Orange County’s first doggie food truck is finally here. Thanks to founder Jana Erven, Alice’s Gourmet Wonderland is here to spoil our best pals with frozen yogurt, cookies, biscuits, jerky, toys, and even fully cooked meals.
After years of demanding, pre-veterinarian work at Iowa State University, Erven wasn’t accepted into her top choice for veterinary school. “My fallback plan was to do something with animals still, that would incorporate my degree,” she said. By combining her love for nutrition and animals, Erven and her inspiration, a red Siberian Husky named Alice, set off to please the pups of Orange County.
Even in a county chockablock with food trucks, Alice’s Gourmet Wonderland’s design stands out. Paintings from a canine version of Alice in Wonderland starring Erven’s Alice and pages from Lewis Carroll’s classic wrap around the truck. In one piece, the the red Siberian is falling down a rabbit hole; in another, she’s trying to get the attention of a familiar-looking cat.
The Alice in Wonderland theme doesn’t stop there. The truck offers six flavors of homemade doggie frozen yogurts, each named after characters from the book. Even though the truck has only been running for a week, they already have a best seller: the Mad Hatter, a cool combo of bananas and peanut butter. Other flavors include The White Rabbit, a tropical mix of coconuts and pineapples, and The Queen of Hearts, a blend of strawberries and bananas. A three-ounce fro-yo goes for $3.50, and a five-ounce sells for $5 in an edible cookie bowl.
In addition to frozen treats, this hound heaven prides itself in a large selection of dry desserts. From truffles to s’mores, your pooch will be pleased with this wonderland, and so will your wallet: Doggie biscottis are only a buck, but higher-end cookies (such as bone-shaped biscuits that read “Eat Me”) go up to $3. For dogs looking for a meaty delight, a variety of jerky bags, from turkey to beef liver are available, ranging between $8 to $14. If you happen to forget your dog’s favorite ball while out and about, the truck has you covered on all types of toys, priced between $5 and $30. The truck isn’t just all fun and sweets, though. Erven has teamed up with Healthy Pet Kitchen to provide your furry friend a healthier lifestyle through fully cooked, all natural meals.
For Erven and Alice, this is just the beginning. With upcoming appearances at local events, this side job will hopefully turn into something much bigger. “We want to do catering for dog birthday parties and tea parties,” she said. You heard her, folks: Gather your fellow dog lovers and throw your pups a Wonderland-themed party they would only otherwise see in their tail-waggin’, leg-shaggin’, chops-lickin’ dreams.
Find Alice’s Gourmet Wonderland at www.alicesgourmetwonderland.com, or email her at in**@al*********************.com.
