A Fat Sammies/Papa Roux Mashup

The mostly deserted curb next to a torn-up lot at 14th and Meridian didn’t seem a very promising spot for a lunchtime food truck. But soon enough, fans and Facebook followers of Fat Sammies Ciao Wagon started trickling in, hungry for a Sicilian lunch. This relative newcomer onto Indy’s growing food-truck scene prides itself on being a quality “taste” truck with Italian-style subs and sandwiches that won’t weigh you down when you head back to work.

 

But there definitely wasn’t anything skimpy about the meatball sandwich, this time seasoned with a signature “voudoux” dust and Creole seasoning “borrowed” from Cajun joint Papa Roux (8950 E. 10th St., 317-603-9861). Two giant and decidedly spicy meatballs came topped with sweet peppers and onions and a drizzle of that well-seasoned sauce—so rich and messy the thin flatbread we ordered it on didn’t have a chance. This was definitely knife-and-fork food—or a 20-napkin lunch.

 

More dainty were pancetta sliders on hearty little buns topped with a fragrant pesto spread and tangy pickled banana peppers. Tomato salad on the side of both sandwiches definitely had plenty of garden-fresh tomatoes, but it could have had a bit more vinegar or bite—or garlic? At $6 for each sandwich, Fat Sammies made for a fresh and affordable alternative to the mainly fast-food options north of downtown, and the friendly crew made sidewalk dining almost seem like home.