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Gigi and Big R
Category: Restaurants Caribbean Caribbean [Edit]
38th and SprucePhiladelphia, PA 19104
Neighbourhood: University City
(215) 924-1210
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
Mia G. said: "Just look for the Jamaican flag. Get the curried goat, jerk pork or ribs! All the sides are amazing too: yams, greens, rice and beans etc. They also sell the curry powder. The recipes on the bottle might give you a heart attack…" read more »
14 reviews for Gigi and Big R
Review Highlights
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"The Jerk chicken is seasoned with lots of spices and herbs..." In 3 reviews -
"...entree with some greens, mac and cheese and their homemade..." In 5 reviews -
"the collard greens hit the spot and mac and cheese was..." In 3 reviews
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14 reviews in English
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Review from Ben W.
Philadelphia, PA
3/14/2012
I love Philly's food carts and this one definitely makes my list of favorites. I've been there several times and have enjoyed my experience every time. Their chicken wings are to die for. Fried to crispy perfection and juicy and meaty in the middle. Best combo ever. Also having just come back from a vacation in Jamaica, I can tell you their jerk chicken is fairly authentic flavoring, on top of being a fiery delicious treat. And their sides cannot be beat. Their mac and cheese, while not as "cheesy" as expected, is soooo tasty. I always contemplate skipping the meal and just eating a huge side of the stuff. Yams and collard greens are also pretty solid.
Unfortunately, they're a little pricey, with $8 being on the low end for the their dishes. However, expect to have leftovers! I usually make two meals of their large size. If you're just looking for a quick lunch and go, this is not your place. But if you're looking for a unique double lunch, stop on by!
Pros: authentic flavors, huge portions
Cons: price, wait time (sometimes)
Dishes to try: Chicken Wings, Jerk Chicken, MAC AND CHEESE
Dishes to skip: None -
Review from Olivia J.
5/12/2012
I got the jerk chicken with rice and mac n cheese (you get to choose two sides with your dish) Overall the price is a bit high for foodtruck food -- the total came out to be $9, even without a drink.
Can't say the food was worth it, either. Good call getting rice as a side dish because the jerk chicken is right on the rice letting the sauce seep into the rice YUM. But the whole thing was too salty, in my opinion. I miss eating jerk chicken in Jamaica. -
Review from Katarina M.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/22/2012
Yum! Just went here for the first time and will definitely be back.
Ordered a large wings combo because I asked the lady how many wings came in the regular and she said 3. I didn't realize they were full chicken wings (like not the half ones that you get usually when you order buffalo wings). You can stick with the regular size! The large comes with 5. And a generous serving of sides!
Anyways, the wings are pretty damn good. I wish they were the slightest bit more flavorful. She asked me if I wanted hot sauce or ketchup, but I'm not a huge fan of either, so I said no. Perfectly cooked and crispy though!
For sides you get two, and I got the mac-n-cheese and the candied yams. Both delicioussss. I actually loved that the yam sauce spilled a little onto my wings. It was like a sweet honey sauce on the wings. So good. And the mac-n-cheese, agreed with the review below me, not as cheesy as you might expect, but super delicious. And I'm always a cheesy mac-n-cheese lover. But this stuff is good!
So much food, I was literally stuffed all day, and had some food to take home. Literally that box weighed like 5 pounds it felt like! I think it was $10. Not bad. -
Review from Micaela F.
Philadelphia, PA
5/17/2012
I love food trucks and I love when they are awesome to scream about. When I was pregnant and too lazy to cook, this was my go to place to feed my starving hubby. Oh the jerk chicken is amazing as well as the oxtail. The collard greens are fresh and it is not can greens. The fried fish and chicken are delish. Fried and season to perfection. Perfect crunch when you bite into it. I love the rice and beans with a little gravy from the oxtail. Let's say I have tried almost everything and would recommend the this place.
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Review from Kyle D.
Philadelphia, PA
3/9/2012
I kinda stumbled into Gigi's today because my usual go-to food truck was closed due to Penn's spring break (I guess).
