Food truck earns support, positive vibes from its downtown Oshawa spot

It’s a little hard to find, tucked away at a dead end at the back of a downtown Oshawa parking lot, but only if you don’t know where to look. And if quality food truck burgers, poutine and fries are what you’re after, La La D’s is worth the search.

La La D’s, a husband-and-wife food truck partnership of Tylah and Scott Douglas, has been providing burgers (made fresh every day), fresh-cut fries (with a dedicated fryer for the vegan customers) poutine made with real cheese curds (the only way, insisted Tylah) and other favourites for just three weeks but have already amassed a loyal following from social media posts and word-of-mouth.

Located off Bruce Street, just south of the Tribute Centre, La La Ds is something the Oshawa-raised Tylah Douglas wanted to do since she moved to Oshawa with her husband in 2019.

And despite being open less than a month (the grand opening was November 12), the word has already been getting out about the new burger joint operating out of a food truck downtown.

• “Been there…ate there…and loved it.” – Sue
• “The food was great” – Kathy
• “I travelled across Oshawa just to quench my need for a cheeseburger.” – Tinka
• “Went today and all I have to say is wow!” – Mark
• “Yummmmmmm.” – Ashley

“The attention has been mostly positive,” Tylah Douglas said, while acknowledging that social media can sometimes be a less than positive place. “That part can be frustrating, but we just want to make good, fresh food and keep our customers happy.”

In addition to the burgers, fries and poutine (with her special brown gravy), La La D’s also serves hot hamburger and hot dogs, with grilled cheese coming and bloomin’ onion also a possible future menu item.

The business name came from her nieces and nephews, who couldn’t say ‘Tylah’ when they were little. “So I was always ‘La La,’ and then I married a Douglas and now I’m La La D’s.”

Husband Scott is a Scarborough boy and had heard about the ‘Shwa,’ but said as soon as they moved here “I knew I was home.”

A homeless kid when she was 14, Tylah Douglas is “very passionate” about helping young women in Oshawa forced onto the street and likes to stay involved in the community. She also has no desire to move the business from parking lot food truck to a bricks and mortar location.

“I just want to make enough money for what we need, treat our customers well and have a good time.”