Sâuçá in Washington, DC, DC

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Telephone:	+1 202-609-7207
Website:	www.eatsauca.com
Address:	Washington, DC 20001 Shaw
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:	800 ft7th and Rhode Island Avenue NW Bus Stop 920 ft7th and R St NW Bus Stop 970 ftShaw-Howard Univ
Categories:	Food Stands Ethnic Food

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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations	No
Delivery	No
Take-out	Yes
Accepts Credit Cards	Yes
Good For	Lunch
Parking	Street
Wheelchair Accessible	Yes
Good for Kids	Yes
Good for Groups	Yes

Attire	Casual
Ambience	Casual
Noise Level	Average
Alcohol	No
Outdoor Seating	No
Wi-Fi	No
Has TV	No
Waiter Service	No
Caters	Yes

Today

Today	–
Local time (Washington, DC)	18:30 Friday, 27 June 2025

Business hours

Monday	–
Tuesday	–
Wednesday	–
Thursday	–
Friday	–
Saturday	–
Sunday	–

Description

Specialties

SAUCAS

(Served on your choice of saffron yellow rice or warm, griddled flatbread.)

Mumbai Butter Chicken

garam masala chicken with saffron rice and a hint of spicy roasted cashews

Polpette Marinara

meatballs made with lean turkey and herbs, simmered in marinara finished with parmesan cheese

Pork Banh Mi

Vietnamese pork, pickled veggies in peanut and Thai coconut sauce

Mexicali Fish Taco

grilled fish caressed with mango pico de gallo, cilantro and hot chili sauce

Beef Shawarma

Mediterranean beef, scallions, parsley, tomatoes and chimichurri and tahini sauce

Buffalo Chicken

marinated chicken topped with sweet caramelized onions and blue cheese sauce

SOB Veggie

black beans, saffron rice, mango pico de gallo, cotija cheese and chimichurri sauce

The Medi Veggie

hummus, kalamata olive tapenade, saffron rice, tomatoes, and dill yogurt sauce

SIDES

Charred Curry Potato Salad

Tropical Black Bean Salad

Creamy Bacon Cole Slaw

SOUPS

Chicken Mulligatawny

MoMo’s Chili

Soup du Jour

History

Established in 2010.

Farhad Assari, the Ambassador of the Republic of Sauca, was an international businessman and world traveler that always found the best foods wherever he walked — literally — the food that was served from carts and small windows on the street.

Assari has taken his own travel and ‘no reservations’ food experiences from around the world and raised street food to the next level, with a globally inspired menu that will travel across DC. «The Sâuçá brand is more than just serving amazing food from the Sâuçámobile, it’s about interacting on many levels with our guests,» says Assari.

«We’ll connect to them directly on the street with our uniquely designed and graphically enhanced vehicle, but we’ll also connect to them virtually, through the technology, such as the web site, our FaceBook, Twitter and Yelp pages, through mobile phones and through our virtual video and audio feeds streaming from www.eatsauca.com. This is the ultimate example of social media anytime, anywhere!»

Meet the Business Owner

Farhad A.

Business Owner

Farhad Assari’s first move from home was at the age of four, when his Father accepted a diplomatic mission to Washington, D.C. This was the beginning of a lifelong journey of traveling for work and for pleasure, which has consisted of living in 18 different homes in10 different cities, in six countries spanning at least three continents.

After completing his international Baccalaureate he attended NYU, where received a BS (magna cum laude) in Finance. He received his MBA with distinction from The Wharton School in the field of Financial Management. Upon graduating, he embarked on a successful 25-year career in investment management, holding senior executive positions running corporate branch offices in Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa for top AAA financial institutions.

With global perspective, the «Ambassador of Sâuçá» has developed a truly eclectic taste and appreciation for great food and cultural experiences that he will bring to life through his Sâuçámobile!

Related places

20 reviews of Sâuçá

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Art P.

Place rating: 4
Annandale, VA

Long closed now, Sauca was one of the best food trucks when it was around. Mumbai Butter Chicken was my favorite!
Sad to see that even their brick & mortar location is closed now.

Alyssa K.

Place rating: 1
Vienna, VA

Wow. Went to the truck today, excited to see it parked and what a terrible result. The mumbai chicken was bland, no cilantro, hardly ANY yogurt sauce, and to top it all off, it was cold. Very poorly done, I’m very disappointed and a little scared I might get food poisoning.

Rachel C.

