Narrated by Matt Davies Voiceover
Hello. I’m Brian. I think about food a lot.
I have lived in the Tri-Cities for 24 years, but I can still remember my first impression of the area like it happened yesterday.
My family moved here from a town called Cimarron, New Mexico, with a population of 900 people. The closest McDonald’s was 40 minutes down Highway 64. The closest Walmart was another 22 minutes up I-25. To some people, that sounds like paradise. But when you’re 12 years old, you really start to think about things like friends and unwilted lettuce — the two chief priorities of the preteen boy.
When we moved to Kennewick and I first set foot into Fred Meyer, it blew my mind that people were living like this. You could buy tomatoes and a Smash Mouth CD in the same place. You could buy duct tape, a shovel, and a gallon of bleach without anyone asking any questions or knowing where to find you. (Or any other combination of items... that was just an example.)
I felt like I had teleported into the future. And that feeling lasted for most of my teenage years. However, like many other people my age, I started to become disillusioned. There are only so many times you can wait in the lobby of some chain restaurant like Red Robin for 40 minutes at a time before you start to believe that this is all there is.
But the truth is that there has always been more. I just hadn’t ever bothered to find out what was out there. I’d never bothered to try.
What would I find if I did?
The punk rock scene of the culinary world
There is something happening in the Tri-Cities. The area is experiencing a sort of culinary renaissance, fueled by the emergence of a vibrant food truck scene that is not only expanding the area’s palate, but creating a lively, community-driven atmosphere. Food trucks are not just making the best food in the area; they are challenging the status quo, bypassing the traditional restaurant structures, and engaging with their customers directly.
I greatly enjoy getting out and trying new spots in town, but the best part has invariably been getting a chance to connect with the people that run them. These are people that have dedicated their lives to their craft. Their food is their art — it is an extension of themselves that they are sharing with you. And up until this point, I have not come across a better example of that than Hot Mess.
Hot Mess Burgers and Fries
Hot Mess Burgers and Fries is a burger truck located in the heart of downtown Kennewick with a menu of items ranging from conventional to outright madness. While most food trucks in the area are created and run by people with a passion for what they do, Hot Mess has created something that is truly an extension of themselves.
I have known the owner, Cara Nokes, for the better part of two decades. We grew up in the same neighborhood, listened to the same music, and went to Boy Scout camp together. However, we lost touch somewhere along the way. I finally got an opportunity to reconnect with her a few weeks ago, when we caught up on her business and everything that has happened in her life the last few years. She has overcome a lot to become who she is.
Please enjoy.
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