The Bombay Wraps food truck, with its roaming platform of chicken tikka, lamb curry and steak boti would not exist without Facebook and Twitter. Its owners hope it thrives in the growing food-truck culture of Chicago.
Chicago ordinances used to require that food be prepared in a kitchen before being sold on the truck. Now, food trucks are allowed to cook food in the truck.
This was not a matter of concern for Bombay Wraps, a 1,200 square feet restaurant located at 122 North Wells Street that serves everything wrapped, perfect for a truck.
Currently, there is one food truck. The Bombay Wraps food truck has stuck with the downtown area for now.
Sohail Dewjee, the restaurant’s manager and one of three owners, said that the restaurant keeps customers aware of the food truck’s whereabouts through social media sites.
Where the truck will go is still being ironed out. The restaurant’s Twitter stream posted an update on the truck’s location on October 16th, which said,
“Hey
#UChicago this weather is amazing! I feel overdressed! No excuse to not grab a lassi and tikka wrap today! Get out here!!!”
Dewjee is accustomed to the restaurant business. Born in Mumbai (he uses the old unofficial spelling because it is more familiar to Americans), Dewjee said he took courses in different restaurants in India to learn more about the culinary world. Since then, Dewjee has been working in the restaurant business for about eight years and has owned two restaurants in India.
The truck started roaming the streets of Chicago on June 10. Dewjee said he hopes that the food truck will expand his customer base. He is able to provide the entire six-item menu.
The food truck culture has been kind to Bombay Wraps and Dewjee.
“The food truck community is very welcoming and they give us advice about where to go,” he said.
Dewjee also uses websites to figure out where the other food trucks are going. Some areas the food truck has gone are West Chicago Avenue and Trump Tower, just blocks away from the heavily traveled Magnificent Mile.
Dewjee’s two restaurants in India are now closed, but he believes that the food-truck Bombay Wraps will increase the business of the bricks-and-mortar Bombay.
By the way, you can follow Bombay Wraps on Twitter @bombaywraps. ❒
