Recap: Hawkers Market Edmonton

The first ever Hawkers Market in Edmonton took place on Saturday, November 30 in the basement of the Mercer Warehouse (otherwise known as Vacancy Hall). Originating in Vancouver, Hawkers Market intends to “create a space where vibrant and exciting local food can be discovered…a place to conduct commerce, rapidly test ideas and meet customers face to face.” As a result, I expected the event to be similar in nature to the Toronto Underground Market I attended last year, which is set-up as an opportunity for start-up food businesses to grow and make a name for themselves in a competitive market. No doubt, one of the busiest vendors at TUM that night was La Carnita, which is now one of the most popular taquerias in Toronto.

Hawkers Market

Mack and I were given free admission tickets, but I did purchase two $10 advance tickets for my sisters. Menus weren’t available in advance, but when we arrived, we found that food averaged between $5-7.

With my sisters

Given it was Hawkers Market’s first time in Edmonton, a few hiccups were to be expected. For one, the start time was 5pm, though this was inconsistent on some of the advertised Eventbrite information. As well, with some power issues and poor ventilation, it will be interesting to see if Vacancy Hall will continue to host this event.

Getting busy

Eight vendors were set up along the periphery of the room, with a DJ adding to the party atmosphere. Though we were somewhat surprised to see that five of the vendors were existing or soon-to-be food truck operators, in a way, the timing perfectly complements the food truck off-season. That said, we were hoping to see more newly-established businesses, but I am guessing this will come as word spreads about Hawkers Market.

The Bully Food Truck team!

Drift’s mini truck replica greeted guests walking in, but perhaps even more enticing was their menu offering, a Burmese dish of khao swe ($5). One of Nevin’s family recipes, the coconut chicken noodles were served up and ready to be customized with an assortment of toppings: green onions, cilantro, fried onions, chickpea chips and sticks, boiled egg, lemon and red chili flakes. It was fun to make the dish to our taste, delectable as it already was.

Mini Drift!

Khao swe from Drift

Notably, Drift was also selling their signature ketchup and spice, nicely packaged for holiday giving. If you missed it, you can now pick up the products at Acme Meats!

Give the gift of Drift

Amanda high-tailed it pretty quick to Sailin’ On, her favourite food truck. We shared an order of chili-lime tofu tacos ($9), with refried beans, vegan cheddar, veggies, salsa verde and lime. She wasn’t disappointed with her pick.

Chili-lime tofu tacos from Sailin’ On

I didn’t expect a restaurant like XIX Nineteen to participate in Hawkers Market, though in hindsight, it was an opportunity to interact with a whole new group of potential patrons. Felicia ordered a dish of rabbit and gnocchi poutine ($5 without the meat) to try. It was a creative dish well-suited to the environment it was being cooked and served in, and the gnocchi was tasty in and of itself.

Gnocchi poutine from XIX Nineteen

In that same vein, Casa Doce, a food truck which has mostly operated in Sherwood Park this past year, showcased their Mexican cuisine to a different audience. We tried their jalapeno and queso fresco tamale ($5), topped with beans and pickled onions. It was piping hot, and definitely meant to be shared by a group.

Tamale from Casa Doce

It was exciting to see two brand new vendors launching at Hawkers Market who don’t yet already have an existing storefront or truck. Parts & Service is a forthcoming food truck, their name inspired by some of the off-cuts of meat they will be using. That night, they were serving up duck confit and roasted bone marrow ($5); we ordered the latter. Served with crostini and topped with fennel salsa, it was a memorable dish that immediately set them apart from other trucks.

Roasted bone marrow from Parts & Service

Unfortunately, we missed sampling the dessert from Paper Bag Donuts, courtesy of Red Ox Inn’s Sean O’Connor. To be honest, I saw a tiny sign with the letters “PBD” on the corner, but didn’t investigate any further – our loss. Hopefully Paper Bag Donuts pops-up again soon!

