Foodies flock to Pechanga for Food Truck Festival

Thousands stopped to catch a quick bit of something deep-fried, decadent or simply delicious Saturday at the Food Truck Festival at Pechanga Resort & Casino.

Food Truck Festival Saturday at Pechanga Resort & Casino (Kerri S. Mabee/SWRNN)

“Food trucks are not something you see in this area, so this is a special event. There are a lot unique things to eat. It’s not your typical restaurant food,” said Pechanga Resort & Casino representative Ericka Luna.

Luna said that this was the second food truck event to be held at Pechanga.

The inaugural April festival drew nearly 10,000 guests.

Luna said that attendance could reach 6,000 on Saturday.

Fifty-two trucks from Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties took part in the day-long festivities that had guests milling about and mulling their next bite.

Among the more unusual tastes to tempt were Macho Nacho, Tornado Potato, gourmet sliders courtesy of The Inslider and Truck Norris that offered “Hawaiian-Filipino food at its finest.”

Also in attendance was Food Network’s two-time “Cupcake Wars” champs Suite 106, luring foodies with a eclectic selection of flavors, including Sundae Banana Split, Pumpkin Pie, Peanut Butter Cup and more.

Based out of Victoria Gardens and citing a cupcake laboratory and think tank, Lee Grammer said her daughters’ sweet treat supremacy is the result of a creative collaboration that has taken off since first appearing and winning the popular reality cook-off.

“My daughters (Christiana and Rebecca Grammer) got a call to appear on the show. It was cut-throat,” Grammer said, laughing.

But, after the win, the sisters have been building their brand with appearances at the Grammys, Emmys, and an event for the Bill Gates Foundation.

Grammer said that their food truck will be on the road again to its next food truck festival at events in Palm Desert and in Nov. at Promenade Temecula.

To learn more about future events at Pechanga Resort & Casino, visit www.pechanga.com.

Kerri S. Mabee can be reached at kerri.mabee@swrnn.com. Follow me on Twitter @kerrimabee.