Place rating: 3
Washington D.C., DC

This review is for the falafel… it was really good! Not exciting or mind-blowing enough that I’d eat it again, but a solid vegetarian dish.
The flatbread was nicely grilled, the filling was plentiful, the falafel was moist (as opposed to crunchy and dry)…but cold. That really threw me off. I’m guessing it was supposed to be that way, but I really prefer my falafel sandwiches warm.
I could have lived with more condiments on the bread, but I love anything I eat to be gushing mayonnaise, hummus, or whatever comes on it. This actually struck an OK balance and was very flavorful.
The saffron rice that came with it was extremely blah, as rice tends to be.
But ultimately, I trust their ability to put together a sandwich and would be back for one of the more exotic options (there’s something with mango and possibly cotija cheese – ?)

Vina Y.

Place rating: 1
Washington, DC

I was really disappointed in Sauca. I kept hearing really good things about them and thought I was going to like it based on the menu.
I had the pork banh mi today and the meat was really really dry but also simultaneously soaked in a salty vinegar-y sauce. It was really difficult to eat. I think someone else said it was like an assault on your tastebuds, and I agree, I just ate the pita and the pickled radish/carrot slaw and threw the rest away after a few bites. I hate wasting food, but this was really inedible.
The pork was not Vietnamese at all, more like a poor imitation of a Southern pulled pork. The slaw was more Vietnamese-like and the mayo of it really helped mild out the pork. The pita bread was really good actually, but I didn’t want to pay $ 8 for a pita and some slaw. Awful. Just awful.

Modibo S.

Place rating: 4
Baltimore, MD

I can’t remember the entire menu, but I know that they have a fish «taco,» because I ordered it ($ 8). I say «taco» because it was made with a pita.
There was no line at Farragut Park when I ordered at about 11:40 on a slow August Thursday, so the food came out pretty quickly — about 3 minutes, I’d say. They asked if I wanted rice with it, but I declined — I don’t know if plain rice would come as a freebie or not, but they now have three side dishes including bacon coleslaw. I don’t think that any of the sides were rice-based, so I think the rice was a side rather than an upsell.
In any case, the taco was a reasonable size, bigger than my fist but smaller than my head, maybe the size of a medium burrito. But the taste was fan-tastic! I think they put the thing together with the mango slaw that others have mentioned — there was definitely slaw on it, but not the traditional San Diego-type stuff. The fish was probably tilapia, and it was nice and hot. I liked the tang in the slaw and I thought it played off against the fish pretty well, but it had some creaminess to it as well. The only thing I’d change is to add some hot sauce to round out the package.
Overall, the fish «taco» was pretty filling, and very tasty. I’ll definitely get one again!

Ryan B.

Place rating: 4
Washington, DC

With my latest fascination of the food trucks, I’ve been trying to eat at each one that comes around. I happened to eat at Sauca twice now. Sauca is an interesting place because they serve food from a mix of continents. It’s a sort of world café. Fusion places often don’t seem to merge their products very well. Not going to mention any businesses (*cough-zengo). But let’s proceed to my experience here.
My first time was on a hot and humid day. Where the line was long and the heat was making me expire quicker than I should have. As I was waiting in line I started making small talk with the girl in front of me. She recommended trying the «banh me» sandwich. Vietamese style, but in a pita. Since the humidity made me feel like I was actually in Vietnam, I thought «sure, let’s give it a go». «You won’t regret it» she said.
I took the sandwich back to my cave and commenced to chow down. The shredded marinated beef with carrots was pretty wicked. As in, I did not regret my decision. Vietnamese food always tastes fresh to me. Like they took the animal out back and wacked it like good fellas. Then turned it straight into a meal for my dining enjoyment.
For my second visit, I felt like being different. The beef shwarma sounded tempting. I’d never had that before so it became my next victim. It too came in a pita. I took it back to the cave and just mass murdered it. Of course I’m not sure how you could mass murder a single pita sandwich, but somehow I did. The beef this time was a little more sour, probably because it had a bunch of diced pickles incorporated into the meat mix. The Filipino side of me loves this.
Conclusion. This seems to be a «sandwich» truck. And as a sandwich truck you can get away with playing with different types of cuisines, kind of like an ice cream shop. So in my opinion, Sauca doesn’t suck. But I like to suck on Sauca… ok, that doesn’t sound quite right, but I’ll leave it in anyway. And as always, you should try it yourself and be your own judge, because to each his/her own.
Good night and good luck.

Andrew G.

Place rating: 2
New York, NY

I am new to DC and therefore new to the food truck scene. Sauca was unfortunately not as good of a first experience as I was hoping for. I had the «polpette», or essentially a meatball sub on a pita. I was not a fan. The meatballs had a really odd flavor that is hard to describe, but was not appetizing. The sauce was a little bland and too sweet. Also, I don’t think meatballs in pita works super well, in my opinion the sub is a much better vehicle for meatballs. At $ 8, I was not very pleased with my lunch from Sauca.
To be fair, my colleagues that I ate with enjoyed their meals from Sauca (shwarma and thai chicken) and those seem like they would go well with pita. Still, I think there was a reason Sauca was one of the few trucks with no line. Next time, I will go with the crowds…

Katelyn K.

