What’s on the menu? Depends on the day for this ‘cafe on wheels’ in Centre County
Matt McKean boasts years of experience in the food business, working in every role from dishwasher up to executive chef, but when his position at Penn State was impacted by the pandemic, it was time for a brand-new venture: a food truck.
“I saw how the trend was going toward mobile dining, with restaurants being closed,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t going to last forever, but, at the same time, I looked around and I saw other areas of the country where this has been popular for a long time. ... The food truck scene is finally catching on in this area, so it’s kind of like getting in on the ground floor.”
McKean purchased his food truck in February and rolled out for business in July with Marin Eats, a colorful “cafe on wheels” named after an inside joke between McKean and his wife.
“My name’s Matt and she’s Erin, and sometimes people joke about us being the same person. We just made a joke out of it years ago and we just use it for our business name,” he said.
Now, you can find Marin Eats at local spots such as Titan Market on the weekends and watering holes like Axemann Brewery and University Wine Company. The food truck offers a range of casual eats, with menus that change regularly. In fact, the regularly changing menus are one of McKean’s favorite parts of the job.
“That’s one of the perks — that I can pretty much do anything. I can customize menus,” he said. “I’ve really liked the fact that I’m in charge of the menu and the recipes for the food. I don’t have to worry about getting approval from someone else. It’s all my ideas.”
McKean changes up his offerings based on where he’ll be parked for the day, what type of event or business he’s attending, the time of day, the weather and other factors.
“I just tailor it to what I think people are going to be in the mood for when the truck shows up,” he said.
Still, even with the often-changing menu, there are a few stalwart staples that have made themselves known as fan favorites on the Marin Eats menu, including the truffle Parmesan tots and the bloody mary grilled cheese. The former is a helping of crispy tater tots tossed in truffle oil and salt, and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese, while the latter is a sourdough grilled cheese filled with havarti, white cheddar and a horseradish tomato jam.
As for McKean, one of his personal favorite menu items is his chicken bacon sandwich, served on a pretzel roll and topped with cheese and a homemade dijonaise. Other menu items that have made appearances in the past include season-specific items such as a pumpkin creme brûlée, sausage and white bean soup, wild mushroom brie soup and pumpkin risotto. When Marin Eats makes morning appearances at Titan Market, McKean also offers breakfast options, such as sausage gravy and biscuits and breakfast croissant sandwiches.
“I looked around and I saw what everyone else was doing — pizza and barbecue and that kind of stuff. I decided I wanted to do something a little bit different,” McKean said of his menu. The latest menu, as well as the food truck’s schedule, can be found on the business’s Facebook page.
Looking toward the winter months, McKean said he’s booked up through the end of December and he plans on playing the rest of the season by ear. He also offers catering for private events. However, he’s looking to keep the business relatively small, as, for the time being, it’s only him at the helm, with occasional help from family.
“I like the way that this year went and I’d really like to do a repeat of that. It was really great. It was fantastic, as far as growing the business. It’s basically just me and occasionally my daughter and my wife in the truck, so I don’t want to get too huge and overwhelm myself. I basically want to just continue to be able to do the food that I like to do and do it the way that I want to do it,” he said.
Get the latest schedule and menu for Marin Eats at www.facebook.com/MarinEatsLLC/.
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 11:00 AM.