As traditional restaurants have transitioned to more outdoor seating and to-go orders, another type of eatery was already offering just that experience. Food trucks have endured and even flourished during the pandemic. We’ve already featured Slow Groovin’s transition at the Red Rock Diner and Mi Lindo Nayarit acquitted itself well in our taco taste test. We tried to cover the grand opening of Bobby’s Hotcakes & Sliders but it must have been rescheduled. Luckily, there’s plenty more to explore — here’s a sampling.
Latin food on the go
By Roberta McGowan
Have a hankering for Mexican food but not enough time for a leisurely meal? Then consider a stop at the Spicy Paisa Food Truck, subtitled Mexico City Fast Food, on Highway 82 in the parking lot for Habitat for Humanity Restore Roaring Fork Valley and Ball Brewing.
The Gallegos family of Glenwood Springs owns and operates that truck: Raul, Cande, their daughter Charlotte and the three other siblings when they’re available. A three sided tent offers ample seating, and plans are in the works to enclose it completely and add heaters for the winter.
The menu includes tacos, burritos, sopas and tortillas plus special items — we recommend the chicken torta.
Raul said he’s always wanted to start a small food site, so this was a great opportunity. It was the family’s first food venture, and Raul looks forward to opening a sit down restaurant someday in Glenwood.
The food truck is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but Tuesday.
You can’t steal their spirit
By Olivia Emmer
D’Karni Express got off to a rough start.
They had been in business for just one month when their food truck was stolen in the middle of the night. They never found the thief, but their insurance eventually came through and their truck was replaced.
Three years later, they enjoy a brisk food to-go business parked under the shade of mature trees at Catherine Store. There’s a small shaded outdoor dining area, just steps from the neighboring polo field.
Alejandra Corral owns the business, which she runs primarily with her daughter, Dina.
The truck serves burritos, tacos, and similar fare. Their most popular breakfast item is the burrito ranchero and on the lunch menu, the steak burrito. They’ve been open summers for the last three years — 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and closed Sundays — but are looking at staying open through the winter on a trial basis.
Comfort food Polish style
By James Steindler
Take your taste buds for a cultural excursion from across the pond but conveniently offered locally everyday. Mama’s Pierogi food truck is open to satisfy your hunger with the Polish delicacy. Owners Agnieszka (Agnes) Jasielec and her husband Rafal Gdowski moved from Poland to Chicago 20 years ago and in 2019 came even further west to Glenwood Springs where they had often vacationed.
Having grown up eating countless pierogies, they were shocked at the dearth of them locally and despite not having experience running a restaurant, decided to change that.
Both have the travel bug and love to meet people in new places; so they opted for something they could tow to music festivals or other events.
They made the purchase in March, just in time to have their plans to travel near and far stumped by COVID-19. That just meant more grub for Roaring Fork folks. The truck is a fixture at the Carbondale Farmers’ Market, and is parked daily at 714 Grand Ave. — under the bridge — in downtown Glenwood..
While Jasielec serves traditional pierogies and Polish sausages the menu also offers variations such as added jalapeno or beef. According to Jasielec, the most traditional options on the menu are the Farmer’s Cheese and Mushroom Sauerkraut pierogies — sounds intriguing, tastes incredible and makes you feel right at home wherever you indulge.
Jasielec plans to stay open through the winter and — alternatively to many restaurant owners — is confident their business will continue to flourish. Seeing as warm pierogies are a new level of comfort food for many locals and served hot in a matter of minutes it’s likely that her optimism is well calculated.
“I want people to come and try and see for themselves how they like it,” Jasielec expressed.
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