Marathon has its first food truck. Menis Mobile Food operates lunch hours in front of Ivan Tile at 6465 Overseas Hwy. In the afternoon, it moves to Produce Paradise, the fruit stand across from The Home Depot. Find it at either location Monday through Friday.
According to truck operators Jose Soto (cook) and Eylen (cashier) the best sellers in the first month have been the steak sandwich and the philly cheesesteak. It also makes a really great “Cuban” pizza.
For now, the menu is pretty simple — sandwiches and personal-size pizzas. And Jarritos — a Mexican soft drink that’s pretty hip by anyone’s standards. They look forward to offering a more complicated menu including “chiviricos” — a Cuban dessert delicacy of fried dough sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. That has to wait on changes to the city’s food truck law (see sidebar).
The Cuban-born couple has lived in Marathon for seven years and is raising two young children. The truck is owned by local Pedro Rodriguez, a cousin.
Food Trucks & The Law
Marathon City Councilman Steve Cook raised the food truck issue recently at a council meeting. Current city law complies with all state and federal regulations, but limits food trucks to two consecutive hours of operation on private property (with owner permission) and just 10 minutes on a public right-of-way. Cook said he fielded a couple calls on the issue, but thinks it will be a simple matter to tweak the ordinance.
“I think our current law was cut and pasted from a rule for ice cream trucks. Food trucks need to be able to sit down and stay somewhere. I’m thinking at least four, maybe eight hours, in one spot makes sense,” he said. “Two hours is insane, that’s not enough to make the nut.”
He said he’s in favor of issuing reasonably priced license fees for annual permits to operate in Marathon. Even at peak season, he doesn’t think this will mean more than five trucks operating.
As for Menis Mobile Food he says, “I haven’t been yet, but I plan to grab a bite soon. I’m just happy to see them doing their thing.”