The one vendor that wasn’t quite like the others was South Island Pie Company, which had presence at the City Market this summer. They weren’t sampling any products, and instead, were selling frozen pies for takeaway. We did pick up a pair on our way out, as we were heading home and could stash them in our freezer, but given they were the odd booth out, we hoped they were successful through the night.

South Island Pie Company

So while the majority of the vendors weren’t necessarily new, I think Hawkers Market still accomplished their mission of increasing the exposure of small food businesses. It sounds like a second Hawkers Market is scheduled for February 22, 2014, so keep an eye out for more details!

Recap: 97 Street Night Market

Over the summer, I worked with a team of volunteers to put on an event that we hoped would encourage Edmontonians to rediscover Chinatown. The neighbourhood is so full of history and possibility, but has largely been overlooked over the last number of years. While we recognized that the Business Revitalization Zone and to a greater extent, the McCauley Revitalization Strategy, had attempted to facilitate positive developments, we believed that something different was needed to foster the imagination of what Chinatown could be.

From there, the 97 Street Night Market was born. With a generous grant from the City and some committed supporters, we were able to transform a vacant parking lot into a welcoming space that introduced or reacquainted patrons with the dynamic nature of night markets right in the heart of Chinatown.

97 Street Night Market

Vendors were the commercial anchor for the event, and we were happy to have engaged some area businesses, including Universal Music and Pacific Café, as well as others from around the city. The range of trinkets to fashion items was varied enough for visitors of all ages!

Gama

No doubt, one of the most popular booths that day was actually one of ours – we had borrowed a set of fortune sticks from the Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Education Association, and volunteers sold fortunes for $1 a pop. That night, nearly 200 fortunes were told!

Step right up!

We were fortunate to have The Lingnan Express, Molly’s Eats and Swich on-site, offering Asian-inspired dishes, including oyster omelettes, curried fish balls and matcha green tea ice cream sandwiches. Though not from the window of a food truck, Gama was able to offer another night market staple – bubble tea.

Food trucks

Char siu pulled pork sandwich from Molly’s Eats

In addition, the market provided us with an opportunity to highlight many young performers. Some were more traditional, such as 5 Elements, who opened the evening with an engaging lion dance, while others displayed a fusion of cultures, including Nanyen Lau, who played the Titanic anthem of “My Heart Will Go On” on an erhu.

5 Elements

Edmonton Chinese Dance Academy

My favourite act was the energetic Convergence Dance Crew, who drew the biggest crowds to the stage with their infectious K-pop covers of Psy’s recent hits.

Convergence Dance Crew

Patrons also had the chance to participate in three different walking tours of the neighbourhood that highlighted various facets of Chinatown. The first had nearly thirty participants so engrossed in the tour the guides ended up doubling the originally-intended length! No question, we learned that tours of all varieties should be offered of Chinatown on a regular basis; people are curious, and want to learn about the neighbourhood’s rich history and hopeful future.

Tour group

For me, it was the creation of a neutral, safe space that most excited me. The perceived “ethnicity” of Chinatown is daunting to some who aren’t familiar with its businesses, while for others, the stereotype of an unsafe, neglected neighbourhood discourages exploration. That night, it was heartening to see people of all generations from many different backgrounds convening in a single parking lot, feasting, shopping, and otherwise socializing. It was a gathering place not normally found in Chinatown, and one that I hope will be replicated in the future.

Beautiful sunset

There are a litany of people to thank who helped make this event a reality. Qualico and Ledcor generously donated the site, and worked around our request, in spite of the ongoing demolition of the building directly south of the lot. Jane Molstad of the McCauley Revitalization Strategy immediately recognized the potential of this idea, and worked tirelessly to ensure the grant came through! We also couldn’t have done without the enthusiastic and hard working day-of volunteers. Lastly, thanks to all those who came, taking a chance on a first time event!

