To this point in its history, Not Bad Foods has been something of a moving target. For its first two-plus years in operation, the upstart dining endeavor existed in an exclusively mobile sense, serving an ever-rotating menu of “food that doesn’t suck” from behind folding tables set up at local festivals, bar pop-ups, and private functions in need of catering.
The man behind the food purveyor with a Midwest modest name is Scott Zajork. Since starting his culinary journey at a Waukesha County Tumbleweed location more than 20 years ago, Zajork has subsequently run kitchens in Kenosha, then moved to Milwaukee to develop his skills at respected local restaurants like Goodkind, DanDan, Vanguard, and the now-defunct likes of Bonobo American Bistro, Snack Boys, and the Foxfire food truck.
During his free time, Zajork was occasionally called upon by friends and local businesses to provide the food element to their events, which found him setting up shop at a wide variety of settings and adjusting the menu to suit the situation.
“We started doing tent pop-ups, motorcycle shows, pop-ups at bars, parties, and things along those lines,” Zajork says. “Those went well and it started taking off, and from there it started evolving.”
As word spread, he decided to take a sizable next step by moving Not Bad Foods into a dedicated trailer, which he had custom built in Texas to fit his specifications. Less than three months ago, the brand new Not Bad Foods trailer made its way to Milwaukee and set up shop on the patio behind Bad Moon Saloon, where Zajork says he plans to be stationed for the long haul.
“I was kind of their go-to guy for food at some of their events,” Zajork says. “I never really wanted to have a truck that I had to tow around and drive around. That whole aspect can be a little bit cumbersome. I was trying to settle in somewhere that already had a built-in following. I saw an opportunity, I presented it to them, and they were super enthused about having me here.”
Having a permanent site locked in, the once nomadic restaurateur now has the flexibility to make changes to the menu, offer specials, and focus on seasonal ingredients for self-described “comfort food with a twist” delicacies that nod to many of the stops on his vast and varied culinary path.
Expect to see options with an Asian influence listed on the chalkboard alongside tacos, specialty hot dogs, and an array of other items prepared on the trailer’s open flame grill—which Zajork says is something of a rarity in the mobile kitchen format. While versatile, customers can also expect some standbys at Not Bad Foods.
“There will always be a couple sandwiches, a couple skewers, and a couple snacks that are appetizer-sized,” Zajork says. “There will always be a chicken sandwich on the menu and there will always be a baguette sandwich on the menu.”
With a new, fully-equipped trailer and a stationary place to serve outside Bad Moon Saloon on a weekly basis, the future looks, well, pretty good for Not Bad Foods.
There will be a Not Bad Grand Opening Party taking place on the bar’s patio from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, September 26 with DJs, drink specials, a meat raffle, and more. Outside of Saturday’s event, Not Bad Foods’ current hours of operation are 5-11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday nights, with plans to also be open during Packers games (30 minute before kickoff through one hour after the game) beginning in October.
