Friday, 19 July 2013

Food Cart Fest

Ladies and gents, if you're looking for some fun in the sun this weekend, make your way down to the Olympic Village and check out Food Cart Fest!  I went this past weekend and it was one of the funnest (yes, I've decided that that is most definitely a word) afternoons I've had all summer.  Granted, food carts tended to make my tummy giddy with excitement at the best of times, so 20 of them all in one location had me doing cartwheels in the street!  Not to mention that they've paired up with the Vancouver Flea Market so there are clothes and goodies to peruse, and there were even tents with life-size versions of Jenga and Snakes & Ladders...awesome!  If I have my way, this is going to become a weekend staple for me. 
 
Things to note: (1) Food Cart Fest is located in the empty parking lot between Olympic Village and Cambie Bridge (the one with that cardboard tank that is now breaking down and becoming a garden).  You enter off the seawall and can approach either from Cambie Bridge or Olympic Village.  (2) There is a $2 entry fee.  At first having to pay to buy food bugged me a little.  However, $1 of the $2 is donated to a Loving Spoonful (a great charity) and the other $1 is well worth it when you see the misters, which brings me to my next point (3) They have people walking around with misters!!!  So, when you get hot you can just walk through their mist and cool off.  Brilliance!  (4) Most trucks are cash only.  They have an ATM there, but if you want to avoid ridiculous bank charges, make sure to have plenty of cash on you.  (5) There's music.  (6) There are tents for shade and tables and chairs to eat at.  However, the chairs and tables are hard to nab, so word to the wise, bring your own beach towel to lay down on the ground and sit on.  (7) Here are some of the vendors that took part in last week's festival:
 

 
Almost there!

First stop of the day: Italian Soda!  This was delicious, refreshing, probably the most inexpensive thing you'll see at the festival all day, and the kids were fabulous!  So polite, organized and each had their job to do.  I loved it!  Best $2 ever spent.

Stop 2 - Lunch!  I've been dying to try JJ's Trucketeria so was thrilled to see them at Food Cart Fest.  They definitely didn't disappoint.  The food was uber fresh and oh so yummy, the portions were solid and the prices were really good.  I can't wait to try more of their yummy goodness sometime soon! 
 
The menu.

Pick me, pick me!

Okay...I'll pick you!  My "Featured Salad."  Amazing!  ($5)
 
Twitter: @jjstrucketeria

Stop 2 - Lunch continued!  I don't know about you, but I just can't resist a cob of freshly roasted corn...especially when it's smothered with all sorts of yummy goodness!  Plus, this truck is only out and about at special events...it doesn't have a regular Monday through Friday schedule...so how could I resist?  Interesting fact: it's affiliated with both the Roaming Dragon and Vij's Railway Express trucks.

The menu.

Roasted corn with cotija and parmesan cheeses, mayo, chile, paprika and a lime wedge.  They're making a killing at $5 a corn, but it was absolutely scrumptious!  I've definitely never had corn on the cob like that before.

And the icing on the cake (or should I say the filling in the pie)?  A strawberry rhubarb pie ice cream sammie from The Pie Hole!!!  Jenell, you completely outdid yourself with this creation!  Complete and absolute heaven.  Scrumptious cinnamon pie crust on either side of what I do believe was homemade strawberry rhubarb ice cream.  AMAZING!!!  Cold and refreshing, but not too sweet.  Next time I just might bring a cooler so I can bring a few of these home with me. 
 
Word to the wise, let it melt a little bit before eating so the ice cream is not too hard...but remember that once the melting starts there's no going back...so get chewing and make that tummy of yours happy!
 
Twitter: @pieholevan
 
Human snakes and ladders...love it!

http://www.foodcartfest.com/
Twitter: @ArrivalAgency

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