A ‘gourmet’ food truck will begin cruising through Isla Vista next month to serve its cross-cultural menu to the local community. Based out of a kitchen space in downtown Santa Barbara, the O Street Truck mobile diner will sell Mediterranean, French- Mexican and French Vietnamese fare off its daily menu, in addition to catering events in the tri-county area.

Roadside fare currently on the O Street menu ranges from French pastry pizzas for $4 to French-Mex tacos for $2.50, or an Italian cucumber, tomato and basil salad with vinaigrette for $2.50. Liz Bradley, president, founder and CEO of the company, said the business concept came from experience as a career chef.

“I am a pastry chef and for the past couple of years have been looking for alternative business ideas in order to survive,” Bradley said. “This food truck we are starting is brand new and completely different from anything else we have done. It’s like having a restaurant on wheels — we do things like French pastry pizza and chicken or beef banh mi sandwiches and are trying to take this food to the streets. A kind of French and Mexican mix heavily influenced by traditional French fare.”

According to Molly Mull, VP for marketing, press and catering, the food truck will have a route that passes through Santa Barbara, Isla Vista, Carpinteria and Goleta with breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menu options all week.

“We are trying to look for places where we can meet the students, places around Isla Vista,” Mull said. “We are also very interested in downtown Santa Barbara but have to go through more paperwork before we can get started down there.”

Additionally, the O Street Truck will cater $1,000 minimum events for local businesses and organizations throughout the county.

“We are also getting into the catering business, but are not trying to take business away from the major caterers like the Country Catering Company and Pure Joy,” Mull said. “We are working with such organizations like the Boys and Girls club and the sorority Alpha Phi by providing inexpensive, fresh great-tasting food.”

On Friday, the O Street Truck held an invitational food-tasting in preparation of the company’s launch in early March.

Third-year English major Melissa Granados said the food and atmosphere were pleasant at the tasting.

“The food tasted great. It was filling, but I did not feel like I ate something fatty and had to go lie down afterward,” Granados said. “I also really was impressed with how hospitable and nice everyone was; they really care about their food and making sure people enjoy it.”