Food truck business evolves into restaurant with Puerto Rican flavor.
In 2022, they bought a food truck and began serving their Boricua Luna Caribbean Cuisine from the Museum Club parking lot. Since then, they’ve been cooking at Lowell Observatory, Pine Canyon Flagstaff and other locations around town and Northern Arizona. They serve hungry students at Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College and cater weddings and special events.
“We offer take-out making for the perfect meal for an outdoor picnic,” Pagan said.
And that’s been great, they say, but now they are over the moon with anticipation as they plan to open their restaurant in March or April – and fans are hungry for it.
“Our menu includes a range of dishes that are popular not only in our area but throughout Caribbean culture,” said Pagan. “Customers love to dive into our ground beef empanadas and mofongo, a side dish made with fried green plantains mashed by hand together with chicharrones [crispy pork skin] and fresh garlic.”
Boricua Luna’s kan kan pork chops and sandwiches are also Flagstaff favorites, like the Tripleta, which comes with ham, chicken and pork. Pagan notes that they source fresh ingredients from local farmers’ markets to serve “the best of the season.” They create vegetarian dishes, as well, and modify entrees for those with dietary restrictions “so that everyone can enjoy a fantastic experience with us!” he says.
“Customers say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is something different that we need here in Flagstaff!’” said Pagan, who is bilingual. “It’s very tasty, colorful and flavorful, but not spicy hot.”
Pagan and Colon were born and trained in Puerto Rico. They moved to Flagstaff from Florida 11 years ago, where they had been working at Disney World. They came to Northern Arizona to help open Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort east of Flagstaff. Currently, Colon, who had been the pastry chef at Twin Arrows, makes 2,000 pastries every week in their new kitchen for coffeehouses including Late for the Train, Single Speed Coffee and Noble Ground Coffee. Boricua Luna also makes nearly 3,000 burritos every month to meet the demand.
Pagan, formerly the food and beverage manager at NAU, says the Boricua Luna kitchen is ready to open at 1071 E. All Canyon Court near Warner’s Nursery; he’s just waiting for some final touches, including the restaurant floor to be finished.
“We want the restaurant to be family-friendly with fine-dining quality,” said Pagan. “We will serve a lot of seafood options, including lobster and shrimp, but at affordable prices.”
This move to the restaurant they say will allow them to satisfy their customers’ cravings with even more delectable dishes. Que rico! FBN
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
Courtesy Photo: Joel Pagan and Francys Colon are over the moon about opening their restaurant this spring and bringing more Caribbean flavor to town.