Like Prometheus binging fire to man from the heavens, so too did Surf Side California bring the sacred fish taco to the Okanagan Valley.
When Ian from Surf Side California moved to Kelowna after spending a decade in San Diego he quickly realized that there was nowhere locally to enjoy the authentic California style fish tacos that he had come to love. With a ton of mechanical knowledge together with the catering acumen of his new partner Heidi, two years were spent conceptualizing what would come to be arguably the most celebrated Okanagan food truck experience of today. I have said it before, particularly with regards to food trucks, if you are going to do it, focus on one thing that you can do really, really well and don’t stray from the plan. Heidi and Ian are poster children for the viability of this philosophy, taking their flagship fish taco all over the valley and beyond, absolutely killing it with something that was not only lacking in this market, but doing it at a level that ensured their success in the discerning central Okanagan core particularly. They have expanded their menu with some fantastic additions that were thoughtfully and carefully considered but have stayed true to their concept and that which made them famous.
Now I will admit that as a food truck lover the bounty of the mighty Surf Side was not unfamiliar to me having discovered them during the days when they worked in synergy with the early breweries in Kelowna’s burgeoning beer district, but when I was invited to come and sit down with Ian and Heidi to get the inside story and sample some of their latest creations I was not about to pass up an opportunity to dive back in. This time out my teenage crew mate was all over the loaded Tatchos (which I had to act quickly to grab a share of before they were hungrily scarfed) while I partook of the California Burrito with tasty sirloin and a dynamite ancho. Perfect. I did not do the Poke Taco this time but I feel I must add a shout out to it as it has been on my list of faves for some time.
Almost as compelling as their menu, their success story was inspiring as they took me through the growth from their first little truck through the addition of two more, higher capacity units and the evolution of their crew that now numbers over ten friendly faces that have come back year over year to the family environment that Ian and Heidi have lovingly built to include not only their own kids, but employees’ siblings that have been brought into the fold by their sisters who have grown along with them.
The spot that they have enjoyed all summer at Rotary beach on Lakeshore Drive in Kelowna has been treated to their wares and fueled the kiteboarding scene that swarms to that coveted corner of beach that gets great wind conditions on the regular. Now however with Autumn approaching the fleet is going to be more mobile and hitting the catering market more to close out 2021 so keep an eye on their Facebook page for info on how to get your fix when you are craving that authentic California fish taco; and when you do, give thanks to the first people to not only introduce it to our valley long before it was available at pubs and social houses here, but the ones who have inspired an inordinate number of taco trucks to follow their lead. Now don’t get me wrong. There are some fabulous Mexican inspired street taco trucks that I sing the praises of but the California/Baha fish taco is not to be confused with Mexican food, and the success of Surf Side has helped given rise to many others who seek to replicate it and as such we have a plethora of taco trucks, some awesome, some less so, but the market has a way of sorting the good from the rest. Was that a run on sentence? Dear me yes. You should hear me talk. I digress. While they are happy to have helped pave the way for some worthy newer-comers, there are still some gaps in the spectrum of other ethnic options available in the valley and Ian and Heidi look forward to sharing the local stage with those who might see the lack of something the way they did way back when and introduce us to flavours from other parts of the world. Some have already begun.
Hopefully when the worst of the pandemic is dealt with and behind us, Ian and Heidi can meet us again at festivals like Ian’s favourite Roots and Blues, and we can start enjoying the rally’s that have helped Surf Side spread their sumptuous wares to places abroad and increase the demand for what we have been spoiled by for the last 8 years. In the meantime I’ll thank my stars as I always do to live in the sensational Okanagan Valley and to have access to the high quality of LOCAL food truck options of which Surf Side California has been a pioneer and cornerstone, and continue to….Live Local