Six months ago, Coloradans craving chorrillanas—a Chilean street food dish consisting of french fries loaded with slices of beef, caramelized onions, sunny-side-up eggs, and a splash of soy sauce—were out of luck. The same went for anyone jonesing for a hearty churrasco sandwich with beef or chicken and toppings like bacon, avocado, and green beans.

That’s part of the reason cousins Mayra Chacon and Valentin Julio, who were both born in Chile but moved to the Front Range within the past few years, are eager to get locals acquainted with their food truck, Cachai Chilean Food. Chacon, who studied business administration, navigates licensing and inventory, while Julio, who has a culinary arts degree, cooks the fare. Launching a food truck devoted to a little-known cuisine hasn’t been easy. “Businesses were hesitant to let us park the truck in their lots because they didn’t know if Chilean food would be successful,” Chacon says. But Cachai (Chilean slang for “You know what I mean?”)—currently located outside of a liquor store in Baker, near the intersection of Alameda Avenue and Cherokee Street—has gained a following for its bites. This year, the duo hopes to add empanadas (which in Chile are stuffed with ground beef, onion, half of a hard-boiled egg, and black olives), bringing Denverites another rare-in-Colorado treat.

5280 March 2024
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This article was originally published in 5280 March 2024.
Barbara O'Neil
Barbara O'Neil
Barbara is one of 5280's assistant editors and writes stories for 5280 and 5280.com.