and the mingled scent of food, flowers, and herbs filled the air.

Not just a food market, the Mercato offers something for everyone. I was initially side-tracked by a display of locally made jewelry. With a little help from my family I refocused and let my nose guide me to the heart of the market, the food. Never able to turn a blind eye to food, our kids loosened up when offered samples of juicy softball-sized peaches. It should be noted that the Little Italy Mercato is a great location for selecting locally caught seafood, as well. One unusual sample my husband could not resist was live sea urchin. He’s still alive after trying this spiny wonder! He said it was tasty with the texture of an overripe peach with a hint of brine flavor.

About an hour later our mission was accomplished. We walked away with dinner and several new experiences.

The Little Italy Mercato offers a feel-good feast for the senses. Next time I’ll brave the long line for crepes made on the spot from Le Creperie. My mouth is already watering.