I’ve been asked more than once if the night market will become an annual event. Although I can’t answer the question definitively yet, I can say that a few of us are working to continue the momentum we began that day in some form or another. Stay tuned!

September 20, 2013 What the Truck?! at Churchill Square

It’s been an amazing year for food trucks. The growth in the Edmonton scene has been unprecedented, with at least a dozen new trucks joining the scene in 2013, offering cuisine ranging from tacos to banh mi to the ever-popular poutine.

This year also saw changes to Edmonton’s street food policy, with longer hours of operations, and more clarity around where food trucks can park. The new regulations should make it easier for even more trucks to join the city’s fleet.

This Friday, we want to celebrate this banner year in Edmonton’s food truck scene with the largest What the Truck?! in our festival’s history. This Friday, join us on Churchill Square to sample fare from 16 vendors, including two of the most recent newcomers, Knosh and Black Bull Grill. You can take a look at the menus here.

What: What the Truck?! at Churchill Square
Where: Churchill Square
When: Friday, September 20, 2013
Time: 4-8pm
Check out the Facebook event to RSVP and spread the word!

This time last year on the Square

We’ll have DJs Thomas Scott (Urban Monks) and Polyesterday helping us set the tone that night, two of our What the Truck?! music veterans.

Hope to see you there!

What the Truck?! in Louise McKinney Riverfront Park: August 24, 2013

Since our successful Blink: Urban Picnic last year, Mack and I have mulled over other ways to animate the river valley. Even temporarily, it was great to see Louise McKinney Riverfront Park being used for something other than a quiet stroll or a cycle through.

Although the Park is home to several festivals, including this past weekend’s annual Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, and Hip Hop in the Park, for most of the summer, it lays dormant, and is without a doubt one of the most underutilized green spaces in the city. It’s a shame, given its proximity to the core, and with beautiful views of the valley and the river, Louise McKinney should be a better fixture on the event scene.

I recognize the gradient, and the access points down to the riverfront could be a barrier for some. And for others, its lack of casual, commercial activity (save for the Urban Green Café), doesn’t provide enough of an excuse to make the trek down worthwhile.

Our upcoming What the Truck?! on Saturday is an attempt at enlivening the space, just for an evening.

What: What the Truck?! at Louise McKinney
Where: Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, 9999 Grierson Hill Road
When: Saturday, August 24, 2013
Time: 5-9pm

We’ll have ten trucks on hand, including two of the newest to join Edmonton’s fleet – Lemongrass Grill and The Crooked Fork.

French Quarter Farmers' Market

Lemongrass Grill and The Crooked Fork

You can check out the menus here and judge for yourself, but it’s hard not to love the variety food trucks bring to the table (or in this case, park).

Hope to see you there on Saturday!

Rediscovering Chinatown: 97 Street Night Market

I remember spending weekends in Chinatown with my parents as a kid. It was always busy; parking was hard to come by, and the sidewalks were lined with people shuffling from shop to shop. At the time, I’m not sure I understood why my Mum would drag us to four seemingly identical grocery stores, but now, I understand it was not only the price differential, but the fact that each establishment offered a particular specialty that was worth seeking out.

In my teenage years, I accompanied my parents on their errands less and less, though on the odd occasion out and about in Chinatown, it was evident the neighbourhood was changing – businesses once vibrant were shuttered, buildings were falling into disarray, and the streets were noticeably quieter. I’m sure the opening of megastore T & T didn’t help matters, offering convenience and easy parking, but the visual aesthetics of Chinatown – neglected and unkempt – probably also didn’t do much to boost the image of the district.

Chinatown today

Five years ago, I began to rediscover Chinatown. My office is within walking distance of the main shopping hub, and at lunch time and after work, I’d pop over for a bowl of pho at Pho Tau Bay, a banh mi from Nhon Hoa or pick up a box of buns from Garden Bakery for breakfast. For Asian groceries, Lucky 97 is my first stop, while Ying Fat meets all of my tofu needs. And though not Asian at all, the Italian Bakery is my go-to deli.

