Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/124935
Photo by Sarah Maughan live In the Moment with Rita Handley Dishing out one of Madison's fave street eats It's a sign of warmer times in Madison— the swells of crowds lining up on the Capitol Square and Library Mall to taste the flavorful bounty being dished out from small food carts. At the center of it all, Rita Handley, co-owner of FIB'S—Fine Italian Beef and Sausage—stands ready to face the daily onslaught of hungry customers and serve up one Chicago-style sandwich after another. "My husband told me, probably 15 years ago, he wanted to open a restaurant and I kind of just laughed at him," confesses Handley. But their little restaurant on wheels has turned into big business for the couple. A former certified nursing assistant, Handley gave in to her husband's enduring dream five years ago, and together they launched a food cart that fully embodies the Windy City, their former home. From Sinatra songs emanating through the cart's serving window to sandwiches named after famous Chicagoans, FIB'S is Chicago through and through—which hasn't kept their eats from catching on in Madison. Frequently named a favorite among diners in local publication polls and panel tastings, FIB'S is one of the Capitol Square's busiest lunchtime destinations. Building on the momentum, the Handleys recently opened a second FIB'S food cart in McFarland. Through it all, Handley says they've followed a simple recipe for success: A Food Cart endless hours of hard work, and the Feast right mix of big-city influences Come hungry and taste with homemade food, which samples from Madison's Handley and her son cook fresh many food carts Friday, May each morning. 10, at Isthmus a la Carte, an annual celebration of the "[Being on the Square] makes area's street food scene. you strive to be your best, so that Visit thedailypage.com you can keep your spot," she says. for details. And for Handley, who looks forward to the warmer seasons' hustle and bustle, the highlight of the street eats business is knowing that food cart feasters enjoy the flavors she creates. "It's a lot of work," she says, "but it's rewarding because people love our food and we make people happy." – Kelsey Bewick May 2013 bravamagazine.com 11