Food Truck Friday offers Duluth a new way to eat
Gif by Megan Rowe
For the past six summers, the Duluth Public Library would hold an event called Food Truck Fridays. Each Friday, local food trucks go down to the library and serve lunch downtown.
“It’s a really nice community event,” Julie Kapke, event coordinator for Food Truck Friday, said. “It’s not exactly a typical library service but it brings people out in the space and interact with each other. It’s a great community builder.”
El Oasis del Norte has been in business for four years. They serve tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and walking tacos. Photo by Karli Kruse
There are three trucks that come per week, which is all that the library can take. Kapke said that they like to have a variety of food. Kapke said they take what they can, but they haven’t and won’t turn anyone away.
“We invited other trucks in the past but they had conflicts on Fridays,” Kapke said. “There aren’t a whole lot of trucks in town.”
Kapke said that in the future they might have to reject newer food trucks for the more established trucks because of limited space.
According to Kapke, The Rambler has booked the performances for this year and last year. Their menu also includes vegan options. Photo by Karli Kruse
El Oasis Del Norte and The Rambler have both have been coming since the beginning of Food Truck Friday.
El Oasis Del Norte is owned by Eduardo and Angie Sandoval. Eduardo was born in Mexico and wanted to find authentic Mexican food that he ate in his hometown.
“He had a hard time finding it in Duluth, so he decided to start up this truck,” Angie said. “He makes his own marinades, we do our own meat, we do everything from scratch.”
Angie Sandoval said they like to come to Food Truck Friday because it offers a way for business and construction workers, as well as families, to come get something that they can’t find at a regular restaurant.
“The atmosphere around here is really cool,” Angie said. “They usually have events going on the stage, like someone playing music, or some other thing is going on. One day there was a ballet recital, so it’s always something different down here.”
Photo by Karli Kruse
The Rambler has been out on the streets for the past seven years and offers food that ties in east coast and west coast style cuisine and brings it right to Duluth.
Kelsey Auran, office manager for The Rambler, thinks that as awareness around food trucks has increased, and so has the amount of people that stop by.
“People are starting to know our names and starting to figure out that there are actually food trucks in Duluth,” Auran said. “So I imagine that next year it’s going to bigger and better yet.”
Kapke said that in the past they have had Mrs. Delicious Ice Cream Trike and The King of Creams truck. But on August 31, JB’s Cuisine Roulante made its Food Truck Friday debut.
Owner and executive chef, Jean Bernard Desulme, says JB’s is “fine dine on wheels” and a combination of French, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisine.
“Basically my goal is chasing the farmers markets,” Desulme said. “Wherever they have things fresh, we buy them, wash them, cut them, cook them and deliver on the spot.”
Desulme said a big reason that he wants to get straight from the farmers is that he wants to contribute to the local economy. They are licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin and they want to be licensed in other states as well. Photo by Karli Kruse
The business started in May, but the truck didn’t make its first appearance until August.
“I’m very passionate about cooking,” Desulme said. “A very close friend that passed away last January, she was very into seeing what I would deliver one day in terms of food. So she provided help for me to start the business.”
Desulme said that he would like to return to Food Truck Friday if given the opportunity next summer.
For more information regarding Food Truck Friday or if you want to inquire about performing, contact the Duluth Public Library.