Eat with your eyes: Waffle Boutique food truck opens with sweet, savory waffle-based treats

Those who eat with their eyes may struggle to resist Pensacola's newest food truck. 

The Waffle Boutique food truck is officially on the move in Pensacola after opening for business Monday. And when it did, it almost wasn't prepared for the immediate influx of curious customers. 

"When we first pulled up Monday, there was already a line," said food truck co-owner John Hogen, who shoulders most of the business dealings at Waffle Boutique while his fiancée, Cindy Salas, controls the kitchen. "We were overwhelmed by the support right off the bat."

Colorfully captivating photos on social media of Waffle Boutique's Triple Chocolate, Cookies & Cream and Strawberry Tres Leches bubble waffle cones had people clicking the "like" and "share" buttons last week before the truck even burned a cent of gas. 

The social media hype translated to immediate business earlier this week, and Salas' Korean-inspired flavors made sure customers didn't walk away disappointed. 

"In Peru, we have a lot of Asian influence in our cooking," said the Peruvian-born Salas on Thursday. "I saw it on TV shows and stuff like that, saw there was a boom down there, and I decided to create that." 

Bubble waffles are egg-based waffles that have an almost custard-like taste to them, accompanying a unique texture and presentation. But the sweet bubble cones are just one leg of Waffle Boutique's operation. The engaged business owners also have a full menu of sweet and savory waffles on a stick. 

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"The savory, we have the classic one, which is the hot dog, and then we have the fresh cheese," Salas explained. "It's not a regular grilled cheese. It's a fresh, queso fresco, cow cheese." 

Rounding out the savory side of things at Waffle Boutique is the Pizza Waffle and the Chicken Waffle on a stick, which is served with a side of maple syrup. Customers can also request a side of Salas' special house-made olive mayo, of which Hogen is a huge fan. 

"A lot of her food is very complex with her flavors, so she has a lot of specialty sauces, like the olive mayo," Hogen said. "It's not something you'd traditionally put on chicken and waffles, but for me, that's my favorite. It's salty, then you got the chicken, and it blends well with the sweetness of the waffle."

"It's actually like an aioli," Salas added. 

Other sweet waffles on a stick include the Churro Waffle, the Chocolate & Strawberry, the Salted Caramel Cheesecake Waffle and the Bacon Maple Waffle. 

For the full menu and price points, visit the Waffle Boutique website at waffleboutiquefoodtruck.com.

If you're anxious to get your hands on these unique treats, here is Waffle Boutique's current schedule: 

• Alyssa's Antiques (4586 Chumuckla Hightway in Pace) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday
• Avalon Apartments (8800 Pine Forest Road) from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday. 
• Vintage Creek Community (9415 Pebble Stone Drive) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every other Saturday 
• Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in downtown Pensacola from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday 
• Waffle Boutique also will be at the 2020 Food Truck Fest at Community Maritime Park from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. 

Jake Newby can be reached at jnewby@pnj.com or 850-435-8538.