My food took a while to order but the guy was nice and said he was making up for it taking so long. I got the $10 chicken breast platter with mac and cheese and green beans and I would have bet money that my bag weighed more than 5 lbs. I'm from Georgia--I know Southern food can take a while to cook. But dude hooked me up for what amounted to a 15-20 minute wait and I will definitely be going back.
Not to mention the food is excellent. The breast was gigantic and had a ton of meat on it (giggity), and the sides were both great. If you've got a few minutes to wait in line for some excellent food you should check this place out. -
Review from Annie C.
1/15/2012
I usually go to the 30th and Market location, but I have been to the University City location as well. 30th and Market usually gives me a larger portion but I got a generous sample of fried fish (really tasty!) at the University City location, so each location has won me over in their own way.
I am a huge fan of jerk chicken, and this place comes pretty close to Negril. In a small platter, you get three large chicken drumsticks, cooked until it's falling off the bone. I don't mind that it's not grilled fresh, because the chicken sits in a hot dish of delicious peppery and spicy jerk gravy, so the flavors really penetrate the meat. If you choose rice and beans as one of the two sides in a platter, they'll ladle some extra gravy over the rice and beans. When you reheat the leftovers, the rice and beans will have soaked up that sauce, making it even better than the first time.
I also love the collard greens at these trucks, which they drain after piling into the styrofoam container. This prevents the juices from contaminating the other foods, especially if you choose to get other distinct sides like sweet potato. I get the mac and cheese if I'm in the mood for a pick me up, because Gigi and Big R's mac has that thick, starchy, sticks together, made in a huge batch quality, that is so (wonderfully) different from the box variety. Freshness is not my top priority when eating comfort food.
As other posters mentioned, the portions are big enough for 2 meals. At University City, a large platter ($9) more than does the trick, at the 30th and Market location, the small ($7) is sufficient. I can't imagine having a better home-cooked meal for less than $5.
It's a Philly staple I will definitely miss. -
Review from Josh L.
Richboro, PA
4/13/2012
The food here is amazing. I will admit that so far I haven't been able to stray from the tried and true Jerk Chicken, so this review will not cover other food items besides the side dishes. I have had my fair share of Jamaican food and I have yet to come across a jerk chicken dish that even comes close. The mac is creamy and delicious and there is no hint of bitterness to the collards. In fact, I find the collards quite sweet and well done. The portions are huge and amazing -- a small is plenty for one person and I have yet to finish one myself. While sometimes the service can be a little slow, the food here is WELL worth the wait. From what I hear about the fried fish, wings, and ox tail, it seems the rest of the menu is up to par with the jerk chicken. Also, you know winning a Vendy is no coincidence -- the food is that good.
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Review from Tom S.
Updated - 12/23/2011 1 photo
This truck is really, really special.
Ever since I discovered this truck (winner, by the way, of the 2011 Vendy awards) over the summer, I've made it back on a fairly regular basis for lunch. I've tried a few things on the menu, and nothing beats their jerk chicken. It's sensationally spicy, enough that it makes me sweat bullets while I'm eating, and take numerous breathers during the meal.
I get a large for $9 ($10 with a tip). I eat my lunch, and I'm left with enough to bring home as dinner for two. My lady friend almost bailed on a night out with friends just to stay home with my leftovers.
You can pay four times this much at some places, and never be as gloriously satisfied as this truck will make you. No joke - one of the best meals in town.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/24/2011
I walked down here on the hottest goddamn day ever, and like an idiot, ordered a large platter of… Read more »
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Review from Stuart C.
Philadelphia, PA
11/12/2011
Pretty sure they do this truck for the love of the game: At the end of a day, all the leftover food needs to go somewhere, and they let generosity take over.
Me: 'can I get the three sides plate?'
'Do you like fish'?
Me: 'ummm.. yes?'
And thus, I ended up with three meal's worth of food: side of Collard Greens, side of Cabbage slaw, side of Rice n Beans with jerk sauce added, two servings of tasty fried fish, side of mac n cheese (and I didn't even order fish or mac n cheese!).
