- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Roaming Dragon
Categories: Restaurants Food Stands Restaurants Asian Fusion Food Stands, Asian Fusion [Edit]
Burrard & RobsonVancouver, BC V6Z
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 639-3335
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
50 reviews for Roaming Dragon
Review Highlights
-
"i forgot about the Fried rice balls crispy on the outside..." In 6 reviews -
"Don't forget the Lychee lemonade." In 3 reviews -
"Their pork belly sliders are to die for and I love the deep..." In 3 reviews
Loading...
50 reviews in English
-
Review from Stu C.
I haven't had a lot of street meat in my food travels. Not due to lack of availability, but more so due to most "food cart" food just not looking or smelling appealing enough for me to warrant a purchase. However, the Roaming Dragon is a mobile food vendor that has set the bar, in my mind, of what street meat can be and should try to attain. With this said, the Roaming Dragon is not fine dining and you may find better Asian-fusion at a sit down restaurant, but for the price and for the Roaming Dragon being a "food cart", it is awesome.
I will admit, my curiosity was initially peaked from watching an episode of Eat St. on the Food Network highlighting the Roaming Dragon a few months ago. Being one of Vancouver's first mobile gourmet food trucks serving Pan-Asian food with a West Coast influence seemed very interesting to me as a street food. However, I just was never able to make my way to the Roaming Dragon (even in it's prime location of being on Robson and Burrard). With the sun finally showing up again in Vancouver, I decided to make a journey, no, a pilgrimage, to the Roaming Dragon a few weeks back, and have gone multiple times since.
When you first wander down street you'll be hard-pressed not to be drawn to the large, red truck decorated with Asian flare such as paper lanterns, a gong, and Chinese Dragon printed on the side. As you approach closer to the truck, you'll be enticed to keep going closer as you get wafts of soy, hoisin and oyster sauces.
On the side of the truck facing the curb, you'll see the order window, the menu beside the window, and many of the accolades/awards below the window. My first thought was it seems a bit pretentious to have many of the accolades permanently printed right below the ordering window, front and centre, and maybe it is a bit. But, seeing the line of people in front of the truck and the appearance and smell of the food leaving the truck, made me reevaluate my initial thought that they have every reason to boast.
As eluded to, the Roaming Dragon fuses many North American dishes with Asian flavours and ingredients. Items such as braised pork belly sliders, Indonesian Beef Poutine, Japanese tuna tatki sandwich, fried rice balls, and lychee lemonade to name a few. All the ingredients are organic and/or ethically raised. This will definitely appeal to some, and to the people that may not see this as a big deal, the cost of the food remains still very reasonably priced and you may even notice the taste fresh, local quality ingredients can provide.
Of the items I have I tried, I have 3 dishes that stand out in my mind:
1) The pork sliders which use a freshly steamed steam bun filled with braised pork belly (BTW pig makes me happy) pickled cucumbers, green onions, and hoisin sauce
2) The tuna sandwich that has a great fluffy bun filled with lightly seared tuna, a flavoured mayo, crushed rice crackers to give a crunch, jalapeno and nori. (I've had this 3 times and each time the tuna has been cooked perfectly, never overdone)
3) The Indonesian beef poutine that has cheese curds, braised beef, lemongrass, red chili, and coconut cream gravy that ties it all together.
The staff have always been friendly and approachable. They try to get your order fairly quickly, due to the line of people that will probably be behind you, but you never feel as if they're rushing you or brushing you off to get to the next customer.
Overall, I find what the Roaming Dragon sets out to do, provide tasty food with a "food kart" ambiance, is done extremely well. For now, The Roaming Dragon is different than what other street karts are offering for street food, it's a fun experience, and, as I've said several times, it taste pretty good (even when compared to restaurants with a permanent store front). If you want to try/experience the food kart scene in Vancouver for the first time, or just try something a little different with a food price point, I recommend you seek out the Roaming Dragon. -
Review from Rol W.
Vancouver, BC
5/10/2012
Good but not great. I'd heard a lot about Roaming Dragon so maybe my expectations were too high.
I had the short rib taco, the rice balls and the Chinese pork sliders. I found the tortilla over-powered the overall taste of the taco but it certainly looked pretty. Perhaps a little bit of spice or more sauce would've added some more zip. The rice balls were good and had a decent flavour but could've been crunchier. My favourite item was the Chinese pork sliders. The pork was nice and juicy and the steamed bun had a light, spongy texture.
Roaming Dragon has an extensive menu and the portion size and prices allow you to try multiple items. I'm sure I'll give them another shot but there are lots of great trucks still to try. -
Review from Alan And Rick M.
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
So I was sitting outside at Blenz Coffee on Robson, trying to get my caffeine on, attempting to dry swallow an incredibly sweet and undesirable Cinnamon Bun; when out from nowhere, Roaming Dragon Foodtruck rolls up to the curb in front of me and starts to set up shop...If that isn't a sign for me to try it, I don't know what is!!!
