Texas Smoke BBQ

My first experience with Texas Smoke BBQ was back in September 2021.  I had decided to drive deep into Langley after work one day to check the place out.  I ended up ordering everything they had and truly enjoyed the food.  One caveat though, I had to trek all the way back home before digging into the smoked goodies.  Thankfully, I was invited to a tasting several months later with a group of other foodies.  We were able to have the food slightly warmer (although it was winter).  Since then, I've returned on my own half a dozen of times and let me tell you, the brisket is amazing right after it has been sliced.   Fast forward to the present and they have opened up a second location in the parking lot of Milner Feed & Pet Supply.  Jacqueline and I were invited to check the place out and we gladly made the drive out across the Port Mann.

Let's cut the suspense and get right to the meats.  We were served a platter with Pulled Pork, Tex Mex (Barbacoa), Beef "Dyno" Rib (Short Rib), Pork Sausages and Beef Brisket.  As you can clearly see, there is quite the bark on the brisket and short rib.  Impactfully smoky without going overboard, the bark is also flavourful from the rub.  Tender and moist, the brisket is the meat to have here, but the short rib is a close second where it is fatty and fall-apart succulent.  Shredded and sauced, both the pulled pork and barbacoa are meaty while tender.  Lastly, the sausages have a wonderful snap from the casing giving way to a juicy and meaty filling.

So doing a deeper dive into that short rib, I can say it is subjective that the brisket is better.  In some sense, the short rib is the choice of meat here.  Jacqueline seemed to think so.  As you can see in the closeup, the meat is fatty, gelatinous and moist.  Combine it with a flavourful bark and this might be the first meat to go if you are sharing.  At $31.99 each, this is a lot of meat for the price.

Of course we cannot forget about the Burnt Ends that also included some twice-smoked sausages as well.   The burnt ends here are a bit different than some other versions I've had (here and in Texas).  These ones are much more meatier and tender as opposed to the fattier and harder ones.  Furthermore, the sauce is a lot lighter and not as thick.  You can definitely eat more of these as a result.

Off to the sides, we have Smoked Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese, Corn Bread and also a Brioche Bun (that is used for their sandwiches).  I love how they char the mac & cheese to give it a smoky flavour as well as adding crunch (the extra panko helps too).  Baked beans are sweet and smoky while the cornbread is buttery and moist.  It can be had in jalapeno form too.

The last available side is the Southern Slaw where I noticed that it is different (in a good way).  Unlike in the past, there is much more dressing and the tanginess really comes through.  Fresh cabbage also ensures that the bright crunch is there too.  As you can tell, I love Texas Smoke.  I wouldn't spend so much money on the place if I didn't.  Also I wouldn't drive out there if it wasn't worth it.  I think that you should do the same.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:

- Properly smoked meats

- Reasonable pricing

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Well, both locations are in Langley.  Worth the trek in my opinion.

- Maybe a thicker sauce for the burnt ends?

Kim Jong Grillin'

Here we are, the very last meal on our 3-week road trip that had taken us from Vancouver to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Vegas, Portland and all points in between.  Being exhausted and frankly tired of eating out, we merely picked up some take-out from Kim Jong Grillin'.  I've been meaning to hit up this place for awhile and in fact, wanted to do so on our way down.  But it ended up to be our last meal on our way up.

Since we arrived rather late in the day (we were driving from Bend and stopping at Painted Hills along the way...), there wasn't any chicken left.  Hence we went for the Bulgogi that was served with rice, kimchi, sesame sprouts and daikon banchan.  This was absolutely huge with a pile of marinated beef that was smoky and flavorful.  However, since the strips were rather thick, it wasn't as tender as we would've liked.  However it was still very good with lots of banchan underneath.

We also got the Galbi with the same accompaniments as the Bulgogi.  As much as this didn't look full as the Bulgogi, there was still more than enough food to satisfy a hungry adult.  As evidenced in the picture, the beef short ribs were nicely charred.  Hence, there was caramelization and smokiness.  Meat was fatty and tender in a chewy way (if that makes sense).  The kimchi underneath was tangy and spicy, but need some fermented shrimp for more impact.

Since they only had enough Spicy Pork to only offer us a Bibim Box, we took it.  With half the amount of meat, these sport the same banchan and rice as the previous boxes.  However, they add scorched japchae and fried egg drizzled with gochujang.  Loved the charred spicy pork.  It was so tender and spicy.  Add in the silky egg yolk and the japchae, there was much more variation of flavors and textures.

