Omnivore - How much is too much for food truck food?

• Eric Celeste’s iPhone

Tried out the Ibiza Bites food truck yesterday, as it was parked just downstairs from our Atlantic Station digs. (Check that Facebook link for its daily schedule.) In the email announcing its presence, I saw several dishes that made me drool at my desk:

• Grilled Tender Steak & Creamy Horseradish over Fingerling Potato Salad & Warm Smoked Bacon Dijon Vinaigrette

• Bison Short Ribs Over Stone Ground Cheddar Grits Finished with Demi Glaze

• Lobster Mac & Cheese (A Customer Favorite Now Added To Our Daily Menu)-Lobster, Corn, & Leeks Sautéed over Southern Style Mac & Cheese

• Asparagus & Fingerling Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Before I went downstairs, I decided on the steak and potatoes for lunch and figured I’d grab the lobster mac & cheese for dinner. Then I saw the prices: I think it was $8.50 for the steak (pricey, but reasonable if great) and $10 for the lobster m&c.

As you can see from the photo, I got both. And they were really delish: the steak even had a hint of crispy char, well-cooked, and the potatoes were slightly firmer than normal, which I actually like. And the lobster mac, ohmystars — it was so rich, so creamy, so decadent that I had to have a few bites and then share it with staff.

But when I told folks the price I’d paid for each, they all were taken aback. It just *seems* like that’s too much to pay for food-truck food, even though if I’d bought the exact same thing at a good restaurant, I don’t think folks would have been as concerned. (And they don’t accept tips, which keeps the price exactly as marked.)

Looked like the Ibiza Bites folks had a steady stream of customers, so I’m asking this more because I’m curious than because I think I was overcharged, but what do you think is too much to pay for food truck food?