Civic Center EATS returns Tuesday at 11 a.m. and continues every Tuesday and Thursday through Sept. 26. (Hyoung Chang, Denver Post file)

The food trucks are back in the park in downtown Denver.

Civic Center EATS returns Tuesday at 11 a.m., with shaded tables, food trucks and live music.

The event continues every Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Sept. 26.

Civic Center EATS is hosted by the Civic Center Conservancy and a portion of the proceeds help with “restoring, enhancing and activating Denver’s historic Civic Center,”the group says on its web site.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23385322/civic-center-eats-returns-downtown-denver

Choose from the natural chicken pita, left, or grassfed Bulgogi Tacos, right, at the RollinGreens food truck. (Cliff Grassmick/Daily Camera)

RollinGreens is not a marijuana dispensary on wheels, though the name would definitely work well for such an endeavor.

Rather than delivering eighths of purple kush to the couch-locked-stoner-set, Ryan Cunningham and his fiancee/business partner, Lindsey Mandel, serve up inventive Mex-Asian fusion cuisine from inside a 24-foot cargo trailer-cum-commercial kitchen, which they call RollinGreens.

The two partners named their business in homage to Cunningham’s parents, who started a RollinGreens food truck in 1978. With hopes of emulating the success of the original RollinGreens, Cunningham and Mandel offer an eclectic roster of dishes to the good folk of Boulder County and can be found hawking their local-global-health-conscious cuisine at a parking lot or farmers market near you.

Don’t look for a fancy rig, however. Although green is featured in the name, RollinGreens’ truck is stark white and has little signage or branding to speak of. Rather than following your eyes toward a bright green, pink or otherwise decked-out food truck, follow your nose — it will lead you to their aromatic gourmet cuisine.

A little more than two years since their launch, the duo have whittled an extensive menu to a few tried-and-true crowd faves. In an effort to bring fresh, local, farm-to-curb cuisine to you, RollinGreens uses organic ingredients wherever possible and features just-picked vegetables in many of their entrees. For this type of freshness and quality, you’ll pay a bit more than you’d expect from food from a truck, but once you taste the full-flavored features, you might agree the prices could be justified.

I found RollinGreens in the parking lot at Liquor Mart. At first thought, the location overlooking busy Canyon Road might seem to have nothing to offer, but when you combine the view of the Flatirons with the stellar people-watching afforded by the steady stream of midday Liquor Mart regulars, well, you’ve just got yourself a tuft of prime lunching real estate.

Many of the menu offerings are appropriate for or can be tweaked to accommodate those with food allergies or on vegetarian diets.

We started our meal with an order of Millet tots, RollinGreen’s version of the Ore-Ida staple. From what I can tell, a sort of polenta is made using organic millet instead of corn. Once the thick porridge cools on a sheet pan, it’s cut into rectangles, deep fried and gently salted. An ample portion of these golden crispy nuggets is a great accompaniment to any of the main dishes.

Another starter, Jalapeno Poppers, combines the goodness of an age-old TGI Friday’s-style appetizer fave with the crunch and global fusion factor of an egg roll wrapper. Hand-rolled every day, each wrapper is stuffed full of Tillamook cheddar, cream cheese and a fresh jalapeno pepper. Served with a homemade sweet chili sauce alongside, these spicy cigars are addictive. 

RollinGreens co-owner Ryan Cunningham keeps diners’ orders in order as Bianca Ratzloff watches. (Cliff Grassmick/Daily Camera)

Of the four daily entrees, the grassfed Bulgogi Tacos beckoned to be sampled first. Though it would have sat better with me if the $9 portion had been three tacos rather than two, RollinGreens’ version of Korean sweet BBQ beef makes your taste buds stand up and take notice. Sweet soy- and sesame-flavored sirloin steak is served swaddled inside non-GMO Abbondanza tortillas. Fresh field greens from Ollin Farms top the tacos. The finishing flourishes include a squirt of spinach and jalapeno sauce and a fresh dollop of sour cream. On the side rests a nest of kimchi, Korean-fermented cabbage salad.

Organic Tempeh Tacos aren’t just for vegetarians anymore. Even meat eaters will find these soy-based tacos tasty and satisfying. They begin with Westsoy organic tempeh, which is marinated in a house-made teriyaki sauce, then sauteed until it’s crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender within. Both shredded cheddar and jack cheese are sprinkled atop, as is that delicious spinach jalapeno sauce and organic sour cream. Each component of these tacos is seasoned separately and completely. Even the tortillas come with spice sprinkled on. A side of flash-fried homemade chips rounds out the dish.