But I had to wait a bit for the sugar high to settle....so I watched them set up and get their groove on...Meanwhile, I looked them up to see what they were about....
So their byline is: 'Bringing authentically unauthentic Pan-Asian deliciousness to Vancouver, offering unique interpretations of dishes and flavors familiar throughout Southeast Asia. In terms of awards, Roaming Dragon Foodtruck has received Vancouver 2011 Restaurant Awards Gold Best Food Cart.
It was interesting to watch them set up shop, they opened up their truck and started to set up...and then out came the red lanterns and a gong....I mean, really? It's a little funny to watch them try so hard to be authentically unauthentic, like a slightly condescending Vaudeville act, you just kind of gloss over the patronizing elements...
Well, at least the Menu looked pretty good; I was particularly interested in the Indonesian Beef Rendang Poutine and the Chinese Pork Sliders. Talking with the order taker tho, they were both pretty heavy dishes, so I opted for the Vietnamese Sloppy Duck: a 5 spice ground Duck, Hoisin Mayo, Pickled Red Onion and Purple Cabbage, Mint and Cilantro in a Brioche Sub Roll.
After the obligatory fifteen minute wait, I got my styrofoam box and ran off to a public park to open my lunchables!!!!
I skidaddled off to the UBC Robson Square, which looked like a roof top garden except on the ground floor. It looked beautiful....until I found myself loitering with the homeless...Oh well, it reminds me of NYC, and besides, these guys looked more polite!
The sun was peeking out from the clouds and shining, (that's like Summer for Vancouver!) and I was excited for what I would find inside my Roaming Box!
When I opened it up, I was amazed at the beautiful sandwich that I got! All the beautiful colors, from the Yellow of the birch bun, the green cucumbers and the fuchsia Pickles, it was a feast for the eyes! I though I hit pay dirt with this one!!!
And when I had my first bite, I was confused; what did I order again? I wasn't really sure it was Duck, it just tasted like an unidentifiable brown meat with a hint of gamey flavor to it, there was very little Hoisin sauce to speak of, the pickled cabbage was pretty bland too. The only saving grace was the crispy cucumbers and the Brioche roll, which could not soak up all the brown water sauce that was dripping from the ground carcass.....
In the end, authentic unauthentic food an never compare to the authentic, don't even try. And let's say that Roaming Dagon has a lot of accolades regarding their commitment to the community and the environment which is incredibly important, but you gotta bring it with the food as well. I may have just picked the wrong item on the menu, but if you're Vancouver's best, everything should be amazeballs...Which it wasn't....
Ratings (Out of Five Stars)
Food: 1.5
Ambience: 1.25
Service: 3 -
Review from Josh G.
Updated - 4/24/2012 2 Check-ins Here
So, after my lack luster Yelp Review, the owner Jason Apple invited me back for a free lunch on the Dragon...so happily, I obliged.
This was certainly a better lunch spread, I beat the rush and chatted with Evan for a few minutes about some upcoming plans for the Dragon, one thing I have to emphasize, they have an AWESOME staff, everyone at the dragon is good people.
I tried the pork belly sliders, and the chicken debril taco. The sliders were pretty good, but still too sweet for my palate. You can really taste the hoysin and there is definitely something unique in the Chinese bun, I almost taste pancake mix, I wonder if I'm right?! They were definitely tasty, the pork was sumptuous and just melts in your mouth, quite a luxurious little bite.
The Taco was quite nice, you could taste the coconut curry and the pineapple, it was very refreshing. It was a nice lunch and I can certainly see myself tracking down the Dragon for some more Pan Asian bites. Go Street Meat!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/11/2011
Alright, so I stopped at the roaming dragon as part of my Street Meat 2011 crusade. I've heard great… Read more »
-
-
Review from Larry L.
Just to let y'all know that the fusion food truck is going hybrid. Like an environmentally friendly Prius, they are serving up food in different ways more than ever before.
First it was the food truck serving up street food to Vancouverites.
and in a blink of an eye they can convert and serve up food for special events and parties. Just like a caterer, but with mobility!!!!
As a former caterer myself, I know how challenging this can be. You've got service staff to coordinate with and you've got the food, which can be dimensionally different depending on the type of event that is being catered to. And then there are the service and supply and food partnerships that need to be looked after.
And in catering, presentation is key. With the food, the service and the atmosphere!
It's a whole different way of banging out the fusion goodness from street food in a truck to Party food in a truck!
Needless to say, being invited to their latest event that showcases what they can do. Jason and the team have done a splendid job of it.
And I have to say, that this wasn't just a regular event. This was one filled with food critics, media, bloggers, videobloggers and more! All experts in their own way about food and the culinary arts. What a tough way to open! What a great way to get the word out!
With me, I watched the coordination, watched the workers to see how they presented and knowing that everyone there was a "so called" expert in this industry, they managed to put smiles on everyones faces and keep their bellies happy and full.
