BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — "I came, and I grabbed the American dream," said Ricardo Santos, who has spent the past five days serving Mexican food in his eclectic new eatery in Bloomsburg.
His new gig has been a long time coming. Santos moved from Mexico to New York in the 1980s, and later found a home in Luzerne County. As a former contractor, Santos says it wasn't until his 40s that he found his calling.
"I love cooking. I love people. That is my passion, not a hobby, passion."
You may recognize this food truck as the Mexican restaurant at the Conyngham exit 256 along Interstate 80. Santos opened it six years ago when his construction business failed. He set out to serve authentic Mexican food from his childhood to truck drivers and other passersby.
"I don't follow anybody's recipe. If I do, it's my grandmother because she deserves the black beans. That's what we use to eat in our house," said Santos.
The namesake of his grandmother Julia, "Taqueria J. Zapata," has grown, and last week, Santos opened his brick-and-mortar restaurant on Main Street in Bloomsburg. He's also got a restaurant in the food court at the Laurel Mall, and another food truck in Hazleton.
Navigating challenges of the coronavirus pandemic at his other restaurants, Santos was forced to hold off on opening the Bloomsburg location, which is his biggest restaurant, several months longer than he anticipated.
"When you have passion for what you do, you go where you want to go and where you want to be, and now, I am lucky to be here."