In the two years since RollinGreens has rolled out onto the Boulder scene, they’ve expanded their fleet.

They now boast two trucks and a scooter juicer, aka RollinGreens Juicery, where they plan to offer fresh, nutritious, made-to-order juices off the back of a scooter. Interested in getting your daily intake of liquefied vitamins from the back of a motorized two-wheeler? You can do that by following RollinGreens’ social media sites to find out where they’ll be.

Just remember, while you can get healthy, organic, gourmet fare and, soon, even green juice from the juicery, you’ll have to go elsewhere, though not too far, to find the “kind” type of green.

RollinGreens

Food: 3 stars

Service: 2 stars

Ambience: Whatever you make of it

Price: $$

Address: Check their website or Facebook page for current location, though they are at Boulder Farmers’ Market most Saturdays

Contact: 303-898-5026,rollingreens.com,

facebook.com

or twitter.com/@rollingreens1

Hours: : Subject to change. Check with RollinGreens

Credit cards: Accepted

Noise: Depends

http://www.timescall.com/lifestyles/ci_23351737/rollingreens-food-truck-restaurant-review-boulder-county

The Front Range Rally will highlight local craft breweries and food trucks all the while raising money for the Food Bank for Larimer County.

Thirty plus breweries highlighting more than 100 beers and 15 food trucks will be part of the Front Range Rally. Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is the event’s organizer. Paul Ferguson, Grimm Brothers’ Marketing Director, says the rally developed organically considering that craft beers and food trucks are such a natural pairing in Northern Colorado.

Grimm Brothers approached the Food Bank for Larimer County with the partnership proposal. Lauren Mingus a spokeswoman for the food bank says they jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s a very unique partnership. We are hoping it’s going to translate well. Some people might think it’s kind of a strange pairing but it’s kind of the culture of northern Colorado. The food trucks and the craft beers are kind of a signature of our community. And so we look forward to it being a great partnership and a great way to raise awareness and funds for the food bank,” said Mingus.

Attendance will be capped at 1,500 Saturday, May 18 at the Loveland Food Share. If all goes well they plan to make the rally an annual event.

Tickets range from $33-$44 with the net proceeds benefiting the Food Bank for Larimer County.

See the pour list [.pdf] for all participating breweries and their beers.

http://www.kunc.org/post/two-faves-craft-beer-and-food-trucks-support-noco-food-bank

Curbside Cuisine had a soft opening Wednesday with only three food trucks ready for business. The grand opening will be next month.

Curbside Cuisine, a gathering place for food trucks downtown at 225 N. Nevada Ave., opened Wednesday with The Local, The Crepe Crusaders and High Grade Catering and Food Truck.

Creole Kitchen is scheduled to open Monday and Za Pizza and Shuga’s Portable are set to open next month in the former service station at East Platte and North Nevada avenues. John Olson, chair of Colorado Springs Urban Intervention, sponsor of Curbside Cuisine, sadi the group hopes to have eight trucks operating by the grand opening in June. “It is still a work in progress,” he said.

Curbside Cuisine will operate 6:30 a.ml. to 8 p.m. daily with vendors selling meals priced between $5 and $8. To read more about Curbside Cuisine, read my previous story on the organization.

Sylvia Sedrak, left, and Kasi Carter, buy lunch from The Local, a food truck at Curbside Cuisine, a collection of mobile eateries that opened Wendesday

http://blogs.gazette.com/insidetrack/2013/05/16/curbside-cuisine-opens-for-diners/

Hungry customers were eager to try out Curbside Cuisine opening day. / FOX21 News: John Martin

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – A new food truck mall has opened in downtown Colorado Springs.

Wednesday Curbside Cuisine welcomed hungry customers.

“I had the burger from The Local. It is amazing!” said one customer.

The idea for Curbside Cuisine was cooked up by some downtown advocates who are hoping the dining destination will bring a bite and a boost to the downtown area.

“I think it would be great if there were lines all summer long,” Aaron Briggs, member of the Colorado Springs Urban Intervention, said. “Just talking to people they’re loving it, they’re loving that we’ve got something like this in the Springs.”

“It’s really cool. I feel like we’re in a city or something,” Keri Byerts, another customer, said.

