Photos by Fabian Marquez & Brenda Marquez
The family of talented chefs behind the Latusion food truck cooks Latin cuisine that embraces the flavors of Ecuador and Peru.
Imagine a warm summer day. The sun beats against the pavement while a soft breeze carries the scent of succulent meat and spices. Across the parking lot, a line has formed before the window of Galapagos Food Truck, where eager diners clamor to place their orders.
It may seem like a scene out of a fairytale, but the team behind Galapagos has been cooking up very real, very tasty food since opening in spring 2021. The story of the truck is built on dreams; after watching the movie “Chef,” co-owner Fabian Marquez was inspired to step away from ten years in the restaurant industry to pursue his dream of owning his own food business.
He and his wife Brenda made the decision to open a food truck. Latusion launched in 2016, the product of two years of toil, sweat, and grill grease. Following an overwhelmingly positive response from the community (and quenching plenty of palates along the way), the couple elected to open their second food truck, Galapagos.
“Our concept is Ecuadorian cuisine and Latin fusion,” says Marquez. On top of the inspiring back story, the advent of Latusion and its successor marks a tremendous milestone: “Both of our trucks are the first Peruvian and Ecuadorian trucks to hit Westchester County.”
Nowadays, Marquez can be found behind the counter of Latusion while Brenda and her mother, Elisa Delpezo, run Galapagos. On weekends, chef Elisa cranks out authentic Ecuadorian food that is “cooked with a lot of love,” in Fabian’s words. Such passion is evident in the quality of the food, which could easily be found at an authentic Latin restaurant. The duo doesn’t skimp on presentation, either — dishes are sprinkled with parsley and topped with pickled onions for a satisfying punch of color.
When it comes to flavor, the mindset is go big or go home. You’ll find traditional tastes of Ecuador like grilled meat and gooey cheese, but there is always a twist. One of the most sought-after dishes at Galapagos are the sweet plantains, aptly nicknamed “Maduro Loco”— and they are crazy indeed, topped with cheese, slow-roasted pulled pork, chorizo, and the signature chimichurri aioli.
Another heavy hitter is the shrimp ceviche, which comes in a cup crowned with strips of fried plantain. Save room for the parrillada (from the Spanish word “parrilla,” meaning “barbecue”), a hodgepodge of grilled steak, chicken, and chorizo that is served with crispy fried plantains and drizzled with chimichurri aioli.
What can one expect when visiting Galapagos? Customers are guaranteed to leave feeling full and satisfied; this delicious labor of love is sure to put a smile on your face. The Galapagos team regularly updates its Instagram page, which is the best way to keep up to date on weekend schedules.
