Food trucks active in Edmonds area help us feed our desire for fresh cuisine, something we don’t already have on the leftover shelf, in our fridge. Recently I paid tribute to Chef Dane’s “Orange Truck.” I encourage folks to stop by at Dayton and 4th in Edmonds on any Wednesday or go online to see additional options to feed the family and to support local enterprise. Our readers have noted additional opportunities.

Food festivals have just not happened this year, due to COVID-19. While we are not able indulge, noshing our way through the food exhibits at the Edmonds Art Festival or Taste Edmonds, beloved vendors have not been sitting idle. We can’t come to them, so they’ve taken the initiative and secured locations to offer up their specialty for local consumption.

Seafood fans spotted a familiar truck and alerted My Edmonds News. Scotty’s — whose booth always has long lines at any festival event — found a way to offer its Blackened salmon Caesar salad and other entrees on a weekly basis. Chef Scotty’s “new” and permanent location in Edmonds is at Calvary Chapel, in Edmonds’ Five Corners neighborhood. His food truck is parked at 8330 212th St. S.W. from 4-7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

His online menu offers most of the entrees usually found at the event venues. I phoned and ordered up one of each.

Blackened salmon Caesar salad is a favorite of mine. Expertly grilled, a large salmon fillet rests atop a generous pile of crisp romaine, liberally dressed with Scotty’s homemade Caesar dressing, and dusted with parmesan. We devoured the order, not a crouton left in the bowl.

Prawns were truly jumbo-sized pieces breaded with panko, crispy, no oil detected at all. Big fat fries and prawns were served with wasabi cocktail sauce, a nice bite that accented the sweet shrimp meat.

Fish and chips: Panko-breaded fresh cod was accompanied by steak-sized chips, and containers of house-made tartar sauce that tasted of fresh dill. It was tasty, and none went to waste, as it was good with the crispy potato fries as well.

Grilled garlic jumbo shrimp were served up on soft tacos, dressed with a sweet chili chipotle sauce; a small side of slaw, pineapple salsa fresca and fresh cilantro completed the plate.

Blackened salmon and the jumbo garlic shrimp can be ordered in the form of a wrap, which may be easier to eat on the go. Your seafood choice is added to a salad of romaine, homemade Caesar dressing and parmesan, and enclosed in a large pita.

We enjoyed a large portion of New England-style clam chowder: Spoons were busy scooping up the rich broth that held tender chopped sea clams, potatoes, bacon and herbs.

I arrived at the church parking lot a few minutes ahead of schedule. Once I stepped to the window, and to affirm that we wanted three pieces of the cod and paid the bill, I was handed the whole order in no time.

Food items all traveled well — about a 10-minute trip back to home. Seafood items and fries were piping hot, still crunchy and salad greens cool and crisp.

Precision and years of skilled culinary execution are evident in the quality of all the food. Chef Scotty has been working as a chef and caterer in the Seattle area for over 25 years.

Some history: Scotty was born in Japan. He spent many years living near the Mediterranean coast in Turkey. A local village fisherman would take him out early in the morning to pull in nets, and bring fish back to clean, prepare and serve up with locally grown produce.

As a young chef in Seattle, Chef Scotty apprenticed with Joe Ching (Canlis) and Dave Madayag (Seattle Central Culinary Institute). He was selected executive chef to open the iconic Salty’s on Redondo and continued as executive banquet chef at Salty’s on Alki until 1997.

Scotty and his wife Cindy usually participate in various festivals in and around Seattle including Sorticulture, Bellevue Art Museum, Issaquah Salmon Days and our Edmonds Art Festival. These festivals have garnered several awards, including best entrée for his Blackened salmon Caesar salad.

Scotty’s motto is “Fresh of Course,” using fresh and healthy products at a fair cost. Chef Scotty’s truck provides excellent seafood for our community to enjoy, so stop by and “Eat More Fish” — as the slogan on his truck advises.

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Those of you who’ve read my column for a few years might remember that I hail from Arizona.While recent COVID restrictions have eliminated visits, I discovered a way to get there, or at least to trick my taste buds into believing they were at one of my favorite haunts in Glendale.

