Last Saturday, I found myself in the tourist streets of Da Nang city on a mission to try the newest dish in Da Nang’s food scene. This time I am ditching the usual noodles and banh mi, because potatoes come marching down Do Ba street, where People’s Potatoes is located. Undeniably a Tiktok sensation, owners Steve and Truong are riding the virality with their passion for cooking and sincere love for potatoes.
The story of People’s potatoes starts with an inspiration from abroad. Jacket potatoes were popularized by the Spud Bros, content creator duo based in the UK, who filmed their process of making the baked potatoes while featuring natural conversations with their customers. Spud, a British slang for potatoes, has become a brand on its own, but the dish is often called baked or loaded potato. Brits and Americans can argue about the dish’s true name, but one thing’s for sure: the potatoes need to be absolutely delicious!
For co-owner Steve, a self-described “potato guy by trade, beach guy by nature” hailing from America, this venture came from a creative restlessness. Having worked in real estate and construction, he was looking for something creatively satisfying and highly efficient to operate.
Potatoes are the “rice of white people” as Steve puts it. And within three years of living in Vietnam, first in Hanoi then in Da Nang, Steve took the leap and opened his cart. Along with his duo, they are preparing potatoes in a unique, but premium way, while incorporating a lot of Vietnamese aesthetics.
Steve fell in love with Vietnamese culture, and this is reflected in their jacket potato cart. Adorned with national flags, the hammer and sickle, and built using Vietnamese bamboo, the green cart is eye-catching and familiar. The revolutionary decor is a nod to the Vietnamese love for their homeland. It is a niche concept: high-quality, western-style street food set in an Asian street food setting.
The entire setup is quintessentially Vietnamese too, using low single plastic chairs, quick food turnaround, and open preparation right from the two-man kiosk and its compact business cart. They are dedicated to the craft, even using a blowtorch to achieve the perfect cheese melt on their overload options.
While potato is a western crop, the stall captures local tastes with Asian-inspired toppings like crispy shallots and the chicken curry sauce. The cart serves a healthy mix of locals and westerners, successfully translating the concept across cultural lines. Steve is the culinary force, having personally developed all the recipes for the toppings and sauces.
Their menu has four main options. Staying true to its Spud Bros inspiration, they have a cheesy baked beans flavor. The three other offerings are the bacon and sour cream, meaty chili con carne, and chicken curry. There is also the classic vegetarian option. It is no secret too that the Vietnamese love something hot, that is why Steven names chili con carne as their most popular out of the five.
To stay on top of quality, the potatoes and other fresh ingredients are sourced each morning at the local market, meanwhile the dairy products like cheese and cream are mostly imported. All four flavors use a similar base which is the unique home made garlic butter by Steven.
My personal pick was bacon and sour cream. The crispy bacon goes very well with the mushy texture of the potatoes and cream. The textures of the dish makes it more indulging to eat. The savor of the crispy shallots and butter was synchronized with the slight tang of the sour cream.
When I first ate loaded potatoes before, I felt stuffed in a few bites and my palette was overwhelmed. People’s Potatoes version had the same flavor, but better taste. It had a more pleasant mouthfeel because the potatoes were cooked just right.
Customers are encouraged to customize their potatoes as extras can be added on each order. It could be a curry topping with extra crispy bacon or chili con carne with extra cheese. The jacket potato is filling and versatile at the same time.
Visit People’s Potatoes cart at 76 Do Ba street. They are located at a busy intersection in front of a clothing shop and other restaurants. They are offering online orders too, just give them a call and they will manage the delivery.
Being only a month young as of writing, People’s Potatoes has captured the hearts and tastebuds of the locals with their special product: a good banter and an even better potato. Have loaded potatoes as a snack or a meal and you will not regret having one. Fill your stomach with this newest dish in town!
People’s Potato
Address: Do Ba, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang
Tel: 0584670524
