Food Dudes Dave McIntyre, Adrian Niman and Daniel Frenette (Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
Adrian Niman (North 44) started his catering company, The Food Dudes, in 2007 as a one-man operation serving elevated fare for the cocktail set. Now Niman, along with supplementary dudes Daniel Frenette , Brent McClenahan and Dave McIntyre, is focused on dishes that, while still influenced by the team’s fine dining backgrounds, “are a little more fun.” Hence the new food truck.
The menu at the Food Dudes Truck is divvied up into three categories: munchies (smaller snacks), boxes (salad-type offerings) and sambos (the Dudes’ term for sandwiches). “People charge so much because of rent,” Frenette says of sit-down restaurants, pointing out that their menu tops out at $10. When we stopped by during their very first lunch service, the well-suited Bay Street crowd was chowing down on the Dudes’ barbecue pork shoulder sambo ($8) and the Cap’n Crunch cod tacos ($8), which feature cereal-coated, deep-fried cod, lime slaw, spicy guacamole and house-smoked sour cream.
The Food Dudes’ love for breakfast carbs also works its way into dessert. Take the Nutella bomb ($4), for example: Nutella-smeared banana bread is topped with more bananas, dunked in batter, rolled in Corn Flakes and, naturally, deep-fried ($4). And if that weren’t enough, the mounds are finished with dollops of whipped cream and drizzled with a bourbon caramel sauce. The dessert was a runaway hit at Edgefest, something the Dudes attribute to the festival’s organically induced laid-back atmosphere. Thanks to Frenette’s stint as the Rolling Stones’ touring sous chef (“Keith is a sucker for shepherd’s pie,” he laughs), working a crowd is no biggie—indeed, they’ve labelled their business “food-driven entertainment.”
160782 Nutella bomb ($4): Nutella-smeared banana bread topped with more bananas, battered, deep-fried and finished with dollops of whipped cream and a bourbon caramel sauce (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes14/ aug12fooddudes14 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160760 Deep-fried mac-and-cheese arancini ($5)<br />
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes13/ aug12fooddudes13 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160759 Barbecue pork shoulder on a spicy jalapeno biscuit ($8) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes12/ aug12fooddudes12 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160758 Cap’n Crunch cod taco ($8): cereal-coated, deep-fried cod, lime slaw, spicy guacamole and house-smoked sour cream (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes11/ aug12fooddudes11 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160757 Braised veal meatballs tucked into a basil steamed bun ($8) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes10/ aug12fooddudes10 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160756 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes9.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes9/ aug12fooddudes9 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160755 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes8/ aug12fooddudes8 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160754 Dave McIntyre making the Cap’n Crunch cod tacos (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes7.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes7/ aug12fooddudes7 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160753 Dave McIntyre making the Cap’n Crunch cod tacos (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes6.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes6/ aug12fooddudes6 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160752 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes5.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes5/ aug12fooddudes5 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160751 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes4.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes4/ aug12fooddudes4 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160750 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes3.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes3/ aug12fooddudes3 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160749 One of the new, bigger breed of Toronto food truck (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes2.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes2/ aug12fooddudes2 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160748 Food Dudes Brent McClenahan and Adrian Niman (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes1.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes1/ aug12fooddudes1 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
160747 Food Dudes Dave McIntyre, Adrian Niman and Daniel Frenette (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck Introducing: The Food Dudes' food truck https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aug12fooddudes_intro.jpg 656 420 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-food-dudes-introducing/slide/aug12fooddudes_intro/ aug12fooddudes_intro 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
The Food Dudes, 647-346-0014, thefooddudes.com, @TheFoodDudesTO
Sambos? Really?
Is fun food better than tastey??
Looks like they do a pretty mean lube job! Might have to take the ‘ol Chevy in for a tuneup.
Had some for the first time tonight. I ate the ancho Chicken Quesadilla. Was amazing. Cooked to perfection and a balanced taste with just the right amount of spice. Wish I had ordered more. There was a long line and for good reason but they handled it like a well oiled machine. Service was also fantastic. Efficient while still very friendly.