Vij's Railway Express - Vancouver, BC

I am a fan of Vikram Vij - I loved him in Anna and Kristina's Grocery Bag, I adored him in the 100 Mile Diet, I was captivated during his episode of At the Table With and when he was guest judge on the final episode of the second season of Top Chef, my admiration for him only grew.  You can imagine what my reaction was when I found out VV had a food truck rolling around Vancouver - super duper excited!  As with most food trucks, they are located downtown Vancouver and only operating during the lunch hour...  woe to those who must work outside of downtown Vancouver :(  However, I began to stalk VRE's twitter account and soon realized it sometimes shows up at Vancouver farmer's markets on the weekends.  To the farmer's markets! *cue the old school Batman music*

As a food blogger, I must remember to be neutral when I approach a meal - no matter how much I adore the chef, the ideal, the atmosphere, I must remember that I'm here for the food and I have to judge it with an unbiased palate.  As I approach the truck, I already feel it slipping away...  it's a colorfully cheerful truck, lovely decor for a rolling bistro, the service is friendly and the aroma is intoxicating.  Must.  Fight.  Urge.  To like.  Before.  Eating.

This truck is named for Vij's lead on a culinary journey through India - specials every week that reflect different areas and cuisines of this gastronomic country.  Take me on your adventure Vij!  (He's nowhere in sight but that's just details... so sad.)

First up, is this beauty...

Lucknow Lamb Kebabs - $10.50

Spicy ground lamb kebab on chapati

One of THE MOST moist kebabs we've ever had and the spices??  Wow.  I don't know what the spice blend is and I probably will never be able to figure it out.  What I do know is that this lamb is super delicious and Mr. Piglet can't wait for me to finish my few bites so he can have the rest.  Jerk.  The vegetables are forgettable in comparison...  as I write now, I'm salivating while I recall the lamb and I have no idea what the vegetables tasted like except it had red flecks and reminded me a but of Korean marinated/pickled vegetables but without the same kick.  It's all about the lamb here.  

Cassava Fries with Tamarind Chutney - $5.50

Fried cassava chips, tamarind and date chutney

CRUNCH!  These things are so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside!  Cassava is a root crop of South America and various parts of Asia and when made in this manner is similar to a french fry but better.  Why?  It has a more distinctive flavor that's hard to describe but delicious to eat.  And with that sweet and savory tamarind chutney?  Awesome.  Better than ketchup x million.  Mr and I could eat a tonne of these.  Better that we only ordered one serving.

Blueberry Lassi - $4.25

Fresh local blueberries, syrup, heavy yogurt, milk

Mr. Piglet HAD TO have this drink because it came in a bag.  He loves the trivial and novel.  Packed full of blueberry flavor with a hint of spices (cardamom, nutmeg?) at the end which unexpected but welcome.  Thicker because of the yogurt so it's almost a meal unto itself.  What we both didn't expect was for it to be semi-warm - warm yogurt and milk on a hot day?  Meh.

Ginger Citrus Drink - $3.50

Ginger and citrus syrup with sparkling water

All the cashier had to say was "it's like ginger ale" and this Piglet was immediately sold.  I LOVE ginger ale.  If the lassi was weight and warm, this was the complete opposite.  Light tasting, fizz, super cold and absolutely refreshing.  I've had more of these since.  Yup, I love it.

The food tastes amazing, irregardless of Vij's namesake, but our lunchtime meal was over $26 - a bit pricey for a food truck but you're also paying for quality over quantity.  That lamb is so tender, those fries were a crispy perfection and the ginger citrus drink was the perfect point to that exclamation.  I don't think we Piglets could afford to eat here everyday, but once in a while to change it up and spoil ourselves, we'd definitely be back.

I love VV so much Mr. Piglet bought me the market bag.  Yeah, I'm a dork.  It's reusable OK?!!?!??  I did need it to carry my new batch of golden beets...  Excuses, excuses...  Big love to Vij and his crew!


Pros:

• Delicious food with original ideas and great specials
• On of the only food trucks I know to take credit card as well as cash
• Also operates on the weekends at various events and farmer's markets

Cons:

• On the pricier side for food truck food
• Smaller portion sizes
• Long lineups and/or waits during prime dining hours