It’s not a secret anymore…Pittsburgh finally has a Puerto Rican food truck! And trust us, it’s worth giving it a try because their food is authentic and delicious.
Felipe Crespo learned all about Puerto Rican cooking from his grandparents, who were his inspiration for the food truck menu. He’s taken everything they taught him about cooking and merged it with his scientific background to reinvent the procedures his grandparents taught him – and you can taste the difference. (His grandparents approve of the changes, FYI.) After a year of pop-ups and catering, Felipe had enough money to buy the food truck and named it after them: Secretos de mis Abuelos means secrets of my grandparents. It’s the perfect reminder that there are some secrets to cooking that have to be handed down, they can’t just be learned on the internet.
So let’s talk about the food! You’ll find daily specials, although they’ve been so popular that most happen more than once a week. Traditional Puerto Rican platters are available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesdays are for tacos – which are a Mexican dish, not Puerto Rican. BUT! They’re one of Felipe’s favorite foods, so he wanted to find a way to incorporate them – and he does that by seasoning the meats (or vegan red beans) Puerto Rican style and by using plantains as the base for nachos. If you love sandwiches, stop by on Thursdays to pick between the jibarito (a plantain bun sandwich) or the tripleta (a triple meat sandwich on a toasted sweet bun from Puerto Rico).
No matter if you get a very traditional plate of rice and beans with meat and plantains, or if you opt for a taco or plantain nachos, you’ll definitely want to get an empanada or mofongo as an appetizer. And, the meal wouldn’t be complete unless you washed it all down with a tropi-cola or a Malta!
If running a food truck wasn’t enough, Felipe is also starting a non-profit to raise money to assist other non-profit missions specializing in responding to major crisis. You’ll soon be able to donate when you pay for your food!
So, who’s ready to visit Secretos de mis Abuelos with us so we can order one of everything?? You’ll find the food truck parked at 92 Crane Avenue Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, and at various events on the weekends. You can also try them using third-party delivery apps. Follow them on Instagram for their schedule, giveaways, and more!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.