“I think it’s good for the trucks because they don’t have to worry about finding a place to park and driving around and wasting gas and whatnot and it’s good for people because they can go to the same place, all the people who work down here can come to the same place, and get a variety,” Briggs said.

Curbside Cuisine said food trucks will be selected for their fresh, not fried, options priced under $10.

The new mall is located at the corner of Nevada and Platte Avenue across from Palmer High School.

It’s open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=898299#.UZU5XaJmiSo

The Your Neighborhood Food Truck makes a stop at the Health Fair at Lincoln High School on Saturday. Hunger Free Colorado launched a new type of food truck — a 40-foot-long neon green RV converted to a mobile office —that helps connect needy families to food sources in the city. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Most of Denver’s food trucks serve cupcakes, tacos or sandwiches, and most of them are actually trucks.

Hunger Free Colorado took a different road.

The Denver nonprofit launched its own “food truck” — a 40-foot-long neon green RV converted to a mobile office — last week in an effort to connect struggling Coloradans with information and services.

“We’re using this to get out into the community to reach people who don’t know there are services to help them,” said Hunger Free Colorado spokeswoman Michelle Ray .

The truck was on hand at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on Friday in conjunction with Food Bank of the Rockies.

The food bank’s mobile food pantry makes biweekly stops in the lot, serving 200 to 300 people each time.

“They only get a small box,” mobile outreach coordinator Douglas Vega said. “The food banks meet the immediate need, but that food will run out.”

Vega plans to bring the truck into the community at least four times a week to encourage those who qualify to sign up for the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

The process can take months, Vega said, but the new mobile office cuts that time down to a single day.

“Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, we’re just trying to fill the gap,” Vega said.

In 2011, about 165,000 Coloradans received food-stamp benefits, up from about 95,000 in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. But only 51 percent of eligible Coloradans participate in the program, said food-resource navigator Sharon Duran.

The food truck’s staff said most people they help are employed full time, but that rent and other expenses leave little room for food expenses.

While the truck’s route is currently limited to Denver, Vega plans to help struggling individuals across Colorado. “If there’s a need, we want to be there,” he said.

The truck’s full schedulecan be found at Hunger Free Colorado’s website.

Read more:New type of food truck cruising Denver, offering help to the hungry – The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23229159/new-type-food-truck-cruising-denver-offering-help#ixzz2TDz5mC6f
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
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http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23229159/new-type-food-truck-cruising-denver-offering-help

Although the food court in the Lory Student Center will be closed during renovations, students won’t be left hungry on campus.

To replace the food court, Lory Dining Services will relocate some businesses, but the rest will be replaced with food trucks parked on campus.

“It is important to provide alternative eating locations,” said Joyce Durol, associate director of Lory Dining Services. “That’s what started the food truck idea. They wanted to come on before so we were all excited. This gives additional food options because we are severely affected by the renovations.”

So far, there are five trucks participating that offer a variety of cuisines including hot dogs, hamburgers, soft-serve frozen fruit, Asian-fused meals, Italian sandwiches and breakfast dishes.

“We initially made contact with two trucks, and word got out (about what we were doing) and that is how we got to five,” Durol said. “(The food trucks) are like a subculture, so they will work to offer different things. It won’t be your average lunch fare.”

The trucks will be parked on South Pitkin Street in the Education Building’s parking lot. According to Durol, the Dining Services is working on getting tables and chairs to the parking lot to create a nice environment for the students to eat in.

One of the important factors with the food trucks is that they can operate separate of the university.

“What I like is that they are small entities,” Durol said. “they all are self contained units; they just pull up, work their day, and leave later because they will have obligations in Fort Collins.”

All of the food trucks that will come on campus currently operate around the Fort Collins community, but they are not in a permenant spot. Once at CSU, the trucks will be committed to a set Monday through Friday schedule.

As of now they will only accept credit, debit and cash. However, Dining Services is working on tapping into the university network to allow the trucks to take RamCash, said Durol.

Though the food court is closed, not all resturants will be shut down.

Subway and Spoons will both be down-sized to kiosks in Clark A.

For Spoons, they will be going from seven employees to only two or three. According to Spoons employee Rebecca Carleson, those who work there are not excited about the downsize, but they will be able to work at another Spoons location.

“(This move) will probably cut business in half, maybe a quarter,” Carleson said. “We are hoping that won’t happen, but we are also preparing that it will.”

