Food trucks make tasty entrance in mid-Michigan

Food trucks and big cities may go hand-in-hand, but three food trucks are making a name for themselves right here in mid-Michigan.

Midland's Crave Cave
Owned by husband and wife team Jacob and Amber Wendt, The Crave Cave food cart has quickly become a Midland favorite.

The Wendts have more than a dozen years of experience in the food industry. They now live in Midland doing catering through Irvine G's, LLC and running The Crave Cave.

The idea for the venture came about when they were running a downtown restaurant and decided they needed more control over their business. In May 2013 the Crave Cave was born.

Now a popular gourmet lunch spot, the cart operates on a rotating lunch menu serving 50 to 80 patrons per day. They revolve through 30 types of sandwiches called torches, which are cone-shaped wraps that are meant to withstand on-the-go eating. Some are so popular they sell out. When fan favorites like Ranchero, French Dip, Meatloaf, Caprese, and the Maverick are served, you'd better get there early or risk missing out.

What's the appeal of this food cart in particular? Why do so many patrons choose The Crave Cave over traditional Midland lunch options day after day? Beyond their ever-changing menu, there is a certain atmosphere that the cart offers.

“Our customers enjoy grabbing lunch, meeting their friends, or even community dining by sitting and meeting new people that you wouldn't normally do at a brick and mortar establishment,” Amber Wendt says.

Since their spring opening, The Crave Cave has had positive community feedback, hearing time and time again they are the best lunch spot in town. With a combination of loyal returning customers and new customers, Crave Cave is seeing success in their endeavor.

“We have followed our passion for delivering quality to the community, and the community has welcomed us with open arms,” Wendt says. “We are very fortunate and blessed and will continue as long as they will keep lining up at The Crave Cave.”

Recently, they added Friday entree-style dinners geared towards the after-work crowd who may want a fast and easy dinner they can grab on their way home.

With fall underway, the cart is about to go into its first winter with a twist -- by offering patrons with a drive-through service where customers can cruise through, sort of like going to a fast-food joint, but with gourmet choices.

If you think that pulling off a successful food truck is easy, think again.

“It is a lot of hard work and dedication on one's part...you need to have a niche and do it right,” Wendt says.

Taking their success in stride, the couple may someday open more carts in Midland, or perhaps even elsewhere as food trucks grow in popularity throughout the country.

“Food trucks give talented chefs the opportunity to showcase their talents without being tied down to a brick and mortar place...the opportunities are endless,” she says.

The Crave Cave can be found at 1406 E. Pine Street at Geisler Enterprises. Their hours vary by season and are currently open Wednesday through Thursday 11 a.m.- 2 p.m., and Friday 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Check out their Facebook page for the most up-to-date hours and menu.

Mount Pleasant's Wiener Wagon
It's late. You've just left the bar with your friends and you're hungry.

Well, then you'd better head towards The Wiener Wagon in downtown Mount Pleasant.

Here you can find Flint-made Koegel's hot dogs and have yours smothered with ketchup, mustard, chili, cheese, onions, jalapenos, yellow peppers and/or shredded pickles. While you're at it, you can strike up a conversation with two of the nicest people you will meet: Wiener Wagon owners Joe Collin and Kyle Stahl.

The Wiener Wagon stands out amongst the late-night eateries, because they treat their patrons as more than just customers, says Stahl. They take the time to talk with them and this often causes people to recognize them as the “Guys from The Wiener Wagon” when they aren't working.

Working full time in retail sales by day, Stahl and Collin began their venture last August, starting with a portable wagon at the corner of Michigan and Main. Then, earlier this year they added a food trailer in order to be able to better serve customers at events and so that they could operate during the winter, says Stahl. Recently, they also added an additional wagon to their fleet.

“The idea was the brainchild of Joe for over three years,” Stahl says. “The thought of having a quick bite to eat when you are downtown enjoying yourself and being able to do it so conveniently was really the idea.”

Their late hours and downtown location create the perfect spot for hungry college students to grab a bite when heading home from a night out. Although a majority of the customers are CMU students, Stahl adds that nearly a third are locals looking for a late-night snack.

Food trucks are becoming popular across the country not only because what it offers the customers, but also what opportunities it affords the owners.

“Because if gives people a dream of doing something for themselves at a much lower cost,” Stahl says. “I would say our end goal is not just food trucks. Its a stepping stone to so much more.”

Although he couldn't be specific about the future plans of the Wiener Wagon, Stahl says that they plan to grow at some point, as they have seen success on the streets of Mount Pleasant and have been supported by the community.

“It's not very often two regular guys with a dream and some motivation can do what we have done in just over a year,” Stahl says. “It wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for our families, fans, and critics.”

The Wiener Wagon trailer or cart can usually be found Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on the corner of Michigan and Main and Gaylord and Main. For updates on their locations and operating hours, check out their Facebook page.

Mid-Michigan's Crêp
There are very few types of food that can take on the form of breakfast, dinner or dessert, depending on how it is prepared. Crepes are just that and can now be found on the go in mid-Michigan.

Crêp, a local food truck and catering business ran by friends Brandon Morey and David Bailey opened in June 2013.

The truck can be found at various local and regional events. Recently they were regulars at the Midland and Mount Pleasant farmers markets and are currently catering to a film crew in town.

Equipped with an espresso maker and 16-inch propane-powered commercial crepe makers, they serve up a variety of crepes and coffee drinks. Never had a crepe before? It's like a very thin pancake, explains Morey, and they are made on the spot when you order with fresh ingredients so you get the freshest experience possible.

Crepes can be filled with a variety of items, based on what you are in the mood for. For example, say you are craving breakfast food, you can order an egg, feta, and fresh spinach crepe. Or, when strawberries are in season and you are looking for a sweet dessert, you can get one filled with fresh strawberries and Nutella. They also serve up sandwich-like crepes that contain traditional lunchtime fillings like turkey and ham.

“We have been told that our crepes compare to the crepes in France, merci beaucoup! We even have returning French customers,” Morey says.

Why crepes? Well, crepes were a popular dish at the Morey house and one day, Bailey inquired as to why he wasn't making crepes for a living. The two looked into starting a business and decided a food truck was the best way to go and thus, Crêp began.

Having a food truck allows them to be mobile and easily set up at various locations and events. Once they find a place to park their food truck on a regular basis, the pair plans to have it open regularly throughout the year.

“The biggest challenge has been finding a spot to park,” Morey says. “Food trucks are so new to this area that cities don’t quite know what to do with us. However we were welcomed with arms wide open at the farmers markets.”

While some may think food trucks are for large metropolitan cities, Crêp has broken that thought.

“We bring the big city feel right here to mid-Michigan,” Morey says. “And crepes are a unique alternative to the great food other restaurants already have.”

To stay up-to-date with Crêp happenings, be sure to check out their Facebook page.

Julia Woehrer is a freelance writer, photographer and Internet content manager. She attended the School of Art and Design at Northern Michigan University where she concentrated in photography and minored in journalism. She volunteers at a local no-kill cat shelter and enjoys spending time with her cats, Bella and Macy. On hot summer days she can be found on the beach, probably taking a nap.