Place rating: 5
Silver Spring, MD

I finally got to try the Sauca truck, and I am so happy I did!
When I had returned from picking up my food from the truck and getting back to the office, my boss asked why I hadn’t asked her if she wanted anything. She was in meetings and usually brings lunch so clearly I didn’t bother to ask. So she told me she was mad at me and teased me about it for a while. When I finally got a chance to sit and eat my Mumbai Butter Chicken, I said to a colleague she has every reason to be mad at me it was delicious!

Ashley K.

Place rating: 3
Washington D.C., DC

Their menu online looked fantastic! I don’t eat meat, but I do eat seafood, so the fact that they had THREE options for me to pick from (2 veggie and 1 seafood) was exciting, considering most food trucks have no seafood and one or no vegetarian options.
They tweeted this morning that they would be at the Navy Yard at 11:30, so I was psyched! My co-worker and I ventured outside promptly at 11:30 to find the Sauca truck parked by CVS with only two people in line. We got in line. After about 5 minutes, a guy popped his head out of the window to say they were still cooking and prepping the food, so it would be another 15 minutes. This was annoying given that they had Tweeted they’d be here at 11:30 (which most people interpret as there and ready to serve). But we waited patiently as the line gradually grew to about 25 people, and the truck wasn’t even open yet. But at least we were at the head of it.
It was 11:55 before they started taking orders, and it was after 12 by the time I got my food and got back up to the office. Over 30 minutes to get food from a truck. And I know sometimes the food trucks have long lines, etc. But the fact that they needed half an hour after parking is kind of annoying. I spent my entire alloted lunch break just GETTING my food.
So onto the actual food. I ordered the Mexicali Fish Tacos and the curry potato salad. Both were awesome and probably the best food I’ve gotten from a food truck thus far. The fish tacos was actually just fish and other goodies wrapped in a pita, and it was a good balance of savory, sweet, tangy, and salty (although a bit too much salt). And the potato salad was also tasty and interesting. The important thing is the blend of flavor and spices. I’ve found most food trucks serve very bland food, but Sauca is an exception. They pack a lot of flavor into those little pitas, and the quality is far above most of the food trucks in DC.
The fish tacos was $ 8, so the prices are pretty standard for lunch in this area. The portion is not large, so I was glad I got the potato salad (which added $ 4 to my tab). Yes, $ 12 is a bit much for lunch, but I suppose it’s better (and probably healthier) than eating at Five Guys every day.
They would have gotten 4 stars, but they lost one for poor logistics. Hoping they can work out those kinks because most working people only get about 30 minutes for lunch and they sure ate mine up today.

Sarah J.

Place rating: 4
Alexandria, VA

You know how most places that can’t choose a type of cuisine to offer end up failing? If you have ever caught an episode of Kitchen Nightmares, you know what I’m talking about. Well, Sauca falls into that category, but ironically, their multiple offerings are what make it so successful. Whether you are in the mood for Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, or European cuisine, Sauca has it all… and it’s delish!
This being my first food truck experience, I didn’t have very high expectations since I think the whole thing is blown way out of proportion in this city. However, it made me want to try them all because it was so yummy! I had the butter chicken which had delicious curry, cashew, and butter flavors running through it. It is a bit carb heavy with rice and a pita holding everything together, but I don’t care, I wanted two. One of my friends had the fish taco which she said was crunchy and fresh. And to make it a trifecta of flavors, our other friend had the banh mi which was messy but delicious. All in all a very tasty way to pop my food truck cherry. Oh, and we went early enough that there was no line! FTW.

Abby C.

