Today, I set out to review one of the Montreal-inspired food trucks that have come out to feed hungry Calgarians. The Red Wagon Diner Food Truck, with it’s shiny red exterior and familiar “red wagon” image, was spotted outside the Shaw Building at 6 St and 3 Ave SW. The menu had been enticing me for days and I was so ready to try it!
I was inspired to buy The Smoked Meat Hash. This stuff was delicious! It was a reasonably large amount of everyone’s favourite hash browns with onions, banana peppers, eggs, and of course, the star ingredient, THE SMOKED MEAT. For $9, this was some pretty good street food. Not only was it filling, but it was worth the money. The guys at the Red Wagon Diner Food Truck do not cheap out when they’re dealing with matters involving meat. Not only that, they are all about the quality. The meat was the perfect texture and literally erupted into great flavours in the mouth. The eggs, with their yolk perfectly running over the delicious mixture, offers up the fact that these guys also pay attention to detail. A beautiful menu item which you shouldn’t pass up!
Perhaps my least favourite item on the menu, The Traditional, wasn’t able to compare to the other delicious items offered by this great food truck. Made up of six ounces of Montreal smoked meat on rye bread with the house mustard blend, it was… simply put, OK. There really wasn’t anything that stood out! Maybe it was because I had this item in the context of two others, which were full of flavour. However, there was, like all other items, another great portion size of meat. The bread was a bit softer than the bread in The Special (a more flavourful version of this sandwich, see Review below), and did not offer that tangy “crunch” that I expected. It was just a bit too bready and didn’t offer up enough to the palate.
One friend of mine even found the sauce awkward, and in her words, found it “too overpowering,” feeling that it was better used as a dipping sauce since it didn’t offer any real complementing qualities to the sandwich.
Ultimately, though, I’m not saying this sandwich was bad! It’s just much more reasonable to pay $0.50 more and try out The Special, which offers up a lot more ingredients and a more memorable food experience.
The Special is $7.50. You MUST try it – I say this because I highly doubt that you will be disappointed! The Special features Montreal Smoked Meat served with grilled red onions, fresh tomatoes, and lettuce with aged cheddar, all on grilled rye bread and a dash of the truck’s special house mustard.
My friends and I discussed this sandwich and are happy to say it was one of our favourite things from everything we tried. The bread was toasted and fresh, with just the right amount of crunch to complement the meat. The smoked meat was one of my favourite aspects of this sandwich. Not only was it filling (there was an extremely reasonable portion size of meat), but it was freshly cooked and flavourful. If this is what Montreal-style street food is all about, then I WANT IN. With the filling ingredients and the tangy honey mustard sauces (some may find this sauce a bit too much), the sandwich satisfied my lunchtime craving. Did I talk about the ingredients inside? With fresh veggies and perfectly matched cheese, this sandwich was really something I’d buy over and over again. The idea that half-a-dollar more can get you all this goodness is further reason as to why the Traditional was not for me. Really good ingredients, well-crafted details, and some great additions on this side make this dish extremely pleasing.
What’s on the Side? At the Red Wagon Diner Food Truck, you can get some great additions to your meal.
Hash Browns $2
Coleslaw $1.50
Kosher Pickle $1
Although I wasn’t able to try the coleslaw, I can speak for the Kosher Pickle. For a buck, you get one of the crispiest and freshest pickle slices to eat alongside your meal. Definitely the “icing on the cake” and a detail that you’ll thank me for recommending.
Their food truck design and execution is also something which should be recognized. The shiny red exterior and the crisp presentation of the menu added to the enjoyability of the experience. Not only that, they pack up your food in some wax paper that make it easy for carrying. Don’t underestimate the power of wax paper – especially because it was the reason our food stayed dry during the rainy mess that poured today.
At the end of the day, I was totally satisfied with this food truck. The food they offer, although not the most eccentric of what the Calgary Food Truck Zone has to offer, does a commendable job in allowing Calgarians to sample some of Montreal’s finest creations. With some great menu items that offer up value for your money and some fresh ingredients, the team at the Red Wagon Diner Food Truck is really a crowd-pleaser.
To get more information on the Red Wagon Diner Food Truck, check out their website! You can also like their page on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Following on Twitter is very useful, as the Red Wagon Diner always tweets their location and times of opening.
Go check out the Red Wagon Diner today!