A taco for everyone

Stephanie Shomin, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·2 min read

Jun. 22—FRANKFORT — Shannon Rosum's initial job in the restaurant industry was at Boonedocks in Glen Arbor about 30 years ago. He later managed the kitchen at The Cabbage Shed in Elberta and helped at Rock's Landing in Frankfort.

He said he wanted to do his own thing, so in 2020, he started creating a menu and bought a truck. Now, he is in his third season with Off the Hook Tacos.

"Tacos are my favorite food," Rosum said.

Rosum uses the incubator kitchen at Grow Benzie in Benzonia to prepare items for his menu.

For example, he said he cooks off about 60 pounds of burger for the beef tacos. He tops the tacos with homemade pickled onions and slaw, and he uses many seasonings from Cold Creek Farm — which also shares the kitchen at Grow Benzie.

He also offers fish, shrimp, pork and a vegetarian variety. A cherry chipotle sauce goes on the pork and a cilantro lime sauce tops the fish and vegetarian tacos. He said the veggie tacos can be vegan, as he keeps a vegan mozzarella cheese on hand.

"I have a taco for everyone," he said. "Any of our tacos can be gluten-free because I use cornmeal for the breading for the fish. It keeps it nice and light."

In addition to tacos, Rosum makes a street corn cup, bean and cheese burrito and cinnamon sugar chips.

"It's all natural ingredients," he added. "Most everything is from scratch."

Steve Tebo said he has know Rosum for many years. Rosum was among the initial staff members of Rock's Landing when Tebo opened the restaurant in 2018.

"I talked him out of restaurant retirement," Tebo said. "He has a lot of experience. His truck has become so popular. It's a great addition to the Benzie County dining scene."

Tebo said he and his wife volunteer with Grow Benzie, and he acts as a consultant for the tenants of the incubator kitchen. In this way, he still works with Rosum.

Off the Hook Tacos is usually parked at 1048 Main St. in Frankfort. The food truck is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Rosum said he leaves Saturdays open for events like weddings and open houses.

Rosum said he would like to expand the area around his food truck, which is located bear the Betsie Valley Trail. He said a couple other vendors will join him this year.

"I'm trying to make it similar to The Little Fleet in Traverse City," he said.