Due to the limited options, we went for a duplicate of sorts with the Bulgogi Bibim Box.  This also featured the same items as the previous box.  With less beef, I actually enjoyed this Bulgogi more than the full order.  Again, the different textures of the banchan with the japchae provided a variety of flavors.  Overall, we thought Kim Jong Grillin' was good and provided excellent value.  Each box was heavy and packed with food.  Not bad for a food truck.

The Good:
- Great value
- Decent eats
- Flavorful

The Bad:
- Beef could've been more tender and/or sliced thinner

 

Street Food City (2022 Dine Out Vancouver Festival)

It is nice to see that food truck pods are becoming a thing in the Lower Mainland.  However, this is still a temporary occurrence as there never seems to be any consistency.  Sometimes they only exist as part of a special event and sometimes, they just get their permits cancelled due to complaints from surrounding businesses. So let us celebrate when we have a good collection of diverse food trucks in one spot for us to enjoy.  This is the case for Dine Out Vancouver Fest with Street Food City at the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza from Jan 15th - 23rd.

I was invited to sample something from every food truck on sight including one of my favourites in Disco Cheetah.  We decided to get the KFC Rice Bowl with multigrain rice, greens, corn, edamame, pickled red cabbage, scallion, Oriental vinaigrette, Korean fried boneless chicken thigh, chili mayo and garlic mayo.  Beyond the punch provided from the mayo and various textures from the veggies, the KFC was the star for sure.  It was in large pieces, crispy and juicy.

I've also had Super Thai in the past and we decided on the Pad Thai Chicken in medium spice.  This came with wider rice noodles which afforded a chewier texture (also was prepared properly so it wasn't overdone).  In terms of flavour, there was plenty of tang from the tamarind and sweetness from the palm sugar.  This was balanced off by the good heat provided by the chili powder.  My only wish would be for some preserved turnip or radish.

Staying with South Asian cuisine, we got the Beef Rendang with coconut rice from Kampong - Taste of Malaysia.  This featured tender morsels of beef bathed in a rich gravy.  This was definitely cardamom-forward with obvious hints of star anise, cinnamon and lemongrass.  The rice underneath was aromatic and dry enough to compliment the rendang properly. Normally, when I eat this dish, I don't like it spicy, but you can request for it.

I must've had Reel Mac & Cheese a dozen times already because I seem to see them everywhere (including the PNE)!  No big deal because I do enjoy their mac & cheese.  I let them choose the Kevin Bacon to try this time because I've already had almost of the variations already.   This was the beneficiary of a 7 cheese blend and al dente macaroni.  The ample amount of meaty  bacon on top made this quite the meal.

One of the most surprising items we tried was at Mama's Fish & Chips.  Well, first of all, I've never had the pleasure of trying this particular food truck and second, the 2 pc Fish & Chips with 2 prawns added was fantastic!  Normally, fried prawns are pretty standard, but these were so buttery and cold-water crunchy while the batter was lightly crispy.  As for the fish, it was flaky and moist with the same light crispy batter (which wasn't greasy either).  The fries were crispy and the tartar sauce was balanced.

Probably the one picture that didn't do the food justice was the Arancini Trio from Mr. Arancino.  Inside the lightly crispy exterior, there was the usual aborio rice and 3 different fillings including the Mozza with mozzarella cheese; the Beef Ragu with mozzarella and the Pizza with pepperoni, veggies and mozzarella.  These featured al dente risotto with lots of inherent flavour and plenty of melted mozzarella.  I loved the pizza one the best!

Another food truck that I tried for the first time was Melt City Grilled Cheese.  When I asked which one I should try, they suggest the Meat City Melt featuring handmade meatballs with marinara, pineapple and jalapeño jack cheese on sourdough topped with shaved parmesan.  This was a beast with so much going on.  Loved the amount of melted cheese as it had impact in terms of flavour and texture.  The meatballs were indeed meaty, but tender.  Bread choice was perfect with a crunchy exterior and chewy interior.   Not sure about the pineapple, but overall the sandwich was on point.