Libations were liquid gold that kept conversations lively, cheerfull and fun.
I had a chance to chat up a nice girl working at the Scallop ceviche section and was impressed. She knew the food, she knew catering, she had the perfect smile and she seemed to enjoy her job that night.
Yes, I was impressed. (BTW that was a hit dish of the night, as people kept coming back for more and more)
Additionally, meeting Followmefoodie there was like the first time I met the Actress Joanne Chen. It was heavenly, and what a handshake! She's cute :)
So the Roaming Dragon has made some changes and it's all positive. To keep things interesting, Check out their site at
http://roamingdragon.com/
or their tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/... for any updates that will sure have you coming back for more!
And since I've blasted of the top of my hear through this review.
Please note Typo's are free of charge :)Listed in: Happy Times on the Street…, Catering
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
3/30/2012
I was at a private event not too long ago where the Roaming Dragon was present.
The team always… Read more »
-
-
Review from Simon K.
4/13/2012
I had the opportunity to try their 'new' additions to their already popular menu of items just recently, and now I must add this, they are more than just a 'FOOD TRUCK', they cater events, and wanted to show what they can do, and it was amazing to see them in action. This team knows how to deliver, with quick execution of their craft for food, this isn't your run of the mill business, they keep the food coming, without ever compromising quality!
Some highlight dishes/items I still think of while writing this, Indonesian "Beef Rendang Poutine, if you like fries with stuff on top, this one is definitely a twist to the ever traditional dish, tasty, saucy with good chunks of braised beef, mixed with their fresh fries, yummy maybe an understatement! The Japanese Tuna Tataki Sammy, I got a chance to try this in the frigid cold one night at an event at the Musuem, and even those there was a line up, this little bad boy is definitely worth the wait. The thick cut albacore tuna, with the bun, and their sauce, all come together to put a good smile while your admiring, and chewing this in your mouth.
Those are just two of many other items they have on the menu. Many people have their favorites, and the other thing you can thank the 'RD' for is that their ingredients are fresh, and they know where they are getting their stuff (think ETHICALLY and NATURALLY.. what is said on their menu!). The team here is also passionate as well of what they do and you can see it just speaking to Jason Apple, who is one of the main guys in the business, whether he is in a suit at an event, or their famous colorful t-shirts inside the truck you can see that they are serious and have a 'kick-ass' time doing what they know best, making good food.
At the event at District 319, the food kept on coming, there was no shortage, so much so that my full stomach had to stop. Which means, you guys did a great job! They ran with the night, and kept on hustling! -
Review from Joey H.
5/19/2012
taking our first walk in the city we came across this food truck. coming from l.a., the capital of food trucks we had to give it a try. we tried the korean pork tacos, which was good. we also had the fried rice balls, these were amazing. we washed it down with the lychee lemonade, that was great. overall we both think that this truck can hold its own down in l.a.
-
Review from Chantelle E.
2/14/2012
Its really all about the poutine (sp?)!!!! Although all the food is good, but that stuff is better than crack! Its fries, with cheese (made out of coconut milk? is this possible?) and some meat on top, oh and then some cilantro, and some more meat! The meat is cooked to perfection, the cheese is starting to melt and the fries are still crispy.... may we wolfed that thing down!
We also got the sliders and rice balls, wich were good, but not as great as the previous dish. I also got the basil lychea lemonade, thats to was to die for. =-)
If you are in the area, hunt them down, the long wait is worth it! -
Review from Uli L.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great concept and tasty well executed street food at very reasonable prices. I went last Saturday during the Nat Bailey Farmers Market and food was freshly prepared. The Korean Short rib Tacos were to die for.
-
Review from Lindsay A.
12/26/2011
Ohhhhh kaaaaayyy
Here we go. I came home to Vancouver to visit the family for a weekend of culinary bliss. I live in L.A the food truck behemoth of North America. I was excited to see what Vancouver had to offer truck wise. I had heard about Roaming Dragon, read other reviews and thought I gott see for myself if this get's the seal of approval.
It did. I will tell you why
1. Service. Everyone that worked there were efficient and nice. When I go somewhere I want to know what I should get. What's good. What's reeeeaally good. Not what I'm supposed to get because that's what everyone else gets.
It was pretty quick. Listen, you go to a truck and, if it's good there's most likely going to be a line. If there isn't one then your lucky. Deal with it.
2. What I got,
I got the Dragon Sub. I used to live in Toronto's china town for 7 years. I had A LOT of these. This one, took my tastebuds to dinner, paid the bill, took advantage of me and then called the next day.
It was terrific.
My bun was crispy and light (not dry) I was told they had them delivered fresh daily. My pork was tender. TENDER. I hate dry pork. The cilantro was fresh so was the daikon, and carrot, I asked for extra sauce on mine cuz that's how I roll and they obliged.
