Maine-ly Meatballs

Out for a walk from the Old Port to the East End I was looking forward to a dog from Perry who wasn’t there, gasp! But hey, I heard Fish n Ships was going to be up on the hill so I climbed the hill and didn’t see them either, shoot!
And then I remembered! I just started following Main– ly Meatballs on FB and saw that they would be on Spring Street until 2, I had ½hr to make it from Fort Allen Park… I was on a mission. I have been wanting to try this truck out for some time now. Seeing the truck still there was a beacon, a sign, my turn had come… Balls were mine.
The sign was simple… Size of sandwich, price w side (pasta salad or fruit salad) and drinks. Nice and simple. Cheese? Yes, two kinds but also without for those like me.
The lady was super nice and while I ordered mine without bread and she put it on a roll, which she realized and offered to rectify but I said no biggie since I’m not a GF, just trying to drop the waist line. The food looked yummy and it was. The meatballs were good and the sauce very approachable for all tastes. The bread (yup, I couldn’t resist) was the right amount of chewy and crusty. My fruit salad side was a nice refresher after my 9500 step walk to meatballs!
I’m glad I followed her on FB and finally had a chance to snag some balls!
My one issue is that I will eat beef, but would prefer other options like turkey or chicken or even a vegan option. I went here assuming that beef was my only option and made peace with it. It wasn’t until I read a different Unilocaler’s review that I discovered there were other options. While I like a simple menu… I would have chosen non-​beef if I had realized I could.

Fantastic! Exceeded all expectations! My wife and I shared one of the two baller sandwiches with the traditional red sauce and it was so good. Pillowy crusty bread and rich delicious eat and sauce. Simple but oh so good! I will certainly have to try go back again.

I wasn’t very impressed. Our meatball sandwiches weren’t worth the $ 7 as they weren’t anything special and fell apart instantly. Was expecting a lot more than what I got.

I LOVE FOOD TRUCKS. I, sometimes, do not like being social. And so the idea of running up to a motorized vehicle, throwing some money in a window, and getting some food back in return delights my very being. I don’t have to say much, or do much, or pretend that I’m really interested in something I’m not… I’m just fed for the sake of being fed, and it’s a transaction that leaves me very satisfied. Except there are many food trucks in Portland I a) am leery of their cleanliness, b) find their staff to be annoyingly disinterested; c) am stunned at their ridiculously high prices; d) can’t eat at because of their lack of options for vegetarians (which I know is «my fault» not theirs). When I heard of Maine-​ly Meatballs, I was intrigued. Meatballs? For cheap?
AND they cater to carnivores, gluten-​free carnivores, poultrarians, vegetarians, gluten-​free vegetarians, and occasionally vegans!?!
Why, yes, they had my attention.
My cohort was NOT happy we were coming here for lunch. «It’s a MEATball truck. Meaning there’s gonna be MEAT lying everywhere. Meaning our balls are gonna be touching other MEATy balls» (*titter*). His worries were invalid — the vegan balls were handled with care (*guffaw*); and, we both appreciated that we could clearly see the ingredients inside them — mushrooms, quinoa, etc. Were they perfect? No. They were kind of mushy and moderately under-​seasoned. But the red sauce was AMAZING (I would kind of like Maine-​ly Meatballs to make balls made of just deep fried cheese that I could just eat with a spoon out of some of that sauce) and the thick cucumber yogurt sauce was lick-​the-​paper-​plate clean (yes, that happened — I could have just drank it out of a cup… I don’t regret telling you this, we’re all friends here). By the last bite, my once hesitant lunch mate was making plans to come back specifically to try the regular (read: gluten filled) vegetarian ones on a bun as soon as he could (and they were available). I can’t lie… I plan on doing the same thing. One of the foods I love as a vegetarian are «meat“ball subs; and, I can’t wait to be able to just grab one here confidently knowing they’re safe for me to eat!
You know what else makes this place rock? When ordering — you get to make a lot of «ball» references, all of which are totally appropriate and necessary given the circumstance. Comments like «how do those balls taste?» or «how many balls will fill me up?» are commonplace. How is that not ridiculously entertaining?!
But you know what really takes the cake here? Jeanne, the owner/​chef extraordinaire. When I started writing this review, I was a solid four. But then I remembered how kind, warm, thoughtful, and real Jeanne is. She went out of her way to make me vegan meatballs today after telling me yesterday it wasn’t something she planned on doing. Who does that!!! Who is THAT accommodating to a stranger?! Guess what, all other food trucks of Portland, she’s got a magic ingredient many of you don’t have… love. It may sound trite or silly, but you can tell when someone is passionate about what they do. Jeanne is pouring her heart and soul into this… It doesn’t matter if you order something from her or not, you’re gonna leave her food truck feeling a little more content with life after meeting her!
Also… balls.