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TOP STORY OF THE DAY - The Mixed Plate opening storefront
Clay County is about to get an exciting new restaurant located in Harmony. The Mixed Plate, the food truck that stole our hearts and brought us a taste of the islands, will open a storefront at 1945 U.S. Highway 40.
Owner Leialoha Marion, who goes by Lei, was born in California but moved to Brazil, Indiana, when she was young.
"I've raised both my children here; I have a 25-year-old who will be doing the restaurant with me." Marion and her children, Reagan Rose and Jon Batchelor, are excited about the new adventure.
Marion says she has always cooked for family and friends and knows a thing or two about food service.
"I have been in the restaurant business for a while; I started as a server and cook and went into management for the Iron Skillet."
She says she leaped into the business after someone suggested it.
"Totally did this on a whim. I was legitimately sitting and watching my son in a community theatre play, and somebody next to me said, 'Hey, Sara Jane's is available,' and I was like, 'no,'" Marion says after thinking about it more, she went for it. "I came late in the game, so they did go with somebody else, who's my cousin, actually."
It was then someone suggested Marion get a food truck.
"I said okay, I'll look into it, and I had one the next week," Marion said with a laugh.
After purchasing the food truck, the idea was to set up at Route 40 Fest.
"They kicked our butts. I kept telling my daughter, I hope somebody comes," began Marion. "I'm sandwiched between Blondie's and Freddy's. Hopefully, just somebody comes, but they blew us out of the water that first day."
Marion began her business on a whim, admitting she didn't know where it would take her and has had her doubts along the way.
"I was really hardcore thinking at the beginning of (last) year. I didn't know if I wanted to do this. I told my family, let's give it this year. I'm going to devout everything I can to it while still keeping my other jobs, and it just took off," described Marion.
As before, when someone suggested Marion purchase the Harmony Diner building, she initially said no.
"I was like, 'no, no.' Again, I did that; well, let me just look into it; the bank's never going to - and they're like, 'yeah, we got you,'" said Marion.
The Mixed Plate is appropriately named, as Marion takes inspiration from many cultures, including Hawaiian.
"The great thing about Hawaiian cuisine is that Hawaii itself, at this point, is made up of so many different cultures, and it influences their food," said Marion. "That's why I liked the name The Mixed Plate; it's also a Hawiaan thing with the plate lunch, the quintessential lunch, but I liked the idea of the mixed because it's not specific to anyone thing. I grew up in California, I was married to an Italian, but I've lived in Clay County for 30-some years, so the menu will be a manifestation of all of those influences,"
Currently, the restaurant is undergoing renovations; Marion hopes to open in February.
"My hope is to expand people's concept of what Hawaiian cuisine is and can be. So many people think that you add pineapple or coconut to something and call it Hawaiian. It is so much more than that, and I'm excited to showcase it. The Hawaiian islands themselves are such a melting pot of so many different cultures: Japanese, Philippine, Chinese, Korean, and American, just to name a few. I've definitely been influenced by all of those and am excited to bring something different to the area," described Marion.
Marion says the support from the community has been unmatched.
"The community has been just so amazing. The surrounding communities too, we've taken the truck to six different counties and had a pretty good reception," said Marion. "We do plan to continue with the truck; we won't do as many local events; it'll be mostly out-of-county stuff."