I also had the rice balls,
my balls (had to) were crispy and warm and the curry sauce was a nice wingman to the treat.
I had the steam buns.
here's what I'll say. I am a fan of thinner steamed buns. But that is my own preference. They opt for the fluffier kind. The flavor of the bun was nice and reminded me of the marshmallow man from Ghostbusters... because you need to be reminded of classic 80's movies while eating fusion food.
My meat was TENDER, I had the experience of delicate sweet meat. If it wasn't there would be hell to pay. My blog is "No Meal Wasted" and it's something I take seriously. I am small but I could flip a truck if provoked.
I had the lychee lemonade. I actually didn't wan't to get it because I'm not the biggest fan of lychee but my friend got it and gave me a taste.
And then I got my own.
Yeah Yep. if they could only get a liquor licence they'd be killing it with this drink... But I guess Vancouver isn't going to embrace the public intoxication movement any time soon.
I've always thought that Vancouver should have a food truck movement. New York and Portland do it, despite their weather and I'm glad to see it happening in B.C. (Now if Toronto could just pull it together) I think Roaming Dragon sets a good example and with what I saw/had it's sure to get better in time.. which I will be happy to see when I'm back. -
Review from Herman E.
2/24/2012
These guys were beyond awesome at the Yelp event at the MOV. Bring out those tuna tataki sliders on your food truck menu and I'm in there like a dirty shirt! Never tasted anything like that before. Excellent tuna on a spectacular bun.
-
Review from Dan R.
12/27/2011
Picked up my meal from the Roaming Dragon while enjoying some Winter Ale at the Granville Island Brewery. I've read the other reviews and it seems like these guys are not consistent - that said, my experience was great. They were busy (line of 15+ people) but friendly and seemed to be having a good time. The food came up in about five minutes.
Fried rice balls: dense but tasty.
Slider: rich, delicious, truly sorry that other reviewers had bad experiences with this one.
Beef sandwich: went back for a second one (granted, after several pints).
Overall, good variety, high-quality ingredients. I would seek them out again if I returned to Vancouver. -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
8/16/2011 ROTD 4/16/2012
I guide a food cart walking tour (Eat Your Cart Out) and this is always one of my guests' favourite stops! I eat here on average three times a week for the tour, and yet I actually come here in my free time as well - yep, it's that good.
The pork belly sliders are like little donut-y bacony bites of happy, and the Korean taco is my best I have ever had (seriously. It has ruined me for all other :"Korean tacos" around town). The marinated shortrib topped with the cool, crunchy sesame flavoured salad is a wonderful combination - I could eat these everyday, and at three dollars they are a steal.
The rice balls are the biggest crowd pleaser on my tour - one curmudgeonly man visiting from Singapore got really quiet after eating one, a stunned look on his face. "This flavour - it reminds me so much of my mother's fried rice," he said in a dreamy tone. It's true - they're divine.
See you at the cart! -
Review from Ashley S.
Coquitlam, BC
2/23/2012
Absolutely loved the tuna tataki slider that Roaming Dragon had at Yelp Night. I have visited them in the past (and shame on me, didn't review) but their Korean Short Rib tacos are a must try, as well. Rumor has it they are opening up a new truck, different concept. Can't wait!
-
Review from Alice A.
9/18/2011
2.5 stars
I sort of remember watching Food Network and people were raving about being on the short rib taco diet, or something to that effect.
Well I had the Korean short rib taco today, and it really wasn't what I expected. I wanted something warm, crunchy and savory all in one bite, but what I got was overly salty, raw and cold.
I probably won't get it again even though the cook flashed me a beautiful smile. -
Review from Tara C.
New Westminster, BC
11/17/2011
It hurts me inside to rate this latest food adventure a two star meal. Truly. Having read all the hype about the short rib taco I truly expected a life-altering experience. And the friendliness of the staff and amazing aroma had sold me completely...
Unfortunately, while It only took me about 2 minutes to bring my taco's back to the safety of my desk, my taco was sad, in a cold floppy corn wrapper, matched with the overly dry, slightly warm short rib, and had an overwhelming nori flavour. Paired with the cold chicken taco I'm left underfed and underwhelmed.
I'll go back to try to Vietnamese Sub and potentially their soba salad because maybe I had an off day... But I will not venture into taco fusion again. The customer service was pretty solid (some people got their food before me even though they ordered after, which was frustrating), and staff was friendly and attentive for a food truck. -
Review from Dave Y.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 2/23/2012
I am going to confirm that on my first visit to the Dragon must have been an off day. My second visit was much much better. I had the Togarashi tuna tataki slider. Say that one 10 times fast. The tuna was yum and the the brioche bun was the perfect place to store it. Overall a treat for your mouth. So good I had 2. Kinda want a 3rd now...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/7/2012
I am not sure why there is any hype over the food that they serve. Its overpriced for what you get.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Kalli S.
