This article first appeared in print in Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine’s July 2021 issue. Read the entire e-edition here:
Food trucks are increasingly popular in Revelstoke. The laidback vibe combines with convenience, offering a local alternative to hitting a drive-through. To explore this new dining trend, I traveled around Revelstoke and chatted with the minds behind these delicious ventures.
Far East Bistro
Introducing foreign foods to small communities can be risky. Luckily for Yu Sasaki, Revelstoke has embraced the Japanese flavours of Far East Bistro with open arms and rumbling stomachs. Located next to the typically bustling Grizzly Plaza, Sasaki brings Japanese street food to the heart of the city.
“Sometimes it’s very, very tricky. In Japan it is very popular, but in Canada, North America, people don’t know about it. So that’s kind of my job,” explains Sasaki about introducing new dishes to the community.
Although it may have been difficult, Sasaki succeeded. Far East Bistro’s most popular item is the Karaage bowl, a type of Japanese fried chicken. When they first opened, people were thrown off by the unique colour of the dish. Now, it is a fan favourite. By keeping things simple with chicken, rice, noodles, and fresh vegetables, he has won over the hearts and bellies of the town.
Sasaki is no stranger to running a food truck. As a professional skier, it is the perfect job to hustle through summer and shred all winter. This is his seventh summer doing exactly that. Before moving to Revelstoke three years ago, he worked out of Whistler and Squamish.
Now, Sasaki plans on sticking around long-term. Before the pandemic, he dreamed of opening his own restaurant. However, with the skyrocketing demand for takeout, he redirected his energy towards opening a second food truck. This time, he will introduce Okonomiyaki to town. Described as a “Japanese quiche”, Sasaki is sure it will be a good fit for the foodies of Revelstoke.
Killa B’s Grilla Cheese
Goey yet crispy, simple yet satisfying. Grilled cheese is a staple comfort food, and for good reason. The idea behind Killa B’s Grilla Cheese came to Brandon Pollard after a late-night campfire with friends.
“I made grilled cheese for everybody and it was like, ‘We should somehow sell this thing,’” Pollard reminisces. However, the story behind the food truck is deeper than a late-night snack. Grilled cheese is his mom’s favourite food. Served with tomato soup, the taste brings Pollard back home.
Alongside his wife Ashton Pollard, who he describes as the “brains of the operation,” Brandon opened Killa B’s last August. With their short time in operation, they have already established a loyal fanbase. As we chat outside the food truck, a couple of regulars show up. Brandon greets them by name and knows what they are about to order.
A massive amount of gluten and dairy goes into running a grilled cheese business, and Pollard takes his ingredients seriously. During the busy summer season, Killa B’s goes through about 200 slices of cheese and 12 to 15 loaves of bread daily. Southside Market provides them with all their cheeses and meats, as Pollard is a major believer in supporting local business.
“One thing that I really cannot get enough of is the local love that we get here,” says Pollard. “The vibe is super awesome, the stoke is there.”
With hip-hop blaring from the speakers, one might assume that the name Killa B’s Grilla Cheese is a Wu-Tang Clan reference. The real origin is more literal. Pollard is deathly allergic to bees. However, he states that if any members of the Wu-Tang Clan ever come to Revelstoke, they can expect a sandwich on the house.
The Wandering Root
Opening a food truck has been a longtime dream for Rebecca Roth. Meeting new people and travelling to new places is initially what drew her into the industry. For the past three years, Roth has been working towards opening The Wandering Root. This past November, her hard work came to fruition.
Roth describes their dishes as eclectic comfort food with a gourmet flair. A lot of her inspiration comes from the time she’s spent travelling. By bringing a worldly twist to her meals, Roth hopes to introduce people to ingredients they typically would not buy in a grocery store.
The Wandering Root’s winterized vehicle sets them apart from other food trucks. With the help of a space heater during the occasional cold snap, Roth can keep her business running year-round. She rotates her menu to reflect each season. This past winter, their soups and loaded potatoes brought warmth into hearts and bellies. As the weather heats up, Roth is focused on creating wraps with fresh ingredients, and frozen treats.
As we took a moment to chat on a rainy afternoon, Roth’s parents took over the kitchen. By encouraging Roth to follow her dreams, and giving her a space to brainstorm, they played a major role in the opening of this truck.
“They’re supposed to be retired, but I kind of pulled them back out of retirement,” Roth jokes. “I think starting a business with one person is really, really hard. So I’ve just been so thankful for them.”
If Roth could recommend one dish from The Wandering Root to anyone, it would be the Hipster wrap. Filled with arugula, cucumber, lettuce, walnuts, goat cheese and marinated quinoa, it encapsulates the unique yet comforting flavours that this food truck serves.
Empanadas! by Taco Club
Since 2012, The Taco Club food truck has travelled the streets of Revelstoke and beyond. Mike Brown, co-owner of The Taco Club, feels nostalgic when he reminisces about the food truck days. In 2015, The Taco Club transitioned to a full restaurant space. However, they kept the food truck running every summer. It has great sentimental value for Brown. Simply put, working on a food truck is fun.
“Everyone feels like you’re at the same level and it’s really chatty and you really learn where people are coming from. You get a quick instant feedback on the food you can really see, like as you’re cooking, if people are into it because they’re eating right outside the truck,” says Brown.
There was uncertainty surrounding what The Taco Club would do with their food truck this summer. For the past couple of years, the truck has mainly parked at events for catering purposes. Selling the vehicle, however, was not an option. When looking at repurposing options, the idea of empanadas came up.
A popular street food across South and Central America, empanadas are a savoury treat that pair fresh dough with flavourful meats and fillings. The Taco Club already has an empanada on their menu that is popular amongst guests, so it made sense to expand on a dish that is already well loved. However, Brown emphasizes that the empanadas served from the truck will be more traditional and meat-based, as opposed to cheesy.
The decision to focus on empanadas also has an element of staff initiative. One of The Taco Club sous-chefs is Colombian, and spent a few years working in Argentina as well. Juan Sebastian Acosta has first-hand experience with the popular street food, and will be running the revamped food truck this summer.
The Lucky Pup – coming soon to Revelstoke
Banh Mi is an iconic Vietnamese dish. A popular street food in Vietnam, the sandwich pairs a crunchy baguette with crisp pickled vegetables, juicy meats, and a kick of jalapenos. However, Charlotte Sit is not strictly following the classic recipe. Her new food truck, The Lucky Pup, takes flavours from various Asian cuisines and gently places them alongside the Banh Mi staples.
“With Vietnamese and Chinese and Korean and Japanese, there’s actually a lot of overlap between those food cultures. They share similar histories. So I just think it’s fun to create these modern mashups of those similarities,” Sit explains. The Lucky Pup is expected to open mid-August near Big Eddy Glass Works.
Growing up in Calgary, Sit experienced flavour profiles from around the world. As a Chinese-Canadian, her family bonded over homestyle traditional Chinese meals at the dinner table. Her culture influences the food that she creates.
“I really want to bring in certain elements of that into my food and introduce people to new flavors they may not have experienced before,” Sit elaborates. With three years of catering and eight years of working as a backcountry lodge chef, Sit has an extensive background in the culinary industry. The idea of opening a food truck came as a solution to rental issues.
“I was having a lot of trouble taking on certain types of catering work because there’s no commercial kitchen space in town to rent. It’s not easy to find a space to do that kind of long term permanently,” Sit says. With local bylaws, and residents, opening up to food trucks, the timing is right to start a new business.
“I actually hear from a lot of people that they wish there was more diversity of food here. I think this is going to fulfill that need.”
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