GREENFIELD — Two Greenfield residents are hoping to bring a taste of their home country to the city.

The Cocina Lupita food truck, co-owned by husband and wife Aleyda Romero and Efraen Fuentes — originally of El Salvador — and Joshua Breitner, opened for business last week in the parking lot of the former Wilson’s Department Store.

“The idea started because of the pandemic,” explained Fuentes, through employee Carolina Peña, who translated from Spanish to English. “All of the restaurants, even the place I was working, closed.”

Fuentes, Romero and Breitner used to work together at The People’s Pint on Federal Street, which has since reopened.

Romero recalled saying to Breitner last year — almost jokingly, she added — that they should start a business together.

“I took it very seriously,” Breitner said, laughing.

“(Breitner) was so supportive,” said Romero, also through Peña, who helped with translation.

The idea, Fuentes and Romero explained, was to create a place where people could walk up to the counter and order their food for takeout.

“We were uncertain how long the pandemic would take,” Fuentes said. “We wanted a place where people can come and take their food, or eat outside.”

Behind the truck, shaded by the trees, pink tables with floral arrangements offer customers a place to eat their food on site.

Fuentes said they decided to situate the truck in Greenfield because they felt as though “there was no authentic Latino place.”

“We wanted to bring all the Latino flavors to the people of Greenfield,” he said. “We wanted to be part of the variety of options that are in Greenfield.”

As the main chef, Fuentes said the menu offers traditional El Salvadoran cuisine — notably, the pupusas, a soft corn tortilla filled with meat or vegetable options; pastelitos, a fried turnover with beef, chicken or potatoes; and a range of dinner plates, served with rice, beans and a salad.

“Most of the people have tried pupusas,” Fuentes said. “In People’s Pint, we used to do pupusas, but it was more of an American way. Here, in the food truck, we are trying to keep the flavors as the way they are … with authentic ingredients, too.”

As for items on the menu that might be new to most, Fuentes said the pastelitos “have been a big hit.”

“Pastelitos are something … a lot of people, when they come here, haven’t tried it,” he explained.

Both Fuentes and Romero are originally from Sensuntepeque, a town located in the central region of El Salvador. The papas fritas El Savadoreno (El Salvadoran-style fries) are prepared the same way as they would be on the streets of El Salvador, Fuentes noted.

He said he has been pleasantly supervised by the number of customers, just in the first week of business.

“It’s been a very exciting experience having all of these lovely customers with us,” Fuentes said.

Romero said with their new business venture, they hope to give back to the community that has already given so much to them.

“This community has given us a lot, and that is something we are eternally grateful for,” she said. “We want to invite everybody to come and try authentic Salvadoran food … and enjoy your day with us.”

The food truck is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The full menu is available at cocinalupita.com.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne

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