Last but not least, we had the Connecticut Lobster Roll and Lobster Bisque from Salty's Lobster Shack.  For those who are unfamiliar, this version features butter poached lobster without any mayo or other ingredients (this had a bit of dill though).  This one here had a mixture of lobster and imitation lobster which I didn't mind as the texture was pleasing and there was plenty of buttery garlic goodness.  Bun was toasted well too.  As for the bisque, it was rich and a bit chunky.  That I also didn't mind as it was full of flavour and aromatics with chunks of lobster and bits of veggies.  This was a yummy end to some real gluttony.  Okay, I'm not suggesting you order from every truck, but I'm not stopping you either!  Go check it out if because there are some really good food trucks participating!  There will be a rotating lineup where hours are 11:00am - 2:00pm weekdays and 11:00am - 5:00pm on weekends.

*All food was complimentary for this post except the bisque*

The Good:
- Diverse lineup of food trucks
- Lots of space and outside for those who are not comfortable dining in at this time

The Bad:
- Limited tables and seating

Porkmafia

Sometimes, the best food isn't necessarily found in a B&M restaurant.  It can literally be found at the side of the road on a farm with pigs roaming around freely in Delta.  Porkmafia, run by Pitmaster Jamie, is well-known to its many loyal fans.  However, for many others, this may be the first time they've ever heard about the place.  That was true for myself and Mijune as we were invited to try their BBQ.

Behold!  The platter of meat that was presented to us consisted of Smoked Brisket, Carolina-style Pulled Pork, Smoked Chicken, Burnt Ends and Smoked Oyama Sausage.  Okay, I've been to Texas and for those who don't know, I'm also a certified PNWBA judge.  So I'm pretty confident that the BBQ I tried at Porkmafia is completely legit.  The brisket point was at its fatty and moist best with a balanced smoke.  Good varied flavour from the rub as well.  Naturally, the flat was not as juicy due to the lean nature of the cut.  However, it wasn't dry and was just as tasty.  The star of the platter was the legit burnt ends which were large, smoky and ate like candied meat.  Although it didn't look it, the pulled pork was moist and tender.  Pitmaster Jamie did the chicken his way and it was not dry and full of flavour.  Lastly, the custom collaboration with Oyama made for a delicious and meaty sausage that had a firm snap.

One of the biggest surprises was the Smoked Pork Steak St. Louis style.  You would think that the pork would be dry due to the leanness of the meat.  However, it couldn't have been any further from that.  Rather, it was moist with the rub penetrating the meat as well as the smoke.  There was a slight sweetness that went well with the appealing tanginess.  The meat ate really well where it didn't need any sauce.

I headed back a few weeks later to try their Beef and Pork Ribs as well.  Glad I did because they were fantastic!  The beef short rib was beautifully smoked being tender and moist while still retaining a bite.  There was enough seasoning from the rub to flavour the meat so it didn't need any BBQ sauce.  Same with the baby back pork ribs as they had just enough smoke and plenty of flavour without the need for more sauce.  Meat was tender while retaining a natural meatiness and pork flavour. 

Lastly, we got to the sides including Coleslaw, Smoked Mac n' Cheese and Smoked Pit Beans.  Okay, don't laugh, but this has to be one of the best versions of coleslaw I've ever had.  Fresh, crunchy and tangy with a slight kick from horseradish, I couldn't stop eating it.  Mac n' Cheese should've been renamed cheese with mac because there was so much cheese in it.  No roux.  Just cheese.  Pit beans were smoky with plenty of smoked brisket.  A meal in itself!.  I can't say this enough, this BBQ has to be the best I've tried in the Lower Mainland.  Pitmaster Jamie doesn't take any shortcuts and it shows with the quality of the BBQ.  Don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself.  Make sure you pre-order otherwise you won't get any.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:

- Legit

- Made with care

- Even the sides are legit

The Bad:

- Well, a bit restrictive when and where you can get it, but worth the effort!

Shameless Buns

For the time being, it appears that restaurants have it tough considering that they are paying for rent and are limited to the amount of people who can dine-in.  Furthermore, the fixed costs in running a restaurant aren't exactly something they can stop paying for.  Fortunately, some are able to pivot and do more takeout and offer other options.  One type of food purveyor that seems to be able to weather this storm are food trucks.  All of the costs involved with a food truck are not going to waste and they do not need to worry about offering a dine-in space.   With that in mind, Jacqueline and I made our way out to the Clayton Community Farmer's Market in the parking lot of Clayton Heights Secondary to make the long overdue visit to Shameless Buns.

Known for their sammies (hence, the name Shameless Buns), we tried the Tapa Dat Bun consisting of marinated beef, chipotle cheese sauce, sarsi caramelized onions, sriracha mayo, chicharron and green onions on toasted pandesal.  This was messy, yet ultimately delicious.  Tender and practically fall-apart tender, the beef by itself was on the saltier side, but combined with the soft sweet bun and the spice from the mayo, it was balanced and complete.

