Palmer-based food trailer set for regular location

A popular local mobile food vendor now has an answer to the frequently asked question “where is your usual location?”

Nonkie Bé’s Cajun Faves, a staple of Friday Flings and other events around the state since May 2020, is trying something new for the winter. Instead of relying just on periodic events for the offseason, owners Bobby and Jeanean Fontenot are partnering with Gram’s Garden and setting up their distinctive gold and black trailer later this month in the parking lot of the greenhouse just off the Glenn Highway across from the fairgrounds.

It’s a welcome turn of events for the Fontenots, who say they will enjoy being able to let guests know where they can find Nonkie Bé’s, rather than having to chase them around.

“We are absolutely looking forward to our ‘usual location,’” Jeanean said. “We’re just passionate food truckers trying to sustain in a challenging economy amongst an amazing community.”

Nonkie Bé’s is no stranger to working through the winter. But previous years’ efforts have been limited to catering lunches for a training facility. So this will be the first winter of being open to the public and operating with a schedule.

Jeanean said their goal is simple.

“We want to be more available to serve our Cajun Faves to our community,” she said.

But that goal comes with a challenge. Upcoming events Nonkie Bé’s has already committed to, like the Mat-Su Holiday Marketplace, Holiday Vintage Market, and Yuletide Festival, mean their regular schedule will be pre-empted occasionally. Winter weather, too, with high winds common to Palmer, may also lead to closures.

“We are not a brick and mortar restaurant, so we will do our absolute best to maintain a weekly schedule outside of events,” Jeanean said. “We are requesting the public’s grace as we navigate this process, which is very different from what we typically do.”

Partnering with Gram’s Garden was an easy decision, she said. In addition to the location being close to the Fontenots’ home, she said the greenhouse’s owners, Aaron and Becky Rudd, are great people.

“We are looking forward to partnering with them when they reopen in the spring,” Jeanean said. The Rudds share that enthusiasm. When they opened their doors in May 2025, they shared the parking lot with a coffee stand that has since moved on. After some deliberation, they decided it would be beneficial to have something new come in.

“We’re very much looking forward to working with Nonkie Bé’s,” Aaron said. “We’re just really excited to have them here.”

There might be some personal bias involved, too. A military veteran, Aaron was stationed in the South and developed a taste for the local cuisine.

“I miss Cajun food. So having Nonkie Bé’s around is going to be amazing,” he said. “Their food is excellent.”

It is also authentic. The Fontenots are Lafayette, La., natives. They’ve lived in Alaska since 2009, and in Palmer since 2011. Bringing their Cajun country cuisine to the far north has been a labor of love.

“We are happy to share the flavors we grew up eating,” Jeanean said. “We take a lot of pride in our business and hope our guests experience just a tiny piece of Cajun hospitality, and maybe even a little Cajun humor, when they come to our food trailer.”

She said a misconception they’ve worked to overcome has been that Cajun food is too spicy.

“We acknowledge that lots of fellow Alaskans didn’t grow up in Cajun country, so we keep our recipes mild to moderate,” Jeanean said. “Our food is seasoned with flavor and lots of love. Anyone who gives it a try may be pleasantly surprised.” There will be new surprises when Nonkie Bé’s opens at its new location. Alongside standard Cajun faves like fried shrimp po’boys, fried catfish po’boys, and sticky bun bread pudding, the Fontenots will be serving up some “not-so-Cajun faves” for daily specials.

Look for the return of specials like loaded potato soup and gourmet mac and cheese, as well as new additions like Grandma’s chicken and mac salad, chili, and chicken noodle soup. Seasonal, holiday, and other themed specials are also in the works.

Additionally, Nonkie Bé’s is considering weekday lunch delivery service to local businesses within a 5-mile radius of the new location. All of it adds up to excitement for the Fontenots and their growing legion of fans.

“The idea of not having to travel in the wintertime is very appealing,” Jeanean said. “Traveling between Anchorage and the Valley in winter conditions is no joke. I’m relieved that we will be close to home and our Valley friends, family, and community.”

The target date for opening at the new “usual location” is Oct. 22. Gram’s Garden is located at 2820 S. Margaret Drive, which is the Glenn Highway frontage road across from the fairgrounds.

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