Thank you Soul Food Truck. May your generosity never run out, though the candied yams might. -
Review from Lenny Z.
8/23/2011
I just moved to Philly and learned that Gigi and Big R received a Vendi Award for the best food truck this past year, the first year of having the Vendi Awards in Philly. Well, I'm from NYC, love food trucks, and especially love award winning food trucks. So, naturally, I wasted no time and put this one on my to do list.
My wife and I made our way to Gigi and Big R. First, don't come here for the great customer service experience. You will not get it. They are straight and to the point. I asked, "You have corn bread?" They answered, "No corn bread." My wife asked for the veggies side. They answered, "No, we do not have it." And, "they" is no mistake. The chef and the server make it a joint effort to shoot us down, no apologies. But, this is part of their charm.
I got the chicken curry, candied sweet potatoes, mac n cheese, and a sweet iced tea. My wife got the jerk chicken, candied sweet potatoes, and collared greens. It was all very yummy. The chicken falls off the bone. Make sure to ask for a plastic knife if you want more than a fork to pick it apart.
The sweet iced tea was super super sweet. I mean, someone got a little too happy with pouring the sugar in. Also, other than water, there is nothing to drink for the diet conscientious.
The imperfections aside, the food is great. In fact, if not for the imperfections, I might have given it 5 stars. Not only did it taste good, but the price is very reasonable, as it should be on a food truck. -
Review from Stephanie Y.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2011
This truck boasts the BIGGEST lunch box in the university city area and they're right!!! You can order a SMALL jerk chicken with 2 sides for $7 and save half of it for dinner. I'm not kidding.... and I can eat!
I was so bummed when my original jamaican truck left me with its delicious oxtail. But .... As I was walking from HUP, I saw this truck also selling a Caribbean cuisine. Jerk chicken and oxtail are pretty good. The Jerk chicken is seasoned with lots of spices and herbs and pretty tender. The oxtail is a bit harder, but they serve steak fries and it's great for soaking up all the sauce!!
I would make sure to come a little earlier. They're not the most efficient pair working together. Also, make sure you only tell her the size and entree. The guy will ask for your sides afterwards. -
Review from Christine B.
Philadelphia, PA
5/16/2011
I stopped by here for some jerk chicken to compare it with Jamaican Jerk hut. I think they are pretty similar, and at $7 for a small platter with a ton of chicken this is a great deal.
The jerk sauce is really good, being in the take out container though it gets all over everything, which is not great when you need a reprieve from the spiciness.
I got the mac and cheese and the string beans as sides, and they were both good. The mac and cheese wasn't the best I ever had, but there was a lot of it.
The chicken was very tender and very moist, and there it was mostly white meat. There also weren't really any gross chicken parts, just bones and meat.
There are so many great food trucks be Penn, but this one is definitely worth a stop.Listed in: Penn Eats
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Review from Lo L.
10/27/2011 1 photo
Gigi and Big R sure do it BIG! One platter weighs about 5lbs and can be stretched into two meals. Needless to say, you definitely get your money's worth!
The first time I tried Gigi and Big R's, I had the fried fish, fries and collard greens. While waiting for my food, I overheard a number of people order their oxtail. I decided that I would have to order that next time.
Unfortunately, they ran out on my second visit. However, the cook was nice enough to pour some oxtail sauce on some rice so that I could sample the flavors. So, I didn't get to try the oxtail, but I have an idea of why it's popular. The sauce was beefy and full of flavor. Looks like I'll have to pay Gigi and Big R another visit, but it'll be tough to give up the fried fish that I have ordered in the past... I may end up ordering both. I recommend pairing any entree with some greens, mac and cheese and their homemade iced tea (also served in a BIG cup for only $2). -
Review from Joanne B.
Woodbury, NJ
10/3/2011
got to check them out during mt airy night market in august. long line but worth the wait. got the fish with greens and mac. loved it. douse the fish with lots of hot sauce and your set. for what you pay you get a lot. more than 4 pieces of fish. the collard greens hit the spot and mac and cheese was great. this was satisfying meal. makes you sleep after ;)
