'They really really loved it': Biggar's first food cart rolls into town

Flora Dalisay has brought traditional Filipino cuisine to the streets — and hearts — of Biggar, Sask.

Dalisay is the owner of Home Style Spring Rolls, the first and only food cart in Biggar, which is about 90 kilometres west of Saskatoon.

Originally from the Philippines, Dalisay moved to Biggar in 2015. She grew up in a family that loved to cook. Eager to share this love with her new community, she began selling traditional Filipino street foods like spring rolls and stir fried noodles at the Biggar farmer's market that same year.

Dalisay's business flourished to the point where the farmers market could handle. This past summer, she opened up her food cart.

Most days during the summer months you can find Dalisay and her food cart parked on Biggar's main street, serving up freshly made dishes to eager customers.

"They really loved it — my spring rolls, my dumplings and some stir fried noodles — because they're all homemade. I'm showcasing the Filipino style of cooking and they really really loved it," Dalisay said in an interview with CBC's Radio's Blue Sky.

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Most of her customers are locals, but she's taken orders from as far away as Saskatoon and Kindersley.

She says the community has been incredibly supportive of both her and her food cart.

"It's pretty good. People here pretty much know each other [and] they also like to support [each other]," Dalisay said.

Of Biggar's approximately 2,000 residents, about 200 are Filipino.

Dalisay has packed up her food cart for the winter, but still offers take-home meals and catering services.

Home Style Spring Rolls remains the only food cart in town, but Dalisay said she thinks Biggar would welcome more businesses like hers.

"I think if there will be another food cart coming... I believe that it will be another success... because I am pretty sure that they will support it like they did to my food cart last summer," Dalisay said.

Dalisay said great food has a special way of bringing people together, regardless of where they're from.

"When people find out the food is good, the food is great...even if the food is from a different nationality, then people are going to just try them," Dalisay said.

"Once they like [the food], then you can't stop being together. They will gather and they will appreciate what you're making."

CBC Radio's Blue Sky is doing a monthly segment about good news happening in small communities around Saskatchewan. Have an idea for our next segment? Email us.