‘Passion meets culture.’ Tri-Cities chef and winemaker team up on new bistro
An award-wining Washington winemaker and a well-known Tri-Cities caterer are joining forces to launch a food truck this month that will specialize in catering to wine-loving foodies.
Victor Palencia, owner of Monarcha Winery in Kennewick and Palencia Wine Co. in West Richland, and Nena Cosic, owner of European Desserts by Nena, plan a grand opening Nov. 20.
Their mobile Culture Shock Bistro will join the growing food truck pod that also has Swampy’s BBQ, Ninja Bistro, Don Taco, Ann’s Best Creole and Soul Food and Bobablastic Tri-Cities.
Culture Shock Bistro is a reference to their somewhat surprising concept of blending their two home countries, Mexico and Bosnia, to create a food and wine experience they believe will be unlike any other they’ve encountered.
“I’ve always kind of wanted to have food truck association with the winery,” Palencia told the Herald.
Palencia and Cosic met at a wine event that Cosic was catering a couple of years ago at the now-shuttered Clore Center in Prosser. They soon found they shared a number of common interests and ambitions, plus a common backstory.
“Basically what really got us started is that we are both immigrants,” Cosic told the Herald. “We both have so much passion for our heritage and background, as well as our current home of Tri-Cities.”
Palencia’s family roots and love of farming extend deep into the soils of the Michoacan state in southern Mexico.
He came to the United States as a child. Following his father, he began working in Washington’s vineyards in the Yakima Valley as a boy, then worked at wineries and graduated from the wine-making program at Walla Walla Community College.
Cosic left her native land with her two young children in 1999 to flee ethnic strife that had ravaged the Balkan Peninsula. She joined her sister in Tri-Cities, who had left Bosnia years earlier.
Cosic got her start in the food business through catering and captured the attention of Palencia who hired her numerous times for winery events.
“Her cooking style paired beautifully with our wines,” Palencia said. “The idea grew, and here we are.”
Culture Shock will serve walk-up customers but also will create a streamlined experience for Monarcha customers, and serve them directly while enjoying wine.
The food truck will offer flat breads, mussels, crepes and premium charcuterie plates, which can be customized.
“Charcuterie boards was something I grew up. It is an every day thing that I had,” Cosic said. “You can do so much with these products.”
Cosic said that growing up, her family started every meal munching on charcuterie.
She will bring her homeland’s fare as “a fusion of Mediterranean cuisine from Turkey to Spain” and plans to offer elements that honor that tradition, including Turkish coffee and desserts.
While the mobile restaurant is a partnership, Palencia is largely leaving the menu to Cosic.
“I’m not a chef — I will burn that thing down,” he told the Herald with chuckle.
Palenica said that he didn’t want to limit Cosic’s artistic ability, but his fervor for some dishes couldn’t go ignored.
“Passion meets culture is our motto,” he said. “One of the things I pushed for is the flatbread. Forget wine and chocolate — try pizza and wine,” he said.
Culture Shock Bistro at the Columbia Gardens Wine and Artisan Village on Columbia Drive in Kennewick will be open Thursday through Sunday for brunch and dinner. Hours have not been finalized.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com.