Knosh Food Truck and Catering

New food trucks are popping up like groundhogs these days, but at Knosh Catering at least the truck is a veteran of the Edmonton curb dining scene.  Hardcore food truck fans will recognize the truck, outfitted with a new logo, as the former Nomad truck.

Though the container may be mostly the same, the food and owners are all new.

Knosh is serving up British favourites like Yorkshire puddings stuffed with braised beef, rosemary gravy, and slaw. They call it “The Joint”, but this joint is totally legal. It’s a good thing too, because this thing is huge and would make out-running the po-po nearly impossible. Tender beef, rich gravy, and a soft yorkshire pudding. Delicious. There was probably a bit too much slaw on there though and it didn’t really add anything for me, but didn’t take away either.  So overall, this dish is a winner.

Yorkshire w/ braised beef. Trust me, the beef is under there somewhere

They also have a pulled pork sandwich with stout and onion, greens, white cheddar sauce and crumbled hard boiled egg. This one should be served with a full-body bib, as it’s a wet and sloppy menace to clean clothes everywhere. The bottom of the sandwich was soggy like a french dip, which isn’t a bad thing as long as it’s tasty, which certain bites of this sandwich definitely were; I found the taste was entirely dependent on whether you get some egg in your bite. Without it, I found the sandwich pretty bland, but when you get a bite of egg with the pork it was so much better. I never would have guessed it, but that boiled egg just brings it all together.

The Ploughman

They also had a Brit Burger with bacon, tomato and mushroom chutney, and an over easy egg. I wanted to try that instead of the pulled pork, but they were sold out. I’m not sure if this is a regular occurrence, but given that it was before noon I’d assume something out of the ordinary happened that day.

Hopefully when the fall comes Knosh will break out some more English comfort food like Shepherds Pie and Steak pie, but for now if this is the British Invasion part II, I’ll take my Union Jack tee-shirt in size XL please.

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Black Bull Grill Food Truck

With a rare opportunity to get out for lunch, I took advantage and dropped in on one of Edmonton’s newest trucks, Black Bull Grill.

Black Bull Grill specializes in authentic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, plus a few of their own variations of the famous sandwich. The classic Philly cheesesteak is simple and delicious, but so few places here in Edmonton make a good one.

Thankfully Black Bull Grill has changed that.

The issue of authenticity is often one I despise, as I really don’t care about how authentic something is as long as it tastes good. However, if you claim something to be authentic then you damn well better be right. When it comes to the iconic Philly Cheesesteak, I think a lot of people in these parts would be surprised to learn that in fact topping it with Cheez Whiz is as authentic Philly as you can get. Sure, even in Philly they have a couple acceptable variations such as American cheese and Provolone, but the real deal is “Steak with Whiz”.

Trust me, you don’t want to mess with Philly…. this is a town that boos Santa Claus.

When I got my cheesesteak from Black Bull Grill I was struck at how closely it matched the dozen or so cheesesteaks I ate when I was in Philly. Tender beef seared quickly on the flattop with grilled onions and green peppers, and doused with cheez whiz. It’s so simple, but oh-so- tasty.

The sandwich had a rich, beefy flavour and a whole lot of creaminess from the Whiz. My only gripe is that the beef was sliced a bit thicker than would be ideal. Though, had the beef not been so tender this would have been a bigger deal than it turned out to be.

Interestingly, any of Black Bull’s sandwiches can be made with Alberta Bison to add a local twist. There are also other not-so-Philly variations available such as the Mexican, Italian, Western BBQ, and others.

The Classic Philly

When we were in Philadelphia a few years ago (great town by the way… I recommend a trip), we stumbled upon the annual Cheesesteak competition by Independence Hall and got to sample a lot of different cheesesteaks in one shot. The cheesesteak at Black Bull Grill would not have been out of place.

The trucks regular location is a bit odd, as they set up shop in the parking lot of Gear Jammers truck wash on 99 st at 57 ave. If you find yourself anywhere near their location,  check them out – its as close to Philly as you can get in Edmonton.