Place rating: 4
Arcadia, CA

Food/Cost: (⁴⁄₅) I came here for lunch today with a friend around 1:00pm. I ordered the Mumbai Butter Chicken flatbread wrap ($ 8), and my tastebuds and stomach are happy I did. The chicken was super tender and juicy, the cardamon and curry flavors danced in my mouth, and the flatbread was thick and fluffy just as I like it. The rice could have used just a tad bit more time in the cooker, but that’s alright because chewing the rice a few extra times actually allowed me to better savor the sauce. I felt stuffed, but healthfully so after devouring my Mumbai Butter Chicken. Nothing felt too oily. For me, the flavors were unbeatable and I was okay with paying the $ 8 for my lunch here.
Ambiance: (³⁄₅) Um this is a food truck so I don’t have much to say in terms of ambiance. The color of the truck is lovely yellow and their logo and menu are a bit classier than the other food trucks. You get a cheerful, global feel from this one.
Location: (⁵⁄₅) Food that comes to you. Doesn’t get better than that. Further, Sauca gets extra stars in this area because they have 4 — check it, 4! — trucks to serve its customers.
Service: (⁴⁄₅) The male at the cashier and the male who was calling out orders were both fast, friendly, and cheerful. That’s enough for a positive rating here.
Overall: (⁴⁄₅) If I weren’t trying to sample as many food trucks as I can in DC before I have to move back to California, I would probably be back to try the other fare they offer here. If you are looking for lunch and one of the four Sauca trucks are in your area, give them a try — you won’t regret it!

Sheri G.

Place rating: 3
North Springfield, VA

The first time I tried to eat here, they were out of pita bread. The 2^nd time I was in luck — no line in Franklin Square and plenty of bread.
I opted for the banh mi sandwich. I know that this truck has their own spin on these Vietnamese sandwiches, as they do with all of their dishes, so I wasn’t expecting authenticity.
The banh mi is served with peanut and Thai coconut sauce, which I think tasted sort of teriyaki-esqe. And boy, did it make a friggin mess. Maybe I’m a slob because my friend had the same sandwich and she didn’t seem to have sauce running down her hands and dripping into her plate, but there was an excess amount of sauce in this sandwich. Maybe mine was a fluke. It tasted good, but I wasn’t blown away, and I was sticky and out of napkins. I think I prefer the traditional banh mi over Sauca’s version, but I applaud their creativity.
I’m looking forward to trying some of their other flatbread sandwiches, but until then, it’s a 3. Fine by me but not amazing.

Shachi B.

Place rating: 4
New York, NY

I won the Sauca lottery! YOURS TRULY was lucky enough to get the last piece of bread the truck had for the day. I stealthily glanced at the line of hungry patrons behind me and immediately decided to keep this delicious information to myself. No need to cause a riot while eating THE LAST piece of perfectly toasted bread with my meal, right? *insert sneaky laugh here*
I ordered the veggie option of Tomato Salsa, saffron rice, crushed beans, cotija cheese, mango pico de gallo and our Chimichurri sauce. Oh. My. God it was excellent! Spicy, sweet, hot and tangy all in one bite! How on earth can you go wrong?
Topped it off with some orange blossom iced tea lemonade, which was simply refreshing. And yes, it IS as good as it sounds!

Joe S.

Place rating: 2
Washington, DC

********************************UPDATE**********************************
What happened Sauca? The Pork banh mi tastes like poorly done asian pot roast with barely any veggies. The bread used to taste fresh, now it tastes like prepackaged pita bread. The Medi-veggie was nothing but over season neon yellow rice, some pico, and a dab of hummus. It used to be all fresh and well made with olives, tomatoes, big scoops of humus and topped off with yogurt and cilantro. The buffalo chicken wrap was so over sauces that with every bite, sauce would pour out of the wrap into the container. Also whats going on with the new containers?! You used to use eco-friendly compostable containers, now you use foam. I used to be your biggest fan. You guys are going to have to go back to the way things used to be our I am done.
*****************************************************************************
I have been going to Sauca since day one. I used to go wait for them to open for breakfast back in the day. One day, it took a little too long for them to open, and they gave me and my wife free breakfast! These guys care about their food and the people they serve it too.
The pork banh mi is fantastic! I have no idea how they get their pork that tender. I always put a little extra sauce in the box and I never need it.
The fish taco’s are unique. If you are a fish taco person, it may take a moment to get used to the way the fish is prepared (I think it may be braised). They are spiced and dressed well and the flat bread is the perfect accompaniment.
I truly appreciate the Sauca spin they add to each dish. If you see this truck, stop by.

Jessica K.

Place rating: 4
New York, NY

i got the mexicali fish taco… the flavors were amazing!!!
the ice tea limunad was good too.
you must try this food truck!

Lan T.

Place rating: 3
Washington, DC

Sauca! You were on a roll… why oh why?!
Me: I’d like the chicken soup.
Sauca: Sorry no soups today.
Me: Ok… I’ll have the Banh Mi.
Sauca: Great. $ 7.50.
(I take out my credit card)
Sauca: Sorry, no credit cards.
Me: Uh… ok. (As I glance at the pictures of the credit cards on the truck, practically in front of my face, which generally means that they accept credit cards.)
This was the second time that Sauca didn’t serve soups. I don’t think they were out of it because I was there before noon. So I’m not sure if they actually serve soups or if they actually take cards, or if I was just there on an off day.
I’ll still go back to Sauca because the wraps are really good. I’ll just have to remember to bring cash.

