Fans of the Cleveland food truckJibaro World Eats, or even of Middle Bass Island’sJibaro Tiki Bar, will be glad to know that they no longer have to wait for warm weather to get their Caribbean-style food fix.

The husband-and-wife proprietors of both of those establishments, Elvis Serranoand Lorna McLain, opened a year-round, bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Lakewood the last week of November: Jibaro’s Pit Stop. Since then, Serrano’s brother Saul has joined the team.

Although the property’s tiny storefront functions primarily for take-out, it does provide the owners with a sizeable kitchen that they can use for the restaurant, as well as for year-round catering gigs, which include block parties, corporate events and weddings.

“The weddings have been a big, big hit,” reports Elvis Serrano.

Fans of the Jibaro food truck flock to its Twitter-cast locations for tastes of Serrano’s inspired, Caribbean-fusion foodstuffs, which include tacos, burritos, rice bowls, and seriously tasty pulled pork sandwiches. All of these are on the Pit Stop menu, in addition to flavorful thin-crust, pan and New-York-style pizzas. Many menu items are vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.

“I’m very adventurous with what I do in the kitchen,” Serrano said.

He loves to use herbs in unique ways, like sprinkling herbes de Provence on shrimpceviche. He plans to grow organic greens and herbs in back of the restaurant come spring.

Serrano, who began cooking at the age of 5 on his family’s farm in Puerto Rico, draws on his family’s native food culture, as well as his extensive experience in Cleveland-area restaurants, including Blue Point Grille and Circo Zibibbo. He says that food’s smell, look, and taste — what he calls “the trifecta” — are all equally important to a dish’s success.

Mindful of the plethora of pizza joints around town, the Serrano brothers put their unique stamp even on this American staple. Of the made-fresh dough, Elvis Serrano said they “keep it very simple,” using spring water, extra-virgin olive oil, and a bit of annatto for a nice, golden color and subtle, warm taste. Through the end of the month, a large specialty pizza or a two-topping half sheet will run you only $13.

Choose-your-own toppings range from staples like pepperoni to exotica such as cinnamon-sugar bacon, shrimp, and pickled carrots. Caribbean specialty pizzas ($10-$16.50) come in sizzling hot flavor combinations like “Jamaican,” with house-roasted spicy jerk chicken, pineapple, cinnamon-sugar bacon and spicy barbecue sauce; and “Caveman,” with oven-roasted duck, caramelized onions and sweet mango.

We loved J baro’s planks of fresh fried platanos (plantains), artfully splattered with shredded, pickled carrots, garlicky green grape-cilantro sauce and creamy tomato mayo ($3).

The tender and flavorful Cuban on a buttery, grilled sub roll is out of this world and like no other, with provolone cheese, soft chunks of ham and succulent, slow-roasted pork spiked with ras el hanout, a complex and slightly fiery Moroccan spice blend ($8.50).

With flavors like these, winter can take its sweet time.

Jibaro’s Pit Stop is at 14201 Madison Ave. in Lakewood. It opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 6 p.m. Sunday, 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 216-227-9277 for information, catering inquiries, and to place take-out orders. Visit online at worldwidejibaro.co, or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/scoopdujour/index.ssf/2013/01/popular_food_truck_makes_a_pit.html

Elvis Serrano, who recently opened the brick-and-mortar Jibaro Pit Stop in Lakewood, spoke at the Lakewood City Council meeting on Dec. 17 to change the minds of city council members regarding an ordinance banning food trucks on public property. Credit Courtesy of Jibaro

he owner of the Jibaro food truck is hoping to change an ordinance prohibiting food trucks from setting up shop on public property in Lakewood.

Elvis Serrano, who recently opened the brick-and-mortar Jibaro Pit Stop in Lakewood, spoke at the Lakewood City Council meeting on Dec. 17 to change the minds of city council members.

The next day, he met with Ward 3 city councilman Shawn Juris to discuss the proposal.

Serrano was an early pioneer of food trucks in Cleveland, launching his in 1993. He sees the food truck industry working in cooperation with area restaurants — not hurting them.

“At first, restaurants in Cleveland didn’t support it either,” said Serrano, noting that neighboring restaurants were threatened by food trucks, but soon realized that they helped bar business and made entire neighborhoods food destinations.

“It didn’t happen overnight.”

But food trucks shouldn’t start their engines just yet.

“I don’t think we are at a stage to do anything legislatively yet,” said Juris. “I think there are a few different ways that food trucks can operate and I don’t think (the ordinance) is necessarily anything that needs to be changed.”

“Downtown Cleveland is quite a but different than Lakewood.”

Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development, said that a city ordinance prohibits food trucks from operating on public streets, but they are allowed to set up in private commercial parking lots with permission from the owner.

“There are options for them,” Siley said, pointing to events such as Light Up Lakewood as potential opportunities for food trucks like Jibaro.

“It sounds like they are very respectful of brick and mortar businesses, but we will follow up with them and explore some of their ideas. I think council is open to new ideas. We’ll see where this conversation goes.”

Serrano said he believes that Lakewood City Council “was receptive to the idea” and plans to follow up with officials at Lakewood City Hall.

“I think it will take some time, but I am hopeful that it will happen in Lakewood,” he said. “We will see what happens.”

http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/articles/food-trucks-coming-to-lakewood