There’s a new lunch option for those who work near Farragut Square and other neighborhoods in the District — but it’s not a restaurant.
Hungry crowds gather around a brightly colored state-of-the-art food truck with festive music playing from its speakers. The lively tunes and pleasing aromas are a sure sign that the Fojol Bros. of Merlindia are near.
The side of the truck reads, “A Traveling Culinary Carnival.” Indeed, Peter Ormerod, a regular Fojol Bros. customer, raves, “They’re great! The food is good; it’s cheap and convenient. I follow them on Twitter.” The microblogging site enables Fojol fans to track the vendors’ whereabouts and make lunch plans accordingly.
The Fojol Bros. serve from 50 to a few hundred plates of Indian-inspired fare from a local restaurant, including everything from chicken masala to mango pops. The young men don mustaches and turbans to enhance the festive atmosphere, and a portion of the proceeds go to help Districts youths.
The quartet of “brothers” aren’t related, but they grew up together in Adams Morgan. Their families were very close — “Our parents were in Lamaze class together,” says Justin Vitarello, whose “Fojol name” is Dingo.
“We wanted to give our interpretation of D.C. and to accentuate the positive part of life. Colors, smells, diversity,” he says.
Another “brother,” Peter Korbel, known around the truck as Kipoto, adds that he attended school in New York City but returned to work with Mr. Vitarello and launch Fojol Bros. earlier this year because he’s keen to witness what he sees as a pivotal moment in the District’s history. (Adam “Ababa Du” Vitarello and Will “Dewpee” Carroll round out the brothers, but Justin Vitarello and Mr. Korbel usually man the truck.)
“The big business in D.C. is government, but we see an opportunity for other creative avenues. There are so many people with so many different skills in the city,” Mr. Korbel says.
“D.C. can change, and it has changed. It’s a sexier city,” he adds. “Getting people out on the streets brings together communities. Interaction helps bridge divides.”
“We believe in local communications and local change,” says Justin Vitarello, who mentors youths at his neighborhood Boys Club of Greater Washington No. 10. The Fojol Bros. donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the Boys Club and Mentoring Works2, another program to help at-risk youths.
“We think we’re on to something,” Justin Vitarello says, surveying the line of customers waiting for him to dish out some of Fojol’s finest.
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