Hot dog, dumpling spot a fun new addition to Fall River food scene

FALL RIVER — When it comes to eateries, the city has a few buns in the oven.

The latest to get cooking in downtown Fall River is Bun Buds , which combines a classic American staple with Asian-inspired fare.

Bun Buds opened Friday, June 28, at its 10 Purchase St. location, where owner Jacob Weiss and his team are serving up "elevated" dumplings and footlong gourmet hot dogs with outside-the-box toppings to a local crowd hungry for something a bit different.

"It's been going great," said Weiss, a resident of East Providence and recent Johnson and Wales University graduate. "We're getting excited. Things are starting to feel pretty real."

While Fall River certainly has no shortage of hot dog joints, Bun Buds strives to be in a class of its own.

According to Weiss, they're not looking to compete with the city's decades-old Coney Island or Chinese food fixtures — in fact, you won't even find Coney Island on the menu — but rather, bring their unique flavor to some typical takeout picks.

"I really tried to play into a lot of these things that are familiar, but just maybe in a new context," Weiss said.

Korean BBQ short rib served on steamed bao buns and footlong hot dogs or dumplings covered in crazy toppings like kimchi, crispy onions and sesame glaze or spicy mayo and eel sauce are just some of the mouth-watering menu items that are turning heads.

"I tried to create a brand that was fun, that was approachable and that was a little bit more than the average hot dog cart you're gonna find," Weiss said.

Bun Buds journey from food cart to restaurant

It's been a whirlwind year for Bun Buds, which has grown from its humble beginnings in a food cart to its first brick-and-mortar home just shortly after the 22-year-old culinary student's graduation.

Weiss admits he had "never imagined doing anything like this" with grab-and-go eats, having been classically trained in French fine dining, but one after another the pieces fell into place for this fun and unique hot dog venture.

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The Bun Buds' journey began with encouragement from JWU professor William Lendway, who had his own food cart and wanted to bring in a couple of students, including Weiss, to help kick-start their own.

Weiss and Lendway eventually built a food trailer out of a pop-up camper, and Bun Buds started making a name for itself at various Providence-area parks and breweries last summer. They even popped up at Fall River's 3rd Fridays at the Gates.

Bun Buds made its way to its more permanent Fall River home after the business caught the attention of its current landlord, Joseph Holdiman, owner of Thyme Blossom cafe which is located in the same Purchase Street building.

Holidman found Bun Buds on TikTok and paid Weiss a visit at India Point Park in Providence to invite Weiss to open up shop in his building, which serves as an incubator space for other up-and-coming small businesses that Holdiman mentors. He has also now taken Weiss under his wing.

So right after graduation Weiss dove into his Bun Buds project headfirst, and a month and a half later they opened their doors.

"I owe all of this to the two of them," Weiss said of Lendway and Holdiman. "You need these people to help guide you through the bureaucracy of it all, and where to get your supplies, figuring out how to deal with that, how to deal with people. It's a big learning curve."

"It's been a wild year. ... things have been growing steadily and the whole team is so excited for what the year has in store for us," said Weiss, who still runs the Bun Buds food truck with Lendway, most recently at the city's Fourth of July festivities at Norton City Pier.

Currently, a fellow JWU alum has taken over day-to-day operations of the food truck while Weiss pivots toward the new restaurant.

Why dogs and dumplings?

When he initially launched the hot dog cart, Weiss learned that you can only boil or steam food off of them. So in brainstorming other similarly prepared items to incorporate into the menu that would kick it up a notch, Weiss, a longtime fan of Asian cuisine, and his team landed on dumplings, which have actually outsold hot dogs since their introduction.

"I wanted to make a menu that brought together all of the flavors I've always loved and that I know are approachable to people that are new to stuff like that, and memorable," said Weiss, who grew up in a suburb outside of Philadelphia.

What’s on the menu?

Bun Buds' menu of next-level takeout features "straight up" dumplings and spicy veggie or pork dumplings, the latter of which are among their top sellers.

Other highlights include Kimchi Killa hot dog, Weiss' ode to flavors from his favorite Korean fare — which is topped with kimchi, gochujang (Korean pepper sauce), sesame glaze and crispy onions.

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"All of those things together blend so well, it's so  balanced," Weiss said. "It's sweet, it's salty, it's crunchy, it's crispy, it's spicy, it's tangy... it just has so much going for it and people really like it."

As far as their selection of bao goes, Weiss predicts their Korean BBQ short rib bao is going to be a go-to "hands down."

If you're looking for a frank that's a bit more classic, with some flair, try their BBQ bacon cheddar dog (BBC dog). They also have a classic footlong and plant-based vegan footlong hot dog.

You can make your own Bun Bud creations by first choosing your base — regular or vegan hot dog or pork, vegetable or linguica dumpling — then choosing your style: Kimchi Killa, Pho (pho sauce, cilantro basil, crispy rice noodles), Tokyo Drift (spicy mayo, eel sauce, bonito flakes, scallions), or Firebreather (sriracha, spicy mayo, spicy pickles, crispy onions).

They also offer boxes featuring your choice of protein — Korean BBQ short rib, char siu pork belly or chili glazed shrimp — served over white rice with side salad, house pickles and a ramen egg.

According to Weiss, Bun Buds dumplings are made in house using their own Chinese dumpling machine, and their hot dogs are sourced from Massachusetts-based Kayem, which makes hot dogs for many New England stadiums.

Recipes were developed by Weiss and Bun Buds head chef Bret Whartenby, a JWU graduate of the food service and management program. A graduate of JWU's entrepreneurship program, Weiss' focus is more on the brand, marketing, customer experience and front-of-house.

What sets it apart from other Fall River fast-casual spots?

"It's young, it's refreshing, it's fun," Weiss said.

There's also a lot of passion put into the creative process of it, noted Weiss, who is classically trained in French fine dining.

"There is a lot of thought that goes into even the most simple menu items, down to how I cut my scallions," he said.

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While they are only about three weeks in, Weiss said they have been getting plenty of positive feedback from customers.

"The thing that has really meant the world to me is all the kind words about the customer service and the experience because I've poured everything into creating a space that's fun and vibrant, something that I never expected to see in Fall River, and people are receptive to that," Weiss said.

Bun Buds is mostly a takeout operation, with a few stools situated by the window for folks who want to dine-in.

However, there is outdoor seating located just outside the building that customers to all 10 Purchase St. businesses can use in the warmer weather.

When can I visit?

Bun Buds is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For updates on hours and offerings, visit their Facebook or Instagram page.

Weiss said his goal is for Bun Buds to expand to several locations down the line. He also would love to explore other restaurant concepts.

"I love Bun Buds, it's my baby," he said. "I want a business that does well in this day and age, and these things are temporary, they go in and out of style, so keep an eye out for what's next."

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Hot dog, dumpling spot a fun new addition to Fall River food scene