You can now find me in Chinatown at least once a week, eating, shopping and appreciating a neighbourhood that is still very much pedestrian-oriented. We now celebrate streets like the 104 Street Promenade and 124 Street for their walkability, independent businesses and diversity – but what about Chinatown?

The area has made some strides in recent years, adding Urban China, and its new sister eatery Urban Shabu, which have helped draw crowds as destination restaurants. The Wild Rose Circle Project, with housing and retail, is finally under construction, and the McCauley Revitalization Strategy continues on. But in the short term, what else can be done to encourage Edmontonians to discover or rediscover their Chinatown?

I am part of a new group called Our Chinatown. We are a group of young professionals working to revive Edmonton’s Chinatown – reclaim its heritage, embrace its present and imagine its future. As our inaugural event, we are organizing a night market as a way to create a lively, energetic gathering that inspires a new vision for the neighbourhood.

Event: 97 Street Night Market
Date: Saturday, August 17, 2013
Time: 6-10pm
Location: parking lot on 97 Street, south of 105 Avenue

Heritage Chinatown Night Market Part of our organizing team

Building on the success of the Heritage Night Market organized by the Chinese Benevolent Association on July 1, 2013, our market will set a different tone, anchored by a DJ and three food trucks.

We’re thrilled to have The Lingnan Express, Molly’s Eats and Swich offer Asian-inspired dishes, which will include ever-popular night market items like curried fish balls, green onion cakes and oyster omelettes, and modern takes on Asian cuisine such as Korean smoked meat and matcha ice cream sandwiches. Gama will also be serving up bubble tea! Check out the menus here.

Besides food, vendors also form the cornerstone of night markets, and we’ve assembled a great selection of items for your shopping pleasure! You will find everything from accessories to clothing, CDs and movies, toys and stationary to hand-made art and keepsakes.

Heritage Chinatown Night Market Heritage Night Market vendor

We’re also excited that a few young performance groups will be on hand for entertainment. 5 Elements Drums and Lion Dance Crew will help us kick off the market at 6pm, and at 8pm, Convergence Dance Crew will bring us their best K-pop dance covers! I had the pleasure of watching Convergence at this weekend’s Heritage Festival – they just nailed Psy’s Gentleman!

Convergence Dance Crew!

For those who are interested in learning more about Chinatown’s past, present or future, we have also lined up several tours on the history, future development and artistic side of the neighbourhood. The schedule will be posted on the website on Tuesday.

August 17 is shaping up to be a Chinatown equivalent of Downtown’s Super Saturday. The Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival rocks the North Saskatchewan River from 9am-5pm in Louise McKinney Park, while the 5th Annual East Meets West Festival runs 11am-8pm on 107 Avenue and 99 Street. End your day at the 97 Street Night Market from 6-10pm.

We hope you’ll join us in (re)discovering our Chinatown on August 17!

Recap: Truck Stop in The Quarters

We usually avoid organizing What the Truck?! events in July because of how busy the Edmonton event calendar gets in the middle of summer, but the Boyle Renaissance Plaza venue was too good to pass up. It was an opportunity for food trucks to animate an area that should be more visible and appreciated, and we were happy that Edmontonians responded with a good turnout, in spite of several concurrent festivals.

Perfect weather for food trucks!

Though we estimate that a total of 1,000 people came through that evening, about 100 took a tour of the new facility, explored the community centre and learned about the programs offered by the YMCA.

Boyle Street Plaza

Those who attended may have noticed some coloured coupons floating around that day. The Boyle Street Community League had stepped up to purchase vouchers that were distributed to low-income residents and community members so that finances would not be a barrier to partaking in the event. We were floored by their generosity and inclusivity.

Gorgeous green space

City of Edmonton staff were on hand to provide face painting to children and adults alike, and Virgin Radio provided the soundtrack for the evening.

