The Ultimate Food Truck is set to open this weekend at 3280 Monarch Dr. after a lengthy delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ultimate Food Truck brings its menu from their family-run chip truck, Jax’s Redbus, which is popular with cottagers who pass through Virginia on Highway 48.
“We are super busy there and it’s super popular. Everybody loves our burgers and specialty poutines,” said co-owner Brittney Naczynski.
Naczynski decided it was time to expand on the popular business and bring a location to Orillia.
“We get people coming from Orillia to visit our chip truck, so we thought this would be a really good area for us to expand to. We love being close to the university and this growing part of town,” she said.
In February, Naczynski purchased the Monarch Drive location, formerly home to Zat's, and began preparing for an opening day in April or May. Naczynski’s vision was to put a chip bus resembling the one in Virginia inside the Orillia location.
“We didn’t want to make it a boring everyday restaurant where you walk up to the counter, get your food and leave. We wanted it to be more like an experience with the chip truck feel,” she said.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to Naczynski’s plan to open the eatery this past spring.
“The people who were making our chip truck/bus for us were non-essential, so they got shut down, so that got delayed. Then our menu boards couldn’t go up until the bus was in ... everything got messed up,” she explained.
Nine months later, Naczynski has the bus in the restaurant, the menu boards up and running, and their unique food is almost ready for customers to enjoy.
Popular menu items include a variety of different poutines, including spicy chicken, deep-fried pickle, and even taco poutine.
“That’s sort of what we are known for at our chip truck, so we just brought most of that menu here,” Naczynski said.
Each day the Ultimate Chip Truck staff will cut and blanch their potatoes for their fresh-cut fries. At their Virginia location they go through nearly 600 pounds of potatoes each day.
Another popular item at the Ultimate Chip truck is thick and juicy burgers, she said.
“People come back and tell us it was the best burger they have ever had. Some people order one, eat it, and come back right away for a second one because they are so good,” Naczynski said.
When the Ultimate Chip Truck opens its doors, Naczynski will be offering a new dessert menu that includes milkshakes, floats, a dessert poutine, funnel cakes, and deep-fried ice cream.
Naczynski says she is aiming to open the Ultimate Food Truck and welcome the community inside on Saturday.
