A little more than a week ago, he set up a food truck called Furious Franks on the Trans-Canada Highway, on the former property of the Higher Ground Café and Selkirk Lobster Suppers.
Operating Thursday to Sunday, he hoped it would be a hit with the locals and tourists. It’s been more than a hit. He has sold out of food every day long before closing.
“I’ve got to get a bigger fridge,’’ he joked when asked about the demand. “I was kind of hoping to ease into it.’’
Buffa and his family, wife Marta and children Sofia, 11, and Nino, 9, moved to P.E.I. from Hamilton, Ont., two years ago, settling in Belfast.
Buffa, a baker from the age of 9 to 22, operated a restaurant in Ontario, aptly called Nino’s after his son. The hours got to be too much for him. He sought a quieter life to raise his young family and chose to move to P.E.I.
“I just got tired the life of working all the time; not having family time, even on your days off you’re working. I loved the restaurant; I loved the cooking aspect of it; I loved dealing with people but I also love my family and not seeing them was a big burden.’’
He recalls moving to P.E.I. was scary but the community immediately welcomed the family with open arms.
“One of the first things was someone approached me about my son, Nino, joining the (local) hockey team. He had never skated before. I was worried. The boys were so great and welcoming and now he skates great. He even has a couple of goals. Being part of the hockey community has helped me mingle with people here,’’ said Buffa who grew up on a farm north of Toronto.
Marta has a job with Invesco in Charlottetown but helps out in the food truck when she can. She quit her job to work in the restaurant in Hamilton but Buffa doesn’t want his wife making the same sacrifice this time.
Anyone looking for some part-time work is asked to call Buffa at 902-388-0225.
The name, Furious Franks, came from local youngster Quintin Beck, son of Jeff and Debbie Beck after Quintin watched a Furious Pete food show. In return, Buffa named his signature hamburger, the ‘Q’ burger.
He gets his food locally, too. His beef comes from Schurman’s while the potatoes for his Island-cut fries come from Visser’s. The seafood is sourced from MR Seafoods.
- Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closing hour may change due to demand)
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