Haitian food truck featuring Caribbean cuisine now open in Springfield

A food truck featuring Haitian creole cuisine just opened up in Springfield. Creole Bites on 1832 E. Main St. serves to bring a taste of the Caribbean country to the city’s growing Haitian community.

The food truck is vibrant with colors, lights, decorative palm trees and the smell of spiced Caribbean food. It’s the latest creation of a group of Haitian community members that organized the Haitian Flag Day festival back in May.

The truck serves traditional entrees like griyo, or braised and fried pork, tassot, which can be marinated beef or goat along with rice and beans and vegetable stew known as legim.

Miguelito Jerome, one of the members behind the group, said part of the idea of the food truck is to not only bring a taste of home to established Haitians, but to connect with the broader community in Springfield.

“Every time we have a chance to bring a part of our culture to share it, that for us is a way to communicate,” Jerome said. “They at least have an idea what to put behind the Haitian name. You know, the food, the culture, the way we dance, the way they eat, the way we talk.”

There’s no official estimates, though within the past five years, thousands of Haitian immigrants have come to Springfield for work or to be with family, according to organizations that work alongside the Haitian community.

Luckens Merzious, another member of the group and a creole translator in Springfield, said within the last two years, he’s seen the city open up to the immigrant community. He said he’s been encouraging other Haitian immigrants to open businesses and share their culture in Springfield.

“We're trying to integrate and contribute to the community. We've got a bunch of Haitians that are really educated. And right now we have been advocating to see if we can get more Haitians involved in the community.” Merzious said.

The food truck is just the second Haitian food option that opened recently, following Rose Goute Creole — which opened last month on South Limestone Street. The group plans to launch several more food trucks across the city.

Alejandro Figueroa is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.