Homemade is how they roll

Kerry Peters will be the first to admit that perhaps she was watching a little too much Food Network, but when she saw the tricked-out trucks serving food on the streets in episodes of “The Great Food Truck Race,” she knew she wanted one.

And not just any truck. Peters and her husband, Rob, started searching for one of the sweet, stainless-steel clad beauties that are designed for the job. “We wanted to change that culture of a roach coach,” said Rob Peters. “We hope to do it with a nice clean truck and good, healthy food.”

The search led them to Las Vegas, where they struck a deal to buy a Chevy food truck from Sloppi Jos Roving Eatery. Getting the truck home was another matter. Kerry Peters said the truck’s paint job featured a larger-than-life girl on the side with her skirt flipped up a bit to show her bloomers – tasteful by Vegas standards but a bit wild for the Christian couple.

“I thought, ‘Where are we going to hide this until we can get it painted?’ ” Rob Peters said.

That’s how Classic Cruisin’ Cuisine was born.

Kerry Peters has more than 20 years of experience in restaurants around Spokane. She loves to cook because it makes everyone so happy.

“People are always telling me I cook too much,” she said. “Now, I don’t have to wait for people to come to me. I can just jump in my truck and go to them.”

Almost everything served from the truck is scratch made, from the tartar sauce to the maple and black pepper glaze on the bacon. Burgers are hand-pressed and infused with a custom blend of more than eight seasonings. It’s home cooking meets ’50s-style diner – burgers, sandwiches, wraps and chili are featured on the lunch menu and into the evening. Kerry Peters includes a homemade cookie or brownie with every meal. At breakfast, hotcakes, biscuits and gravy, eggs and hash browns star.

There are a few novelties to ratchet up the fun, including sweet potato tater tots and deep-fried goodness including macaroni and cheese balls and Oreos. Prices range from the chili burger or chicken breast sandwich topped with salsa, guacamole and pepper jack for $7.99 down to $4.25 for a grilled cheese sandwich.

“Everything is homemade and if I can’t make it I’ll find someone in town who can make it from scratch,” Kerry Peters said.

The Classic Cruisin’ Cuisine truck is often parked downtown at Sprague and Washington from lunch on into the wee hours of the morning. Some days they arrive at 11 a.m. and stay until 3 a.m., others they arrive at 3 p.m. and serve until 3 a.m.

The truck also motors to special events, catering jobs and even near some apartment buildings. They post the schedule on their website at www.classic cruisincuisine.com and the Classic Cruisin’ Cuisine Facebook page.

Although Kerry Peters does most of the cooking and business, Rob Peters helps with support, cleaning and maintenance of the truck. He’ll also get behind the counter when needed. He is retired from University High School in Spokane Valley, where he taught business for 20 years.

Although they’ve just started the business, the Peterses also want to use it to help people who need it. Once or twice a month they work with Nightwalk Ministries to help feed needy and homeless people under the viaduct downtown. One of the first nights they helped, Kerry Peters said, they were expecting to serve up to 30 dinners. When word of the hot meal spread, it attracted more than 80 people. When they ran out of spaghetti, they broke out German sausages and turkey wraps.

“I can’t say no to people,” Kerry Peters said.

Rob Peters added: “We’ve been blessed to be able to have this truck and we want to be able to give back to people.”

Reach Classic Crusin’ Cuisine at (509) 217-5816.

Beyond Belt Sushi and Roll opens

The conveyor belt or kaiten sushi restaurant in north Spokane is under new ownership and it has a new name. The former Sushi Track restaurant, 7458 N. Division St., is now Beyond Belt Sushi and Roll.

Owner Joe Kim took over the location and is working with his friend and sushi chef James Song.

The men met while working for restaurants in Alaska. Kim was the owner of Stormy’s restaurant in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Song worked on fishing boats in Alaska as a deck hand and cook.

“We know fish very well,” Kim said.

Song has been a sushi chef for more than 20 years. He makes classic and special sushi rolls for the conveyor belt. They use only wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon in the restaurant. Customers can take a plate from the belt when they see something they’d like to eat. The plates are color coded to indicate the price, ranging from $4 to $8 per plate.

The restaurant also serves teriyaki, yakisoba noodles, stir fries and tempura. Bento box combinations are $9 to $12.

Beyond Belt recently acquired a liquor license and now serves beer, wine and cold or hot sake.

The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Reach the restaurant by calling (509) 483-4000.

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill open in CdA

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill opened its sixth Idaho location late last month.

The grill, 560 W. Kathleen Ave., specializes in fresh-made tortillas, salsa and sweet barbacoa pork, along with other Mexican cuisine.

The restaurant chain, headquartered in Salt Lake City, has 49 locations nationwide, although none in Washington.

The restaurant celebrated its grand opening on March 28 by donating $2,500 to the Coeur d’Alene School District, according to a news release from the company.

The quick-service restaurant is open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Reach it by calling (208) 620-4000.

There is more information about the restaurant including menus at www.caferio.com.

Ionic Burrito closes, Rusty Roof’s planned

A note on the door of the Ionic Burrito, 1415 N. Hamilton St., recently announced the restaurant’s closure and plans for a new burger restaurant.

According to the sign in the window of the shuttered Ionic Burrito, the location will be remodeled for a few weeks before it reopens as Rusty Roof’s Burger and Shake Shack.

Ionic Burrito is perhaps best known for having to give up its original name, Sonic Burrito, to avoid a court battle with Sonic Drive-In after the business accused the restaurant owner of violating federal trademark law.

It will be the second location for Rusty Roof’s, owned by Frank and Shanna Haney. Frank Haney is a former construction worker turned restaurant owner. He opened his first restaurant at 101 E. Hastings Road, Suite H, in 2010. Reach that restaurant at (509) 368-9074.

Stay tuned to The Dish for more details as they become available.

Parisian Cupcake closes

Seven months after opening in the Manito Park neighborhood, the Parisian Cupcake is closed.

Owner Melody Pugh announced the closure on the business’s Facebook page, “As you can imagine, running a small part-time niche business in today’s economic climate does not provide an income sufficient to support our family of four and allow us to meet the goals we have set for ourselves and our children,” Pugh wrote.

She and her husband, Steve, opened the cupcake business in the basement of their home at 2403 S. Grand Blvd.

The couple struggled at first to come to an agreement with the city for signs that would point the way to the neighborhood business. The bakery closed March 30.