Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod is one of my favorite places on earth. I discovered it in 2011 during my family's annual pilgrimage to Truro for summer vacation.
The first year we attended a wine tasting, last year we went on the vineyard tour and this year we went back on our first day in town seeking out the distillery tour.
Last summer we learned that the vineyard was planning to open a distillery and we were ecstatic about the idea of returning to taste their first liquors. Unfortunately, when we arrived we were informed that the distillery equipment arrived nearly six months late and that part of the business is not yet totally up and running.
Though we were disappointed, that day we also uncovered a new addition to Truro Vineyards, the Crush Pad.
The Crush Pad is a food truck created by the people behind Black Fish restaurant in Truro. From 12:00pm - 4:30pm each day they are parked at the vineyard.
The day we visited the sun was shining and the vineyard's flag waved us right in.
This is what you see when you drive into the property:
The vineyards lawn is dotted by bright orange umbrellas and if you look closely, you can see Crush Pad parked all the way at the opposite end.
The Crush Pad truck parks right at the edge of the vineyard, steps from the grapes.
Look how close the truck is to the vines!
Crush Pad is a great deal larger in size than many of the food trucks you see around Boston. That is because they actually tow the truck, it's not drivable on its own.
On the left side of the window is the chalkboard menu and on the right side is colorful surfer painting.
Once you order, you have your choice of multiple seating locations. Personally, I think these wooden chairs under the big shady tree are the prime spot.
I could sit all day with snacks and a bottle of wine right in this patch of grass.
You can also sit along the vineyard's driveway under one of the umbrellas.
My parents, my sister and I were all together for this lunch so there were several dishes sampled.
My mom and sister both ordered the shrimp and grits. After a few bites they realized there were pieces of Kobe hot dog in the grits!
My mom said, "The shrimp was cooked well and the sauce was savory and appropriately spicy. I wish I had a piece of bread to soak up the sauce. Though it's tasty, it's a little too heavy for a summer dish, dining al fresco." She continued, "This was just kind of an odd outdoor lunch option. Maybe cous cous instead of grits would have lightened it up a bit."
We all wanted to try the fried cauliflower which turned out to have a great texture. Sadly, all of the flavor was in the garnish (lemon zest, capers) which didn't stick to the cauliflower and ended up on the bottom of the dish instead of on your fork.
My dad ordered the niman ranch burger, or at least he thought he did. When our name was called to pick up our order, the burger was nowhere in sight. The staff apologized for not firing it up with the rest of the food and hand delivered it to him a few minutes later.
The burger came with your choice of cheddar or goat cheese and my dad opted for cheddar.
When he finished the burger I asked, "How was it?" A man of few words he offered, "This was a tasty burger for medium rare, but it was too salty. They did have an excellent bun, though."
You may have noticed there was no vegetarian option at Crush Pad. Used to this type of situation, I went into the Truro Vineyards shop in search of some protein.
I wound up purchasing a box of sesame lavash crackers, a wheel of cheddar cheese and a jar of apple and caramelized onion spread.
I was nervous about how I would cut the cheese without a knife, but the vineyard will sell you a bag with a plate, a knife and napkins for $1 dollar.
I have to say, I think I wound up with the best lunch! The cheddar cheese (a British variety) was sensational and we all couldn't keep our utensils out of that jar of spread!
Most people drink wine with their Crush Pad meal, but if you aren't in the mood, they sell two kinds of flavored Pelligrino and bottled water.
Though the veggie options were lacking on the day we visited, we went back on our last day in Truro to stock up on wine for the year and we noticed Crush Pad had a new menu item - a panzanella salad. I wish we had dined there on that day!
Overall, I think the Crush Pad is a fun addition to the Truro Vineyards. It's such a beautiful place and now they have given people yet another reason to visit.
Visit the Truro Vineyards on your next Cape trip at 11 Shore Road, North Truro, MA 02657.
