From loaded fries to soul food, Grand Rapids food truck offers little bit of everything
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The Taste Of Toya’s World food truck has been serving Grand Rapidians Southern comfort food and handheld meals since 2020.
“We are the home of loaded fries and wings, but we cook a little bit of everything,” said owner LaToya Burpo.
Loaded fries options range in price from $10-$14 and include options of beef, chicken, steak, bacon, cheese and chili cheese.
Wing flavors include garlic Parmesan, buffalo, BBQ and chipotle. Six wings go for $10.
“We have eight different flavors of wings,” Burpo said. “It’s a big popular seller.”
Philly cheesesteak subs are also well received by her customers.
“My favorite thing is the loaded Philly cheesesteak sub,” she said.
During an event with food trucks at John Ball Zoo on Saturday, April 20, the chicken Philly sub with broccoli pasta was selling for $14. Regular Philly cheesesteak subs go for $12 each.
Burger options include one served on Texas toast that sells for $13 with fries.
Burritos include beef ($10), chicken ($12) and steak ($12).
The food truck prices can change depending on the market.
Previously in the automotive business, Burpo said she faced a lot of adversity opening her food truck during the COVID-19 pandemic. She paid to build a food truck out of a trailer that originally used to be a disc jockey booth.
“I took my 401K plan and my unemployment and invested in myself,” she said.
Based in Grand Rapids, the Taste Of Toya’s World food truck can be found throughout the area including Wyoming, Kentwood, Hudsonville, Rockford, Ludington, Muskegon and Holland.
Taste Of Toya’s World is scheduled to participate in the Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, at Calder Plaza and nearby along Ottawa Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids. The event is expecting over 30 food trucks and booths.
Customers can find Taste Of Toya’s World at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, from 5-9 p.m. on most Wednesday nights during food truck season.
For catering events, traditional soul food can be served up like oxtails with lima bean rice.
“My Granny was big on soul food so I love to have the greens and the baked macaroni and things of that nature,” Burpo said. “We go all over Michigan.”
Many of the recipes come from Burpo’s family, who got her passion for cooking from her late grandmother, Marion Burpo.
“I call it Taste Of Toya’s World because it’s my version of the food that I cook, that I think that it should taste like, that I grew up on,” she explained.
Burpo caters weddings, graduations and office events. A soul food meal averages $20.
She plans to continue working other jobs over the winter months until she can get the catering business off the ground while it’s too cold to operate the food truck.
For more information about Taste Of Toya’s World and to see the current food truck schedule, check out Facebook, here, or call 616-406-8110.
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