Mindy Cooper of Virgin Radio

Mack and I also made sure to line-up before the crowds gathered (good thing too, given three of the trucks sold out!). We were able to share the green curry chicken sandwich from Swich and the pulled pork poutine from La Poutine. Yum!

Green curry chicken sandwich

Pulled pork poutine

Thanks to everyone who came out! We’ll be announcing the details of our next What the Truck?! event taking place in August next week. Stay tuned!

On the (Alberta) Avenue: Shop Smart and Avenue Goes to the Dogs

Though the city’s fabric is enriched by long-standing events like K-Days, Folk Fest and the Fringe Festival, I’m really attracted to less established festivals like Deep Freeze and Illuminite. Someday, these events might come to be regarded in the same light as the “big boys”, but for now, I love their grassroots nature, charm and inclusive feel.

Alberta Avenue has really been a pioneer in this front, with the aforementioned Deep Freeze and Kaleido both setting the bar high for other communities hoping to employ festivals as a catalyst to revitalize the neighbourhood.

A few weeks ago, we heard about a launch of Alberta Avenue’s latest retail campaign called “Shop Smart”. Building on the coalition behind “We Believe In 118”, the drive reminds consumers to avoid questionable retailers and to shop locally. They have also launched a petition that advocates for the creation of a by-law that will regulate the sale of weapons.

The launch took place on July 11, 2013 with a small street party on the corner of 118 Avenue and 87 Street. With food trucks and a passport for prizes activity (involving visiting businesses displaying the “Shop Smart” decal to collect stamps), we thought it would be a fun way to spend the evening.

Shop Smart event

The timing, from 4:30-6:30pm, was curious, because it wouldn’t have given those that don’t live in the community much time to reach the event and participate. It also didn’t seem to be as organized as it could have been – one of the most prominent businesses featured on the passport, location-wise, was Handy Bakery. It wasn’t even open for the last part of the event.

That said, it was a good opportunity for us to finally visit businesses we’ve walked past dozens of times, but never had the excuse or time to check out.

Wall of guitars at Mhyre’s Music

Some businesses took the launch more seriously than others, as a chance to positively engage with new customers. Wee Book Inn, for example, handed out free tote bags and offered an in-store discount.

Mack at Wee Book Inn

Others, like Saffron’s Carribean Delight, seemed less than happy to be a part of the event. Granted, the server probably just felt overwhelmed, but the lack of welcome or even a smile didn’t make me eager to return.

The event was also an opportunity for us to try S*wich for the first time. S*wich is fairly new to the food truck scene, but sets itself apart in the sandwich category by baking its own bread. They also feature popsicles and ice cream sandwiches from THIS Place (affiliated with the truck). Mack and I are happy to say that the sandwiches do live up to its reputation, especially the bread!

Montreal smoked meat sandwich

Mack with a smoked turkey club

In the end, the prize we earned from collecting the minimum ten stamps was another tote bag with some information about the Avenue’s businesses and a few coupons. I’m not sure what we expected, but it was a fitting souvenir for the evening.

The following Sunday, we returned to the neighbourhood for Avenue Goes to the Dogs, an annual celebration of dogs. The festival, at Eastwood Park, began as a way for community members to meet one another, as many residents have dogs. Though we don’t have a dog ourselves (living in a pet-free building doesn’t help matters), we love dogs!

We ran into Pancakes, The Act’s loveable mascot

The festival lucked out with the weather – early morning showers gave way to overcast but dry skies. The crowds were also modest at the start of the festival (I was reminded of the rabid hordes at Toronto’s Woofstock earlier this year), but everyone had such genuine love for their pets that it more than made up for numbers.

Dog meet-up!

The real draw of the festival for me was the dachshund races. I missed the same kind of event at Woofstock, so this was a chance for me to watch this at home! There was a solid turnout of more than a dozen dachshunds and other long-bodied dogs, including Pancakes. Even Mack got in on the action, volunteering to hold Pancakes at the starting line.