Since we are in October and we both love Spam, it was only fitting to try the Pumpkin Spice Sir Spam-A-Lot topped with a fried farm egg, onions, green onions, fried garlic and smoky maple mayo on toasted pandesal.  We really enjoyed this as the pumpkin spice was not overwhelming so that the Spam was able to do its salty and fatty thing.  Again, this meshed well with the sweet bun and the sharpness of the onions.

The most surprising item we tried was the Filipino Spaghetti Lumpia with chipotle cheese sauce.  Okay, I've had lumpia and Filipino spaghetti before, but not combined into one item!  I was skeptical because of the carb on carb premise, but holy moly this was outrageously good.  The outer wrapper was firmly crunchy and held the whole thing together successfully.  Inside, the al dente spaghetti was its usual sweet self with sausage.  Cheese sauce added the necessary moisture and spice.

Another majestic-looking offering was the Adobo Fries sporting crispy AF (yes they were!) sinigang fries, braised chicken adobo, garlic calamansi aioli, tomato, green onion and fried garlic.  Literally, this ate like a meal since there was so much tender chicken on top!  Loved the hints of acidity from the adobo and aioli where it helped brighten the dish.  The fries remained crispy despite the plethora of toppings and even after our incessant picture-taking!

Along the same lines, we also had the Sausage Party with the same crispy AF sinigang fries, longaniza, garlic calamansi aioli, sexy farm egg, sriracha mayo, green onion and fried garlic.  There was some similarities with the adobo fries except the sausage added sweetness while the egg yolk was at its silky best.  So if it wasn't obvious to you, the food at Shameless Buns isn't your typical Filipino fare.  There is plenty of creativity and risks being taken.  From what we tried, the result is Food Network worthy eats that tastes as outrageously good as they appear.  Definitely recommended.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Creative take on Filipino food (modernized)

- No shortage of flavour

- Truck moves to multiple locations

The Bad:

- Not diet food.  LOL...

Takenaka

With the challenges that go with running a dine-in establishment these days due to Covid-19, it seems the ones that have outdoor dining as well as delivery/take-out options are best suited to survive.  In actuality, the restaurants that didn't have dine-in options to begin with didn't even have to change anything, such as food trucks and purely takeout operations.  That is why the new Takenaka food truck appears to have the right business model during these very strange times.  Offering restaurant-quality dishes (owner of Raisu has a stake in the truck) served out of a food truck (and commissary) for takeout, delivery and limited outdoor seating, this may be the way to do things at the moment.  Mijune and I recently visited the outfit and dined "Mijune-style". 

Starting light with a couple of salads and one item called Snow Crab on the Egg.  Pretty literal name, but it was essentially a boiled egg with snow crab and ikura on top.  Simple, but good with natural flavours and sweetness.  I enjoyed the Sozai Salad the most because there was chicken to go with the kale.  But the dressing was also very good being nutty and just sweet enough.  The Kawaii Salad with spicy beet dressing was a refreshing mix of kale, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.  I thought the spice was mild, but that was fine as it probably wouldn't work for this salad if it was scorching hot.

The bulk of the menu is dedicated to maki sushi and we decided on several including Snow Crab Roll, House Roll, Unagi Roll and Steak Roll.  As you can clearly see, the rolls were large and stuffed full to the brim with ingredients rather than just rice.  On top of that, the quality of the ingredients was good as well as the preparation.  Of the 4, I thought the unagi roll had the best balance of flavour and texture.  However, the abundance of filling in the snow crab roll made for a luxurious experience.

Eating 4 rolls wasn't apparently enough for us, so we also had the slightly different Mayowill Roll which was essentially a house roll coated in tempura batter and deep-fried.  Even though the heat softened the rice a bit, the consistency of the sushi rice was still good being chewy and just moist enough. The light crunch from the batter gave some texture while the sweet tangy dip went well with the mild-tasting ingredients.

Off to some Temaki, we tried the Lobster, Uni and Bluefin.  These continued the trend of the maki sushi where they were stuffed full of quality ingredients.  All 3 were very good in their own ways.  The lobster was the most hearty with a tempura-fried small tail with real crab meat.  Really enjoyed the fresh sweetness of the uni that was further enhanced with snow crab, ikura and yuzu tobiko.  The bluefin had a beautiful sheen where it was accompanied by snow crab, scallops, ikura and yuzu tobiko.  Something along the same lines without the sushi rice, we found the Seafood Tartar servied with nori.  This was a good mix of fish with 2 tobiko and ikura.  Very simple and fresh.

