We first spotted Peak Empanadas, Holy Q’Bano food truck outside the now-defunct Señor Manuel’s Restaurant on North Nevada Avenue and made a mental note to stop someday. Weeks later, we spotted it again at Golden Hills Park off Delmonico Drive. This time, we pulled in.

Not only did we discover memorable Caribbean-inspired fare, but we also found a family business with a mission.

Owner Bradley Fairman launched the food truck to teach his three teenage sons the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.

“My boys were not able to find jobs, so I started thinking about opening a food truck to teach them how to run a business,” Fairman said. “And I shopped around and could not find a Cubano sandwich I liked. So that was an inspiration, too.”

Born in Panama, Fairman draws inspiration from across the Caribbean, blending flavors and traditions from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama and Costa Rica. His restaurant experience includes helping run a restaurant in Florida and learning to cook from his mother, who owned a restaurant in Panama.

The standout is the Cubano sandwich ($15.99), one of the best versions we’ve sampled in Colorado Springs. Fairman sources his bread from La Segunda Cuban Bakery in Tampa, Fla. The result is a slightly sweet loaf with a delicately crisp crust, finished on the grill with a blend of butter and honey.

The empanadas also merit attention. A beef empanada ($5) arrived generously stuffed with seasoned ground beef, potatoes, onions and olives.
Hours vary, so check social media before heading out.

Details: (321) 960-4200, tinyurl.com/cs3ka6kc.

Mustard maven’s latest creation

Karrie Williams doesn’t just like mustard — she loves it.

Williams and her husband, Mark Jakusovszky, own Colonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium, 1412 S. 21st St., where award-winning sandwiches often feature selections from the deli’s extensive collection of specialty mustards.

At a recent mustard taste-off, Williams introduced judges to a new limited-time product: Champagne Honey Mustard tortillas ($14 per 12-count bag).

“Raquelitas Tortillas in Denver custom-makes them for us,” Williams said. “We use them for our Chick-a-Boom snack wrap.”

The judges agreed Williams was onto something. I took home a frozen package and have continued to marvel at the tortillas’ mild mustard tang. Thin and delicate, almost crepe-like, they pair well with everything from bean soup to thinly sliced roast beef.

Store hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Details: 719-203-4743, facebook.com/ColMustardSandwich.

Chef’s Table offers a culinary journey

In late May, Ricky Biswas, executive chef at Roth’s Sea & Steak, part of the Ford Amphitheater complex, 13010 Spectrum Sun View, debuted his much-anticipated Chef’s Table experience.

The inaugural dinner, “The Seven Chapters of Land & Sea,” used a multi-course tasting menu to tell the story of Biswas’ culinary journey.

“My culinary perspective of how my journey shaped my classical techniques with modern expressions,” Biswas said.

Just six guests were seated for the intimate experience. Biswas, his brigade of eight chefs, the sushi chef and the sommelier orchestrated a seamless evening of food, wine and storytelling.

The evening began with a glass of sparkling wine and salmon tartare-filled pastry cornets before guests settled in for a progression of artfully plated courses. As Biswas shared stories of learning under demanding, high-principled chefs, each chapter brought another thoughtfully crafted dish paired with wine.

The meal proved memorable enough to warrant a return visit.

Before the evening ended with cookies and milk in Brohan’s lounge upstairs, Biswas snapped a Polaroid photo of the group and tucked it into a journal filled with memories from previous Chef’s Table dinners. Guests were then invited to add comments about the experience.

“At the end of the day, I love reading how each guest’s experience was and what stood out to them,” he said.

The next Chef’s Table, “The Story of Two Kitchens,” explores the culinary partnership between Biswas and sous chef Gabriel Jimenez through Indian and Mexican influences, interpreted with French technique. Cost is $190 per guest (wine pairing available). Details: 719-314-3350, rothsseaandsteak.com.