A Sampling of 3 New Food Trucks

The food truck scene here in Edmonton has really exploded in 2013, with numerous  new trucks hitting our streets. This is great news for a comfort food junkie like me, because food truck food tends to be right in my wheelhouse… Simple and tasty, with an affordable price tag.

Will this plethora of new curbside dining options live up to the hype, or will they let us down? Well, the suspense was killing me too, so I checked out 3 of the newest trucks recently.

The newest of the bunch is The Crooked Fork. Not coincidently, this newest truck also had the most kinks to iron out.

I first got to try The Crooked Fork at the French Quarter Market, which you can read about here. They were already sold out of their poutine, and since all they had left were some hand breaded chicken fingers, that’s what I got.

The breading was really nice and crispy, but needed some seasoning. There was salt available, so problem solved. Unfortunately, the real problem with the chicken fingers couldn’t be solved with a simple shake of a salt packet. A couple of the fingers were raw in the middle. Raw chicken is a pretty serious no-no, but when I brought it to the owners attention the response I got was one you don’t see enough in restaurants these days; the right one.

He refunded my money, made me a new order, and apologized profusely. I always say if you’re going to complain about the problems, you’ve got to commend great service when they are fixed. Well done.

A couple weeks later I got the chance to try their poutine, and the result was startling to say the least. The components all tasted ok (although I would prefer crispier fries), but I think the issue will become obvious when you see the picture of my $7.00 order…..

Poutine at The Crooked Fork

Seriously, there was about 4 mouthfuls of poutine in that container. For $7.00.

This wasn’t just a skimpy portion. It was a total slap in the face. I kept expecting Ashton Kutcher to spring from the bushes and yell ” You’ve been punk’d! That’s a joke portion!” Needless to say, fool me once…..

The second truck I got a chance to check out has been out on the streets a few weeks now. The aptly named The Patty Wagon serves a long list of burgers and “exotic poutines”.

I decided to try the “That’s a Fun- Guy” burger, which is a beef patty (you can choose from beef, chicken, or lamb) covered with “a variety of exotic wild mushrooms, topped with creamy ‘shroom sauce and french gruyere”.

Now maybe someone, somewhere considers button mushrooms exotic, but I do not. Don’t get me wrong, I like button mushrooms just fine, but I just don’t understand the need to make your menu sound more upscale than it is at the expense of accuracy. I’ve seen it more and more at local eateries, and it’s quickly becoming a pet peeve of mine.

The burger was topped with a generous amount of cheese and mushrooms, and the patty was fairly moist. For my tastes, the meat could use a little more seasoning, as it was a bit bland. That’s an easy remedy. I think there is a lot of positive signs here going forward, but they did trip up on my one non-negotiable issue.

Gristle.

I don’t care how much I’m enjoying a burger… if I get a bite of gristle, I’m done with it. That doesn’t mean I’ll never give them another try, just that I was done with that burger. I’ll head back sometime and maybe try the chicken burger.

The “crispy french fries tossed in secret seasoning” were pretty good, though I’m not sure what comprises the secret seasoning which seemed to be mainly parmesan cheese. They were indeed crispy, and unlike the burger, I finished them all.

Check out The Patty Wagon’s website for all their info.

The last new truck I had a chance to try was The Local Omnivore. This truck has been serving for a couple months now, and not surprisingly was more polished in their execution.

Local Omnivore specializes in house smoked bacon and fried egg sandwiches. A couple things I really like about this truck is that they have some less expensive items, and a little smaller portion size than most of the other trucks. I love the option to have a smaller portion, and these guys aren’t messing up a good thing by overthinking it. Good bread, eggs, cheese, bacon, put together. I can’t find a flaw with that. I really enjoyed the sandwich I had at the Oliver Community League breakfast on Canada Day, and I’ll definitely check them out again.

All in all my experiences at these 3 trucks were a bit hit-and-miss but, given they are all relatively new, a few missteps should be expected.

Check their twitter pages to find out where they’ll be serving, or check out the What the Truck website for info on the next food truck mega-event.

Drift Food Truck on Eat St.

Did you miss Drift Food Truck’s appearance on hit Food Network Show Eat St.? Don’t fret, you can watch it over and over again with this handy dandy link at the bottom of the page!

Not surprisingly, Nevin and Kara came off like rock stars, and their food was the star of the show. Check them out Tuesdays through Fridays at 107 st and Jasper ave, and at various events around Edmonton.

DRIFT FOOD TRUCK ON EAT ST.

Eat St. in Edmonton- Molly’s Eats episode

Last summer, hit Food Network show Eat St. was in town filming 3 of our local food trucks. The first of those episodes aired last Monday, and featured Molly’s Eats and the trucks owner, Susan Chin.

If you didn’t catch the episode the first time around, I’ve included the link to that part of the show below. I was lucky enough to get an invite to the taping, so you’re not going to be able to avoid getting a healthy dose of me in the episode. Don’t worry though… my wife Robyn (the “It’s a monster!” girl) is also in it to keep me in line. Mostly.

Congratulations, Susan!

Warning: you have to wade through a few commercials before you get to the goods. Enjoy!

Eat Street- Molly’s Eats Video

Drift Food Truck- Edmonton

Like most people, I was raised on sandwiches.

Sandwiches for lunch, sandwiches for a snack, sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches.

Canned ham with cheese, pasty egg salad, PB & J, canned tuna, jerk chicken with grilled pineapple and slaw, roasted pork belly with pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro, and chili mayo….wait, you don’t recognize those last 2 from mom’s rotation of family favourites?

Didn’t think so. Me neither.

That’s because those drool- worthy bad boys ain’t from mom’s kitchen…they’re from Edmonton’s newest food truck, Drift. (Check them out on twitter)

This rolling flavour factory is an eye catcher for sure, dressed in teal and turning heads wherever she goes. But like a pretty girl, being eye catching isn’t worth much without some substance behind it.

This truck is serving some serious high end sandwiches. Feed that tired old bologna sandwich to your dog, and treat yourself to a back bacon and brie, with roasted apples and cucumber. It’s fantastic.

Back bacon and brie, roasted apples, and cucumber

Or trade in your boring chicken salad sandwich for a poultry of another feather. How does duck confit with port soaked cranberries and cabbage sound to you? Good, right? Yeah, I know it does. And since I’ve downed this sucker as well, I can tell you it really is as good as it sounds.

Duck confit w/ port soaked cranberries and cabbage

The Menu Board

Back bacon, Jerk x2, and the Duck

The crowd favourite so far is the pork belly with pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, and chili mayo. It’s pretty great. So great in fact, that i’ve seen more than a couple people order one for now, and one to take home for later.

A great sandwich is not complete without a great bread. Drift is toasting up perfectly chewy ciabatta buns to compliment their fantastic fillings, and as with most of their ingredients, they’re sourced locally. Bonus!

As with all the sandwiches, pairing with the fresh cut french fries is a must. They are available seasoned with salt and pepper, or go crazy ( crazy-smart! ) and get them “Drift style”. Drift style seasoning is a mix of mustard seed, cumin, and fennel seed that will get your tastebuds dancing. I LOVE these fries! Eat them as is, or dip into the accompanying delicious tomato sauce. You will not be sorry. They are my hands-down favourite fries in the city.

While Drift has mastered the art of the gourmet sandwich, it’s the teal beauty’s affable owners, Kara and Nevin, and their mastering of those little intangibles of business that make for ultra loyal, ultra valuable, repeat customers that really sets them apart.

The Grill Master Nevin and a camera shy Kara

These intangibles are the things that make you walk away from a business feeling really good about supporting it and the people who run it. They make you want to tell all your friends, family, co-workers, the construction workers down the block, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker to go check it out because you want them to succeed so badly.

Kara- Gotcha!

Kara and Nevin, along with recurring Employee of the Month Adam, are those people.

Along with Tres Carnales, Next Act Pub, and a few others, Drift has joined my list of eateries that combine fantastic product, with ownership you’d be proud to support.

Food Truck Power Couple Nevin and Kara