The first thing that strikes you about Papa’s food truck is the shiny metallic van. The presentation is quite impressive, and it appears they’ve spent more than the average amount on the fit out. As their name suggests, they specialise in gourmet hot dogs. The hot dogs are not the processed convenience store variety but proper gourmet sausages.

The setup is the hot dog version of Subway. Select from 2 types of bread, 5 types of sausages, and a combination of toppings and sauces. A basic hot dog will set you back $8, but if you want the Italian panini bread, a wagyu sausage or some fancy topping (chilli beef, seasonal salsa, homemade slaw or beer battered onions), then it will cost you extra. They have sides that start from $2 and a selection of American soft drinks.

Today, I ordered the Italian Sundried Tomato Beef Hot Dog. The meal was ready after a 15 minute wait and was nicely presented, however, it was obvious they were a little conservative with the toppings. The sausage was well cooked and had a nice savoury flavour. The caramelised onions were a nice golden brown and the pickles added a nice crunchy texture. The bread was lightly toasted and firm enough to hold everything together.

The Fries were the shoestring variety and what you find at McDonald’s. They were nice and crunchy, and were not salted. It’s difficult to cook the fries wrong but it does happen.

The staff were friendly and the service was fast and efficient. As it’s a food truck, you have to find your own place to sit down and enjoy your meal. The pricing is probably a bit higher than what it’s worth, but a lunch around the $10 mark seems to be norm these days. All in all, I quite enjoyed my hot dog and will be back for more if our paths ever cross again.

WHERE: Location Varies