“I feel like everything will pan out, but until then I am nervous,” added Carleson.

Bagel Place 2 will be one of the restaurants to stay open in the LSC. Due to the renovations, BP2 will be taking in the employees from Bagel Place 1, as well as expanding their hours.

“I think we wil have a lot more business because we will be next to the temporary RamSkeller, so we will have more traffic and people will know we are here,” Bree Ziola, a BP2 employee said. “I am definitely glad that BP2 is staying open. I love working there and I am glad I get to meet more people who work there.”

Once the student center is finished being renovated, the food trucks will be replaced with the food court inside the LSC.

“(The food truck owners) are extremely excited, and they know that (they will stay on campus) only a year,” Durol said. “But they are hoping they can get some loyalty customers from the process.”

http://www.collegian.com/2013/05/10/food-trucks-to-replace-lsc-food-court/

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – When you think of food on the go, you probably aren’t thinking about healthy eating. But there’s a movement in Colorado Springs and other cities around the country making “food on wheels” another option to be fed well.

The hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant.

“We love food,” said Jo Marini, co-owner of The Local. ”We love sitting around a table and having those relationships with people.”

Except this restaurant is on the move.

via facebook

“Food has always been a big part of our lives as far as our family backgrounds ethnically, so we decided to do a food truck.”

Jo Marini and her partner Sara Crowell are the co-owners and founders of The Local.

“It was very important to Sara and I when we started this that we were going to work hard and save what we had and work with what we can afford. This truck is that,” said Marini.

A business built from the ground up by two friends and former classmates at the Air Force Academy who wanted to do something different.

“I was a C-130 pilot and got stationed at the Academy to work with the women’s basketball team, we had no idea what we were doing,” said Crowell.

These ladies knew about food…but they weren’t so sure about a 1971 Chevy step side van…otherwise known as “their” food truck.

“It’s given us its share of problems being that it’s very vintage, but we love it and it’s good to us.”

“So Sara, you flew a C-130 and now you have to drive this thing. Tell me what’s harder? The truck…by far…by far.”

While the truck may be vintage, the food is anything but.

Jo, Sara and their partner Philip Petty make it a point to create entrees from local organic and naturally raised food.

“In the past, they were called roach coaches. You know? Whenever someone looked at a truck, they would think ‘I’m probably going to enjoy it, but I’ll be sick for the next week.’”

“We started with the ‘Local Burger.’ We wanted something to appeal to everyone whether you’re into local food or not,” says Marini.

A fan favorite at Spectranetics, one of the many places you’ll see “The Local”..this burger is a 100 percent grass fed, grass finished burger.

“When you do source locally and when you do support the people who are growing and farming in your community and they are doing it well and naturally, it’s actually a more sustainable and affordable practice.”

And what about the jam?

“Oh and we make a bacon jam. How can I forget the shining star of the burger.”

Besides the “burger,” The Local serves up authentic Korean tacos and specialty drinks.

The food truck movement is growing and when this truck gathers with others in one spot, people come from all over to try the different healthy options.

“They were able to say, ‘I want a hot cocoa from her. But I want to get a hot dog over here.’ It’s a really nice experience. Something a little different,” says Crowell.

You can find out where The Local will be on their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @TheLocalTruckCO.

Starting May 15, Curbside Cuisine will set up at Nevada and Platte where several food trucks will gather to offer different types of food for all tastes.

http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=894136#.UYhkbaJmiSo

Denver is experiencing a food renaissance — and for the past few years, food trucks have been at the vanguard of this movement, taking some of this city’s most inventive dishes out for a spin and putting the adventure back into eating.

If you plan on finding your next meal on wheels, check out one of these ten trucks, each one offering a movable feast.

Hey PB + J
This truck is onto something. Long lauded as the go-to meal for toddlers and college students alike, peanut butter and jelly always hits the spot. What sets this truck (and its sandwiches) apart is its very adult (yet playful) approach, which includes experimenting with such mobile-made condiments as rosemary honey and homemade fig jam. The truck has unexpected choices for both the sweet and savory palate, including Blueberry Pie PB & J, an unsettlingly delicious combination of almond butter, homemade blueberry jam, baked pie crust (pie crust!), and clover honey, and the Thai PB & J, a savory number made with spicy peanut butter, orange marmalade, coconut, fresh basil and crushed peanuts.