Vancouver, BC
8/25/2011
I love Roaming Dragon! I just wish they had the Duck Confit salad this year!
Last night at the PNE - the Mint & Pear Ice Tea was amazingly refreshing and delicious!!
And the staff is always friendly! -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
5/5/2011 1 photo
* Fusion failure *
I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of most fusion attempts, because except in very rare circumstances (like Le Cheval in Oakland in the early 90's) the fusion takes the worst from both worlds and ends up with something just lacking in balance.
The Korean short rib taco here was unfortunately a failed fusion attempt. Call me silly, but when you call something Korean short rib I'm expecting kalbi with a flavour profile including soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar. The short rib was more of a stewed variety with no noticeable Korean flavours. There were a variety of veggies (spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and soy beans) and some nori and sesame seeds on top. Some of the veggies were done almost in the style when they are served as banchan (the spinach and soy beans in particular), but a very non-flavourful version of such banchan. They also were REALLY cold. I mean like fridge cold. So they cooled off the meat to a lukewarm temp. The tortilla was a corn tortilla that was both rubbery and mushy at the same time. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Overall this was a true classic fusion failure. Don't think I'll be back anytime soon.Listed in: Vancouver Korean Food, Vancouver Street Food
-
Review from Allen W.
8/5/2011
It's ok but nothing that I'd hunt around town for, but the staff were super friendly and the food was ... ok.
I tried the fried rice balls and Dragon Sub (i.e. banh mi style sandwich). The order came to $10.08 and I paid with a $20. I was asked if I had the 8 cents (which I did not), so was told that they wouldn't worry about it. So, first impression is that this was a nice benefit for me ... but seems like food trucks would know that people ordering off the sidewalk may not be carrying change (or that it's time consuming to hunt around for), so it could save everyone time if prices were set at whole dollar amounts and inclusive of taxes.
As for the food, it was prepared quickly. The rice balls have a small drizzle of sauce on them which tasted like curry and peanut butter. It wasn't bad but it totally overpowered the flavour of the rice ball itself which seemed an odd thing to do. I liked the crispy exterior and creamy rice insides.
Then there was the Dragon sub. I love banh mi and this was an ok representation. Flavours were good, pickled veggies and a spicy sauce. The pork wasn't evenly distributed on the bun, so the first 1/3 had only a single layer of thinly sliced meat, then a big wad of meat in the middle and then a thin single layer at last 1/3 of sub. At first I was like, "oh, they didn't give me much pork," then I was like, "oh wait, I can finally taste the pork - yum," then finally disappointed, "hey, the pork's gone again!".
And, then there was the long dark hair that I found as I neared the end of the sub. It was about six inches long and embedded somewhere between the meat and bun. Part of it came out as a I took a bite, then I used my fingers to pull the entire length from my sandwich.
I know this stuff happens but it's still gross. I'm sure they're a clean operation, but when you have multiple people in such a confined space ... it can happen. I'm sure nobody wants to wear a hair net, but personally I'd rather the staff look a little goofy than to eat someone else's hair.
I waiver between 2 stars and 3 stars, but at the end of the day someone else's DNA was in my food. -
Review from Callie H.
Vancouver, BC
8/26/2011
This was my first Vancouver food truck experience and I'm happy to say, it was positive. I can't give it 4 or 5 stars for a few reasons, but it was a solid 3 for being quick, friendly, relatively affordable ($38 for 2 drinks, an appy and 3 entrees), and good food.
Reason #1 for the 3 star rating: they were sold out of a few of the entrees (mainly the delicious sounding chicken one...). Regardless, we eventually made our choices, waited in a very small lineup, and ordered with the super nice girl at the window.
While waiting the 10-ish minutes for our food to come up we enjoyed basil-lychee lemonades, which were surprisingly good. Soda, lemonade and big chunks of lychee - although I didn't really taste the basil... ***Side rant: I get *why* they do it (saving money), but how come every time you buy a drink at a restaurant they fill the glass entirely with ice and just a splash of what you've actually ordered? By the time you have a few sips the drink is almost gone... and for the beverage prices in Vancouver, I want my dang juice, I don't need to pay $4 for a glass of ice chunks! Be sure to order 'easy ice' and you'll actually get a full glass of the delicious treat! - This is reason #2 - my mom was smart enough to order easy ice, but I wasn't, so I got about 1/2 the amount of lemonade that she did, for the same price.
My parents both ordered the sockeye salmon fish & chips for $11. Good portion of fish, flaky, not too dry - the fries were nicely spiced (yum) and not soggy and the dipping sauce was quite spicy and thick - I definitely stole some for my sandwich!
I had the pork Vietnamese sub, reason #3 for 3 stars. It was a little soggy, and the pork wasn't evenly distributed throughout, so every bite was a bit of a mystery. I enjoyed the pickled cucumbers, but would have like way more cilantro. The sub had a tang to it, but by the end I started to feel like it was a bit too much - almost like drinking the pickle juice out of the jar; it starts off amazing, but you tend to get sick after a few chugs. No? No one else drink pickle juice?
