Grounded, a seasonal food truck accented with blue, orange and abstract patterns, sits in the abandoned lot of the old Pizza Hut on W. Jackson Boulevard in Spearfish, S.D.. Unfortunately, many drive by not knowing the food and service that they are missing out on.
The first time the truck caught my eye, I pulled into the lot and was welcomed by the incredibly hospitable Lyric, who I immediately struck up a conversation with, and from there on, she consistently provided top-notch service.
She recommended many things for the warm late-summer day, and I eventually came to the decision of an acai bowl and a charcoal lavender lemonade. She made sure that she checked my allergies (good thing too because the acai bowl comes with kiwi, that wouldn’t have been fun), and I then got to sit and enjoy the sun, chatting occasionally with others who were waiting for their meals.
Once I got my food, I was sold, even though I had already paid. The bowl was an acai and spirulina mixed-base (at my request) with granola, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, shredded coconut, chia seeds and house-made peanut butter that Lyric, thankfully, talked me into trying.
The charcoal lavender lemonade became a go-to refreshing beverage while the weather remained warm. While the texture was a little odd from the charcoal, the taste was mellow, not too sweet and showcased the flavors of the lemonade and lavender.
While the lemonade had become a go-to, once the weather started to turn I started looking through their hot drink alternatives, and as someone who loves a good London fog, I found the next best option to I make at home, only because I can taste it throughout the process.
The tea was brewed correctly, not scalded which would cause a bitter taste to overtake the drink. They were subtle with the vanilla, making it blend well with the bergamot in the Earl Grey. They had also steamed the oat milk that I replaced the half-and-half with to perfection, making sure that I didn’t leave with a burnt tongue or a bruised ego from my over-eagerness.
In relation to the weather turning to the chillier side, on the first cold day of this year, Grounded hosted a special for grilled cheese and house-made tomato soup, which was just the thing to help warm my fingers and keep the cold off of my face. Going back to the basement office that the Jacket Journal is located in was made all the cozier by the addition of some good classic comfort food.
The bread was crisp and the cheese was stringy, and gave me a perfect, photo-worthy cheese pull. The tomato soup was loaded with spices and blended to a smooth, but still textured consistency that gave the soup some body, and a hardy quality.
Later into my Grounded escapades, I learned that on Wednesday nights, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the truck holds a night market where they serve smash burgers of all kinds. I found the time to make my way to the lot and ordered one of their secret smash burgers. While they did a good job keeping it a secret, it seemed as though they used a soft pretzel bun, dijon mustard and muenster cheese. The addition of a well-cooked patty truly tied the burger together and made for a filling meal.
I will truly miss this food truck over the snowy days to come, but in the end, it gives me something else to look forward to once winter has passed. I believe Grounded is a great food truck to try if you’re looking for something a little different during the week, or weekend. It had a great atmosphere, lovely food and wonderful service that should be appreciated by everyone in the local area.
