Varinicey Pakoras

Gotta start by saying that I LOVE pakoras. I’ve loved them my whole life (and my moms were the best of course). These pakoras are not totally traditional because they use different ingredients and they are BRILLIANT! The only reason I give them 3 stars, is because pakoras should be served with mint chutney or tamarind sauce. I love mango chutney, but it just doesn’t compliment the pakora! Pleaes Varinicey replace at least one of your sauces with one of the traditional ones… then you’ll be the bomb.

I have seen this food cart in many places, especially food cart places. The Pakoras are nicely battered, they don’t feel oily and served with a trio of nice chutny’s and creams. The prices are very reasonable for the prices. The owner was nice. I saw him today at the Make-​It fair and was annoyed a little that the guy I am dating and I waited for a good 15 — 20 minutes with no where for the guy in sight. Not his fault, he was having a break, however, was more annoyed at the other food vendors who didn’t bother to inform us or call the owner to give him a heads up. Talk about food cart competitivness.

Pakoras made with rutabaga, beets, and bok choy? I’ll have some please! Thanks for giving us some sampling of your fantastic food at the Unilocal event. I haven’t had such good pakoras in a while now because most pakoras that I’ve had elsewhere were greasy and soggy. Yours were crispy, fresh, and it went so well with your mango chutney, raita and gingery Indian pickle. Looking forward to trying your chai at your truck soon.

Look, when done right, pakoras are amazing. Small enough to be a snack, light enough that they don’t seem deep fried, but deep fried enough that they’ll satisfy my undying need for a greasy treat. But I know what this particular pakora station looks like: an Indian snack made with local and organic veggies and a gluten free batter, sold out of a food cart at farmer’s markets and craft fairs, blurring the line between hippie and yuppie — sooooo Vancouver.
But it’s not.
It’s SO much more than that. Chris (owner, proprietor, all around amazing dude-​brah kind of guy) is the heart of this here cart and does every single thing himself. With a mandate to never be a 9 – 5 kind of guy, Chris maintains that Varinicey (pronounced Very Nice E) Pakoras not ever be in the same place every single day (take note of the black flag on his website. Subtle). At every craft fair, farmer’s market, music festival, or outdoor community gathering throughout Vancouver, it’s a cart to keep your nose out for. That intoxicating aroma, you’ll smell it – but where is it? Look for a crowd, and that’s where the Varinicey Pakoras cart will be.
It’s gonna take awhile, but maaan, are these little bites of happy worth it.

I haven’t actually been served from the truck/​cart itself, but Chris stopped by an event we held at our bar and served up some amazing Pakoras. The original blew people away and the Super beet was off the charts. Homemade Raitta? Yes Please! Mango Chutney — the best.
I look forward to tracking him down at the farmer’s market and 6^th and Commercial to re-​fill on these tasty little gems.

I love this guy and his chai. So far this is the spiciest and awesomest chai that I’ve tasted in this city. Chris, the proprietor of the truck, is super rad to talk with and has some steller conversation skills .The pakoras are non greasy and fresh tasting. This is a huge bonus for me. I love this truck so much that I made my driving friend make a sudden stop when I saw his truck on main street this weekend!

We enjoyed a tasty pakora plate during the summer when the Granville Mall was closed off. The pakoras were quickly prepared with very fresh tasting ingredients and the chutney was a nice accompaniment. We will definitely take advantage again if we find the Varinicey trailer at other Vancouver area events.

Try and catch the elusive Chris in his custom made food truck Varinicey Pakoras for a yummy and healthy, *gluten free meal. You can sometimes find him in Steveston BC, he says.
I caught up with him on Commercial Drive just outside the GotCraft show this weekend and enjoyed a plate of the mildly spiced snack.
The strong smell of curry long remained on my clothes and fingers like the sent of a secret lover…
* Pakora is lightly breaded and deep fried using Channa flour not wheat. The vegetables are a mix of «turnips, carrots, onions, beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, bok choy, rutabaga, arugula, parnips, yams and during the winter months, the brussel sprout!»