Anyway, I'll definitely go back again. I'd suggest going earlier in the day to ensure you have all the menu choices available. -
Review from Louise G.
5/29/2011
Roaming Dragon's take on the banh mi (with fried chicken) was tasty. Decent sized portion was enough to share. Very nice to find them at the Trout Lake Farmer's Market.
What was especially nice were the drinks. Lychee lemonade or manderine orange jasmine iced tea. Super refreshing. -
Review from Joyce D.
Burnaby, BC
6/22/2011
Great idea with cool trendy choices.
I had the chance to try Roaming Dragon twice now and both times it was unique and pretty darn good.
Saturdays they park at the Richmond Night Market and of course Korean Short Rib Tacos were first on my list. They didn't disappoint.
A few weekends ago I spotted the cart off Robson and when I seen their version of a Vietnamese sandwich I knew I had to try it. Very filling, jam packed of the best of what a true Vietnamese sandwich consists of.
Saw the exposure this particular cart is getting on one of the food network tv shows and they are definitely getting noticed big time.
Worth checking it out! -
Review from reese p.
Vancouver, BC
7/6/2011
Mmmmm Roaming Dragon!!
Came upon this truck today for lunch and did not regret it! I ordered the vietnamese style sub (for $6) and opted for the Karaage chicken on it (an extra $1). So good!! The chicken was deelish, the pickled veggies nice and crunchy, and the bun was both soft/crusty! Lots of chicken inside and
I was so pleased! -
Review from Amanda L.
Roaming Dragon has been perched outside my work all week (also due to the unannounced evacuation of our local Bread Garden) and I must say thank you for filling my stomach all week!
Since Roaming Dragon showed up it's like I lost all ability to be able to pack myself a lunch because I can't stop thinking about what I would rather be having at Roaming Dragon.
Their food is the freshest thing you will every buy out of a truck, the Korean breakfast wrap is AMAZING! Everything I have sampled from their lunch menu is also fabulous (except the short rib tacos but that's because I don't like soya sauce which is seemed to have been marinated in, bad choice on my part!)
The staff are also super sweet and friendly, they don't even ask my name after the 2nd time I went because they memorized it....that just doesn't happen anymore, usually you are lucky if someone taking your order looks you in the eye let alone remembers your name!
I will be back many times, until why wallet is empty or sadly the inevitable happens and Roaming Dragon roams away.Listed in: All Stars!, Bites Near Work
-
Review from Carl C.
7/27/2011
I was excited to try this food truck since I saw it on Eat St. on the Cooking Channel in the states. Lucky for me, I visit Vancouver twice a year to see family and the Roaming Dragon truck is located downtown on the corner of Burrard and Robson, only two blocks away from where I usually stay.
The truck is cute, adorned with lanterns and gongs and covered in traditional Chinese colors of red with a black dragon over it. The workers are all friendly and I went on the early part of lunch (11:45ish) so a line hadn't formed until after I ordered. I was sad to see that the Karaage wasn't offered for the day but still got the following:
$3 Eats:
Fried Rice Balls - Two rice balls come on one skewer. Easily my favorite. It's like an arancini (fried risotto balls) but instead came with these robust flavors. The rice was a mushroomy, Chinese-style fried rice with Chinese sausage and it was fried to perfection with a great crust. And then it comes drizzled with a very flavorful and complimentary curry sauce.
Pork Slider - Similar to the pork bun trend in NYC pioneered by David Chang of Momofuku fame, this pork bun is very similar to it in that the pork and everything else is very simple (not cooked in BBQ sauce like at Ippudo in NYC but has a bit on it). The pork was cooked nicely and is topped with some cucumber and spring onions. The bun however was the downfall as instead of being the light fluffy more flavorless bun used in Peking Duck and the pork buns in NYC, Roaming Dragon uses a bun that tastes like one used in BBQ Pork Buns that you have in dim sum. I was open to the idea but the sweetness was overpowering and the texture was too dense that I could never feel like I was tasting the pork much less the subtle vegetables.
Short Rib Taco - Very unmemorable. I think I prefer saltier options and this again was on the sweeter side with the pickled vegetables and nori. As well, given the amount of filling, I think it would fare better for it to have the traditional two corn tortillas underneath and to have them be fired up more to hold the filling better. I think this would fare better with some kimchi pickled vegetables instead.
$6 Eat:
Pork Vietnamese Sub - Mine came very soggy so I'm not sure where that excess liquid came from but that needs to be fixed right away as the most important part of a banh mi is the bread and its integrity. The flavors were a bit one note and I prefer the contrasts with the meat and the pickled vegetables, spicy bites of jalapenos, and the slight sharpness of cilantro but I didn't get the multiple flavor experiences in this one.
