SOLEDAD — El Mercadito marketplace in downtown Soledad was back in full action last Saturday as local vendors showed up to Cesar Chavez Park for a day of shopping and indulgence.
The guests were treated to small dance performances throughout the day put on by Balie Folklorico Costa de California based in Monterey County. The young girls waved their colorful dresses in the air, while the boys hat-danced to the music of mariachi.
Cielito Lindo Candle Co. offered a variety of scented candles and candle holders in the shape of a Mexican clay jarrito (coffee mug), while West Coast Sublimation had custom made tumblers featuring numerous popular cartoon characters.
Other vendors included Dowless Arts and Crafts, Time Will Tell 831 and Estrellas Bling Bling.
As for food, local favorites such as The Manzanita Shop, Holly Macaronz, Sweets N Treats by Angie, Nana’s Matcha, Jiquipan Frutas y Aguas Frescas, Bloom Coffee LLC, Da-Liz-Ious Cakery, Lolita’s Ice Cream, Payi’s and Champion Corn set up shop.
K-Dogs owner Nathanael Valencia made his first appearance to El Mercadito on Saturday afternoon. He sat in for D’Volada Meals, which couldn’t make it to the event.
“I’d say it went really well for us,” he said. “We had a lot of attention. People were coming, asking questions about what it was. A lot of people haven’t tried it before, so it was nice to bring that towards them.”
The 20-year-old San Jose native offers a unique take on the traditional corn dog by using ingredients known to make Korean corn dogs — a popular street food featuring a hot dog or mozzarella cheese (or both) on a stick.
“I’d say about a year ago I tried making them at my house, and I just really liked how they came out,” Valencia said. “After speaking with my mother-in-law, she suggested that I should turn it into a business.”
The corn dog is dipped in a lightly sweetened batter using a secret recipe Valencia came up with. Then he coats it with toppings, such as panko and diced potatoes, before it hits the deep fryer. It gets topped off with a choice of sauces, like Sriracha or honey mustard, and an assortment of crushed chips, including Hot Cheetos and Takis (red or blue).
Valencia, along with his wife Daelca, 18, and 5-month-old daughter Melanie, have been in business for four months. Based in Watsonville, the family sets up their food stand at the 101 Red Barn flea market in Aromas on a weekly basis. They’ve also traveled as far as Greenfield to deliver what indeed is a delicious item.
The batter with the diced potatoes and panko gives the corn dog an extra added crunch.
Going with half low-moisture mozzarella cheese and half all-beef hot dog was a delightful mix. (I also added Kewpie [Japanese mayonnaise], yellow mustard and Hot Cheetos as a topper for what turned out to be a good combination.)
Valencia is currently up in the air whether he wants to continue his new business as a full-time gig or just as a side hustle.
In the meantime, the young entrepreneur plans to expand his menu in the near future with deep-fried Twinkies and Oreos. He’s currently working on the perfect batter in order to deliver the sweet delights.
“Lately, I’ve just been trying to support my family,” Valencia said. “But, I do like this as a long-run type thing if it stays popular, (if) people like Korean corn dogs. I’m always down to switch it to anything else, so I’m very open-minded.”
El Mercadito is held the first Saturday of every month (April to December) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cesar Chavez Park, 555 Front St., in downtown Soledad.