Staying on the same theme, the Bara Charashi was a colourful mix of salmon and tuna with snow crab, scallops, tamago, ikura, 2 types of tobiko, radish sprouts, shiso-marinated kelp and cucumber.  Since the sushi rice was layered with more ingredients, the bites were balanced and there was actually more ingredients than rice itself.  Again, the fresh ingredients spoke for themselves as well as the properly-prepared rice.  Loved the addition of scallops and snow crab as it added another level of sweetness.  Lots of tobiko ensured pops of ocean brightness.

Still with the raw stuff, we had the Yuzu Tuna Tataki with with a ponzu jelly atop marinated seaweed.  As an aside, loved the plastic packaging they used as it paired well with the colourful food.  Once again, this was excellent with delicate tuna that was lightly seared evenly on all sides.  The ponzu jelly provided pops of saltiness to go with the bright tang of the yuzu.  Classic flavours that were both familiar and delicious.

For our 2 cooked items, we had the Ebi-Mayo as well as the Chicken Karaage.  Nothing amiss with these ones as the deep fry was even where the batter on the ebi was not too thick while crunchy.  It was served with a side of chili-mayo.  As for the chicken karaage, the outside was crispy and the inside was juicy and well-seasoned.  For me personally, I like the fact I can get ebi-mayo to go!

We weren't originally planning to order the Wagyu Shabu Shabu Udon with thinly sliced beef, radish sprouts, seasoned egg, yuzu zest, Sanuki udon and original udon broth.  However, it was suggested we try it.  Wow, this was excellent with strong impactful aroma and seasoning from the broth.  It was meaty and full of umami.  It was so effective that it seasoned the noodles with penetrating flavours.  The beef was so tender and buttery with full meatiness due to the fat content.  I highly recommend this dish.

In a custom to-go box, the Kaiseki Bento Box was as stunning as any take-out can get.  This needed to be pre-ordered. Taking a page from Raisu, this featured 9 different chef's omakase tapas including Saikyo miso grilled black cod, pickled zucchini and eggplant, chicken karaage, whelk with tobiko mayo, house roll, chicken salad, stewed pork belly, snow crab on egg and steak with wasabi sauce.  This could also be made into a combo with a half or full-sized chirashi bowl.

We also tried the Makunouchi Bento that sported some of the same items such as the egg, black cod, chicken salad, whelk, karaage and pickles.  However, the most obvious difference was the beautiful mini-seafood bara chirashi.  There was nothing mini about it as it was quite filling. Again, the best thing about the bento box was the fresh quality ingredients.  Yes, the boxes cost $30.00 and $26.00 respectively and despite being take-out, the food is restaurant-quality if not even better.

One of the most simple-looking items was the Almond Tofu with peach & orange jelly.   Don't let the appearances fool you as this was freakin' delicious.  Aromatic and just lightly sweet, the delicate tofu did its best pannacotta impersonation while topped with a naturally sweet and tangy fruit mixture.  An excellent finish to some pretty impressive looking and tasting food.  Takenaka is just the right food truck at the right time.  With all the Covid-19 concerns about eating within a restaurant, Takenaka offers up restaurant-quality food (just like Raisu) in a convenient take-out format complete with custom containers to match.  I would gladly eat this again.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Fairly extensive menu

- Restaurant-quality eats

- Quality ingredients

The Bad:

- Not necessarily inexpensive for a food truck, but the food quality is that of a restaurant

Dogs N Roses Food Truck

Before the expansion of street food (ie. food trucks and food carts) in the Lower Mainland, all we were allowed to experience was the good ol' hot dog.  Yep, my memories of Mr. Tube Steak are still fresh in my mind (albeit not overly excited about it).  That is also why we got Japadog since the owner wanted to do something different and all they were allowed at the time was a hot dog cart.  From there, we now have everything from Neapolitan Pizza to Spanish Tapas.  However, sometimes things come full circle as we can see with one of the newer trucks in Dog N Roses.  Yes, they do serve up hot dogs, but they feature house made sausages and truly interesting ingredients.  I was recently invited to try their wares while they were parked in front of Moody Ales in Port Moody.