Ready, set…

Go!

It really was the cutest thing, even if some of the dogs were less than cooperative!

See Spot run

Pancakes really had a bit of an unfair advantage due to her size, but some of the little ones gave her a run for her money, including the absolutely adorable Ellie, an 18 month old dachshund.

Ellie

Avenue Goes to the Dogs was much less commercial in nature than Woofstock, and felt very community and information-oriented, with displays that included City pet licensing requirements, the Edmonton Police K-9 Unit, and pet adoption societies.

Adopt me!

We had a great time, even sans dog. Kudos to the organizers for a great job, and for giving us another reason to visit the Avenue.

Truck Stop: Boyle Renaissance on July 25, 2013

It isn’t by accident that our What the Truck?! events have taken place only in centrally-located, mature neighbourhoods. We knew early on, for a grassroots festival like ours, we needed to choose areas of high residential density and ideally, areas which also boasted high levels of foot traffic. Given we had a promotional budget of $0, we needed to encourage the chance that visitors could stumble upon the festival.

Of course, our secondary reasoning for the venues we have chosen in the past relate to our desire to animate underutilized spaces by showcasing their potential, and encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation by ensuring pedestrian and transit accessibility.

This is why our upcoming event The Quarters is so exciting. The area has fallen into disrepair over the years, but the City has a grand vision to breathe life back into the area, which will include parks, a direct connection to the river valley, and new commercial and residential developments. One development, the Boyle Renaissance, is well underway, and can be seen as the herald of change in this neighbourhood.

Boyle Renaissance

Located just east of downtown, the completed first phase not only includes both affordable and market housing in the Welcome Village, but also a community centre. Mack and I toured through the facility in March, and were really impressed by what we saw. The building houses the Boyle Street Community League and also functions as its multi-function community hall – a gym, meeting rooms and even a kitchen can be rented through the league. We’ve been told that certain choice times in the gym have already been fully booked for the year by sports teams.

Welcome Village

The YMCA occupies the second floor of the building, and runs several programs out of the facility, including a family resource centre, child care centre and a collective kitchen.

We also appreciated some of the aesthetic features, including built-in projection equipment to allow art or films to be showcased just behind the glass walls, and a communal table that will be installed in the outdoor courtyard.

Community centre

When the City approached us earlier this year about organizing a Truck Stop event at the Boyle Renaissance, we knew it was the perfect fit. Though it may not have the foot traffic of Downtown, Oliver or Old Strathcona, we hope that through events like this, more Edmontonians will be exposed to up-and-coming neighbourhoods like The Quarters.

Join us on July 25, 2013 for our next Truck Stop in The Quarters!

What: Truck Stop: Boyle Renaissance
Where: Boyle Renaissance Plaza, 103A Avenue & 95 Street
When: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Time: 5-8p.m.

Expect children’s activities, music, a movie projection and tours of the new facility. And of course, food!

We are thrilled that four of the food trucks that debuted this year will be joining us that night. This will be one of the best opportunities to try food from several of the newest trucks in town, all in one place!

Menus will be posted at the What the Truck?! website on July 18, so check back then. Hope to see you there!

Sundays are for Markets: Eden’s Market on 124 Street

Sundays are coming up markets – almost overnight, three markets have joined the fray, giving shoppers even more alternatives to the Saturday mainstays of Old Strathcona, City Market and St. Albert.

Callingwood, 10am-3pm at 69 Avenue & 178 Street
South Edmonton Common, 10am-4pm at 151 Karl Clark Road
Eden’s Market on 124 Street, 10am-3pm at 10534 – 124 Street
French Quarter, 12-5pm, 8627 rue Marie-Anne-Gaboury (91 Street)
Edmonton Petroleum Club Outdoor Market, 10am-2pm, 1110 108 Street

I haven’t had a chance to visit the latter two yet, but Mack and I stopped by Eden’s Market on 124 Street on Father’s Day. Located in a small parking lot, the market looks to build on the momentum of the Thursday 124 Street Grand Market, which has managed to attract its fair share of regular patrons with its eclectic mix of food trucks and homegrown and handmade goods.

