What happens when you merge crab Rangoon and mozzarella sticks?
A fantastical Franken-croquette stuffed with gooey cheese, dots of artificial crab and cream cheese enrobed in a crispy crust. It’s over-the-top like a hot fudge sundae with extra whipped cream — too much, but never enough.
It’s also how a trio of fine dining chefs have put their fledgling food truck, Shokakko, on the radar of Sonoma County foodies.
That, and their loaded fries with Spam.
“It’s the things we liked eating on our days off. The stuff we couldn’t find in Sonoma County,” said chef Elijah Trujillo of the food trailer he cofounded with his partner Kayla Hendrix and friend Kazuya “Kaz” Makishima in August 2024.
Tired of fine dining foams and tweezers, this merry band of young chefs drew inspiration from the late-night yatai food stalls in Japan that sell ramen, fish cakes and skewers of grilled chicken. The trio uses highbrow culinary skills to create cream-filled fruit sandwiches, skyscraper-sized fried chicken sandwiches, pork katsu fries and husky crab and cheese-filled croquettes.
Shokakko, which means small but certain happiness in Japanese, is all about salty, sweet, creamy, spicy, hot mess dishes that go better with a pint of IPA than an oaky Cabernet.
In the weeds
On a warm Thursday evening in January, the 8-by-16-foot Shokakko trailer was parked outside Old Caz brewpub in Rohnert Park. It’s one of several breweries they visit in a monthly food truck round-robin. Some days, they are at private events or visit surefire nosh spots like Outer Planes comics and games in Santa Rosa, where they first set up shop.
By 5:30 p.m., there’s a growing line of hungry customers. Inside the narrow galley kitchen, Flo Rida sets the beat as the crew weaves around each other without a missed step. All three sport dark aprons, black shirts, messy buns and tattooed forearms, giving punk rock vibes.
But tidy containers of saffron threads and bias-cut scallions are unmistakable giveaways of their white-tablecloth backgrounds.
“Two dons all day,” says Trujillo, while wrapping an intimidatingly large “Mother-Clucker” sandwich and relaying orders for donburi rice bowls ($16-18), best eaten with braised pork belly or Japanese curry. Vegetarian options are also available.
Makishima mans the fryer, turning out piles of Kamakazi fries ($12-$16) that are required eating. The weight of this overly-generous pile of seasoned fries is wrist-injuring and is drizzled with a sweet chili sauce mayo, gochujang glaze (made with chili crunch, fermented chili sauce and savory red chili paste) and furikake (a Japanese condiment). Add cubes of fried Spam to the unholy mound, because you can.
Twice-fried chicken sandwiches ($16) are five-napkin affairs. Go for the “Mother-Clucker” with piles of slaw, pickled jalapeños and “Bang Bang” dip made with gochujang, chili crunch and fermented chiles on a brioche bun. It’s fiery and filled with umami but not tongue-singeing.
Try everything
Hendrix is the doyenne of sweets. On my visit, her banana pudding layered with sweet-savory miso sauce is served in a cheeky 16-ounce Solo cup. It’s nostalgic and genre-bending but will inevitably give way to another of pastry chef Hendrix’s whims — like the Japanese milk bread sandwich filled with whipped cream and fruit that sends the Sonoma County Foodies Facebook page into a frenzy.
“It got ridiculous. They would sell out in an hour,” said Makishima of the snaking queues for the dessert. I hint that they should return them to the menu, but Hendrix isn’t biting. They all agree that changing the menu frequently is what makes the job fun.
There are plenty of other Shokakko goodies on the menu, including Spam Musubi ($6), black garlic string beans with fried shallots ($9) and a kids menu with chicken fingers or a veggie and rice bowl.
Hendrix encourages people to dive into the menu with abandon and take a leap of faith.
“Don’t be afraid to order something you don’t know,” she said. “We’ve always got something new.”
You can find the Shokakko’s latest schedule of stops at Instagram.com/eat_shokakko. They’re typically open from 2 p.m. until they sell out Wednesday through Saturday, but the schedule changes frequently.
Ready to take your taste buds on an adventure? Don’t miss out on the bold flavors and creative twists coming out of the Shokakko kitchen! Follow them on Instagram @eat_shokakko for the latest updates on where to find their next pop-up. Whether you’re craving a sky-high chicken sandwich, loaded fries, or a one-of-a-kind dessert, Shokakko has something delicious waiting for you. Come hungry and bring a friend—because good food is even better when shared!
