Eat All About It: Food trucks plus Friday equals good eats in Pasco

Pasco’s popular Food Truck Friday program returns for its third season Friday, behind Viera’s Bakery in downtown.

Pasco Specialty Kitchen launched Food Truck Friday to highlight food truck offerings in a stable location.

Hours for the 2017 season will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays on Fourth Avenue, between Lewis and Columbia streets.

The food truck program serves as a launching pad for many new food truck owners and has spawned additional food truck pods, including Kennewick’s Sunset at Southridge program and even one in Tacoma.

“We’re tickled that others see our food program as the one to emulate,” said Marilou Shea, the program’s creator and director of Pasco Specialty Kitchen. The kitchen is an initiative of the Downtown Pasco Development Association to nurture food-related businesses. It offers technical assistance to newcomers.

Here’s a look at three new operators it is introducing for 2017: Hot Tamales, Fast & Curryous and Rex’ Top Shelf.

Hot Tamales is owned and operated by Paulina Perez and her mother, Lupe.

Perez began selling “Mama Lupe’s” tamales at age 6, inspired by her mother’s passion for cooking. Its menu is inspired by family recipes tracing back to the family roots in the Michoacan region of Mexico. She prepares her dishes without lard or gluten at Pasco Specialty Kitchen and serves tamales from commercial warmers in her van.

Hot Tamales will sell three fresh varieties — pork, chicken and veggie. The price is $9.99 for a half-dozen or $15.99 for a dozen. Hot Tamales is offering a $4.95 try-before-you buy special during Food Truck Friday.

Fast and Curryous and Rex’ Top Shelf will debut later this month. Fast and Curryous is co-owned by Kavita and David Stenoien, and will offer homemade curries and kabobs. Rex’ Top Shelf, owned by Rex Richmond, will offer American classics based on his catering history, including prime rib sandwiches and handmade sauces.

Food Truck Fridays also will include veterans from years past: Backyard Grub, Doggie Style Gourmet, Fresh Out the Box, Frost Me Sweet, Jiggy’s Bacon Burgers and The Dovetail Joint (formerly The Glass Onion). Uncle Brothers Fish Fry will join later in the season and Swampy’s BBQ is expected to drop in.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 2:07 PM with the headline "Eat All About It: Food trucks plus Friday equals good eats in Pasco."