We had to chat with co-owner and chef of mobile van Eat No Evil, Ben Fossilo.
Food truck aficionados, we have pretty much the best news ever. The City of Perth has created a new initiative where ten of the state's best food trucks will roam the city seven days a week! When we saw one of the chosen mobile vans was Eat No Evil – we fell in love with its amazing burritos at Southbound – we had to chat with co-owner and chef Ben Fossilo.
So what do you reckon is the best autumn meal on your menu? And what do you recommend pairing it with, drink-wise? Our best autumn meal is our wattleseed lamb taco with coffee mayo, pickled cauliflower, and green apple salsa. It is a great seasonal dish with a sweet, slow-cooked organic lamb, slightly bitter mayo, and fresh salsa on top. It would go well with an icy apple cider or amaretto sour.
Where does the inspiration for your dishes come from? We call our cuisine 'coastal' – trying to use all local seasonal ingredients with a beachy theme, taken from Mexico, South America, South East Asia and Korea. We try to use the most visually and texturally vibrant ingredients we can, with fun combos to keep it fresh.
We love the aesthetic of Eat No Evil. It reminds us of island holidays in South America, or a sleepy, surfy summer. How important is matching the look with the food? I think the aesthetic of the stall and the vibe that we send across to our customers is the most important part of the job. It first sets the scene for the food they are about to enjoy, and gets people comfortable and ready to hopefully experience a flavour or dish they haven't before.
Why a food van? We have always been interested in the growth of the food-truck scene, and a well-equipped vehicle will allow us to cook better-quality food and roam to locations that reflect our vibe, like the beach. It means we are not confined to four walls, and can adapt to more situations and appeal to a wider community. It also seemed like a big challenge that we just couldn't resist.
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