For Comida Cantina, the truck stops here

In 2010, as food trucks were taking off in Colorado, Rayme Rossello decided to throw her hat in the ring -- or her truck in the lot, or her key in the ignition, or whatever expression you like best. The venture made sense, given that the country was in the...

By Gretchen Kurtz

December 19, 2013

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In 2010, as food trucks were taking off in Colorado, Rayme Rossello decided to throw her hat in the ring -- or her truck in the lot, or her key in the ignition, or whatever expression you like best. The venture made sense, given that the country was in the midst of a recession and banks weren't exactly handing out money. What this veteran of Proto's Pizza and Jax soon discovered, however, was that the food truck wasn't quite as cost-effective as she'd supposed.

"What I didn't know is that [the truck] cost twice as much," she says, explaining that it cost about $60,000 to open a Proto's and $120,000 to launch her Comida Cantina truck.

As a result, she now tells people "not to do food trucks," but acknowledges that without the truck, there wouldn't be either the Comida Cantina she opened in Longmont in 2012, or the Comida Cantina that opened this past August in the Source. Which means, of course, that there wouldn't be those griddled tacos I liked so much in this week's review of Comieda Cantina.

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Gretchen Kurtz has worked as a writer for 25 years; during that time she's stomped grapes in Napa, eaten b'stilla in Fez, and baked with Buddy Valastro, aka the Cake Boss. Her work has appeared in publications including Boulevard (Paris), Diversion, the New York Times and Westword. Our restaurant critic since 2012, she loves helping you decide where to eat and drink tonight.

Contact: Gretchen Kurtz

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