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Phoenix Flame BBQ – Feeding the Need

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on
June 25, 2022
a man orders food from the Phoenix Flame BBQ Food Truck

While checking out Surrey Fest 2022 for our brand-spanking-new news and events site Surrey Insider I was especially stoked to see Phoenix Flame BBQ on the grounds at Holland Park. While anything barbecued has me frothing at the maw, what really got me revved up was that this non-profit food truck is operated by none other than the legendary Phoenix Society, one of the longest-running drug and alcohol recovery societies in Surrey. Like the legendary bird unfurling its mighty wings, Phoenix has branched out to include many other facets of support for marginalized people since their inception in the early ’90s.

Gurpreet and Prem Singh from Phoenix Flame BBQ
Phoenix Flame BBQ chefs

…Such as the Phoenix Flame BBQ food truck manned by Gurpreet and Prem Singh (pictured above) and folks in recovery who can give something back to their community while reintegrating into society at large. Phoenix Flame has doled out over 15 000 free meals since their rubber hit the road in the winter of 2020/2021 thanks to community donations and commercial events such as Surrey Fest, where the general public gets to sample the same hearty meals they dole out to the homeless at a very reasonable price with all proceeds going back to the Mobile Community Kitchen.

Pulled Pork Sandwich from Phoenix Flame BBQ
Pulled Pork Sandwich

While Phoenix Flame BBQ food truck has a seven-dish repertoire on rotation, the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($13) is their most requested item. And we can see why! This Carolina-style smoked hog comes absolutely drenched in tangy, mildly spiced ‘cue sauce that miraculously stays bound up in the meat and doesn’t cause the lightly toasted bun to sog up. They gave us some packets of mustard, ketchup, and relish to go with but we didn’t even think of sullying the sweet meat with any further flavours.

Crinkle-cut chili fries on a bed of coleslaw
Fries and Coleslaw

Believe it or not, that thirteen bucks also includes fries, coleslaw, and a drink! We found this pricepoint very reasonable for food truck fare, which tends to be on the stingier side portion-wise given the prices. The crinkle-cut fries were tossed in what seemed to be the exact same seasoning you’d get on those Old Dutch Chili Rip-L chips! I personally love that flavour, so if anyone knows where to buy the seasoning or an equivalent please leave a comment down below. Phoenix Flame’s coleslaw was sweet and creamy, with a lot of parsley mixed into the usual carrot and cabbage slaw. The parsley addition gave it a summery vibe which was perfect for a weekend festival like Surrey Fest.

BBQ Chicken Sandwich with a couple onion rings in the foreground.
BBQ Chicken Sandwich

We also got to sample their BBQ Chicken Sandwich ($13), this one also smoked and served up with an Alabama-style sauce. Some nice grill marks on the poultry and the sauss was just as boss as the pulled pork, but given the nature of chicken breast we were inclined to add some condiments this go-round. The onion rings may not look like much due to my rusty camera skills more than anything, but they were golden and crispy on the outside and moist (this is still Craig’s favourite term two years later) and juicy inside.

Phoenix Flame BBQ also has a Smoked Vegan Burger available for twelve buckeroos; while we can’t personally vouch for it our random vegetarian tablemate had one and was quite satisfied.

Sign on Phoneix Flame BBQ food truck reads "Feed the Need. This food truck is operated by the Phoenix Society, a multi-service agency dedicated to providing accessible services and opportunities to people who face barriers related to addiction, mental health, housing, education, criminal justice involvement and/or employment. Your purchase supports our free community meal program that directly serves those who are vulnerable in the community."
Phoenix Flame BBQ food truck

This summer Phoenix Flame BBQ will be open Fridays from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the location below, start date TBD. They also cater private and public functions and offer customizable menus to suit your company or private event. If you’d like to support their mission to Feed the Need they are currently seeking kitchen volunteers (email them here for more info) and donations to help cover costs. For more on Phoenix Society click on over to Surrey Insider and sign up for emails so you can also keep in the loop with all the hot summer action Surrey has in store this year! Or if you’re craving more drool-worthy BBQ food truck fare you can read our story on Pork Mafia food truck. Chow for now!

Matt
Author: Matt

Prior to joining the Surrey Eats crew, Matt's love of all things edible and passion for writing led him to long-running food blog Eat 'n About where he penned articles under the nom de plume Hitman Howdy for several years. Matt's also been published in various local magazines, and is an extremely adventurous eater who has dined on things that would make Anthony Bourdain blush. Matt enjoys the melting pot of international cuisine on offer in Surrey and hopes to help put his beloved stomping grounds on the map as a smorgasbord for food-lovers of all ethnicities. SURREY WHAT!!

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CRAIG T
Surrey, BC

Hi my name is Craig and welcome to my food blog! Join me and my crew as we eat our way around Surrey BC's local dining scene reviewing the hottest restaurants, covering all the latest food events and news, and uncovering plenty of hidden gems along the way. This site aims to be your one-stop shop for everything you need to navigate Surrey's cuisine like a foodie boss! While you're here why not follow us on social and get access to all sorts of deals, steals and giveaways: