How does a burrito made with Flamin’ hot Cheetos sound? Or what about french fries for breakfast?

You can get both at a new restaurant in downtown Fresno, along with some more standard menu items. The Quirky Cafe opened a restaurant last month at the corner of Kern and L streets.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the owners run a food truck of the same name. The truck will continue to operate (including its Saturday and Sunday stops at Enzo’s Table, which hosts food trucks at Willow and Shepherd avenues from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.).

But the couple, Tracy Wade and Dean Martin, has also taken over the former BoxCar Cafe at Kern and L streets. It’s open for breakfast and lunch serving mostly comfort food.

That Hot Cheetos burrito is popular. It’s pulled pork, french fries, Hot Cheetos and nacho cheese wrapped in a red tortilla.

Wade said she doesn’t normally eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, but the burrito passed her taste test.

“I couldn’t stop eating it,” she said.

Breakfast fries are also on the menu. They are french fries topped with shredded jack and cheddar cheese, bacon pieces and two fried eggs.

But there’s also more “normal” options on the menu, like sandwiches, chicken strips, tacos, a cheeseburger and the meatless Beyond Burger. Breakfast options include a breakfast burrito and a ham and egg croissant.

The restaurant also sells blended coffee drinks and surprisingly popular blended fruit energy smoothies made with energy drinks and fruit puree.

The owners plan to continue running the truck. The addition of the restaurant brings in an extra six jobs.

The truck and restaurant’s name, The Quirky Cafe, came from Wade daydreaming about opening a place selling all the things she liked to make – tamales, soup, bread, baked goods, etc.

“I was like, ‘Boy, that’d be a quirky menu,’” she said.

The menu may have changed since that day, but the name stuck.

Details: The Quirky Cafe is at 901 L St. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 10:21 AM.

Bethany Clough

The Fresno Bee

(559) 441-6431

Bethany Clough covers restaurants and retail for The Fresno Bee. A reporter for more than 20 years, she now works to answer readers’ questions about business openings, closings and other business news. She has a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and her last name is pronounced Cluff.