The Big Taco

Food trucks are the perfect opportunity for enterprising chefs to create innovative eats.The movable food vendors have been a hot topic in Saskatoon, where city council just recently approved the venture. One of the first to confirm his truck, Dan Walker (the owner of Weczeria) will be running Joy Ride, with a globally inspired menu.

Regina has been ahead of Saskatoon in this area — the first food trucks opened for business in 2012. This year six are operating in the Queen City. The trucks move around but at least one or two can always be found in the City Square Plaza. Most have Twitter accounts but not everyone updates regularly. @yqrfoodtrucks is the general account to follow. Here’s a rundown on what you can find in Regina’s street food scene.

SASSY CAFÉ

WHAT TO EXPECT:Pretty crepes, crafted with care by a mother/daughter duo. Sassy offers three savoury crepes that also come grilled on rye bread. A few sides, a salad and dessert crepes are available.

DISH TO TRY:You can never go wrong with Nutella, especially when it’s paired with strawberries and banana in a warm crepe, dusted with icing sugar and topped with whipped cream (if you so desire). Sassy’s crepes are light enough to let the flavours come through, yet strong enough not to melt in your hands.

PRICE:Savoury crepes are $10; dessert crepes are $8

PRAIRIE SMOKE AND SPICE

WHAT TO EXPECT:A basic and affordable southern BBQ menu that appeals to the meat-and-potatoes-loving crowd. Meats are smoked for 14 hours on apple wood. On Sundays, they cook up ribs and chicken.

DISH TO TRY:The pulled pork was easily one of the best I’ve tried. (And I’ve eaten a lot of pulled pork!) BBQ sauce is served on the side but isn’t necessary — the meat is juicy enough.PRICE:$7 to $10 for pulled pork or brisket; sides are $1

THE BIG TACO

WHAT TO EXPECT: A huge menu of various tacos (served in a pita, in a bag or on a bun), french fries and salads. If you like experimenting with french fries, come here. Big Taco serves Taco Fries, Poutine Deluxe and a Chicken Fry Fiesta (Cajun chicken, lettuce, onions, beans, salsa, cheddar cheese and sour cream on fries.)

DISH TO TRY:The Cajun Chicken Taco was delicious and fresh, although the pita was too dry to hold up all the fixings.

PRICE:Ranges from $5 to $6 (fries, salads, taco on a bun), to $14 to $16 (big tacos)

A regular taco and salad combo came in at $13. The prices are steep but I was impressed with the quality. It would be much easier to deep fry everything but the only food that hits the fryer here are the fries.

BON BURGER

WHAT TO EXPECT: Homemade burgers with gourmet toppings made from locally raised beef served on buns from Cathedral Bakery. Bon Burger was famous last summer for its homemade ice cream sandwiches.

PRICE: Burgers: $7.50 to $10; poutine is $7 and french fries in a cone are $4

SALSA FRESCO TACO

WHAT TO EXPECT: Try the authentic Mexican tacos made with homemade tortillas and salsa, along with aqua fresca (fresh fruit juice) served by Jade Benesh and her husband Jose Rodriguez. In 2010, Jose received his chef certification in Mexico.

PRICE: Tacos are $5; a two taco/agua fresca combo is $12.50

ROCK A GRILL

WHAT TO EXPECT:All kinds of burgers, from chicken to veggie, along with a breakfast burrito, a chicken aioli wrap, fresh cut fries, poutine and sweet potato chips are on the menu. A cheese steak wrap will be added this summer.

PRICE:Burgers are $8 or $10

http://www.leaderpost.com/life/Regina+impressive+food+truck+scene/8515145/story.html

REGINA – Dustin Rapitta cannot wait to start barbecuing.

He calls himself the ‘pit master’ of Prairie Smoke and Spice, one of the Regina area food trucks that are making their return to the city within the next few days and weeks.

“It’s been a very long winter for everybody, but to us who love to smoke, and depend on the weather to smoke, it seems like an extra long winter,” said Rapitta.

“We’re pretty excited to get the pits fired up again, and get back out on (City Square Plaza).”

Technically, food trucks could already be up and running in Regina. A permit runs from January to December but cold weather has kept the vendors from venturing out.

“We’ve started to issue permits, and we’re just waiting for the weather at this point,” said Chris Sale, the city’s downtown senior planner.