All in all, I think it's a great lunch option if you work or live in the area. The price points are good. The Fried Rice Balls were definitely an experience I haven't had before and is easily the one reason worth visiting this truck. -
Review from DineoutGal A.
Winnipeg, MB
8/1/2011 2 photos
I was very excited to try out the food truck scene of Van and while shopping downtown on a Sunday afternoon, I spotted the Roaming Dragon truck. So my friend and I split the rice balls ($3) and the Korean taco ($3) because we were kinda full as we had each devoured a Japadog just moments prior the Roaming Dragon. LOL.
The truck is pretty cute and the staff are nice. You get two rice balls for $3 - this one reminded of a deep fried ball version of the Chinese sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf as it had many of the same components. The exterior of the rice ball is very crispy and the interior is a little gooey. This wasn't my favourite item but it was interesting to try their spin on a pretty common Chinese street food item.
The Korean taco is a bit small but the flavours were pretty good though I wish they used a better tortilla.
Overall decent visit but I think the other menu items were probably better than the ones I tried on this visit. Oh well, next time! -
Review from Tabatha Anne Y.
Richmond, BC
2/23/2011
I've only had the breakfast burrito but it was a solid 5 stars and I've heard nothing but good things from my co-workers.
The Roaming Dragon truck is parked outside my office until further notice because we no longer have on site food service since the Dread Garden decided to up and leave on Friday.
A few of us were sceptical of the limited menu but boy does it deliver! The prices are good in comparison to what we're used to and the staff are some of the friendliest and quickest I've met. Especially Jason, he's super friendly and even asked what type of things people would like to see on the menu.
Thank you Dragon crew for stepping in and providing great fresh food to us at the out of the way tech centre! Also, thanks for having a fresh, creative breakfast wrap. This one includes: egg, spinach, green and yellow pepper, green onion and a mild Korean BBQ sauce.Listed in: Lunch Spots Near the Tech…
-
Review from P M.
Vancouver, BC
7/16/2011
Finally got to try the Roaming Dragon at the Trout Lake Farmer's Market today.
I tried the short rib taco, pork slider, and the lychee basil lemonade.
Taco: for $3 I found this very small. I wish the tortilla had been warmer or a bit crispy. It was definitely messy but it was pretty flavorful!
Slider: I found the steamed bun to overpower the other flavors and it was a bit sweet. Again though, the flavors were definitely developed and there!
Lemonade: this lemonade was definitely different! I thought it was a bit strong and wish I could've added some water to it. It was good but I could barely finish half of it!
All in all, service was great. It took about 5 minutes to get my food and they were nice.
It's a definite try, especially given the awards and votes they've gotten. I will be going back to try the Vietnamese sub at some point! -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2011 4 photos
Reading that Roaming Dragon was the best food truck in Vancouver according to Vancouver Magazine, I was really excited to try it out when I was visiting Vancouver. I came here after having a light lunch and just wanted a little snack.
It was a Sunday and I dropped by around 1:30 and was surprised to find no line.M aybe it was because we missed the lunch rush - evidenced by the fact that one of the items was labeled "sold out." The truck is bright red and is decorated with hanging laterns - you can't miss it!
The Asian-inspired menu is very limited - serving up three $3 items and three $6 items. Since my boyfriend and I just wanted a snack, we ordered the Korean short rib taco - Marinated beef short ribs with sesame sautéed spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, and shitake mushrooms, topped with Korean bbq sauce and nori, served in a corn tortilla ($3) and Chinese pork slider - braised pork cured in Asian spices, with pickled cucumbers and green onions, topped with hoisin sauce and served in a steamed bun ($3).
The taco tasted good, but not great. I found it a bit too watery with all the sauce. It just made the tortilla all soggy, making it a little difficult to eat. As for the Chinese pork slider, these pork buns seem to be all the rage these days. I admit, this was good, but again, not great.
Maybe my expectations were just too high, but I sure hope this isn't the best Vancouver has to offer. -
Review from Stephene C.
Vancouver, BC
6/22/2011
I bought food from this truck during one of the playoff games. It was parked near Georgia St. on Homer.
I ordered the pork Vietnamese sub, which was fresh and tasty. The girl that took my order was friendly and the service was fast, what you would expect of a food vendor such as this. Definitely worth giving a try! -
Review from Karen F.
Vancouver, BC
10/30/2011
Yummy fusion food, friendly people and great farmer's market staple. I also approve their use of compostable serving containers. Don't forget the Lychee lemonade!
-
Review from John W.
Vancouver, BC
12/25/2011
I saw Roaming Dragon on the Food Network and decided to give it a try. Very big mistake. Perhaps they were having a bad day, but I didn't appreciate forking out $$ for very mediocre food.
The pork belly slider was served with a very good steam bun, but the pork was dry and tough. It didn't have the luscious fattiness that should accompany pork belly. The fried rice risotto ball was greasy and heavy. It tasted like any other risotto ball; there was no fried rice flavour.