Tucked under a tall conifer at one end of the Burlington Coat Factory parking area that borders Highway 99, there’s a taco truck called Taqueria’s Los Amigos. I’ve neglected to report on this tasty treasure to readers — apologies.

I walked up to the truck and stepped into childhood memories — a visit to local grocery across the street from our high school in Glendale. Shelves on the truck displayed an assortment of candy and treats that my friends and I purchased on a regular basis. An ice chest offers bottles of “real” Coke, the kind made in Mexico with pure cane sugar, and other Latin soft drink brands, even Horchata.

Pressed close to the window, I tried to give my order to the woman staffing the truck. Communication comedy ensued, as between her mask and mine, the muffled phrases piled up. I’d calculated ahead of time how much cash to bring. The lady handed back way more change than I expected. We reviewed the order and found I’d not spoken clearly about the desire for sopitos. More laughter ensued, more money was exchanged, and in short order she announced that my food was ready.

My car filled with delicious aromas, I fought the temptation to open just one plate and nibble a bit, at the red lights.

It’s a bit tricky procuring meals from Taqueria’s Los Amigos. I’d scoured the internet, but failed to locate online ordering, or menu options. I finally found a picture of the menu, purple poster  from the side of the truck. Additional signage alerted me to the fact that one must bring cash — Taqueria’s Los Amigos doesn’t do credit cards.

Lastly, for those who don’t eat meat, ordering may be a bit daunting. On every item ordered the woman asked “What kind of meat?” Meat choices are plentiful, they even have tongue! There are no seafood options. One must firmly declare that you are OK with just the rice and beans, sauces and veggie garnishes.

For folks who enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, just get in your car and go, swing by an ATM on the way… I swear it is so worth the effort and such a bargain. My entire order, detailed below, totaled just a bit over $40, including tax.

Carne asada street tacos were liberally dressed with shredded cabbage, lettuce, plenty of avocado slices. Cups of both green smooth sauce and a chunkier and very spicy red sauce accompanied each order. There were four tacos on the plate, plenty to share.

Ditto the chicken burrito. This was a serving large enough for two, maybe three hungry hombres. In the photo, you’ll notice the burrito encompasses an entire dinner-sized platter. The tender tortilla burst at the seams, and it was not full of just beans and rice: 50% of the filling was tasty and tender chicken.

The combo plate of carne asada piled with plentiful sides squared well with my non-meat eater hubby, and the rest of us shared the tender strips of grilled beef.

Sopitos, a thicker version of a corn tortilla, handmade with scooped edges, holds the filling of beans, cheese, and shredded veggies securely, as one nibbles at the edges. We chose ours with pork, and these were liberally covered with shredded vegetables, including slices of radish.

The last item on my list —  torta de jamon — contained thick slices of ham, shredded veggies, Mexican fresh cheese, and slices of avocado. Contents are grilled, and folded into a crispy bun. Pale creamy cheese flowed between the slices of ham.

This sandwich has a nickname, El Chavo. It is the name of the main character on a popular Latin sitcom from the 1970s. Later the show evolved into cartoon format, and the attendant merchandising pieces.

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Other updates:

– There’s a new restaurant, Shahi Tandoor & Grill, coming soon to Mountlake Terrace. It’s in the West Plaza area that contains Diamond Knot and Double DD Meats:

– While activity has been spotted at the upcoming Kahlo’s Restaurant and Cantina at 102 Main St. across the ferry terminal, we have yet to receive updates. Restaurant News will be diligent and report back to our readers when connections are made.

– Recent news of relaxed restrictions for restaurants and bars must not cause us lower our guard. Please mask up, and distance when you dine in local establishments. Protect yourself, other diners, and restaurant staff who serve your food.  Be careful out there

— By Kathy Passage

A specialty gourmet food broker for over 30 years, Kathy Passage has in-depth knowledge on food and the special qualities of ingredients used in the exquisite products she helped bring to market. Kathy brings this unique perspective from the “other side of the plate” to writing about the food and restaurant scene in Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.