Lucinda Burritos + Tacos

Imagine this: You're in a truck kitchen. You've got a line of people waiting for you to feed them and 16 feet of space in which to do it. You're grilling up fish tacos, are up to your ears in lime crema, and there's a steady stream of orders pouring in and no break in sight. You need to think fast, move fast, remember people's names, rattle off their likes and dislikes, figure out the inevitable generator/diesel/propane hiccups, and on top of it all, you have to call the meat supplier and make sure the delivery will be on time.

It's the kind of scenario guaranteed to scare most people back to their office cubicle and make them give up fantasies of running their own show. But for 29-year-old Joanna Garnett Raeppold, this is a dream and she's living it. The brains and brawn behind a mango-yellow Mexican food truck called Lucinda, Raeppold grew up in San Francisco and found herself pining for its tradition of street food when she moved to New Jersey.

She knew what her ideal eatery would have -- fresh, delicious fare served by friendly people -- and realized if she wanted a place like that, she'd have to set it up herself. So she took the leap, abandoning her office job to drive around Jersey City in a six-ton kitchen on wheels. Raeppold loves her career switch, and her "Lucinda Loyalists" love her marinated skirt steak burritos, washed down with a cinnamon dulce de leche iced coffee. The yellow truck has become such a fixture in town that alarmed customers made frantic phone calls asking, "Where are you? What happened?" when she went on holiday.


What's her secret formula? Simply going back to basics: fresh, locally sourced ingredients, familiar flavors, and a flexible menu that allows people to customize their lunch. "We get great ideas from customers. Some people know exactly what they want: black or pinto beans, lime or green-chile crema, hot sauces. Others like to have me make suggestions," she says.

Her favorite item on the menu? "Lately, breakfast has been a soft-cooked scrambled egg, black beans, salsa fresca, and lime crema. Sometimes, if I'm feeling indulgent, I'll add guacamole and hot sauce. It's a favorite with our morning regulars. In fact, we were five minutes late one day last week and had a customer waiting on the corner for this very burrito."

For those of us envious of Raeppold's escape from corporate life, she adds laughingly, "We always have internships available."

Lucinda Burritos + Tacos can be found parked at the corner of Hudson and York streets in downtown Jersey City, Mondays to Fridays, from 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Visit their site for menu updates and delivery information.