Eat All About It: Food truck fever spreading to Southridge in Kennewick

Hey, food truck lovers, get ready to clear some of your summer Friday nights.

The city of Kennewick is launching a new food truck event at the Southridge Sports & Events Complex, catering to the dinner crowd, beginning June 24, a news release said. It runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Called Sunset at Southridge, it will feature food vendors offering $7 dinner specials, as well as live music and other entertainment, including rides on the Gesa Carousel of Dreams.

Vendors on tap for the event include Kindra’s Wok ‘N Roll, Fresh Out The Box, Jiggy’s Bacon Burgers, Doggie Style Gourmet, Diesel LLC, We Ice and Tri-City Kettle Corn. There will be some seating, but people are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets.

Sunset at Southridge is planned four more times throughout the summer: July 8 and 26, and Aug. 5 and 19.

The event makes Kennewick the third community in the Tri-Cities to orchestrate a food truck gathering, which Pasco started doing last year with Food Truck Friday at its downtown farmers market.

Richland began it’s “Let’s Do Lunch” campaign June 17, with food trucks and live music at John Dam Plaza in coordination with its weekly market. The next event in that program is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 1.

Artfetti brings colorful cakes, treats to Tri-Cities

If you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, there’s a new bakery for you to try in west Kennewick.

Artfetti opened about a month ago at 1360 N. Louisiana St., Suite F, in the shopping center just north of the Carmike Cinemas near Olive Garden.

It’s a novel endeavor for owners José and Silvia Garcia, because neither had worked in the food service industry before. He used to test lasers for a firm in Mukilteo, while she worked in technical design for Boeing.

But the couple, who grew up in the Yakima Valley, baked on the side for family and friends for the past five years. It was after moving to the Tri-Cities last winter to be closer to family that they decided to bring their treats to the masses.

“We went out on a limb and did this,” José Garcia said.

Artfetti offers cupcakes and macaroons in numerous flavors, such as pistachio, blackberry, raspberry, cookies ’n cream and red velvet, alongside standards such as chocolate and vanilla. The flavors change daily, and new ones should debut in the coming weeks.

“There’s a lot of flavors I haven’t been able to try yet,” Silvia said.

Mini cheesecakes also are for sale. Their custom cakes use fondant or buttercream, with Silvia also crafting cake toppers of animals and other figures.

Prices range from $1.80 for a macaroon to $10.50 for a half-dozen. Cupcakes are $2.50 each or $14.50 for a half-dozen.

Artfetti is open seven days a week with hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Check out the bakery on Instagram by looking for Artfetti Cakes. Artfetti also is tagged in a lot of photos, thanks to customers snapping photos in front of a bright pink accent wall.

“We call that our ‘selfie’ wall,” José said.

New taqueria opens in former Kennewick coffee shop

A new taqueria has moved into the home of a former Kennewick coffee shop.

Taqueria El Asadero recently opened at 2521 W. Kennewick Ave. It’s the second location of the Pasco-based El Asadero.

Rafael Arriaga Sr. said it opened on Court Street in 2004, and the restaurant has continued to grow. His son, Rafael Jr., is a co-owner in the business and manages the Kennewick location, which has a simplified menu and is meant as a quick place to grab a bite like you would at a taco truck or lunch counter.

The restaurant’s menu is inspired by traditional Jalisco cooking and includes tacos and burritos with beef, chicken and pork, but also tongue, tripe and cheek. Quesadillas, tortas, ceviche de camaron, carne asada and pollo asada also are on the menu. Tortillas are homemade, and all ingredients are fresh, he said.

The taqueria is in the former location of The Rail Deli & Expresso, which closed late last fall. The coffee shop’s owners bought it in early 2012 from a couple who previously operated it as the Daily Grind, a coffee shop franchise based in Pullman and Colfax.

Arriaga Jr. said he was a fan of The Rail when it was open and made an early bid to take on the property when its owners shut down. But he ended up taking on their lease and spent months revamping the property, including installing all new kitchen equipment.

Traffic has been good for the taqueria’s first month. “I love this location,” he said.

Prices range from $1.50 for a basic taco to $21 for a whole roasted chicken special the taqueria offers on weekends from noon to 6 p.m. That comes with rice, beans, guacamole and drinks.

They also are applying for a liquor license.

The taqueria is closed on Wednesdays but is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

There is limited indoor seating and some outdoor seating. Customers can use the drive-through window, though the menu board still needs to be installed.

This story was originally published June 21, 2016 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Eat All About It: Food truck fever spreading to Southridge in Kennewick."