Radical Sasquatch Takes Dumplings to the Street

There may not be a better name out there for a food-service company than Radical Sasquatch Dumpling Company. It simultaneously commands attention and creates a dumpling craving — just what founders Lucas Doverspike and Matt Faurot were hoping for. The two launched their food truck in August and have been hitting special events and craft breweries ever since with a menu of international dumplings cooked up in both traditional and inventive styles.

"With the legend of the Sasquatch, every culture has its own version," explains Doverspike, "and it's the same with dumplings."

The name isn't just an attention-grabber; it's also a nod to the history of its founders. "It's a mashup of our high school nicknames," Doverspike adds. "Matt was Sasquatch and I used to tell people my middle name was 'Radical,' for some reason."

The two business partners offer a range of gyoza, bao buns, pierogi, ravioli and other less easily classified street food of their own invention. The gyoza, for example, are stuffed with a ground-pork filling and served much the same way you'd find them in a Japanese restaurant. Pierogi are loaded with kielbasa and sauerkraut for a hearty Polish bite, while fried ravioli are plumped with mushroom, asparagus and ricotta, then topped with garlic-sage brown butter.

But things get radical from there: Doverspike says that the Philly mac buns came almost as an accident after a night of experimenting with Philly cheese steak and mac-and-cheese recipes. The two were combined into a pan-fried bun, and the result was good enough to make the menu. Further inspiration came from Buffalo wings; Radical Sasquatch puts shredded chicken inside dumplings before deep-frying them and coating them in Buffalo sauce. There are even breakfast and dessert dumplings to keep you in dumplings for the whole day.

While Doverspike and Faurot dove into the food-truck world with no previous restaurant experience, their dedication to perfecting recipes and attention to detail is clear. "Everything is made from scratch; we have five different types of dough," Doverspike points out. "Dumplings are a very labor-intensive cuisine."

In addition to dumplings, Radical Sasquatch also serves poutine, bacon-wrapped jalapeños and Parmesan garlic-sage fries.

While Radical Sasquatch is new to the food-truck business, Doverspike says business has been good, and he hopes to expand in the spring with more appearances and corporate catering. The truck has hit several fall festivals, including WhiskyX and Oktoberfest, and is a regular at Rail's End Beer Company at 11625 Reed Court in Broomfield. You can track down Radical Sasquatch there on December 6, 13, 22 and 27.