We ended up trying all of their dogs including the Pork Smokie with kimchi mayo, green onions, black sesame spread, furikake sprinkles, fried onions and green apple pearls on an organic brioche bun.  I actually got to sample the smokie separate from the hot dog and it was meaty, juicy and not overly fatty.  There was a nice snap to the casing while the meat was well-seasoned.  When combined with the rest of the ingredients, there was naturally an Asian flavour to it with the slight spice from the kimchi mayo and nuttiness from the black sesame.  The pops of sweet tang from the pearls was actually a nice compliment.  Next, the Pork Kebab "burger" was served with artichoke sumac cheese, green onions, asian sesame coleslaw and yogurt pearls.  This being more of a meat patty rather than a sausage meant that the texture was more robust and less moist.  It wasn't dry though and I enjoyed the spices mixed in with the meat.  Lots of crunch and freshness from the coleslaw and once again, the "je ne sais quoi" from the yogurt pearls was welcomed.

My favourite was the Spicy Bolgogi Chorizo with sesame coleslaw, green onions, gochujang mayo, pineapple pearls and cilantro.  Once again, I got to try the sausage on its own and wow was it ever fantastic!  Beyond the firm snap of the casing, I got large chunks of tender and meat that was definitely spicy, but balanced.  There was enough fat for the sausage to be moist and juicy without being greasy.  The coleslaw brought the heat down with a tangy crunch as well as the sweet pearls.  Moving onto the Beef Weiner, we found it nestled in the same organic brioche bun with organic sauerkraut, dijon mustard and fried onions.  As simple as this one appeared, I thought the tender savoury beef weiner was accented nicely by the tangy sauerkraut.  Of course the mustard added another layer of tang and a bit of bite.  I wasn't sure if there was actually a whole lot of fried onions as most of it was raw on top which was good, but a bit overpowering.

Lastly, we sampled the Poutine with 5-spice gravy, cheese curds, fresh house made kimchi, furikake sprinkles, greens, friend onions and cilantro.  Once again, the Asian influence was front and centre here as the gravy had that unmistakable essence of 5 spice, in particular from the star anise.  There was a lot going on here and in some sense, a little less moisture would've been ideal.  However, the flavours were strong and the fries were crispy.  Well, for a "hot dog" food truck, there was more to it than a tube steak.  Rather, we found delicious house made sausages combined with interesting ingredients.  Good accompaniment with your beer.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Well made and textured house made sausages
- Not your typical toppings
- Focused menu

The Bad:
- A little on the pricier side (but sausages are house-made)

The Frying Pan

Well here is yet another, "I can't believe you haven't tried it" spots that I finally go around to.  Remember, some of these food trucks only operate on limited schedules at locations that I simply cannot access since I do not work in Downtown.  Hence, it is not as if I don't want to eat there, it is more like I have to find time to catch them when they are open.  That wasn't a problem this time around since I was on vacay anyways, so I grabbed Viv and my daughter and headed down to 505 Burrard for The Frying Pan's signature item.

Okay, the item to get here is their Spicy Chicken Sandwich.  At first glance, it looked eerily similar to the one found at Down Low Chicken Shack, but I assure you, they are not the same.  One is Nashville hot chicken and the other is a Korean fusion version.  The one I tried at The Frying Pan was good in its own way.  I found the large chicken breast to be super moist and juicy while the uniformly crunchy batter stayed adhered to the meat.  It wasn't as spicy as it looked being more tangy and savoury.  Nicely toasted, the bun kept everything inside without falling apart.  We also decided to get the other sandwich in the Chicken Cheese and since it wasn't saucy, the crunch was even more pronounced.  The ample melted cheese really came through in terms of texture and taste.  Just like the spicy sandwich, the crunchy pickles added a nice texture and tang.

We also got the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl with rice and egg.  This was neatly arranged and also carefully executed.  The fried chicken was pretty much the same as the one found in the sandwich.  Therefore, it was thick, moist and crispy on the outside.  However, without the benefit of the bun and sauce, the chicken ate rather plain.  With that being said, the caramelized onions added a nice sweetness.  Presented as a fairly large portion, the Bulgogi Fries were good. The starch-coated fries were golden brown and uniformly crispy.  These were the perfect vessels for the ample amount of tender, well-seasoned beef on top.  This was a meal in itself and in my mind, the second best thing to get from this food truck.  In fact, all of the food was well-executed and I wouldn't hesitate to eat it all again.

The Good:
- Well-executed eats
- Friendly people
- Food is filling

The Bad:
- I personally could do spicier, but I guess one could ask for it specifically