painted pepper | Dayton937

Louie Ortega’s first entrance into the food scene was catering with his grandmother in El Paso, Tx. He washed dishes, bussed tables, served, but hardly ever cooked, as his Grandma was the only one allowed to cook. Eventually he was able to cook and learned so much about Mexican food and went on to be French trained in culinary school.

He knew he wanted to start a food truck when he grew weary of the corporate hotel/restaurant world. Since he grew up with Mexican food he wanted to share his version of southwest/ Mexican cuisine with the Midwest. He knew he wanted to be independent with food, but not start a brick and mortar restaurant, mobile cuisine was the way to go and test my market.

Painted Pepper’s signature and best selling item for the last 7 years has been their Texas Chicken Quesadilla. It has fresh roasted chicken, Texas caviar (black beans, onion, roasted red bell peppers, cilantro and spices), and cheese, all stuffed in a 12 inch flour tortilla seared and served with house made salsa and sour cream.

He wants his customers to know that they serve homemade fresh southwest cuisine, food from some local farms that is prepped daily. He says, “when people eat our food, I want them to enjoy the delicious flavors, and know they are also supporting a local family.”

Breakfast pockets – flour tortilla stuffed with eggs, chorizo and cheese, then deep fried and served with a side of salsa verde.

While the food truck is still out and about, Louie and his wife Amanda are now also “slingin’ tacos and more with a permanent location in Downtown Springfield, Ohio inside COhatch “The Market.” Located at 101 S. Fountain in downtown Springfield, Painted Pepper is one of several food vendors in this dining hall. Others include Crust & Company, North High Brewing, Ironworks Waffle Cafe, Fresh Abilities and The Market Bar.

Their Co-Hatch location is open Monday 8am -1:30pm and Tues- Sat 8am- 8pm and you can even place your order online. The menu includes breakfast burritos, chicken quesadillas, tacos, corncakes, dessert chips and chips, salsa and guacamole.

The Food truck is still out and about and here’s where you can catch them:

Sat, May 8th 9am-5pm

Asphalt Row at Springfield Health and Fitness

202 N Limestone St, Springfield

Sat, May 15 & Sun, May 16 noon 7pm

Columbus Taco Fest at Ohio History Connection near MAPFRE Stadium

800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus Ohio, 43211

For future dates, keep an eye on their facebook page.

Zombie Dogz will debut 2 new dog flavors!

This FRIDAY July 15th, at 5pm, 18 local food trucks will descend on the Bella Villa Hall on County Line Rd, around the corner from the Greene. If you have been to the Italian Fall Festival, then you are familiar with this venue. But Friday showcases different activities and outside vendors. It promises to be a fun filled, family friendly event and a wonderful evening.

Dont miss this chance for an incredible FOOD ADVENTURE !

Spicy Chicken with White rice from Bourbon Street Grill – a MUST EAT

HERE ARE 20 REASON’S to COME TO THE FOOD TRUCK RALLY at SONS of ITALY’S BELLA VILLA HALL in Beavercreek/Kettering

1 ~ ZOMBIE DOGZ WILL INTRODUCE TWO NEW DOG FLAVORS:
Garlic inspired for sure, the flavors are super secret and are being finalized as you read this. No one is telling, not even the zombies!

2 ~ THE HOLY CANNOLI:
A deep fried cannoli made at the Sons of Italy booth. It is a gooey, creamy walk down dream street. So rich and wonderful, it is like a religious experience.

The Garlic Mohawk Burger

3 ~ BELLA SORELLA’S “BIG FELLA” PEPPERONI PIZZA:
Have you tried their hand made dough, stone baked pizza? Fresh ingredients and that good Italian flavor, makes this a MUST EAT at Garlic Fest Weekend !

4 ~ THE “SPICY CHICKEN WITH WHITE RICE” from BOURBON STREET GRILL: Be prepared to launch your tastebuds to the moon on this one. A perfect, not too spicy blend of shredded chicken and sauce, poured over white rice. So addicting you will want seconds. Warning! – you will crave this stuff the next week, and we are not responsible.

Fresh Pizza from Bella Sorella Pizza Co.

5 ~ BEER TRUCKS and INCREDIBLE FOOD VARIETY IN ONE PLACE:
Beer trucks? YES ! 18 food vendors with various menus? This will give you over 100 food choices. Hello foodies, you have found your paradise… GarlicFest weekend be thy name !

Jimmie’s Ladder 11 Streatery is bringing Garlic Roast Beef with Horseradish Aoli and more

6 ~ “THE ONION STRAW BURGER” from THE HORSELESS BUGGY EATERY:
One of the best burgers in Dayton, hands down. A pile of crunchy onion straws, on a thick, juicy fresh burger. Awww man give us one now to sink our teeth into.

Peanut Butter Cupcake from Go Cupcake

7 ~ “THE WICKED SWEET BREAD” from THE WICKED WICH’ of DAYTON FOOD TRUCK:
Sweet, cinnamon sprinkled bread, with a sweet drizzled icing. It makes for a buttery, cinnamon taste and a match made in heaven. So simple, so good ….

