Sonia Ahmed photo
Martina Perez with her daughter, Jocelyn Perez, at the Atitlan food truck.
On a rainy Tuesday morning on Forbes Avenue, Martina Perez roasted black pepper, cumin, and cinnamon in a pan. She then boiled tomatoes and chilies in a pot before blending them with the spices and straining the resulting stew over the cooked chicken.
The dish, Guatemala’s national food, is pepián – and it’s now for sale at one of the city’s newest food trucks.
Pepián, a traditional Guatemalan dish, is prepared and served with pineapple juice by the Perez family at the Atitlan food truck.
Perez made the dish at Atitlan, a Guatemalan food truck located at 192 Forbes Ave. Tuesday was Atitlan’s first day open for business. The food truck is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Perez, 40, is the owner of Atitlan. She said she chose the Forbes Avenue spot due to the amount of space in the lot, which is next to a warehouse in the industrial port district, so customers can park and visit the truck. Additionally, Perez said that the Hispanic community in the area would be interested in eating authentic Guatemalan food.
Originally she had hoped to park her food truck at Long Wharf’s Food Truck Paradise, but there was a long wait list to get in to that lunch-spot hub, so she decided to go to Forbes Avenue instead.
Perez’s pepián featured a tender chicken leg, which was doused in the stew and its rich, savory spices. It was accompanied by cooked green beans, potatoes, carrots, and rice — a balanced meal. The tortilla tasted fresh, as if it had just come off the skillet.
Perez is from Guatemala, but her family has been living in the New Haven area for 20 years. She said she founded the food truck because of her love of cooking. She also loves to work, so she thought to combine those things, resulting in Atitlan’s opening.
On Tuesday Perez was accompanied by her daughter, 21-year-old Jocelyn Perez, who also works at the truck.
“Everything is prepared fresh early in the morning so nothing is refrigerated. Every day is a different dish from the culture,” Jocelyn said. “The tortillas are made fresh by hand on a flat skillet.”
Other foods served at the truck include huaraches, which are “small little crispy tortilla chips with ground beef and cheese,” according to Perez. The food truck also serves enchiladas, tostadas, and traditional beverages such as horchata and chicha.
Interested customers can place an order at Atitlan by calling 475 – 300-8062.
Awaiting customers Tuesday morning, opening day.