dining guide

CLOCKWISE: Shakshuka combines a zesty tomato
base with poached eggs; a pita sandwich from
TruckShuka; the traditional Israeli sabich sandwich
is gaining popularity here.

TruckShuka W
Offers a
Taste of
Jerusalem

ALLISON JACOBS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

hen Jerusalem native Benji
Benoliel moved to the United
States 15 years ago, he had
no intention of parting with his Israeli
roots.
From a young age, he was enthralled
by Israeli cuisine. Growing up, prepar-
ing homemade meals was more com-
mon than venturing to restaurants, and
Benoliel picked up on cooking tech-
niques with ease.
Even in the midst of his real estate
career in New York, he continued to host
meals with his wife, Jessica Blake. After
a move back to Blake’s hometown of
Huntington Woods, Benoliel was ready
for a new venture.
After exploring the Detroit food scene,
he noticed Israeli cuisine was sparse.
Not only did he long for his favorite
dishes, but he also felt locals were miss-
ing out.
Benoliel and Blake put their heads
together, developing the idea of an
Israeli-inspired food truck. Benoliel was

strict about making everything from
scratch, and he focused on dishes read-
ily available on the street corners of
Jerusalem.
He was especially eager to introduce
locals to shakshuka, a zesty tomato-
based dish filled with red pepper and
poached eggs.
After weeks of brainstorming, the
name TruckShuka felt like the perfect
fit. Aside from shakshuka, the menu
also features street eats like shawarma,
hummus bowls and a sabich sandwich.
Benoliel borrows from the traditional
sabich recipe, which involves plenty
of hardboiled eggs, roasted eggplant,
tomato and cucumber salad, and a
generous drizzle of tahini nestled in a
fluffy pita.
“We [Israelis] think it’s the best thing
you’ll ever eat,” Benoliel says. Since
TruckShuka hit the road, people are
beginning to catch onto the sabich
craze.
When TruckShuka began its journey
in April 2017, Benoliel admits it was
challenging to gain momentum amidst
the multitude of food trucks.
Nevertheless, he reached out to local
breweries, booked catering events and
made a statement at fundraisers.
As TruckShuka continued to make
appearances, word caught on about
Benoliel’s cooking. Before he knew it,
the truck became a regular at popu-
lar sites such as Campus Martius and
Eastern Market.
“People you would never think come
by the truck,” Benoliel says. “It gives me
a lot of pride.”
While he gets a kick out of watching
new customers taste his delicacies, he
has an affinity for helping the Jewish
community. Most recently, TruckShuka
partnered with NEXTGen Detroit, Yad
Ezra and the University of Michigan
Hillel.
Early on, TruckShuka gained expo-
sure at the Michigan Jewish Food
Festival, and Benoliel is eager to attend
this year’s event on Aug. 26 at Eastern
Market.
In addition to Jewish-affiliated events,
TruckShuka is always a hit at private
parties and corporate lunches.
Now that Benoliel has shifted careers
for good, his passion for sharing his
favorite recipes has become his full-time
job.
TruckShuka is all about showing peo-
ple true Israeli hospitality and ensuring
no customer walks away hungry. •

Visit truckshuka.com or follow the truck around
town (@TruckShuka) on Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram.

jn

August 2 • 2018

43

