Stumbling across a street food truck in Aberdeen is easily done.
The street food scene is continuously growing, particularly now that we’re into summer, and I for one am enjoying every second of trying out as many as humanly possible.
New vendors have recently opened their hatches across the city, including The Hungry Beastie and The Catering Collective, to name just a few.
However, some have been on the go for a lengthy period of time – whether it be locally or elsewhere.
To survive many years in the industry, you need to have at least two things: a loyal following and lip-smackingly good food.
A reader, Jenna, recently recommended Julia and I pay a visit to Thai food truck The Flying Wok, in Bridge of Don.
I discovered soon after that the business has been around a while, and to say it is popular among those that have stopped by would be an understatement.
Jenna said to order “a bit of everything”, which is the four dishes available at The Flying Wok together with rice and/or noodles and a spring roll for just £6.
Run by a businessman named Pan, he revealed he has worked in hospitality since he was “a wee boy.”
The Flying Wok: What is it and what’s on offer?
The Flying Wok is a street food van that serves a variety of mouth-watering Thai dishes. But there’s a catch, everything is chicken-based – so vegetarians, you may want to steer clear.
Surely this means the chicken is out of this world, right? Hopefully – so no pressure Pan.
Located on Denmore Place in Aberdeen, the vendor, which accepts cash only, has been on the block for quite some time – and picked up a substantial following along the way.
“Best Thai van around”, “Great food and friendly service”, and “Amazing! Such good food! I love coming here” are just some of the positive reviews left by customers online.
Julia and I couldn’t wait to taste the popular grub for ourselves.
On the day we stopped by, there were people constantly coming and going all the time – including lots of tradesmen and local workers.
Some had never visited and had been recommended to try it out by friends, while others were regulars.
Pan had four dishes available to choose from. These included spicy chicken red curry, chicken with fresh chilli and garlic, battered sweeter chicken, and chicken in soy and garlic.
You can opt for one dish alone or even have all four in a single serving with rice and noodles.
Instead, Julia and I left with two containers – each containing two different dishes.
For more information on The Flying Wok, call 07949 543476.
The order:
The results
So, did Julia and I get the high-quality Thai food fix we were longing for?
Spicy chicken red curry and chicken with fresh chilli and garlic
The two spicy dishes – chicken red curry and chicken with fresh chilli and garlic – were thrown into a container, which was filled to the brim, and bedded on a hefty helping of rice.
First things first, the chicken. It was succulent, juicy and melted in the mouth – as did the veggies which were incredibly soft.
Hints of chilli and garlic were both apparent on the palate, but would the flavour blow your socks off? Absolutely not.
Coming from someone who isn’t a fan of spice, I do think the heat could have been kicked up a notch (or two).
Nevertheless, it tasted incredible with the fluffy rice. And Julia thought the flavours of the two dishes married nicely together.
The portion also came with a vegetable spring roll. It was a tad on the soggy side, but only because it had been sitting in the sauce for some time.
Presentation
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Battered sweeter chicken and chicken in soy and garlic
As far as street food dishes go, we thought this one looked incredibly appetising. It smelled the part too.
In this portion was one serving of battered sweet chicken and one of chicken in soy and garlic sauce.
The battered sweeter chicken, coated in a thick sauce, is the most popular option at Pan’s food truck – and Julia and I soon understood why.
The chicken batter could have been a tad crispier, but as a whole it was mouth-watering and the rich flavour of the sticky sauce was a triumph.
Surprisingly, I actually preferred the chicken in soy and garlic. There was a salty flavour, yet it wasn’t too overwhelming.
It was the lighter of the two dishes and is definitely something I would order again. Although, I think I would order any of them again if I’m being completely honest…
The thin and light noodles were a nice accompaniment, but Julia and I agreed that rice is the better option.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
The battered sweeter chicken and chicken in soy and garlic came out on top at The Flying Wok, racking up a score of 17/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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