With warmer temperatures on the way, the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID) hopes the success from last year’s pilot project will continue in 2013.

“I think that just adds to the dynamic to our downtown and really shows how vibrant it can be,” said RDBID’s executive director Judith Veresuk. “There’s a lot of variety, a lot of people go to the food court, they go to the restaurants and the pubs and cafes, but the food trucks are just another option for them.”

For $500 food trucks can get a permit to vend throughout the city. If they want to come to City Square Plaza in the heart of downtown Regina, it is an additional $600 for the whole year. Last year there was no charge for that.

This is the second year of a two year pilot project for food trucks in Regina. At the end of the season the city will decide if it should continue to 2014 and beyond. Vendors hope they do.

“A lot of people said they don’t usually leave their offices for lunch, but this gave them an opportunity to come out and explore the trucks and spend some time in the park,” said Rapitta.

This year’s line up has even more variety, with the addition of trucks specializing in chicken and crepes.

Sale said the city has talked about closing city square plaza to traffic while the trucks are around, but will take a “wait and see approach”.

http://globalnews.ca/news/527956/food-trucks-preparing-to-make-return-to-regina/

Food Trucks could be coming to Saskatoon much sooner than a north commuter bridge and the city had its chance to hear from the public about their thoughts on allowing food-mobiles on public property.

“I personally think these can bring life and vitality to our city and I’d like to see them,” said councillor Mairin Loewen.

Currently food trucks are allowed on private properties according the bylaw, but the city recognizes there’s opportunity for both sides to allow these vendors on public spaces such as down by the river bank or in and around the downtown core.

“There were a number of inquiries received by city councilors in 2012,” said Alan Wallace, manager of community services.

“Where the administration got involved is we got an inquiry from one councillor to review our policy and that’s where we’re at right now.”

Wallace said part of the reason the city held an open house on Thursday at Francis Morrison Library, was to illustrate to the public what food trucks could look like and where they could potentially be around the city. Another reason was to dispel the misconception that food trucks are banned in the city.

“We want people to understand what’s currently allowed and give us some feedback on what they think should be allowed for our food truck policy,” said Wallace.

At the open house residents had the chance to place red stickers on a map of Saskatoon, laying potential spots where they would like to see mobile food trucks.

For Denise Kouri, she said allowing food trucks downtown will add to the vibrant food culture downtown.

“It would be nice to have ethnic ones and health food (trucks),” she said.

Ward 1 councillor Darren Hill said he wants the administration to take the review one step further to see if they could allow food trucks on city-owned parks.

“We could open up the Meewasin Valley, not for food trucks but for food carts along the trail,” said Hill.

“Food trucks will add to the quality of life and the cultural enhancements we have throughout the City of Saskatoon. It’s a positive thing for everyone.”

Potential hot spots for mobile food trucks include Second Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets with a 30 meter buffer from full service restaurants and nightclubs. 20th Street between Avenues H and F were also identified as possible locations. However, many residents who attended the open house put stickers all along the river bank.

A report from the city’s administration on food truck policy is expected to be released in the spring.

http://cjme.com/story/residents-could-see-food-trucks-summer/93452

BUDZ Burgers

With more food trucks comes more problems for the City of Regina

After some frustrations Wednesday at the City Square plaza in Regina, the city admitted there are some “growing pains” to be worked through as the space is opened to food trucks.

Some trucks are already parking on the plaza space over lunch hours to sell their wares.

But Wednesday an inner-city youth workshop that had booked the stage area at Cornwall Street for a performance ran into problems. A truck refused to shut down a noisy gas generator being used for power.

The city’s Chris Sale said the vendor was using a loud gas generator — and wasn’t able to turn it off while the kids were performing.

“Some of the vendors are running generators. And we’re finding that the generators are loud.”

Sale said a lottery is being held for the trucks to reserve spaces for next year and that should help solve such problems.

“Vendors who are operating on the plaza won’t be using generators, they’ll be plugging into the power that was established as part of the development of the plaza.”

The pilot program is still new, and kinks are being worked out, but Sale said the vendors, and the city, are learning as they go.

“The vendors are starting to work as a community down there and provide me with updates.”

The health ministry is responsible for regulating the trucks and their operations…but the city will help them work with others who book the plaza space.

http://cjme.com/story/food-truck-problems-downtown-regina/60498