Food trucks offer lunch alternatives downtown

Food trucks rolled in Monday and unveiled an array of entrees on a previously empty lot on Ringling Boulevard near Links Avenue. Ringling Picnic has become Sarasota’s newest on-the-go dining option.

The open-air food park so far consists of six trucks offering various types of gourmet dishes.

“I think it’s really important to be able to offer people downtown another lunch option,” said Thomaura O’Sullivan, co-owner of the gourmet macaroni truck, O’Macalicious. “I think this is something people will be happy to have.”

The park will offer a rotating roster of trucks operating from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. The goal is to tempt diners with reasonably priced gourmet spins on traditional curbside cuisine, such as tacos, miniature sandwiches and macaroni and cheese.

The business model has been successful in large cities across the country. Sarasotans’ response so far has been enthusiastic, too.

“I’ve been looking for something like this,” said customer Kelly Fernandez. “I know Tampa has food-truck conventions, and I just checked and was happy to see that we had this here.”

Some of the food-truck owners said they had been in the restaurant business for years and had been looking for a change of pace. For example, Chris Jett, owner of Baja Boys Grill, is a classically trained chef who has owned several dining establishments. However, after a few bad experiences, he opted for the lower overhead and the mobility of a food truck.

Others, such as Brenda Zook, owner of B Cool Treats, are new to the business and are just enjoying the opportunity to mingle with customers.

“I like working for myself,” she said. “I love the one-on-one interaction with customers.”

Although their levels of experience and backgrounds are as varied as their menus, the truck owners say they are working together to dispel some of the negative stereotypes associated with food trucks.

Many people consider food-truck operations less sanitary than those of brick-and-mortar establishments, but the truck owners point to the cleanliness of their trucks and the freshness of their ingredients.

“Our trucks are taken apart and cleaned every day,” said Jett. “We only have room for so many ingredients, so there won’t ever be anything old lying around. We support local growers, and a lot of the ingredients you’re eating were still on the vine this morning.”

The lower start-up costs and overhead combine to create an affordable entry into the restaurant industry and allow proprietors to keep prices reasonable for customers, the truck owners say.

Quick-lunch options
O’Macalicious: Thomaura O’Sullivan and Bob Orminski offer a variety of gourmet macaroni-and-cheese dishes, including gluten-free options. For an extra-special treat, try macaroni served in a waffle cone.

B Cool Treats: This blast from the past serves a local brand of frozen treats from a 1979 Good Humor Ice Cream truck.

Baja Boys Grill: Owned by classically trained chef Chris Jett, this truck has a Southern California/baja menu that includes chicken and fish tacos, burritos and other entrées made with organic ingredients.

Foodeez: Catering to fellow food enthusiasts, or “foodeez,” Philadelphia native Al Rodriguez serves up his hometown’s famous cheesesteaks alongside a rotating menu of international foods.

Flying Sliders: Long Island, N.Y., native Andrew Seeley moved two years ago to Sarasota to open this otherworldly cart, which serves a variety of gourmet slider sandwiches with a flying-saucer theme.

Java Dawg: This double-decker English bus turned into a coffee shop serves fresh-brewed coffee with pastries, as well as small dishes.