Chances are you've seen it. It pops up at all the cool local events, and from June through September every year you'll likely find it in the centre of the action, near the Penticton Peach at Okanagan Lake Beach.
It's called Samosa Express, and it's something of a rarity. Not only is it a food truck, which is rare enough in the South Okanagan, but it's currently one of just a small handful of food trucks licensed by the City of Penticton to set up shop at prescribed city hot spots.
And on top of all that, it's the only mobile food vending facility in the South Okanagan to serve Indian cuisine. Authentic, homemade, mostly vegetarian Indian food - at fair prices.
Like we said, a rarity.
That it also happens to be run by one of the friendliest families you'll ever meet is a bonus.
Steering the Samosa Express food truck is Baljit Bhuhi, an eminently likeable Penticton guy with a big smile and a welcoming demeanor. Given that his equally gracious wife Malkit - who develops the traditional recipes and cooks the majority of the food that's made Samosa Express such a hit - speaks little English, Baljit is also its spokesperson.
And it all started, he says, way back in 2006.
"Malkit's always been a pretty good cook," he laughs. "And one of our friends encouraged us to sell her food at the Naramata Fair, in 2006 I think. So we pulled it together, and people were happy to see the food. Since then, every year it's been growing a little bit. We were doing a lot of temporary setups, and in 2015 we bought equipment and our food truck."
It was a BBQ ribs truck formerly working the Kelowna market, says Bhuhi. "A GMC cube van."
And it's been all systems go ever since.
A typical day will see Baljit taking orders and managing the show, Chef Malkit cooking in the kitchen, and daughters Sim, Jas, and Gurpreet, who've each learned much from their mother, assisting where needed. Other family members will pitch in during particularly busy sessions.
"I'm just basically organizing things," he says. "They run everything."
As the only Indian food truck based in the South Okanagan, Bhuhi is thrilled with his relationship with the City of Penticton.
"The City started this mobile food truck program four years ago, and so far we're the only one left in Penticton as a city food truck vendor. We have a bunch of designated areas we can go during weekdays and weekends, and we have permission from the city to do that."
"And we like keeping it local. Outside of Penticton, we do Summerland, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, and sometimes Oliver. Last year we went to Lake Country, and for a few events to Kelowna too. This year, we may even go to Salmon Arm."
But ultimately, he says, it's all about the food.
"We make everything fresh, from locally-sourced ingredients wherever we have the chance. We don't make it in the off-season and freeze it. And we don't make anything with machines. It's all hand-made from scratch."
"There's a huge difference between our food and restaurant food. You're going to feel a difference - like day and night. We don't use any fatty stuff or preservatives in it, and we make it as simple as possible, with fresh spices. Simple and flavourful food that's a hundred times better than restaurant food."
And the Samosa Express menu is, with one exception, vegetarian. Indeed, seven of the nine items are outright vegan.
"We started as vegetarian, but since last summer we have one meat dish - butter chicken. It's cooked and prepared separately from everything else."
Luckily for us, we had a chance to sample several of the current offerings. And we came away wowed. It's hearty, fresh, and flavourful.
Our faves included the "shahi paneer" (fresh Indian cheese in a cream sauce with Indian spices), "dal makhani" (kidney and black beans in a cream base), "chili paneer" (bell pepper and paneer cooked with onions and Indian spices), "chana masala" (chick peas cooked in gravy with Indian spices), and "aloo gobi" (cauliflower and potatoes in Indian spices).
And that list doesn't even touch upon their namesake dish, samosa, an appetizer featuring potatoes and Indian spices in a triangular-shaped shell. Nor does it include Malkit's mega-sized customization of the samosa, the "express samosa," which is longer and bigger and stuffed with a variety of fresh veggies. It's exceptional, and a meal unto itself.
Beyond the single items, Samosa Express also offers two specials every single day. Butter chicken with rice and Indian bread is one example. And, if you think you're up to it, they'll give you a hot sauce on the side that'll knock your socks off. Seriously, it's full-on fire - and we speak from experience.
And, says Bhuhi, hungry media members aren't the only people to get freebie tastings. Five times a year, Samosa Express sets up outside Penticton-area schools to feed the kids.
"We do our part to give back to community. We feed five schools every year, no charge."
"It started without even having our food truck. My youngest was in kindergarten. When she was in Grade 1 at Carmi Elementary, a couple of kids approached me and said, "You bring your daughter food, why don't you bring some for us too?"
"So I talked to the principal and said maybe we should bring food for the whole school. He liked the idea. That was seven years ago. Now we do a lunch every year for five schools."
As busy as Samosa Express generally is, there's always room for more. Bhuhi says they'll cater virtually any event, from small birthday parties to high-end weddings. Total cost starts at $400 within the boundaries of Penticton.
If you'd rather just sample the food, you'll next find Samosa Express at the Okanagan Fest of Ale, April 12 and 13 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.
Beyond that, the truck will be in its regular spot, adjacent to the Peach, from June through late September, and at select events around town and throughout the South Okanagan all spring and summer.
Those events include the Summerland Action Festival, the Canada Day celebration at Gyro Park, the Penticton Farmers Market, the Summerland Farmer's Market, and the Naramata Community Market.
Yes, they do get around.
For more information, or if you're considering hiring Samosa Express for your own function, head to the website here. And just remember - you've been warned about that hot sauce.
