This popular food truck is moving into a brick-and-mortar space in north Bellingham
A popular Bellingham food truck is getting ready to move into a permanent spot in north Bellingham.
That’s What I Like! Island Grill is moving into the former Northside Restaurant & Lounge at 3236 Northwest Ave. Co-owner Roy Nicol said in an interview that the plan is to halt food truck operations on Saturday, July 17, and reopen in the new space on Monday, Aug. 2.
Nicol and his wife Lorna started the food truck business almost a year ago, in the middle of the pandemic. It was a career pivot for Roy, who had been a disc jockey before the COVID-19 restrictions had him searching for a new line of work.
The food truck idea was something they had actually been working on for years. Lorna, born and raised in the Philippines, and Roy, who also has Filipino family roots, both have a passion for cooking Filipino food.
As they began building a strong customer base, sales took off. Roy Nicol said it was a strong indication to them that it was time to take it to the next level.
The Nicols met with Steve Rohrbacher, co-owner of the Northside. The restaurant had shut down because of the pandemic restrictions. Northside briefly reopened in November but shut down for good after the winter surge of COVID-19 cases hit Whatcom County.
The restaurant has been owned by Steve and Shannon Rohrbacher since July 1989 and became known for its slow-cooked prime rib dinners. Roy Nicol said that while his restaurant serves Filipino food, he will also have the prime rib dinner on the menu on Saturdays, having received Steve Rohrbacher’s blessing and his seasoning recipe.
“I’m super honored to take over this building, I have big shoes to fill,” Roy Nicol said.
One other special they’ll be introducing is the “Boodle Fight” for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. Roy Nicol described it as a traditional spread of Filipino foods served on a large tray lined with banana leaves. It will be available by reservation only.
The new restaurant will also have a lounge area, with its own menu and happy hour specials. There’s also a patio area available, weather permitting.
Once open, That’s What I Like! Island Grill’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, open an hour later on Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday. Further details about the restaurant can be found on its website.
This story was originally published July 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: Roy Nicol’s first name was corrected July 12, 2021.
