One of the first food trucks to make a stand on the Sydney scene was Eat Art Truck, with a changing menu that focused on an Asian-American fusion of delicacies – and plenty of other influences along the way. Just like Cantina Mobil before them, who recently opened up a physical storefront off Oxford Street, Eat Art Truck have followed suit and have opened the TruckStop Eatery, taking over part of the first level of the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi.
The location is working against them; though the Beach Road is packed out downstairs more often than not, the sort of clientele that would best suit the cuisine would more likely be found on Oxford Street or at the Cross, rarely venturing towards the often difficult to get to location bar for the odd gig. Still, word about the restaurant is spreading and I’m here to tell you that even with recently established competition such as Santa Barbara at The Cross, this is very much worth the trip.
We started off with four pieces of Gyoza, which was as good as you’d get anywhere else, if not better – the meat inside was of perfect texture and the pastry was perfectly matched, and well cooked. Still, at $10 I would probably skip this and go straight onto the main course; save room for dessert.
There are two ways to eat at TruckStop. The first option is by “Bun”. You choose the meat you’d like and for $6 you get what is basically a sub cut in half, and crammed full of the meat in question. At present there are five to choose from: Pulled Pork, BBQ Beef Brisket, Sloppy Joe, Prawn Po’Boy and Fried Chicken. The portions are HUGE and serve as great value for money. A serving of 3 (coming in a $15) plus a side for an extra $5 would easily please a party of two. Paying $5.50 for a taco after eating at TruckStop suddenly feels like a rip off (although anyone who’s actually eaten tacos overseas would have told you that a long time ago).
We were treated to the Pulled Pork (above) and the Brisket (below). The former is perfection – the meat beautiful, the sauce perfect and the added accompaniment of coleslaw exactly as you’d get it in the US, if not better. A must try. The Brisket, however, didn’t do it for me – the smokey, almost Whiskey like, BBQ flavour of the Brisket, combined with the added touch of Kimchi, giving it an overall Korean feel, is daring but proved a bit too overpowering for me – though my guest was a huge fan. It definitely won’t be a dish for everyone, but is an intriguing taste all the same.
Your other option is to create a “plate”, which for $18 provides you with a choice of meats, with a side. We were given the fried chicken with watermelon and grilled corn bread, and was easily the highlight of the menu. Though the Pulled Pork buns provide you with a taste that you’d receive at any great BBQ in the US, the fried chicken here, which is cooked in rice flour, is a light, tasty and delicious take on the usually overly greasy delicacy. Supplemented by two slices of watermelon and an American standard – corn bread – it’s a phenomenal meal. Worth the trip alone.
Our final main course was a selection of a few of the other parts of the menu: first, we tried the “Sloppy Joe”, minus the bun. Basically a well seasoned mince, served with roasted chilis, the serving would definitely sit well in one of their buns. Instead, it was served here with their buttered rice and their green chili coleslaw. The former is just as you’d expect, while the latter definitely stands as my favourite of the sides. The coleslaw dressing isn’t too strong or heavy (as is often common in the US) and is well complemented by the chilis as well as peanuts. An excellent take on a standard American side.
We finished our meal with their $8 Ice Cream sandwich, with two scoops of Sailor Jerry icecream, covered in decadent melted chocolate and peanuts, and put in between two well toasted, crunchy buns. As literal as a translation to the title you’ll see, the dish was delicious; though after all our prior eatings, we barely touched the surface before we had to be rolled out of the venue.
Though the restaurant offers vegetarian selections, including edamame, this is definitely a place for carnivores. With a unique fusion between cuisines, the food you’ll get at TruckStop will be something you won’t find anywhere else.
Is it worth the trip to Bondi? Definitely.
I recommend sharing three buns and a side between two, and finishing off with a dessert. If you try the Prawn Po’Boy – no doubt a take on the New Orleans delecacy, I would be very interested to hear how it is. I’ll definitely be going back to try it.
Larry Heath and his guest were kindly invited by TruckStop to sample their menu on a Friday night. For more details, booking etc. visit http://www.truckstop.com.au