8 ~ “THE KIWI/ BLUEBERRY / COCONUT” ICE POP from SWEET P’S:
On a warm July evening, nothing says refresh me like a hand crafted ice pop from local vendor, Sweet P ! This combo is in the “cool me down” hall of fame !

Ritter’s sundae’s will cool you down at a Summer rally

9 ~ “GARLIC INFUSED CRAB MACARONI n CHEESE” from PA’s PORK:
New Item! King Crab, macaroni, cheese and Italian Parsely on top. Take a bite then slap yourself to get that silly look off your face. Oh, it’s that damn good…

10 ~ QUESADILLAS at THE PAINTED PEPPER FOOD TRUCK:
Juicy, flavorful and loaded, these quesadillas are fantastic food on the go. The Texas Caviar chicken quesadilla is a fave… but so are the wings and corncakes…so many MUST EATS, so little time. It is hard to nail down just one item from this great truck.

11 ~ BOCCE BASH TOURNAMENT:

Bocce Bash for beginners – sign up NOW !

5:30pm starts the 1st ever “BOCCE BASH” for beginners. The cost is $10 per person and you need 4 to a team. Sign up immediately by clicking here. Winner gets $200 !

12 ~ “THE MAC n CHEESE CROQUETTES” from HUNGER PAYNES:
Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Garlic, Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, Green Onions, and Garlic Sour Cream Sauce. Flavored croquettes, are the scrumptuous staple that launched their food truck. You gotta try these. We are excited for more great eats from Andy and his crew.

White Hots and Red Hots from Kowalski Hots

13 ~ “THE PEANUT BUTTER CUP CUPCAKE” from GO CUPCAKE:
Rich and chocolatey. What else goes better together? Indulge in one of the best sweet treats at the rally. One of those bites that you have to sit down and just take in all the flavor.

14 ~ “GRILLED RED HOTS or WHITES HOTS with GARLIC SAUCE” from KOWALSKI’S HOTS:

COLD BEER HERE !

Remember hot isn’t spicy – it is short for Hot Dog in this case. And these casings are authentic hot dog brands only found in upstate New York. Zweigels and Hoffmans are just two of the brands he offers.

15 ~ “THE DISTINGUISHED DARBY” from CHEEKY MEAT PIES:
Steamy ground beef goodness, with cheese stuffed into a delicate pie crust. So delicious and unique, this is one of our favorite food truck items.

16 ~ EMPANADAS from EL MESON:
They have so much good food to offer it is hard to pick just one. The empanadas are a great pocket of flavor on the go at a rally. Their cornbread pattie style Arepas are also tremendous.

17 ~ “THE ROAST BEEF PO’BOY” from JIMMIE’S LADDER 11 STREATERY:

Pa’s Pork will be pulling some bones

Oh boy, this might be the mother of all sandwiches at the rally. Roast Beef on a bun served with lettuce, tomato and a horseradish aoli, this promises to be a huge hit while they last!

18 ~ “THE STREET STYLE CHICKEN GYRO” from GREEK STREET FOOD TRUCK:
A one of a kind gyro with pickled onions and a one of a kind tzatziki sauce. We cannot reiterate enough that you must get the chicken gyro and get it “street style.” The “shrimp gyros street style” are a lighter take on a great thing. Opa!

Chicken on a spindle at Greek Street Food Truck

19 ~ “THE TURTLE SUNDAE” from RITTERS FROZEN CUSTARD:
Hot fudge, caramel and toasted pecans with vanilla custard adorn this sundae. Just sinful, and yummy. Turn out the lights and call the law, we dont care if we ever get well!

20 ~ “THE GARLIC MOHAWK BURGER” from MOHAWK FREESTYLE GRILL:
It is a massive creation from our pal chef Aaron who does it all to the max. Get a napkin, because it is a delicious, “goodness drippin on the chin” kinda time. It is a rowdy Food Adventure on a bun.

There you have it, take a bow if you can eat all of the above items in a night. We have a feeling you might need some help, so bring your friends out and share some bites. That’s

Hunger Payne’s Mac n Cheese Croquettes

what a fun food truck rally is all about!

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON HOW TO GO:

— WHEN: JULY 15th from 5pm til 9pm

— WHERE: 2625 COUNTY LINE RD, BEAVERCREEK, OHIO at the BELLA VILLA HALL

Onion Straw Burger from Horseless Buggy

— WHAT: One of Dayton’s biggest FOOD TRUCK RALLIES EVER! 18 vendors!

— WHAT ELSE: FREE ADMISSION! BEER TRUCKS! LIVE ACOUSTIC BAND ! CRAFTS! KIDS STUFF!

Bring a lawnchair to sit and relax all night ! There is plenty of eats to go around! Join Hungry Jax, Chef House and the Big Ragu for a night of Food Adventure fantasies.

Get restaurant info, original food pictures and Miami Valley Must Eats, by “liking” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking here.