Elle P.

Place rating: 3
Brooklyn, NY

Pretty decent lunch truck that gives you a change of pace from the usual lunch spots. I happened to come across this truck while ambling along the Mall.
The Mumbai Butter Chicken looked irresistable, but tasted immensely forgettable. Not that it was bad. It wasn’t. But when I think Indian food, I think big bold flavors. Perhaps I should have put in one of their sauces that they’re famous for. The food came to me as a wrap — butter chicken, and saffron rice wrapped by a warm naan. The portion is enormous and at $ 7.50, it’s definitely a good deal.
The Signature Limunad is 5 *s!!! AMAZING. It was the best lemonade that I’ve ever had. It’s infused with mint and orange blossom, which makes the lemonade just heavenly. Just a tad too sweet for my taste, but still heaven in a bright lemony liquid. I took my food, walked down a block, and took a sip of the lemonade. Then I promptly turned around and walked back to the truck in order to buy another one for home. Definitely get the lemonade whenever you see the truck.

William B.

Place rating: 2
Chicago, IL

Another one of those carts that’s good in theory, a little lacking in practice. I had the beef shawarma. It sounded excellent. But the beef was a little tough, the vegetables lacked both texture and flavor, and the whole thing tasted like nothing but tahini. (I tried to add extra chimichurri sauce, which apparently is also supposed to go on it (?) but they were out.) The experience cost $ 7.50 and I was still hungry afterwards.
I’ll probably try it again at some point just because the menu is so bizarre that I can’t stop believing that something on it must be good. But I don’t understand why this is supposed to be better than a burrito from Chipotle or a sandwich from Best.
Maybe it makes more sense when no good restaurants are open nearby?

Hue K.

Place rating: 4
Zürich, Switzerland

I call it ‘Serendipity’.
After parking my car next to MCI center, I was putting money to the meter and saw this white Sauca truck in front of me.
My first time to Twitter-tracked mobile food truck.
-*** MUST TRY: Sauce!!! (Caution: squeez the FIFO bottle, not open the top.
)
I tried a few (yogurt dill, passion fruit mayo, thai coconut) and I can just eat bread with sauce all day. OMG-good.
Go Sauca website to learn more about it.
1. Man on the driver-seat: Getting the order, Eager to help you out when you look lost from their menu, Very patient with your questions, Talking you like you are no-stranger and you will see him again for lunch:)
2. Dish seems to sell out fast. ‘Veggi dish’ and ‘Fish and chips’ and Lemonade were sold out. Must be good/popular:)
3. Quick service: NO worries for being late at work.
4. Mumbai butter chicken. Well-balanced flavor, good portion (you will be full), good concoction of mild curry/chicken/crunchy slaw/rice. The bread … OMG-SO-soft pita bread. Mumbai butter chicken looked so comfortable and cozy in the pita bread blanket.
5. Toffle: Sauca chef makes sure you get enough TLC (tender loving care) for day.
You like sweet and belgian waffle? Get this. $ 4.50. Twice big as usual belgian waffle and generous topping. Want more than one topping-Just ask The truck-chef. Sauca suggested ‘powder sugar’ w/maple syrup. I said OK. He added ‘Nutella’ too. (waffle is a bit doughy but you are not in Belgium and you get bigger one with more toppings. I won’t complain:)).
6. Yes. Sauca takes Credit card:)
7. Yes. Sign up ‘Twitter’ to locate Sauce-Worth it.
** Can I buy leftover bread and sauce at EBD?

Keri M.

Place rating: 5
Alexandria, VA

If this curry-colored, roving food cart is in your neighborhood (or within a 10-mile radius), playing their world music, GO!
They serve flatbread wrap/food-on-bread from every region of the world. Their meat and sauces are amazing and fresh. I had the Merguez Frites, which is made of lamb/beef sausages, crispy fries and a tangy dijon/ketchup sauce mix. The sausages are long, thin, mild to medium spicy and have a crunchy casing. The crispy fries work well with the liberal serving of sauce to complicate the texture and flavor of eat bite. The best way I can describe the sauce is refreshing: it is sweet, tangy and strong without overpowering the sausages.
I had to flip a coin to choose because the Pork Banh Mi and the Mexicali Fish Taco also sounded incredible.
As a warning, they are slightly pricier than your average food cart, with sandwiches averaging $ 7.50, but well worth it! Seriously, I’m going to chase this food cart all over the city!
You can find out where they will be each day at
.

Sâuçá

Washington, DC, United States