Though we had noticed premature signs last September announcing a forthcoming market on that corner, Eden’s Market has been attributed to organizer Patricia Cheung’s desire to help the Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS) make up its funding shortfall by donating all vendor fees to the non-profit. It’s interesting to note that the South Edmonton Common market also trumpets its support for charities (unfortunately, without too many concrete details about the type or amount of support).

On that rainy Sunday, crowds were scarce. This could have easily been attributed to the weather, but more likely to the Dad’s Day conflict. There were less than a dozen vendors participating (not surprising given the growing competition), including three food trucks.

We picked up some peppered jerky from Andy’s Finest Jerky, and scored some waffles from Eva Sweet. Though it’s not quite big enough to linger for long, it sounds like Eden’s Market will continue to grow as it finds its footing.

They will be celebrating their grand opening on June 23, 2013, with five new vendors, five food trucks, and a lion dance. Here’s hoping for good weather on Sunday and for the rest of the season!

Eden’s Market runs 10am-3pm at 10534 – 124 Street until October 6, 2013.

Recap: What the Truck?! in Old Strathcona

I’m always a worrier before our events, and on Friday, with the overcast skies threatening rain all afternoon, I really wasn’t sure how things would turn out at our first What the Truck?! of the year.

But after it poured in the hours leading up to the start, the skies cleared, and we were blessed with sunny (and dry) skies. And thankfully, the crowds followed!

After a series of successful Truck Stops in McIntyre Park last year, we started considering the location for one of our larger festivals. Central, accessible, with lots of built in seating and grass, it turned out to be the perfect setting for a celebration of food trucks to usher in summer.

It was particularly gratifying for Mack and I to see so many young families in attendance. We always strive to make our events family-friendly, but it seemed even more children were in attendance this time around, dancing, playing with one another, and taking advantage of the open space.

It’s always great to see familiar faces at What the Truck?! – we really appreciate the support – but it’s also nice when we run into those who are attending the festival for the first time!

Allan (of Irvings Farm Fresh) at his first WTT

Mack and I were also excited to try the new food trucks for ourselves (it’s almost embarrassing to admit). Paul Lampa of The Food Fighter laughed when I told him I wouldn’t be sharing my chicken parmigiana sandwich – I knew why after I attempted to finish it on my own. I should have weighed the sandwich – it was beyond generous, and I was defeated by the layers of breaded chicken topped with cheese and a subtly sweet tomato sauce.

Paul of The Food Fighter

Mack chose the cheesy beef sandwich from The Local Omnivore, after learning that they brined the beef for twenty-one days before smoking it.

Mack with his cheesy beef

At the end of the night, most of the trucks had sold out of food. Thank you to those who attended for making the event a success – we hope you had a great time! To help us with the planning for future events, we would appreciate it if you could fill out this survey about your experience.

Events like this cannot happen without support from the community, and we were incredibly fortunate to work with great partners and sponsors. The Old Strathcona Business Association stepped up as a partner from the moment we approached them; a special shout out to Tineke for all of your work! The Strathcona Community League was a sponsor early on as well, and helped us spread the word in the neighbourhood. DJs Thomas Scott (Urban Monks), Rob Clarke and Polyesterday also donated their services – who didn’t want to dance along with them?

DJs Thomas Scott, Rob Clarke and Polyesterday

A final thank you goes to our wonderful volunteers, who were game for anything we threw at them that night! If you found the site spotless, you know who to thank!

We are in the process of planning our events for the rest of the year, but you can expect two more What the Truck?! events this season, and at least one Truck Stop in the coming months. Check back on What the Truck?! for details!

You can see more photos from the event here.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: