On the frontlines of Food Truck Warz

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This article was published 19/09/2022 (1249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After spending the past summer sampling the best mobile cuisine that Westman has to offer, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend this year’s Food Truck Warz, which featured 26 restaurants on wheels from across Manitoba and beyond.

While I already wrote about some of the featured restaurants in the Brandon Sun’s 2022 Food Truck Review, most of the menus on display at the Keystone Centre grounds throughout Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were completely new to me.

Admittedly, this scene was a little overwhelming at first, since the collection of sounds and smells that populated the parking lot made it difficult to choose one truck over another.

But through sheer force of will, I eventually pared my selection down to half a dozen meals spread over the course of three days.

The following represents my spare thoughts about what each of these food trucks had to offer within the price range of $20 per kitchen.

Even though these six mobile restaurants operate outside of the Westman region, I think it’s still worth noting what’s out there in the broader culinary landscape, since these food trucks could very well be visiting a festival near you in the future.

Simba Safari Grill (Winnipeg)

The first stop on my Food Truck Warz campaign was a mobile restaurant boasting authentic African cuisine, with the staff’s masala fries ($8) and beef samosas ($8) looking particularly tasty.

The masala fries were sold as more of an “African poutine” due to the dish being covered in a curry sauce rather than the combination of gravy and cheese curds that most Canadians are familiar with.

Being a member of the latter party, I’ll admit that the curry sauce (consisting of tomatoes, garlic and onions) initially threw me for a loop, since I’m familiar with those flavours being served alongside rice, pasta or a large piece of protein.

Having this kind of curry sauce accompany a stack of home fries took a couple of minutes to get used to, but my palate was able to quickly adjust and enjoy the dish for what it was.

Simba Safari Grill’s beef samosas were an entirely different story, since they did not come packaged with a side order of acquired taste.

Instead, the combination of browned ground beef (seasoned with natural herbs and spices) being wrapped up in a fried pastry pocket worked in perfect unison, especially when it was paired with a side serving of sweet chili sauce.

The only major downside to this dish was the price, which asks you to shell out $8 for two small samosas that could be devoured in a couple of bites.

I understand that far more preparation and care goes into these pastries compared to the frozen 12-pack that you can buy at the grocery store for roughly the same amount of money, but finding some happy medium between quality and cost would have been nice.

Overall, Simba Safari Grill served as an appropriate introduction to the trenches of the Food Truck Warz, since I got to encounter the familiar and the unknown in one convenient spot.

Verdict: 3 out of 5

Blue Haze Barbecue (Beausejour, Man.)

Despite starting out with some decent weather, the Food Truck Warz battle ground was drenched in rain throughout much of Friday, which slightly dampened the meals and spirits of those who attended.

However, the good people over at Blue Haze Barbecue kept their grills fired up throughout this time, encouraging me to order their brisket nachos ($12).

This dish is similar in construction to your average taco-in-a-bag meal; it consists of Doritos chips, nacho cheese, sour cream, barbecue sauce, green onions and jalapeño peppers.

But of course, the main event here was Blue Haze’s Texas-style brisket, which is smoked and gradually cooked over low temperatures, according to their website.

Whatever their method, the results are undeniable, with the meat obtaining a tender and juicy quality that can only be described as heavenly.

The only major downside is that the brisket was slightly overwhelmed by some of the other ingredients included in this dish, with the total number of Doritos being a particularly egregious inclusion.

However, the rest of the components in this nacho dish still worked together as a cohesive whole, mostly thanks to the brisket serving as an extremely solid foundation.

While I didn’t have the time to sample Blue Haze’s Kansas City ribs or Carolina-style pork this weekend, I’m hoping to encounter the food truck in the future so I can determine if this level of quality is spread throughout the rest of their menu.

Verdict: 3.5 out of 5

The Walleye Wagon (Riverton, Man.)

The rain continued throughout Friday evening, battering the roof of The Walleye Wagon as I placed my order for some fish and chips ($19).

Instead of eating it on site, I decided to bring my meal home to retain the piping-hot quality of this beer-battered pickerel from Lake Winnipeg and fresh-cut home fries that was served with a side of coleslaw and tartar sauce.

Having devoured a lot of fish and chips in my time, I can confidently say that The Walleye Wagon is a cut above what I’m used to.

Not only was the fillet suitably crispy on the outside, but the interior was also juicy and moist, which is tough to find even in a quality seafood restaurant.

The Walleye Wagon’s home fries also largely stood up to this same pedigree, staying flaky and fluffy despite getting slightly damp in the rain.

While the tartar sauce managed to tie this dish together, the coleslaw largely came across as an afterthought, although that could be due to my distaste for this side dish in general.

Despite this one misstep, The Walleye Wagon staff still managed to deliver a no-frills fish and chips experience that gives high-end restaurants a run for their money.

Verdict: 4 out of 5

KYU Grill (Winnipeg)

Standing in line at KYU Grill on Saturday afternoon was slightly intimidating.

The food truck was absolutely covered in trophies and accolades the staff had won from past festivals, including being named the “People’s Choice Winner” at the 2019 Brandon Food Truck Warz.

Wanting to see if this Japanese-Hawaiian fusion restaurant truly lived up to the hype, I purchased their most expensive “Hero” sandwich, which consisted of braised pork belly, house sauce, coleslaw, sesame seeds and mayo served on a sweet bun ($13.50).

It turns out that the KYU Grill staff have cause to brag, since the pork was unbelievably tender, nearly melting in my mouth as I tore through the sandwich with ease.

The rest of the ingredients were handled with almost the same level of care, to the point where I actively enjoyed the coleslaw and didn’t find it to be an outright distraction like with The Walleye Wagon.

The hot-dog style bun was also baked just the right amount, although it did fall apart at the slightest touch, making for a messing eating experience.

But if you’re not concerned about getting your hands covered in mayo and sesame seeds, you should definitely put KYU Grill to the top of your list for next year’s Food Truck Warz and see what the buzz is all about for yourself.

Verdict: 4.5 out of 5

Trendy Treats (Winnipeg)

After ordering a variety of hot meals, I decided to mix things up by indulging in some dessert from the team at Trendy Treats, who specialize in alcohol-infused ice cream.

Despite seeming like a gimmick from the outset, I quickly discovered that the staff take their homemade ice cream very seriously based on the sheer quality of their menu.

First up was a Baileys-flavoured dessert (two scoops for $6.50), which featured the perfect consistency between soft and hard ice cream that I haven’t encountered before.

While Trendy’s whiskey maple walnut offering (one scoop for $5) wasn’t as flawless in terms of its texture, the staff more than made up for it by including some delicious toppings and a tasty maple glaze.

In both instances, the unique alcohol flavour was front and centre, although it didn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients and make the whole experience unpleasant.

In fact, I’d wager this is probably the best ice cream I’ve had in a while, alcohol content or not.

And before you can ask, no, I didn’t get buzzed or even remotely drunk after taking in this distinctly “adult” dessert.

But I did experience a slight brain freeze afterward, which is the mark of quality for any ice cream taste test.

Verdict: 5 out of 5

The Frying Deutschmann (Regina)

My final visit at this year’s Brandon Food Truck Warz took place at a mobile restaurant that specializes in European cuisine, with the schnitzel on a bun ($13.50) immediately jumping out at me.

The staff must have known that this was my last stop for this year’s campaign, since they supplied me with a giant piece of protein that overtook the bun and hid the remaining ingredients almost completely from sight.

Of course, this wasn’t a bad thing, since this tender piece of meat led to a delicious mix of mustard and sauerkraut in the middle.

The contents of this sandwich existed in perfect harmony. The bun tied everything together with a soft, fluffy exterior.

And while there was nothing fancy about the dish’s packaging or presentation, The Frying Deutschmann crew obviously know how to deliver a filling and flavourful experience, which is all that really matters when you’re six meals deep into a food truck bonanza.

Verdict: 4 out of 5

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @KyleDarbyson