06/07/2011 - No Reservations: the Best in Vancouver Street Food
For a true culinary adventure, leave the brick and mortar behind and take a tour of Vancouver's street food scene.In 2010, the City of Vancouver set out to relax restrictions on the number of mobile food vendors allowed on popular pedestrian routes throughout the city. The result was an explosion in gourmet street cuisine ranging from French-Canadian poutine to Korean-style tacos.
With 17 street food vendors approved as part of
a City pilot expansion program in 2010 and 19 more approved in 2011, the competition is heating up. The City has plans to increase the number of street food vendors by 60 over the next four years.
Here are five food cart locations that consistently rank among local favourites. When in Vancouver, sample their delicious twists on traditional urban fare:
Cartel Taco
Located at the intersection of Dunsmuir and Hamilton streets in the Yaletown district of Vancouver, Cartel Taco is an experience in Asian-Mexican fusion. Partners Joel Watanabe, Jesse Grasso and James Iranzad have a combined forty years of experience as local chefs and restaurateurs. Their hand-made pork, beef and vegetarian tacos are prepared in the Korean Bulgogi style and use only locally-grown and organic ingredients.
Japadog
Have you ever taken a bite out of a cheese smokie topped with seaweed, wasabi mayo and teriyaki sauce? If not, meet Japadog. You can't miss the lunchtime lineups at the flagship downtown location at the corner of Burrard and Smithe streets. The inspiration of former Japanese ad salesman turned entrepreneur Noriki Tamura, Japadog has been a fixture on the Vancouver street food scene since 2005 and attracts celebrities and media eager to explore its unique interpretations of the traditional hot dog.
PanDa Fresh Bakery
Next time you are craving a piece of New York cheesecake and a lady finger stuffed inside a French croissant, head directly to the PanDa Fresh Bakery next to David Lam Park in Yaletown. Brothers Derek and Michael Ip have thought of every stuffed, sweet and savory croissant imaginable - from green tea ice cream to macaroni and cheese - all served from a converted school bus.
Roaming Dragon
Roaming Dragon creators Jory Simkin and Jason Apple launched their mobile Pan-Asian menu in 2010 in consultation with local executive chef Don Letendre. By 2011, the Roaming Dragon had already reached the top of the street food chain, earning the Vancouver Magazine restaurant award for best food cart in the city. The @dragontruck uses Twitter to reveal its locations to followers salivating over the next chance to bite into its steamed pork buns, duck confit salad and short ribs.
The Kaboom Box
On the northwest corner of Robson and Granville, in the heart of Vancouver's entertainment district, The Kaboom Box serves up an eclectic mix of traditional Canadian fare made using sustainable ingredients. Best known for its smoked salmon 'salmwich' and traditional Canadian poutine served with mushroom gravy and cheese curds, this food cart prides itself on using only local meat, seafood and vegetarian ingredients. Creator Andrew Fielding is a veteran street food vendor from San Francisco.
As the Vancouver street food scene gains popularity, more flavors will emerge to entertain the palates of locals and visitors alike.
Download the free Street Food Vancouver app to plan your culinary tour a la cart.
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