Between the temperate climate and endless number of craft breweries, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina has generated quite the food truck scene. And with offerings ranging from homemade noodles and dumplings to freshly baked strudel and pretzels, a typical food truck rally in the Queen City often boasts a wide variety of international cuisines. But if you're looking to get your Latin fix, you must try Casa—a relatively new food truck to the Charlotte scene that specializes in tropical arepas, delectable sides, and fresh fruit juices.
About the Chef
While Casa may have just hit the streets last fall, chef and co-owner Katia Ramírez is quite the culinary rockstar; do a little research on her and prepare to be amazed. With experiences in the culinary world that include working at a Michelin star restaurant in New York City and traditional wine and tapas bars in Spain, Ramírez has seen it all.
Following a break by Katia from the food industry, Casa was born after a mutual friend reached out to inquire about working together. He wanted to bring some good eats to his popular spot in NoDa known as Abari Game Bar. Ever since starting the truck, Katia has been serving up a menu that showcases both the traditional flavors of her Puerto Rican heritage and her creative culinary expertise.
The Menu
As far as the menu, the main star of the show is the wide array of delectable tropical arepas. A Central and South American staple, arepas are essentially cooked patties of a ground corn dough. The patties are sliced open and filled with all sorts of tasty fillings. Pictured above is one of my personal favorites—the Lechón. Stuffed with pulled pork, guava barbecue sauce, cotija cheese, and pickled onions, the Lechón presents the perfect balance between sweet and savory.
And while many of the arepas feature hearty meat fillings such as shredded beef and skirt steak, Casa also caters towards herbivores as well. Once such vegetarian option is filled with rice, black beans, avocado, fried cheese, and chimichurri sauce. Known as the Mulata, this arepa also happens to be another best seller. Typically there are about seven arepas offered on the truck, so don't be surprised if you have difficulty picking only one.
As mentioned before, Casa's menu also features a fresh squeezed fruit juices along with a selection of sides that are just as satisfying as the arepas. Among these are fried yuca with rosado sauce, sweet plantains topped with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro, and the best empanadas you can find.
With a seasoned beef filling and thin, flaky shell fried to perfection, Katia's empanadas have both a unique and delectable flavor.
Where to Find Casa
At least one day a week you can always find Casa hanging out at Abari Game Bar. However, the truck also frequents breweries within the Charlotte area such as Resident Culture and popular hangouts like the NoDa Company Store. Katia keeps her customers updated on where she'll be by posting weekly updates to Casa's Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
If you're looking to grab a tasty bite that combines authentic, international flavors with an abundance of menu options and a welcoming atmosphere, look no further than Casa—Charlotte's best food truck for Latin cuisine.