Detour ahead

Back in 2012, I decided to take my leave of Chico and explore parts unknown. After about a year and a half, I found my way back and, in my absence, the food truck phenomenon took hold. Chico had always been flush with taco trucks—the first, Tacos Cortes, opened in 1985! But in 2012-13, a ton of trucks, featuring various types of cuisine, exploded onto the scene.

Sadly, I missed the first edition of Fork in the Road, which launched in July 2013. But I’ve been to a handful of the events, held the first Wednesday of the month, April-September, in the years since. They’re fun community gatherings, organized by John Geiger, who, with his wife, Inday, owns Inday’s Filipino Restaurant and food cart. Geiger dropped me a line earlier this week that he had news. I dutifully stopped by for breakfast to find out more.

The scoop: Manzanita Place’s rent has gotten too high to continue the monthly event, Geiger told me. Last year, they paid $400 per event, which equaled about $40 per vendor. This year, he said, the price tag was upped to $1,200. “So, I’m looking for other venues,” he said. (Calls to Manzanita Place for comment were not returned by press time.)

“Manzanita Place has been a good venue for us,” he added. “The Elks sell beer and margaritas, and we got sponsors to pay for the bands.”

In its fifth year, however, it appears it’s time to move on. Geiger is eyeing the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds as a potential home base. Most of the parks are off-limits because of the inability to sell alcohol—which is a significant draw, he acknowledged. Geiger noted he would like to see more partnerships with local nonprofits, aka “Sporks in the Road.” And he’s even toyed with the idea of a pop-up Fork in the Road (my personal fave!).

Hopefully they can find a permanent host. Absent that, I think a roaming food-truck rally could be fun. Plus, Geiger told me that Fork in the Road is teaming up with the Chico Heat this summer to provide two to four trucks at each home game. What a fun idea! I love the thought of chowing on some killer mac ’n’ cheese or a gourmet burger while spending an evening at Nettleton Stadium.

Speedy delivery Laziness has reached a new level. Or maybe it’s our desire to avoid human interaction in favor of screens. So, if going to the grocery store is just too much for you, you’re in luck—Instacart has arrived. The app, which launched in the Chico and Redding areas Wednesday (Feb. 21), allows users to shop for groceries, etc., online. Then, Instacart buyers/deliverers—which, like an Uber driver, could be almost anyone—swing by the store and deliver your order to your door. The app works with retailers including Cash & Carry, Costco, CVS, Petco and Safeway. I love the fact that Cash & Carry is in the mix—how many restaurants will now be able to get that extra pound of tomatoes or 5 gallons of milk to make it through service? Genius!