KENNEBUNK — Cindi Neale emphasizes that everything in her new food cart, “What-a-Wrap” – from the corn beef hash to the pico de gallo – is homemade. She even shreds the lettuce by hand and chips her own ice, which keeps the drinks cold on the scortching August afternoons. Those touches, she hopes, will keep customers coming back.

“You’ll never get a soft tomato,” Neale said. “I go every day to get fresh veggies.”

After being in the restaurant business for over 20 years, the Kennebunk resident said she was looking for a change and opened “Wrappers,” a food truck in Brunswick, with a similar menu. She’s inspired by the food trucks of Puerto Rico, where she ate “some of the best food” she’s had.

“They are out there every day,” in the hot weather, Neal said, but “they take great pride in what they are serving. ”

After selling “Wrappers,” she began looking at opening a business somewhere closer to home, looking first at Ogunquit and Wells. However, when she heard that Kennebunk first began looking for three or four food trucks in the open area behind the Waterhouse center, she jumped at the opportunity.

The atmosphere of the Waterhouse center – with kids in the winter skating from dawn until dusk and a variety of festivals and concerts during the long summer days, as well as downtown pedestrians – make the location a great spot for Neale.

“I want to be a part of kids’ memories,” Neale said. “I want them (to say), ‘I remember that lady who had that stand; the skating was so fun!’”

The menu has a little bit of everything. There’s a lobster roll, a steak and a Caesar wrap, as well as a “Spanish veggie fiesta” wrap with Neale’s house-made pico de gallo. A touch that stands out is her choice to toast her many types of wraps (you can get anything from basil to jalapeno), which ensures that the sandwich doesn’t get soggy. And her customers agree: currently her food truck is holds the highest possible rating on TripAdvisor.

Business has been steady so far; at present, she’s the only food cart near the Waterhouse Center, but there are plans to open a coffee truck soon, and she might add breakfast if the Waterhouse center can become a destination for hungry residents and visitors headed down to the beach. Currently she’s open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, and she has plans to serve hot dogs and cocoa during the winter. However, right now, she’s there when the people are.

“It has such a good ambience,” Neale said. “It’s an absolutely beautiful place.”

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