Truck Stop: Blue Route Taco Truck

The deal: It's dangerous to food-shop on an empty stomach, especially at the Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting, a massive store full of pricey temptations. As a precaution, we walked upstairs to the rooftop taco truck for a pre-shop snack.

The menu: Go with one of the beef, pork, fish, chicken or vegan soft taco options ($2.50 each or three for $7.50) or build your own taco, burrito, rice bowl, tostada, nachos or taco salad ($7.50). Some extras, like queso fresco or fajita veggies, are free; some, like arroz con frijoles or guacamole, cost extra.

We had: A Tecate-battered crispy fish taco with chipotle mayo that was on the dry side despite the nice smoky mayo and Mexican slaw, and a tasty ancho chicken taco with pico de gallo, queso and salsa roja. Our bill, including a can of Sly Fox Helles Golden Lager, was a reasonable $8.

Backstory: Blue Route opened in 2010, store spokeswoman Genevieve Greco said. The food-truck trend was going strong in Philly, so why not bring it to the 'burbs to "create excitement and differentiate us from some of our competitors."

How'd it get on the roof? The truck was tricked out in Florida, driven up here and lifted to its current perch by crane, Greco said.

Find it: Whole Foods Plymouth Meeting, 500 W. Germantown Pike, next to Plymouth Meeting Mall, 610-832-0010, wholefoodsmarket.com.

About the name: Germantown Pike, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-476, a/k/a the Blue Route, meet here in a bustling snarl of blacktop you can take in while you dine. Great sunset views, too.

Hours: The truck is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily from May through October, weather permitting. Thursdays into August from 6-8 p.m. there's a happy hour with specials and live, local music.