Food Trucks, Bajan Style

By Jodie-Ann Clarke

If there is one industry that would never face the danger of becoming obsolete, it would be the food industry; and in Barbados, this is no exception.

Besides the obvious purpose for food – nourishment; food is a great way of providing social activity and bonding. The relationship between people and food is another story all on its own as people use food for many different reasons. As the Christmas season approaches, there will be plenty of home cooked meals, prepared with love and shared around the table. But what about the time leading up to that Festive day?

Everyone is often busy with their running around, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season. People often resort to the regular fast food chains which have been offering the same menu options for quite a while.

Barbados being only 166 square miles, has only a few places you can go to eat before it becomes repetitive, if you’re in the habit of eating out. In most shopping areas, you are guaranteed to find a few restaurants and eateries offering various cuisines.

However; let’s face it; a person could be extremely hungry to the point of ‘weak knees’ and would still spend an additional 15 – 20 minutes deciding what would satisfy their hunger. Well, there is a new food truck craze happening in Barbados, similar to street food. Food vans have been a part of our culture for many years. However; food trucks have only recently gained popularity in the past 5 years.

You can drive around and find wholesome food selling on the side of the road. From vendors selling their produce needed to create dishes; to mouthwatering finished products, all created by our many independent business owners.

Fast forward to this era where the concept of easy, wholesome “Fast Food” has been given mobility on a much grander scale. Today, everyone can have access island-wide to some real authentic Bajan cuisine. Gone are the days of having to venture to a specific place to get what you want!

Some food trucks move around from area to area, every week, offering their varied menus to locals and tourists alike. You can find them on construction sites in undeveloped areas where workers won’t easily have access to meals. They can also be found on beaches, business offices, street corners, play parks and various pop-up events around the island. These food trucks operate on any scheduled day and organize their times according to business hours and foot traffic.

Food trucks can range in size, from a small 5-seater van to a spacious 40-foot container. You can often find the smaller food vans selling packaged goods, sandwiches, baked pastries and various confectioneries.

Larger food trucks would offer more complete hot dishes and menus that can be changed to suit the needs of the customers. For example, larger food trucks have commercial stoves, grills, refrigerators and sinks.

Some of the smaller scaled food vans can be found in Rendezvous, St. Lawrence Gap, Oistins, Bridgetown, Warrens and Payne’s Bay.

A very popular and highly recommended food van is Sandra’s food van which can be found parked along the upscale Sandy Lane road in Holetown. You cannot miss it because it is the only van on the side of the road with a constant queue!

The typical food van menu would offer the traditional Bajan fare of Rice and Peas, Macaroni Pie, Baked Chicken, Lamb Stew, Pork Chops, Fried Fish, Rotis and Salads amongst other enticing dishes.

Larger Food trucks tend to add a bit more personality and individuality to the dishes.

One of my personal favourites is “Curbside Cafe”. This is one of the more popular food trucks. They offer tempting dishes from Pasta Bowls and Loaded Tacos sprinkled with various cheeses, Philly Cheesesteaks, Homemade Burgers, Barbequed Ribs and Fish & Chips…all finished off with their signature Aioli sauce- which can pretty much go on any and everything! Curbside Cafe can be found on Instagram @curbsidecafe246 and is located in Bagatelle Terrace, heading north of Warrens, St. James. Contact: +1 (246) 233-3159

Another popular food truck is FRII Guys. It has been on the public’s tongue of recent, in a positive and delicious way! They have a popular following on Instagram and dishes are very appealing to the eye. Their main ingredient is something we all love – French Fries! They have taken the simple concept of fries and added some individuality to their various chip dishes. From their FRII Guys Calamari, BBQ wings, Cast Iron Steak to Braided Pulled Chicken all loaded on to Fries. Keep up to date with their Instagram page @FRIIGUYS to see where they’ll be next! Contact: +1 (246) 234-9241

Also popular is Bucks Gourmet Hot Dogs; bringing their unique touch to the average hot dog. A hot dog is a quick ‘go to’ when running errands with no time to sit and take in a proper meal. It is quick, easy, delicious and quite filling. Bucks offers Pulled Pork Hot Dogs, Chilly Cheese Hot Dogs, Classic Hot Dogs, Trini Hot Dogs and Bajan (Barbados) Hot Dogs. Contact: +1 (246) 832-6060

There are also Food Trucks that cater to vegetarians. Heading north to Speightstown, you will find Papa Earl and his legendary Ital and Vegetarian cuisine. He is located on the right side of the road just beyond Limegrove Lifestyle Centre. Many people can’t wait to try his well known, deliciously seasoned Ital food. I’ve personally heard it’s good enough to convert even the most devoted meat eaters!