The story of Heber City’s new Puerto Rican food truck, Sabor Rico, begins with a Category 5 hurricane.  Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017. Veronica Barragan was caught in the storm. Barragan evacuated and was holed up in her grandmother’s house as she anxiously waited to see if her home had been destroyed.  “We were looking from inside the house, and we were seeing houses flying,” Barragan said. “We were like, ‘Our house is not going to make it,’ because it was cement and wood. And after everything was done, we had to go see.” Barragan and her family walked home through the rubble, unable to use their cars, and found that their house was, thankfully, still intact. A tree had fallen, hit one of the corners of the building and created a water leak. But otherwise, it was in perfect shape. Still, Hurricane Maria left a devastating impact, making it difficult for Barragan to rebuild her life after the storm. The hurricane killed over 3,000 people and had a $43 billion economic impact on Puerto Rico. An island-wide electric power outage lasted for 11 months, and there were few jobs, even for Barragan’s father, Juan Muñoz, a welder. About a month after the hurricane, Barragan and her family decided to move to the mainland. Her mother’s former boss helped the family get jobs at The St. Regis Deer Valley, and they moved to Heber City. There were many things Barragan missed about Puerto Rico when she moved to Utah, from the beaches to the birdlike chirping of coquí frogs at night. But what she missed most of all was the food.  Sabor Rico food truck offers a variety of Puerto Rican foods like a pernil plate, which consists of slow-roasted, marinated pork, rice, plantains and a macaroni salad. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record Barragan would drive to Papito Moe’s in West Jordan every weekend for a taste of home because there were no options in the Wasatch Back. Plus, Heber City’s Puerto Rican community is small, she said. After nearly nine years of living there, she’s met about 20 other Puerto Ricans. Barragan didn’t expect she’d be the trailblazer to bring her island’s food to Wasatch County, despite every member of her family’s love of cooking. Well, everyone except for Muñoz, who much prefers eating the dishes his daughter makes. Muñoz was ultimately Barragan’s biggest supporter in launching Sabor Rico, which means the “flavor of (Puerto) Rico.”  Barragan began baking Puerto Rican pastries — like cream cheese-filled quesitos and pastelillos de guayaba, a concoction of powdered sugar, puff pastry and guava — in 2019.  “I like for people to try them to see what Puerto Rican food tastes like so far away from there, because we are almost on the other coast,” she said. Veronica Barragan cooks rice inside the Sabor Rico food truck. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park RecordSabor Rico’s mascot, the coquí frog, appears on the food truck. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park RecordVeronica Barragan waves from inside her food truck, Sabor Rico. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park RecordSabor Rico’s menu offers a wide array of Puerto Rican dishes. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record But Barragan didn’t start selling her desserts until her father suggested it.  “I had my baby in December 2023. She was in the NICU for almost two months,” Barragan said. “I was, after that, depressed, bored. And he’s like, ‘We should just do something.’” As she delivered pastries around Utah, Barragan was bombarded with questions about when she would finally open a restaurant or food truck. That question was especially constant at Walmart, where Muñoz would sing his daughter’s praises to coworkers.  “He’s good at making friends with customers,” Barragan said. “He knows everyone. … Everyone knows him.” Muñoz bought a food truck for his daughter last October and has been there for her throughout the process, installing a fire suppression system and water heater and driving it around for her.  Juan Muñoz, right, bought a food truck for his daughter, Veronica Barragan, to support her love of Puerto Rican cooking. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record “Like we say in Puerto Rico, ‘I’m like a dog with two tails (wagging),'” Muñoz said. “I’m really happy. It’s her dream, and she’s going to succeed.” Barragan launched Sabor Rico last month. She serves some pastries and an array of other Puerto Rican delights, including empanadillas, piña coladas and mofongo, green plantains mashed with a mortar and pestle and served with garlic, shrimp or chicarrón, or fried pork belly.  One of Barragan’s favorite dishes is the pernil plate, pork slow-roasted for four to five hours and served with rice and pigeon peas. “It’s crunchy on the top, and then super soft inside, juicy,” she described. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record Veronica Barragan started cooking with cakes like tres leches cake, left, and Puerto Rican pastries. Barragan said what sets Puerto Rican food apart is its wide array of flavors and seasonings that add “color.” These range from annatto, a peppery, red condiment coming from the seeds of the achiote tree, and culantro, an herb that tastes like a stronger version of cilantro.  Barragan’s quest to bring Puerto Rican food to Heber City has already been well-received.  “Every time we go around with this, people (in other cars) are like, ‘We love Puerto Rican food!’ I’m like, ‘You’re making me think we’re going to crash,’” she said with a laugh. Barragan plans to drive Sabor Rico around Utah, but Heber City will be her home base. She’ll be at Heber City Hall at 75 N. Main St. from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday. The post Sabor Rico brings a taste of Puerto Rico to Heber City appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less