Featured Food Truck — Bian Dang

Bian Dang is New York City’s own Taiwanese Lunchbox truck. They’re wildly popular for their secret family recipe. Roaming Hunger spoke with owner Thomas Yang to find out what it’s like to run a family business curbside and what makes their food so Dang good. As always, check back tomorrow for a Bian Dang original recipe. The only question that remains is if they’ll reveal their secret family recipe…

 

No. No they won’t.

 

 

 

Roaming Hunger: What inspired you to open a food truck?

 

Thomas Yang: I wanted to serve our family recipe to people, but didn’t have enough funds for a restaurant.

 

 

RH: What is the funniest thing that’s happened to you inside a food truck?

 

TY: When we first started, we were pretty new when dealing with propane– and when we tried to light up a burner when the propane was leaking for a while, a mini fireball blew up and it burned off some of my eyebrow and hair. Another time, again when we first started, we were able to convince a vegetarian to try our food–a not so vegetarian option.

 

 

RH: What part of food trucking did you think would be popular that ended up not being so?

 

TY: Everything we do is popular!

 

RH: What do you love most about running a food truck?

 

TY: People just love us and what we do.  That always puts a smile on our faces.

 

 

 

RH: What sets you apart from other trucks?

 

TY: We’re one of the top gourmet food trucks in the city with an actual secret recipe you can’t find anywhere else.

 

RH: How would you describe your truck’s behind-the-scenes dynamic?

 

TY: Difficult at times.  We’re a small family owned and operated business, so there are tons of opinions in the family, but we know we love each other, and it wouldn’t have worked without any of us.

 

 

RH: Where is street food culture heading?

 

TY: Definitely towards unique and not mass-produced goods.

 

RH: And lastly, what on your menu MUST I try?

 

TY: Definitely try our Chicken or Porkchop over rice and the dumplings.

 

 

by Sienna Mintz