The words organic, non-GMO, gluten free, and vegetarian are seldom attached to food trucks.
Michelin stars, of any denomination, are on the endangered species list at these establishments.
Welcome to the world of brew pub dining. Throughout Concord, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and the rest of the 680 corridor, micro-breweries proudly serve the product they manufacture on the premises.
To the adoring masses who flock to the likes of Epidemic Ales, Side Gate, Cali-Craft, and Five Suns Breweries, furthering the enjoyment of their micro-brews is the number one priority. Enhancing these liquid refreshments with accompanying food has played an important role in pleasing customers.
The only problem is that few brew pubs have the expertise or desire to absorb the overhead needed to operate restaurants on their premises. As a result, they have utilized licensed food trucks to provide snacks and even full meals to their clients.
As the menu of food trucks is limited by space, brew pubs rotate vendors to provide diversity to their adoring clientele. Epidemic Ales, located in a business park at 150 Mason Circle in North Concord, is the poster child for melding brewskis with tasty eats.
In the evenings, when nearby businesses are closed, hundreds of customers flock there to drink and eat. So, for 30 bucks or so, one can enjoy a couple of beers and a quality meal.
A couple nights a week, the food truck of OG Tacos can be found. The brainchild of owner Jamie Rojas and her husband Oz, their mainstay is home-cooked birria beef tacos and burritos. They are delicious, with similarity to the signature dish of El Patron. OG’s offerings are a bit greasy, but are a perfect accompaniment to a Pale Ale or IPA served inside.
For the Rojas family, who operate a food truck while raising five children, their business is ideally suited to their lifestyle. They move from Epidemic Ales to the Antioch Flea Market and other locations, with catering engagements in between.
Customers can find out the schedule for OG Tacos and most other food truck enterprises on Instagram and other social media.
A similar business model can be found with Roberto Gonzales, who operates the Limitless Kitchen. They rotate on a weekly basis between Five Suns Brewery in Martinez, Concord’s Side Gate Brewery, Cali-Craft in Walnut Creek, and an occasional pinch-hit appearance at Epidemic.
Gonzales worked for several years under the tutelage of renowned Chef Claudio Ricciotini at Mint 54 in San Francisco (they also had a Walnut Creek location). He says, “After working so hard for others, I saved up for 10 years to have my own business. Lacking the capital to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant, a food truck was the logical choice to fulfill my dream.”
The menu for the Limitless Kitchen is a bit more sophisticated than many of their competitors. Pastrami, Philly cheesesteak, smash burgers, and loaded fries are among the items served. I especially enjoyed their Reuben sandwich on rye that more than fulfilled my deli expectations.
In a similar vein is Ofie’s Kitchen. They rotate between brew pubs and various locales in the 680 corridor. Co-owner/chef Ryan Sprague brings his expertise from working at Sweet Melissa’s and Classic Catering to his mobile operation.
Their menu is more diverse than others, as Ofie’s operates their food truck and catering business from a Health Department-approved kitchen located at 1044 Shary Circle in Concord.
Yet another excellent mobile kitchen experience can be found on the premises of Roadside 22 Beer and Wine Bar.
They are located in the back of the Clayton Station Shopping Center where Ygnacio intersects with Kirker Pass.
When Roadside 22 opened a couple years ago, owner Nicole Simpson utilized Randy Martin’s nearby Free Wheel Pizza and later food trucks to provide meals for their community gathering-party place. This arrangement did not work out well, as a more sophisticated clientele at their establishment desired a more complex menu.
Enter Bryan Forrester and his Claytonville BBQ.
This business evolved from his hobby of entering various local barbecue pork rib competitions. Eventually, he started a food truck to serve various fairs and holiday functions. A forensic psychologist by trade, Forrester’s recreational activity evolved into a successful venture.
Rather than dealing with scheduling his food truck to serve various locales, he opted to move his business to Roadside 22, where he rents a small kitchen with smokers outside. Beef brisket, St. Louis ribs, sausage, pulled pork, and salmon with sides are offered to Claytonville’s customers. Family-style meals featuring different BBQ dishes and sides are offered as well.
Low overhead and a loyal clientele have helped both businesses enjoy success. Forrester, who proudly touts his success at various rib competitions, is currently open Thursday through Sunday from 12 until 8. He plans to add a day or two later this spring.
With so many failures of restaurants from Covid times to the present, food trucks and their derivatives have found an important market niche in the Contra Costa culinary scene. While white tablecloths might be missing, the bottom line is more important to those operating these mobile kitchens.
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