WORDS NANCY PINCOMBE | PHOTOGRAPHY EDMUND ARCEO WORDS NANCY PINCOMBE | PHOTOGRAPHY EDMUND ARCEO FLAVOUR SAVER 22 FLAVOURS FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE
Food trucks are all the rage in the city. And we’re starting to see them pop up in every community on our Coast now, to the delight of locals and tourists. The super tasty, reasonably priced, diverse, and portable offerings suit our style very well. Beloved in the Pender Harbour area is Flavour Saver! Jesse Whitford sets up in various places in and around Pender Harbour. He has been at it for two years now and has found a hungry, appreciative locale for his menu of mex-inspired All Things Yummy. Jesse grew up in a family that loved food and was an avid watcher of the Food Channel. Self-taught, he says, “I literally dream of new taco ideas and recipes . . . Even when I’m not working I’m constantly thinking of it.” His menu focuses on satisfying. Taco in a Bag is a big portable hit, and the Pulled Pork Taco is a local favourite, slowcooked and then grilled. BBQ chicken and Cajun blackened cod are other popular options. With many vegetarian friends, Jesse happily took on the challenge of providing something unusual and tasty for them. The result has people raving about the jack fruit tacos. “Jack fruit has never let me down,” he says, and it comes with the usual enhancers of sour cream/coleslaw/ arugula and chips for a nourishing, satisfying meal. He does a breakfast wrap and hot dogs too. There are lots of sides and extras to choose from, like extra meat, avocado, pickled jalapenos, Doritos, and salsa. It is a bit of a challenge to find a sufficiently busy location in the Pender Harbour area, but Flavour Saver definitely has fans: “He ups the cool factor in PH by about 1000%,” says one regular customer. Jesse has a small family, two girls, 1½ and 7. He knows that kids need a few items on the menu that are smaller and plainer, so he offers kids’ tacos, cheese nachos, and a beanand-cheese burrito that will please the small, hungry-yetpicky ones. “And I also like that he has young kids,” says another customer. Flavour Saver’s local clientele like to support young families. They’ve seen a lot of small businesses struggle, so it is particularly heartwarming to have a new business meet the needs of the community so well and add young people to the demographic mix. Jesse could not be more enthusiastic about the chance to raise a family here. “We love the school, principal, and the teachers. So many activities for the kids after school, which keeps them happy, active, and busy.” Like so many on the Coast, Jesse’s creative juices flow in a few directions at once. He moved here ten years ago to pursue a career as a stone and chainsaw carver, but then saw the need for the food truck. He still loves to carve. “Being a carver,” he says, “I worked alone for too long, and now working the food truck, I’m out and about meeting everybody from all over, and I just love every minute of it! My customers are so happy, polite, and friendly. It makes me love my job more and more every day.” Watch for Jesse's food truck in the Pender Harbour area; he is trying new locations and if you are lucky it could be near you. Or hire Flavour Saver for your private party! He’ll also be at festivals and events from Gibsons to Egmont. Check for updates at facebook.com/flavoursaverfoodtruck. who's out there E.B.'S ICE CREAM All hail E.B.’s Ice Cream for scooping what might be the finest location on the Sunshine Coast, right in front of the Sechelt pier. Open noon to 9 pm every day, they serve up all the favourite flavours (sourced locally in the Lower Mainland and containing actual cream!) plus K9 (a light vanilla with dog kibble) for your best friend. They also attend events up and down the Coast. FARM TO FEAST Sets up at the popular Persephone’s Brewing Company six days a week, Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am to 7 pm and Thursday through Sunday 11 am to 8 pm, with an ever-changing, surprising, and delicious menu that focuses on wild-gathered and local. The firebrick pizza oven is always on, with fresh, creative toppings. JERK PAN MAN At the Roberts Creek Hall Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, noon to 6 pm, plus holidays. Authentic Jamaican menu, hot and peppery jerk chicken, curries, authentic sides like rice and peas, patties (pastries with savoury, often spicy fillings), coco bread, potato salad. Great take-out option on the way to the cottage. MANOR BORN FOODS Sets up at Bricker Cider Company noon to 7 pm, Thursday to Monday, and offers ploughman’s lunch, pizzas, salads, and everchanging fresh and hearty specials, all perfect to wash down with a crisp local cider! NAUTI-GIRL TACO TRUCK Feeds the hungry walkers and sunbathers in Davis Bay, at the Chapman Creek end. Small and reasonably priced menu. Try a “flight” of tacos for $10. Also sodas and water. Opens at noon most days. FLAVOURS FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE 23