I tried Japadog for the first time and here's my honest review
Vancouver is home to some of Canada’s most innovative bucket list food trucks, and Japadog is the most famous one.
“What even is a Japadog?” I asked my Vancouverite friend when I first arrived in Vancouver a year ago.
I had walked past the bright red Japadog cart one too many times on my way to Robson Square, and never had I ever not done a double-take — but this time, I decided to give it a go.
A Japadog is a fusion between a classic American hot dog and Japanese flavours. This unique hot dog has toppings like tobiko flakes, seaweed strips, teriyaki sauce, and grated radish.
Tanushi Bhatnagar/Daily Hive
This tiny stall has been stationed at the intersection of Burrard Street and Smithe Street, just across the Scotiabank Theatre, since 2005.
The cart shut shop in 2020 during the pandemic but reopened in early 2022. This fusion cuisine hot dog chain has a total of nine locations across Metro Vancouver, including the newly opened YVR Domestic Terminal food court location.
On to the hot dog!
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I tried the classic Kurobuta Okonomi hot dog, which comes with a Kurobuta pork sausage, fried cabbage, bonito flakes, Japanese mayo, and traditional Japanese sauce. I paired my hot dog with a side of shaken fries with spicy shichimi and garlic seasoning.
First impression
My first honest thoughts when I received the hot dog were: a) How am I going to finish this? b) This smells like fish (of course, there were bonito flakes on it), and c) I am so excited. The hot dog and fries were warm — perfect for the chilly Vancouver weather.
Taste
Starting with the hot dog, I noticed that I got a little bit of everything in my first bite
(A+ for equal spread-age). The hot dog itself had a good bite to it and was flavourful but did not overpower the toppings. While the bonito flakes added a subtle umami flavour to the meal, they didn’t do as much for the taste as for the smell. My favourite toppings were the sauces used that added a bit of sweetness to the meal but had a kick of umami and rightly accompanied the pork.
Overall, if you don’t like a strong fishy smell, I would suggest steering past the Kurobuta Okonomi and opting for another item. The Kurobuta Love Meat (topped with beef sauce and torched cheese) and the Kurobuta Terimayo (fried onions, teriyaki sauce, and seaweed) are among customer favourites and were recommended to me by the Japadog chef.
As for the fries, for $4.38, these were some of the best food truck fries I have had. If you are a fan of a thin-cut fry that gives a home-fry feel with a combination of soggy and crispy fries, do not sleep on Japadog. My spice-depraved Indian taste buds were extremely impressed by the shichimi and garlic seasoning.
Tanushi Bhatnagar/Daily Hive
Portion
I was pleasantly surprised at the portion size of both the hot dog and the fries. The bun itself was sizeable and came with a generous helping of toppings and sauces, and was proportionate to the hot dog. It is safe to say that I was tired of chewing by the end of the meal, but it was delicious nevertheless. The portion of the fries was between a McDonald’s medium and large and quite filling.
Price
The Kurobuta Okonomi hot dog itself cost me $8.28, and the fries were $4.38. In total, I paid $13.29 with taxes. In my opinion, Japadog is a super economical lunch option under $15, even when you opt for higher-priced items like the Karaage chicken hot dog ($10.59) or the Wagyu Beef Terimayo ($13.99).
Easy to eat
I would give Japadog a 5/5 on its take-out-ability. Despite the big portion size (which threatened my balancing skills), I managed to not drop even a single bonito flake while carrying the hot dog in my hand around Robson Square. No, the wind does not count.
Also, my lack of napkins worked out just fine because the hot dog was not messy (contrary to its heaped looks). Although, if you are worried about the mess, the food cart is equipped with utensils and napkins to aid your culinary adventures.
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Final verdict: I would definitely go back to Japadog for a cheap lunch. I might not get the same Kurobuta Okonomi hot dog again, but I have my eye on the chicken karaage hot dog next. If not for the hot dog, I will return for the fries and the shichimi seasoning.
Japadog — Burrad Food Truck
Address: 899 Burrard Street, Vancouver
What is your go-to Japadog order? Let me know in the comments.
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