A popular Maricopa food truck is trading in four wheels for four walls to serve customers at a new location.
Charlotte Stessel, an Asian-American owner from Seoul, plans to open her latest venture, Copa Kitchen, in a renovated storefront on John Wayne Parkway next month. The old Dickey's BBQ will be set up in his pit next to Earthwise Pet Supply.
Stessel said after working in a food truck for more than four years, he finally felt the time was right to add more space and expand his menu.
“This spot came up and we jumped on it,” she said. Inmaricopa.
The food truck is long gone – Stessel sold a cherry blossom-studded vehicle two weeks ago – but Asian soul fans can still expect to find familiar food.
Stessel said patrons will continue to enjoy most of the food truck's favorite menu items, including loaded bulgogi fries and crab rangoon egg rolls.
“If we don’t protect them, people will be angry,” she laughed. “We store almost everything.”
The new menu will move away from exclusively Asian fusion cuisine. Stessel plans to add American favorites and Italian-American dishes like chicken, dumplings and meatloaf to honor her husband's heritage.
What is the reason for the change?
“I like different cuisines, so sticking to one cuisine gets tiring,” she said. “This larger space will allow us to expand our menu and offer more items.”
Other menu additions include build-your-own salads, soup flights, and eventually a wine and beer menu.
For the most ravenous customers, there is a mega portion. A giant plate of 1 pound each of ribeye beef, teriyaki chicken, spicy pork, and sautéed shrimp, served with grilled nori, kimchi, rice, and several other accompaniments, can feed up to 8 people. I can. people.
Stessel said the restaurant is expected to open in April, although an exact date has not been set. She is planning a soft opening, followed by a grand opening once inspections are complete.
“I’m just excited,” she said. “We've been working on this since December when we signed the lease. We're getting close to opening and everything is pretty much in place.”
