Eric Trautmann
Hour photo / Erik Trautmann
Norwalk native and longtime pizza chef Nick Hios has opened the G&G Pizza Bus offering pan pizza and other items.

NORWALK – Five years after closing its doors, a Norwalk staple is back in business with a new look and a new location.

Nick Hios, who was part-owner of G&G Pizza when it was located on Main Street, is now operating a food truck under the G&G Pizza banner, and the bus parks daily at sites around town, including the Norwalk green.

“We didn’t really change anything, as far as the pizza recipe goes,” said Hios. “Everything is as people remember it.”

G&G Pizza closed its doors in 2008 – the same year that Hour readers voted it the best pizza restaurant in Norwalk. Hios said the ownership group decided to go its separate ways. Though Hios continued to cook pizza for the St. Ann Club, he dropped out of the restaurant business for a few years.

Hios met Marc Mitrano, the co-owner of the G&G Pizza’s food truck, while working at Best Buy. Mitrano had recently left his job as a line cook at a retirement home. After spending years in the food service industry, Mitrano did not want to work at another restaurant unless he could be his own boss.

“I said: ’I'm done. I can’t work for anybody anymore. The next kitchen I work in is going to be my own,’” Mitrano said.

Hios wanted to resurrect G&G Pizza, and he devised a plan with Mitrano to do just that.

“We both got to saving our pennies and realized our dreams,” Mitrano said.

Mitrano said he and Hios conducted a lot of research to “try and find out how to get the name back out there.”

“I saw that food trucks were an up-and-coming fad,” he said.

The pair purchased a used school bus from a private seller in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2012. Mitrano and Hios spent months fitting the bus with counter tops, refrigerators and a custom built ceramic pizza oven.

“It took almost two years of planning and a year to build,” Hios said.

After obtaining the proper permits, Mitrano and Hios put the food truck on the road on April 2, stationing it in the parking lot near the St. Ann Club. The owners typically park the truck at one location throughout the day, because it consumes a lot of gasoline. The owners currently park its next to the Norwalk Green.

The food truck has personal pizzas as well as hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and various wraps. Mitrano said he plans to expand the menu as the months go on.

“We want to see what works and what doesn’t work and expand from there,” Mitrano said.

Hios said he has already received some positive feedback from customers who used to dine at the old G&G Pizza location, and he hopes to eventually open another brick-and-mortar G&G Pizza location.

http://www.thehour.com/news/norwalk/g-g-pizza-hits-the-road/article_63f9043f-6859-5fec-ab80-1fec5ee68268.html

NORWALK — Andres Vazquez, owner of El Placerito Tacos, was among the street food vendors to learn recently that he’ll need another license from the city to operate his business.

“What are we going to do? We need it to work,” said Vazquez, standing inside his food truck alongside Wilson Avenue on Friday.

In the past, such street vendors were allowed to operate with an annual license — currently $250 — from the Norwalk Health Department.

The Health Department licenses are required to ensure that such food trucks comply with Connecticut public health code guidelines.

Now, such mobile vendors must also obtain a license from the City Clerk’s Office to ensure that they have insurance and that police have approved the location.

“According to the (city) codebook in Norwalk, to be compliant, they need to get a permit from the City Clerk’s Office, in addition to the Health Department’s permit,” said City Clerk Erin E. Halsey.

The city’s codebook didn’t change. The requirement was always within the section addressing “Peddlers, Street Vendors and Solicitors.” Rather, language stating “The City Clerk of the City of Norwalk shall issue a license” had been overlooked until Halsey researched the matter.

Halsey mailed the owners of nearly two-dozen street vendors in Norwalk, informing them of the need for the new annual license. The City Clerk’s licenses cost $200 and are valid from Jan. 1 until Dec. 31, 2013.

Among the information sought in the application: The vendor’s name, address and state sales tax identification number, the nature of the business and description of the product/merchandise, the vending location, and description, license and registration of the vehicle being used.

A subsection of the application is reserved for review by the Norwalk Police Department. It asks whether the application has ever been convicted for a criminal or motor-vehicle offense.

Herb Edmondson, owner of Herb’s Place at 120 Water St., was among the street vendors to receive the letter and application. To his relief, he found out that he would not need the additional license.

“I don’t move the truck. I’m stationary. I’m not on the street,” Edmondson said. “So I’m okay. I got a pass on this.”

Edmondson’s vendor truck is parked on private property and not on a public street. He obtained the required license from the Health Department and zoning clearance by the Department of Planning and Zoning, according to city officials.

http://www.thehour.com/news/norwalk/city-bill-gets-steeper-for-food-trucks/article_53caea25-753a-5f50-9697-6d5427c6d70f.html

Norwalk Officer Pat English is donating use of his food truck, Hot Off The Grill, for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in Queens. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ashley Gonzalez

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk police officers will be traveling to the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens on Sunday morning to feed 700 people who have been hit by Hurricane Sandy.

They are asking for help in the form of food, supplies and money for those who have lost power and, in some cases, their homes.

The movement is being spearheaded by Lt. Ashley Gonzalez and Officer Pat English, who is donating the use of his food truck, Hot Off The Grill. They will arrive in Queens with other officers at about 7 a.m. and distribute hot sandwiches and supplies.

“There is a tremendous need for hot food down there,” Gonzalez said.

Another major need is gasoline. A lot of relief centers are running on generators, and many have no access to gas. They are asking people to donate legal gas cans and for anybody who can legally transport gas to help out.

They are also asking for supplies such as blankets, coats, hats, gloves, umbrellas, batteries, flashlights, generators, diapers, toiletries, baby food, canned food, paper towels and cleaning products. The donation drive is being coordinated with 596 Acres, which has a list of ways to help on its website.

Donations can be dropped off in the lobby of the Norwalk Police Department, 1 Monroe St. Any questions can be directed to Sgt. Lisa Cotto at lcotto@norwalkct.org.

http://norwalk.dailyvoice.com/news/norwalk-police-donating-food-storm-relief-queenshttp://norwalk.dailyvoice.com/news/norwalk-police-donating-food-storm-relief-queens