I wonder where the category of Food Truck Operator would rank on one of those job satisfaction surveys that always seem to be making the rounds on the Internet.
You know the ones, where you learn that your job ranks somewhere frighteningly close to “most likely to cause a stress-induced break from reality.”
I suspect that food truck operators would fare well in this kind of research. The fact is, the folks who staff these trucks are always so nice. I have visited countless food trucks and invariably I am greeted by someone who seems to be having the single best day in the history of work days. They are cheery, enthusiastic about their product, and genuinely helpful in guiding me towards the right menu selection.
Maybe it’s because municipal authorities mete out food truck licenses like they’re golden tickets to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory; securing one is a big deal and is usually the culmination of having navigated through miles of red tape. One is bound to feel good after having successfully completed the licensing process.
More likely, it’s because these are people who love what they do. Ask them how they got into their line of work and their stories are so often similar, involving escape from the daily rat race and the pursuit of dreams, usually by putting up every last penny of their savings to share their culinary passion with the world.
Take Culver City Salads, for instance, the entrée salad and soup truck that is taking part in the February Foodie Fundraiser for Lions Gate Hospital every Thursday this month. The welcoming team in the truck didn’t bat an eyelash as I placed the very antithesis of their vegan, gluten-free philosophy onto the service ledge of their vehicle: a hefty tray of “dirty fries” from the neighbouring Feastro truck, a mountain of Kennebec french fries with salsa, garlic lemon aioli, barbecue sauce and enough pulled pork to make the threat of tipping the salad truck over onto its side seem very real.
This clash of culinary approaches was the result of my recent Thursday afternoon visit to the upper parking lot of Lion’s Gate Hospital where three food trucks had set up shop in order to help raise funds for a new CT machine needed by the hospital. The February Foodie Fundraiser initiative has invited a handful of our city’s accomplished food trucks to tempt hospital staff, visitors and neighbours with their delicious wares in the name of philanthropy.
On the afternoon of my visit, the trucks included Culver City Salads, Feastro: the Rolling Bistro, and Hotties Pasta Bar. The lineup of three trucks changes from week to week, with other participants including The Reef Runner, Reel Mac & Cheese and Big Red’s Poutine Bar.
All evidence points to the success of the fundraiser. Hotties Pasta Bar had sold out of every single dish on their menu by the time I arrived and was hanging on with their espresso offerings only.
I think my face must have betrayed my disappointment at not being able to try something from their menu (which includes pastas with classic homemade sauces like Bolognese, besciamella, and matriciana) because as I turned to leave, the truck’s brother and sister owners, Alessandro Gladden (chef) and Chiara Gladden (front of house), conferred for a moment and then summoned me back.
They had located two eggs and were prepared to make me an impromptu set of PanCrepes, a dessert of thin, golden crepes stuffed with bananas and strawberries, topped with Nutella, organic strawberry sauce, whipped cream and toasted coconut.
The dish was thoroughly luxurious, the crepes expertly prepared and surprisingly light and fresh, and surely made all the more enjoyable for the special effort undertaken to produce them.
From Culver City Salads I tried a generous and complex salad of quinoa, sliced new potatoes, beet and carrot slaw, red cabbage, celery, cauliflower, mixed greens, black beans, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
This explosion of fresh flavours and diverse textures was enhanced by a piquant ginger vinaigrette and would have made a filling meal on its own. A small order of tikka masala soup was another winner; though mild on the heat scale it packed warm, round flavours of roasted cumin, coriander, onion, tomato and citrus and had a thick, February-friendly texture.
In addition to my absurdly decadent fries from Feastro, I sampled one of their signature dishes, a fish taco. Feastro is renowned for its unconventional approach to tacos and this was no exception: a flash fried strip of cod in a light chickpea batter topped with tikka masala yogurt, lime, crispy coleslaw, and tomato and star anise chutney.
This proved to be an exceptionally tasty combination of flavours, the fragrant yogurt and heady chutney complementing but never challenging the delicate and subtle textures of the cod.
Food trucks will be present for Lion’s Gate Hospital’s February Foodie Fundraiser between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 27.
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
