Whoa Nellie Food Truck
Childhood friends Kim Goddard and Nadia Wajda worked together at Betty’s Kitchen in North Hampton while in junior high school. Goddard would eventually purchase the restaurant, while Wajda, who went on to work in the medical field, worked with Goddard on the restaurant’s food truck on the weekends. The truck is contracted to serve lunch Monday through Friday at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and when Wajda learned that they were looking to add a second truck, she decided to jump into the business. Whoa Nellie Food Truck (whoanelliefoodtruck.com), which launched earlier this year, is Betty’s Kitchen’s new “sidekick.” Wajda, with the help of her daughter Victoria and two other employees, serves up a menu of comfort eats that includes burgers, wraps, sandwiches, fried foods and more. The truck’s whereabouts are posted regularly on social media. In addition to being at the Shipyard, Whoa Nellie makes a monthly appearance at Exeter Hospital and has some public and private events lined up, including the Party on Park fundraising event, happening Saturday, June 4, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Centre School in Hampton (53 Winnacunnet Road). The Scene recently chatted with Wajda about some of her picks for must-try items from the food truck.
How long has the Whoa Nellie Food Truck been around?
[Since] February of this year. … Before that, I’d say from October to January was basically spent finding the truck, establishing the menu and getting all the paperwork and everything to make it official.
What makes the Whoa Nellie Food Truck unique?
I think just that it’s two best friends and a daughter running it. That makes it pretty unique. … I also love our name, and I have to say that our truck looks pretty cool. I designed the wrap to kind of resemble the Seacoast, but also to make the truck look a little girly.
What is your personal favorite menu item?
Our grilled Cajun chicken sandwich. I make the marinade for the chicken, and it’s a Cajun marinade. It’s done on the grill with melted American cheese, and then we serve it on a fresh bulkie [roll] with shredded lettuce, freshly sliced tomato, and I make a Cajun aioli that goes on it. It’s super good. It’s just the right amount of spice without it being like a Buffalo type of sauce.
What is something that everyone should try?
I’d say the most unique item on our menu is … the pizza fried dough. We make the fried dough crust in the frialator, and then we top it with our pizza marinara [and] fresh shredded mozzarella cheese, and we melt that on the grill. Then we slice it, so the dough is fluffy inside, yet super crispy on the outside. It’s really good. It’s actually too good.
What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your truck?
I have a specialty sandwich that I named the “Parm-o-nator,” and I make the guys at the Shipyard order it in an Arnold [Schwarzenegger] voice at the window … so it would be pretty cool if Arnie showed up and asked for the “Parm-o-nator.” … It’s a wrap with marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, crispy chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks.
What is an essential skill to running a food truck?
I believe that it’s customer retention, [so] making them happy and serving them a great product. … If the food makes you feel good and the staff makes you smile, then that’s what makes someone keep coming back.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
I grew up in Rye, two minutes from the beach, so I don’t think I’d ever be able to be away from the beach. I love water, I love the four seasons, and this is also where my family is, so I can’t imagine being anywhere else. It’s truly home.
— Matt Ingersoll
Photo courtesy of Whoa Nellie Food Truck.