There is so much great food in Vancouver and Roaming Dragon needs to step up its game if it wants to compete. The novelty food truck factor aside, Roaming Dragon is a big disappointment. -
Review from Danielle B.
Vancouver, BC
10/28/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Oh, how I love Roaming Dragon. Their pork belly sliders are to die for and I love the deep fried rice balls with curry sauce.
I have not yet tried all the menu items, but the short rib tacos are also delicious and washed down with the Lychee Basil Lemonade... yummy!
The only thing keeping these guys from a five-star rating (based on street food standards) is that they are a little on the pricey side. Items are $6 each, 2 for $10 or 3 for $15. The lemonade is $4.
Like a couple of other reviewers, I also took advantage of the Groupon deal, where you paid $5 for two items plus the lemonade. In hindsight, I should have purchased more of them! In any case, the food is exceptionally good and will keep me going back. -
Review from Sachi M.
I guess I was too excited about the idea of this and it didn't live up to that.
+ - Japanese Chicken Karaage: Fine. Better than some others I've had. Batter-wise, not what I would expect of Karaage. Sauce-wise, I got tired of the flavour halfway.
- Soba Noodle Salad: I was shocked to find the red sauce on it! Fortunately, it wasn't too spicy, but I couldn't find any flavour depth. Palatable, but not something I would get again.
Apart from the food, I can only find good things business-wise:
+++ Their containers are not Styrofoam! I would assume we can't put these food-soaked things in the paper recycle bin, but it must be biodegradable garbage.
+++ A food truck that accepts Credit and Debit!
+++ They say on their site (and referenced Twitter http://twitter.com/Dra... or Facebook) where they are.
As of Sep2010,
* Weekdays 11:30-3:00 - Downtown 1075 W Georgia
* Weekends at the Farmer's Market (http://www.eatlocal.org/) - Sat: Trout Lake, Sun: KitsilanoListed in: Food Carts!
-
Review from Fritz S.
Updated - 8/2/2011
oh shit! i forgot about the Fried rice balls crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.. mm and comes with some awsome yellow sauce on it.. :)
The Sliders! mm very tasty. moist bun and tender marinate pork! damn! u can't get any better than that!... try it!! try it now!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/19/2011
Food Trucks rule!!!
This one is conveniently parked by my "place of employment" ;) Another fast and… Read more »
-
-
Review from Pete S.
7/24/2010 ROTD 1/14/2011
WTF!!! a food truck in vancouver! for a city that prides itself on good eats, not having mobile eateries was really the last thorn in its culinary side.
no more.
roaming dragon has a bunch of different asian fusion options that all look really good. i tried the short rib tacos, which were pretty killer. they also comped me a basil lemonade, which mixed with a shot of gin would have been out of this world.
kudos to these guys for dishing out good eats from a truck. i want to see a lot more of this ASAP!Listed in: Vancouver Food Trucks
-
Review from Ernie B.
Burnaby, BC
7/24/2010
I've been dreaming of food trucks since I ran into my first one in Bellingham parking lot serving delicious tongue tacos, so it was thrilling to see the Roaming Dragon truck hanging out at kits. This was particularly handy seeing that we had just shown up with a flat of beer and needed something to go with.
They have samples of their food visible when you come up to the cart, so choosing is easier, and the korean short rib tacos are hard to ignore. Topped with a bit of bean sprout kim chi, shiitake, and wrapped in nori and a single layer of tortilla, they hit the two bite spot very well. The fried rice balls consisted of a seasoned sticky rice, seasoned with dried shrimp and bits of lap cheung, and were probably my favourite item I tried.
The chicken karaage tasted like it had been fried a little while ago, but still managed to be pretty tasty. The pork belly sliders are the right combination of items, with their steamed chinese bun and fatty pork, but they could have used a bit more pork to really make it sing.
The guys were kind enough to throw in the lychee basil lemonade for my party of 20, and the lemonade was fantastic. Great and fresh idea I haven't seen before (though I've had rosemary lemonade). The soba noodle salad was not my favourite item, though friends who I trust all said the duck confit salad was great.
Prices were pretty reasonable but not cheap. 2 items for $10 makes a nice light meal, and 3 is probably plenty.
All in all, this sweet looking red food truck is a really welcome addition to kits beach and I'm excited to try more. -
Review from Jordan H.
9/14/2010
Great food cart. We had the duck confit salad, the rice balls, and the sliders. The guy came out and gave us a free basil lemonade to thank us for coming down.
The only thing keeping them from 5 stars if a better deal for ordering multiple items. -
Review from J J.
10/18/2011
As self-described food truck aficionados, we were excited to try out what one website called the best truck in Vancouver. I have to say, we were a little disappointed. The truck had a long line (always a good sign) and good prices, but the short-rib taco we shared was stringy, dry, and tasted more than a bit gamy. I might try the place again, but would definitely avoid that taco.
