To cap off a successful 2016 What The Truck (WTT) season, the final event was held on September 25 at Churchill Square. It was the perfect opportunity to bid farewell to summer and all of the food trucks that would be closing up shop for the winter. As well, this was the last WTT to be held at Churchill Square before construction is to be done for a new LRT line.
There were a total of 25 food trucks set up in and around the Square. Hours were from 2:00 to 7:00.
Since it was also Free Admission Day in Edmonton, it really didn't seem too busy. There was a good energy, but nowhere near as crowded as previous events held at Churchill.
We weren't very hungry (big mistake!) so we only managed to visit a few trucks. It was a small, but satisfying haul.
Of course, our very first stop was Attila the HUNgry. Since 2014, this food truck has been roaming the streets of Edmonton, putting an Asian spin on classic North American fare. Their fusion concept is playful, creative, and most of all, flavourful. Take their Peacemaker burger for example -- a handmade patty topped with Thai peanut butter, strawberry Sriracha jam and crushed peanuts. Or visit the truck on Wednesdays (deemed 'Waffle Wednesdays') for their take on chicken and waffles -- Korean fried chicken (the only KFC in my heart) and kimchi on top of ginger waffles.
But the dish that's made them famous is undoubtedly the #DuckTots ($12.00): crispy tater tots topped with Thai braised duck, lime Sriacha sauce, Hoisin aioli, and a garnish of green onion, cilantro, and crushed peanuts. I had their #DuckTots at last year's Taste of Edmonton, and they were just as good as I remembered. Hot and crispy tater tots, tender shredded duck, creamy aioli, and a kick of heat from the Sriracha. The duck has a distinct lemongrass flavour, and they're also pretty generous with piling it on which makes the $12.00 price tag seem worth it.
The portion size is also worth mentioning as it's ginormous. I'd recommend sharing it with a friend or two, maybe even three or four. Otherwise, it's way too heavy of a meal for a solo diner. Maybe they'd consider selling a half-order?
Another truck that caught our eye was The Sizzling Stick, a newcomer to the food truck scene. The Sizzling Stick specializes in satay (essentially meat on a stick). Malaysian food is a favourite of mine, so I was excited to see their interpretation.
The technology on their truck is pretty fancy -- an iPad register and a custom-designed grilling machine that cooks their satay from raw in 90 seconds flat.
We got the satay sampler ($10.00) which included three satay sticks of your choice (beef, chicken, or pork) and peanut sauce. You can make it a meal with their other combos, which include satay with coconut rice and/or different types of salads.
We got one each of their beef, chicken, and pork. To distinguish between the different meats, the sticks come branded with a little caricature of the animal. A cute and practical touch.
In all, I was pretty impressed with the satay. All three meats were tender with good flavour. Nice char marks as well. The only thing is that I prefer my peanut sauce to be chunkier but it wasn't a detriment to the dish at all.
I expect good things for them in the future.
Last stop of the day -- Casa12Doce! We actually visited the truck at our previous WTT outing as well. They're based out of Sherwood Park and specialize in delivering an authentic Mexican street food experience. Tacos, tortas, flautas, the whole works.
We ended up only getting dessert from here. Churros ($3.00 for two)! They probably had a few orders standing by because I received my paper bag seconds after paying. They were crunchy, chewy, and nicely coated in cinnamon sugar. Only thing that would've made them better is if they came with a dipping sauce of some sort (similar to Rostizado's dulce le leche).
Good food in perfect sweater weather: another WTT success!
- CT
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