The Bitches themselves, Shontelle Pinch and Bianka Matchett (Image: Dave Gillespie)
At a sneak preview event at the Boiler House in the Distillery District earlier this month, the Gourmet Bitches unveiled their new matte-black food truck. With the name printed as a mirror image in bold white print and purple neon lighting, it won’t be hard to find when it hits the streets in May. The cheekily named truck is a collaboration between Shontelle Pinch and Bianka Matchett, who decided to buck some of the bigger trends in mobile dining with healthy options that include gluten- and dairy-free menu items.
“Whenever we do our Food Truck Eats events, you’d think pork belly would sell first, but vegetarian stuff usually sells in the top three,” Suresh Doss of Food Truck Eats tells us. “Their biggest strength would be the fact that they’re quite open-minded in terms of their food philosophy,” Doss says of the Gourmet Bitches. “They’re not really limiting themselves in terms of what they can sell.” The menu is still a work in progress (at the tasting event, feedback cards were distributed for suggested adjustments). On offer that night was a sampling of the menu, including dry Asian rub wings with spicy mango, lemon aioli and tequila barbecue dipping sauces, and Cuban pulled pork on Korean yam fries. A tamarind steak sandwich and Balinese chicken on a corn tostada were gluten-free options, while the mahi mahi and shrimp ceviche and kale and arugula salad rounded out the lighter menu alternatives. Pricing will range from $3 to $12, with combos around $15.
Dry Asian rub wings with spicy mango, lemon aioli and tequila barbecue dipping sauces
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(Image: Carole Park)
Various tasting portions: Cuban pulled pork on Korean yam fries, mahi mahi and shrimp ceviche, tamarind steak sandwich, Balinese chicken tostada and Asian dry rub wings
Various tasting portions: Cuban pulled pork on Korean yam fries, mahi mahi and shrimp ceviche, tamarind steak sandwich, Balinese chicken tostada and Asian dry rub wings
Hi Toronto Star Staff,
Please publish date, time, location, and details of food trucks coming to Toronto.
I like to visit and enjoy their fair.
Hm, the FTE guy emphasizes that veggie options are in the top 3 best sellers, and yet the draft menu is loaded with meat dishes. Which is it, folks?
uuuh… both ?
Hmmmm, Gourmet Bitches. That doesn’t sound tasty or fun.
Uuuh…if it’s both, they should list examples of both, not just meat dishes.
Chef Snookie keepin it classy ;)
there is no way to contact them on there web page. SO how do I order?
I am always interested in how us normal folk can get access to great food. I also hope that the gourmet food truck craze is allowed to cross over to ontario so we can enjoy, however, I detest how these women have marketed them selves. Are we still referring to our selves as “bitches” really? this has to stop. I don’t buy the notion that owning this word makes it powerless, thats ridiculous.
Two gutsy young entrepreneurial women who want to feed me Cuban pulled pork, Balinese chicken, Tamarind steak and who knows what other wonderful concoctions to come? They can call themselves whatever they like in my book. I’m sure their playful, tongue-in-cheek choice of branding may offend some at first glance, but let’s take this for what it was intended.
About putting the name backwards, and I quote: ‘This way little children might not be able to read it but we still have the integrity of the name,” explains Matchett.’
Really? The word “bitch” has “integrity”? Actually, it’s an insult meant to denigrate women. It’s bad enough kids have to see this truck in family neighbourhoods. If you think that’s a name that makes women feel good about themselves, think again.
Hmm. I wish them well, but I’m beginning to wonder if the bitch thing is a gimmick, or if they really want a food truck. They often open as much as an hour late, stop service to give interviews, completely ignore customers when a business contact starts a conversation. One was pretty rude when I asked if they were open.
I’d love to try a health food truck, but the bitches thing just doesn’t work for me.
Get over the Bitch thing people the food is great. I had one of everything on the menu that day and it was all healthy and a joy in the mouth…
I say, “Don’t knock it until you try it”
See you all at the bitches,..lol
Get over the Bitch thing people the food is great.
I had one of everything on the menu and it was all delicious.
I say, “Don’t knock it until you try it”
See you all at the bitches,..lol
Had their pulled pork taco’s at the Molson Amp. Thursday before the Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean concert. I really appreciated their gluten free menu and loved their logo. Would definitely recommend! SSsoooo yummy!
Had the pulled pork poutine with vegetables at the Molson Amp. I wasn’t aware that Gourmet Bitches think that poutine doesnt come with gravy or cheese? New name should just be fries+pulled pork. The pork was the driest I have ever tasted. The small piece of pineapple was a weird touch….I guess that was their attempt at the vegetables? Terrible, never going again.
Ordered the ceviche, was rubbery…tacos were ok….i guess if u need gluten free it’s a good fast food option, if not go elsewhere
I recently lined up at this food truck at the CNE for approximately 30 minutes. I, too, was attracted to the name, the cool hipster aura of the truck, and also more power to the women doing their thing. So, with hopeful eyes I stood and waited.
I should have been discouraged when I noticed the ladies’ working were completely frazzled (which is understandable because there was a large volume of people lined up). It clearly read they were overwhelmed. However, I still gave them the benefit of the doubt and waited in line.
I ordered 3 fish tacos and 3 beef tacos $19, which I had to repeatedly tell the front woman for she was more concerned about the lineup than taking my order.
When I finally received my food, I took one bite and threw the rest in the trash. The taco shells fell apart a the touch, and the actual filling tasted completely bland. I was extremely disappointed.
I had to get a corn dog after all that.
People resly need to get something to do instead of complaining about a food trucks, get a sence of humor people!! And stop being so uptight!!!!!!!!!!!! If you don’t like it don’t read it!
seriously you people need to shut up if you dont like the name, frankly no one cares and they certainly do not. and if you bothered to read any other articles by them it stated the reason for calling them gourmet bitches was to make fun of men who think that women are in fact “bicthes” and cant do anything without a mans help. So here they have a truck with all women, cooking and cleaning and prepping with no men helping them, its empowering to them so get your head out of your ass.
Ps. There food is extremely yummy, for those who had a bad experience is probably due to the fact that you went on a night of an extremely busy event, i have worked on a food truck before and it is insanity. I have tried their food multiple times and they have never once failed to impress me, one thing i do highly recommend though is the dry rub chicken wings, the coffee blend and ginger, brown sugar is extremely tasty and i could eat them all day. The meat fries are something else to try, highly recommend those as well!