As we prepare for the playoff round of our Cocoa Cup competition, we take this opportunity to look back at the summer’s highlights in the realm of street eats in downtown Vancouver. While some food trucks soldier on bravely through the winter months, some of these mobile eateries have gone into hibernation for the winter. Who’s still around, and who’s worth checking out? The answers are all here:
1. La Brasserie Street
Cousin to the well-known Davie Street dinner spot, La Brasserie Street is usually found camped outside the Vancouver City Centre Skytrain exit. Although the menu isn’t vast, the food is guaranteed to please: a moist and tasty chicken sandwich with crispy onions on a buttermilk bun provides a simple go-to choice for a quick bite at lunch. Definitely worth checking out.
2. Kaboom Box
It’s organic, it’s local, and it’s parked right in the middle of Granville Street. This bright red resto-wagon has earned a few fans in our office for its smoked salmon sandwich, which rates highly for tourists and locals alike. On the other hand, the bison burger is notable only for being a slightly pricier (albeit possibly more eco-friendly) alternative to the usual range of fast food fare. Look for them just north of Robson.
3. Taco Fino
If this were a contest (not that we do that sort of thing), Taco Fino would be in strong contention for an outright win. Although the individual tacos are small, they are quite affordable. Be wise and go for two (or three, if you’re feeling ambitious). Taco Fino has two trucks in service – the blue burrito truck is commonly found at Burrard and Dunsmuir, while the orange taco truck makes its home on Howe, outside the art gallery. However, the orange truck hasn’t been seen much of late, much like its close neighbour, the Re-Up BBQ.
4. Re-Up BBQ
The Re-Up markets itself as selling “addictive barbeque” sandwiches, which by all rights should be an easy sell. While the food is good, the enterprise suffers somewhat by being a scant two minutes walk away from sandwich gurus Hubbub (not a food truck, but entirely worthy of a name-drop). While the Robson Street stand is closed for the winter, business continues at the corner of Hornby and Georgia, with occasional appearances at the Oak Street farmer’s market on Wednesdays, and the Biltmore Cabaret on weekends.
5. Roaming Dragon
Still claiming its spot at Burrard and Robson, rain or shine, the Roaming Dragon is an impressive sight. The side of the van will attest to its extensive press coverage; however, the food itself puts this venture at the middle of the pack (here we respectfully disagree with Vancouver Magazine, who gave RD the nod for Best Food Truck in 2011). If you are a fan of choice, this might be the truck for you – there are usually at least three or four options on offer, with daily specials to keep things interesting.
Of course, there are always new sites to discover – we still have yet to try the recently arrived grilled cheese sandwich truck. Next newsletter, however, we’re back with the Final Chocolate Countdown of 2011. Stay tuned!