Pink Tank

The Pink Tank won Best Food Truck honors in the Best of Denver 2013, and with good reason. This truck is not for the shy or faint of heart: In fact, if you’re patronizing this place, you’d better be ready to air all of your dirty food fantasies and hidden food fetishes in front of a long line of others waiting for their meals. Exhibit A: the “F Bomb,” an all-beef hot dog with scrambled eggs, crispy thick-cut bacon, broiled cheddar cheese and caramel-maple syrup, served on homemade French toast — and that’s just breakfast. If you come back for lunch, dinner or a late-night snack, you can get down with the “When in Rome,” a cheesesteak-style chopped burger with grilled ham, thick-cut bacon, grilled onions and peppers, nacho-style cheddar cheese and wing sauce, served on a fluffy hoagie roll. Now, that’s just naughty.

Manna from Heaven

Manna from Heaven took home the Best Gourmet Food Truck award in 2012, and it continues to reward its loyal (and growing) cadre of followers with heavenly, Vietnamese-inspired cuisine on the healthier end of the food-truck spectrum. Although Manna doesn’t claim to be traditional or even authentic Vietnamese, the flavors and ingredients hit the sweet spot if you’re looking for Southeast Asian cuisine. Try the cult-favorite banh mi, a freshly baked roll with seasoned pork, steak or veggies, loaded with crunchy cucumbers and pickled daikon carrots and a fresh-cut herb mix; or the pho, with its rich, aromatic broth.

Comida

The loncherias were the first food trucks in town, and the pink Comida truck follows in their tracks, serving a menu of tacos, tostadas, quesadillas and gorditas all prepared on-site. Tacos come traditional or griddled. The pork carnitas version is served over sweet potato mash with a tangy-hot pineapple habanero salsa, and the “Bacon Jalapeno” griddled taco is topped with a blend of cheeses, salsa verde and crema.

Mikes 2 Kitchen

We like Mike. Mikes 2 Kitchen serves up simple, flavorful soul food — whether it’s a loaded Po’ Boy or a plate of tacos — with downhome friendliness. Try the shoestring fries smothered in homemade gumbo, the perfectly seasoned shrimp Po Boy or a plate of carnitas lunch tacos. You can also start your morning with Mike’s; it serves breakfast tacos as well as sandwiches daily.

Sweet Dixie’s Southern Cuisine
You’ve probably seen Sweet Dixie’s camped outside REI or Great Divide — but if you haven’t tried it, know that this Southern grub will hit your sweet spot. The owner, a native of Lexington, North Carolina, brings the barbecue and low-country soul food of her hometown to Denver in the form of luscious pulled pork; flaky, buttery biscuits, and classic, home-style sweet potato fries and macaroni and cheese. And for vegetarians, it often has country-fried tofu on the menu.

Waffleganger

Waffleganger quickly became a beloved Denver tradition for its delicious array of sweet and savory waffle sandwiches, which fills the chicken-and-waffle need in so many of us. This truck has one of the town’s most all-encompassing menus, with a rotating, seasonal menu for vegetarians, meat lovers and vegans alike. The “Dirty Bird,” a savory waffle with fried chicken and chili maple syrup, is undeniably perfect; and the “Greektown,” a savory waffle with locally made seitan, Sicilian lemony-zucchini tzatziki, house-cured Kalamata tofeta, and ripe tomatoes and greens, is just as satisfying for carnivores. On the sweet side, there’s the “Nana,” a sweet waffle with banana, housemade granola, and coconut cream. And if vegan eaters feel they haven’t gotten enough love on the food-truck front, on Saturday mornings, the Waffleganger truck goes completely vegan at Nooch market.

Uber Sausage

Über Sausage opened up shop with the goal of feeding Denver interesting, artisan sausage. Two brick-and-mortars and a truck later, Uber is a a roll, serving uniquely crafted, inventive sausage sandwiches. Instead of the more traditional sausage with grilled peppers and onions, you’ll find choices like the “Vietnam,” a Thai chili lemongrass pork sausage smothered in Asian slaw, a host of fresh herbs like mint and Thai basil, black sesame seeds and a Sriracha aioli. The “Hatch,” a pork green chile sausage, is made with cilantro, mixed cabbage, Jatch green chiles and crema fresca. Conveniently, and perhaps strategically, the Über truck can usually be found outside your favorite beer haunt — and even more conveniently, its sausage will pair well with your beer.

