Pensacola restaurant rolling out Central American flavors to Perdido with new food truck
The owner of La Casita Restaurante, a west Pensacola eatery specializing in Central American cuisine, has launched a new food truck on Gulf Beach Highway.
La Casita has taken over the former food truck and location of Empanadas N More Latin Bites, opening for business recently right across from Big Lagoon State Park.
La Casita owner Jonathan Sarazua, who came to the U.S. from Guatemala, said he is thankful for the local Hispanic community’s support of La Casita Restaurante, but also hopes that the food truck’s opening may attract new customers who are unfamiliar with the restaurant to experience their blend of Central American cuisine for the first time.
La Casita serves a variety of dishes that feature distinct recipes and practices found across the Latin world, such as Guatemala’s shucos − or sandwiches − and El Salvadore’s pupusas −a flatbread dish − in addition to the typical Mexican dishes like tacos and quesadillas.
Southeast Asia’s influence on the restaurant also shines in its menu items like pancit, which are noodle dishes commonly found in Filipino cuisine.
New Grover's location incoming: Grover's Fingers and Wings opening new location, first of five on owner's to-do list
La Casita initially began serving dishes out of a food truck on the corner where the restaurant currently stands. After three years in the same place, Sarazua was confident enough to establish his brick-and-mortar business and build its kitchen.
“A lot of people are scared to invest on the west side (of Pensacola), four years ago there wasn’t much of this food around,” Sarazua said. “We have Mexican food, but we also have Central American food.”
Sarazua hopes that the same process will lead to success for La Casita’s venture onto Gulf Beach Highway, as he’ll be looking for a spot in that area for an additional restaurant.
“That’s my idea … try it out, if we do good then we try to find a spot where we can be inside,” Sarazua said.
Where is La Casita’s food truck?
La Casita’s food truck is parked right across from Big Lagoon State Park at 12350 Gulf Beach Highway. La Casita Restaurante can be found at 939 N. New Warrington Road in West Pensacola.
The food truck currently operates from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. They will begin closing an hour later, at 8 p.m., in a couple of weeks and will also begin operating seven days a week, according to Sarazua.
What can I order at the food truck?
La Casita’s food truck will have a limited menu for the time being, according to Sarazua. For now, customers can order the following list of entrees from the food truck:
Regular tacos (with onions & cilantro)
Supreme tacos (with cheese & pico de gallo)
Birria tacos
Quesadilla supreme
Birria quesadilla
Burrito supreme
Nachos
Papas locas (loaded fries)
Flautas
Lumpias
Pupusas
Customers will also be able to pick between five different meat choices, including steak, carnitas and Al Pastor, as well as three different dessert options: cookies, flan and tres leches.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: La Casita restaurante food truck Gulf Beach Highway, Big Lagoon park
