Before the day I decided to try out their food truck, I鈥檇 heard of Mangal Kiss only in passing. Its name seemed familiar, and I鈥檇 seen their truck several times at the last summer, but I鈥檝e got a habit of settling for food trucks that have short lineups. I鈥檝e become accustomed to using my app to find something nearby, and I鈥檓 not sure how I even functioned before smartphones and food apps.
Mangal Kiss was on my way between my work and the chocolate store, set up outside on Georgia, so obviously I had to make a pit stop for lunch. First impression: super interesting menu. There鈥檚 chicken, lamb, beef, vegetarian, and a vegan-friendly option, and they all appeared to be made with ingredients with which I rarely get a chance to cook at home. Second thing I noticed: everything is under $10. A super important aspect for whether I鈥檒l stop and try anything is whether or not it seems affordable. Since the biggest blackboard featured a lamb kebab for only $8, I figured that must be the best thing they make. I always want the best.
Keep being awesome, menu.
As I waited a few minutes for the lamb to be prepared, I took a couple pictures to pass the time. It was lunchtime in downtown Vancouver, so I expected a fair number of people walking by. However, I noticed that as lots of people walked through the frame of my shots, many slowed down as they approached Mangal Kiss, and several seemed to be as fascinated as I was by the menu. 鈥淥h, wow, they use daikon and a fig vinaigrette in their kebab,鈥� one man said to his girlfriend. Those intriguing comments captured the attention of other passersby, and suddenly a gaggle of folk formed around the truck. I was glad to have placed my order when I did, because now the line was getting deep with hungry bellies.
Its insides are wondrous.
Refraining from using too many superlatives is hard when experiencing something awesome for the very first time. My lamb kebab was huge and looked pretty good, but eating it was altogether another experience. This thing had complexity, with flavours I hadn鈥檛 ever thought of combining. Harissa aioli, hummus, mint, and (which I had to look up) made the lamb sing sweet songs of delight to my soul. Suffice it to say, this kind of food truck is exactly what reflects the awesomeness of Vancouver: it鈥檚 multicultural, authentic, adventurous, and worth experiencing all over again. If I can鈥檛 convince you to try it out, consider that its at time of writing is 96%, on par with the best food in the city. This is one of those early foodie secrets that will eventually turn into a 麻豆传媒映画fixture, mark my words. Thanks for following!