Fat Sully’s Slice Truck

Fat Sully’s Slice Truck is a mecca for those who pine for pizza, cooking up hot, New York-style, face-sized slices for the masses whether it’s lunchtime or midnight. This is the kind of pizza that doesn’t adapt well if moved from its plate; instead, diners usually have to take a bite, nudge the slice off the plate a little more, wipe their happy faces, and repeat. Order your choice of toppings, including sautéed onions and feta, on a base of cheese pizza, and then enjoy the thin, crispy, chewy-on-the inside crust — simple goodness as its bes

Steuben’s Food Service

Pearl, the Steuben’s outpost on wheels, paved the way for the Denver food-truck revolution by offering a mobile version of some of the dishes that gained fans at the Uptown restaurant, the best versions of classic American comfort food you could ask for. From juicy green chile cheeseburgers and a loaded BLT to such tasty sides as deviled eggs and “Steubie snacks,” these are all can’t-fail. Possibly the best dish of all? the Philly Cheesesteak, a meaty, delicious mess of chopped steak, sautéed onions and cheese in a freshly-made hoagie roll.

http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2013/05/food_trucks.php

The colorful vision for Curbside Cuisine, set to open May 15.at 225 N. Nevada Ave.

Downtown supporters won’t have to wait much longer for Curbside Cuisine, a collection of mobile eateries that is set to open May 15 on the site of a former service station across from Palmer High School.

The mix of food trucks, trailers and carts was to open last June near Pikes Peak Avenue and Tejon Street, but the Waldo Canyon fire and other issues delayed the project and resulted in moving to a new location after officials with the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region agreed to host Curbside Cuisine at least on a temporary basis. The YMCA owns the former service station at 225 N. Nevada Ave., which has been vacant for nearly a year since Denny’s Auto Sales closed May 25 after the retirement of longtime owner Denny Lauer.

‘We want to transform what has become a pretty big eyesore in the downtown area into a place that is an easy walk for most downtown workers where they can find a different lunch experience, ‘ said Sandy Vanderstoep, a former local caterer who is working with the nonprofit Colorado Springs Urban Intervention to put Curbside Cuisine together. ‘Portland (Ore.) had a 15 percent increase in downtown pedestrian traffic after a food truck pod opened there in 2010. We believe Curbside Cuisine will be a draw for downtown by creating a more walkable downtown. ‘

Vanderstoep hopes to get city approval and sign leases with eight vendors next week and repair and repaint the former service station during the next two weekends; workdays for volunteers are planned on Saturday, Sunday and May 11. She declined to disclose the identity of vendors with which she is negotiating leases, though owners of Nourish Organics have already confirmed they plan to be part of the project. Curbside Cuisine will operate daily between 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. with vendors selling meals priced between $5 and $8, she said.

‘Our focus is on unique, fresh and healthy food offerings, not something made in an off-site commissary of a chain, ‘ Vanderstoep said. ‘This gives entrepreneurs a less-expensive option to test a dining idea. They can spend $25,000 to $30,000 to buy and equip a truck and come up with a menu rather than $250,000 to $300,000 for a brick-and-mortar location. We believe we have a potential market that includes 1,500 members who visit the YMCA, 2,000 to 2,500 students, faculty and staff at Palmer High School and thousands of other downtown workers. ‘

Curbside Cuisine has leased the building and half-acre site for six months with options to extend the lease for a year or two. Vanderstoep said the organizers hope to later add up to seven more vendors in trucks, trailers and carts and two or three related businesses in the former service station building. If the concept is successful, she said Curbside Cuisine wants to expand into other areas of downtown, including near the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum and the Colorado College area, where a student-owned mobile food vendor already operates.

Vanderstoep sold Garden of the Gods Gourmet, a Springs-based catering business, in 2011 and now works as a consultant to the Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado in Denver. She is a board member of Colorado Springs Urban Intervention, an arm of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation that organized the Better Block Colorado Springs project, which closed two lanes of Pikes Peak Avenue between Tejon Street and Nevada Avenue for a day in September to demonstrate how downtown visitors would react if the street were more pedestrian-friendly.

The former service station was slated for demolition early this year, but the YMCA delayed the demolition when Curbside Cuisine approached the nonprofit about leasing the building, said Dan Dummermuth, CEO of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. The site is eventually slated to be used for expansion of the YMCA’s downtown location, he said.

http://gazette.com/curbside-cuisine-coming-to-downtown-colorado-springs/article/1500181