Four new Fresno food trucks and the places to find them during the pandemic
The traditional food truck scene with trucks lined up and people packed at tables has been upended during this coronavirus pandemic.
Places that used to attract loads of trucks and people, like Gazebo Gardens or Enzo’s Table, either aren’t hosting any food trucks or have scaled back significantly.
But food trucks are still in business.
They’re doing things a lot differently now, but they’re still out there. In fact, a few new trucks have debuted recently and new “hubs” across town are hosting them for the first time. Each hosts four or five food trucks, selling only to-go food with lots of new precautions.
“It’s just about connecting people and food,” said Fresno Street Eats organizer Mike Osegueda. “I’ve been in my house now for five or six weeks like everybody else, so I understand how nice it is to get out and have something that feels sort of normal.”
Two new spots are hosting food trucks during the COVID-19 pandemic – and possibly beyond – in parts of town that don’t normally have them.
Lunch Break is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays at the Vineyard Farmers Market parking lot at Blackstone and Shaw avenues . This Friday, May 1, it will have Sno Cafe, Gastro Grill, Twisted Masala and Barb’s Soul Food.
Frappes & Food Trucks runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays at the The Frappe House at the CrossCity Christian Church on Nees Avenue near Willow Avenue. This Friday, May 1, will feature Roma Italian Street Cuisine, Heavenly Freeze dessert shop, La Imperial Taqueria and Sticky Rice On Wheels.
The best way to keep track of where a food truck will be is to follow it on social media. Fresno Street Eats also shares the line up of trucks for each hub on Facebook and Instagram.
Tioga-Sequoia Brewing has also continued to host food trucks most days, along with the River Park Farmers Market.
New rules
Food trucks are specifically listed as essential businesses allowed to be open by the city of Fresno, along with other food sellers.
But they must take extra precautions.
So when you visit a food truck now, there are no tables and chairs. You must take your food to go.
Fresno Street Eats spaces the trucks out farther than normal. It also requires they mark off 6-foot spaces with cones or chalk, for example, where people can stand in line .
Workers must wear masks and gloves. Customers are encouraged to wear masks, but it’s not required, Osegueda said.
“It’s to-go only,” he said. “It’s not a linger around and hang out type of situation.”
New trucks
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, new trucks are opening, or did so shortly before the shelter-in-place restrictions.
Some newbies you can find lately include:
Barb’s Soul Food is a new truck selling fried chicken, mac ‘n cheese, sweet potato pie and sides like cornbread and collard greens. It is a regular at Tioga-Sequoia and will be at the Vineyard Friday.
Sticky Rice On Wheels is a food truck selling authentic Lao food with options like Lao fried noodles, crying tiger (a grilled steak served with sticky rice and a chile sauce), and papaya salad. Find them at the River Park Farmers Market and Frappes & Food Trucks Friday.
Salvadoran Sizzling Grill & Catering has been open just over a week selling dishes from El Salvador, along with some familiar Mexican favorites. Expect pupusas, a sort of flatbread made from corn masa and stuffed with pork shoulder and cheese. They also sell Salvadoran tamales, which have chicken, olives and garbanzo beans and are wrapped in banana leaves.
For now, the food truck is parked outside Tractor Supply Co. at Herndon and Brawley avenues. It’s generally open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.
Twisted Masala is an Indian fusion food truck that’s been around for two months, with healthy options for meat lovers, vegans, vegetarians and people on the keto diet.
The owners recommend the fish bowls. They feature rice or cauliflower rice, and fried fish made with batter with chickpea or almond flour, turmeric and ginger. There are also tater tots topped with veggies and sauces.
They hope to do family-friendly events and are starting a semi-regular event at Kings Canyon and Fowler avenues. Find the truck at the Vineyard Friday.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 2:48 PM.
