By Jill Colvin and Tuan Nguyen
DNAinfo Reporter/Producers
CENTRAL PARK — Get ready to wash those tacos down with a beer or a glass of chardonnay.
Pera's Turkish Taco truck, which makes its home in Central Park outside Tavern on the Green, is hoping to begin serving wine, beer and liquor Friday afternoon after becoming the city's first licensed food truck Wednesday.
Pera's general manager Paul Braun said the truck is hoping to deliver something that New Yorkers have long been been missing.
"Every time I'm in a park, you can never find a place to drink. Hopefully we can cater more to the guests' needs," he said.
The truck had hoped to start serving drinks by noon, but delivery issues delayed the service.
"We're starting today on a limited basis and then over the next few days we will round up to full-scale operation," said Burak Karacam, the truck's owner, as he prepared to hang a new wine menu on the truck's wall.
The current menu includes Corona and Blue Moon beer, Jacob's Creek Chardonnay and Merlot, and a selection of hard liquors, including Absolut Vodka, Beefeater Gin, Jim Beam bourbon and Jameson Irish whiskey.
The truck, which Braun said was caught off-guard by the state's faster-than-expected decision, hopes to roll out a signature drink menu as well as a "cocktail of the day" special soon.
"[We're] very excited," Karacam said. "I can’t wait to put the menu up."
But some customers were disappointed that the booze wasn't flowing when the truck opened for business Friday.
Several Dutch tourists stopped by and tried to order wine, but were turned away.
"Definitely there's a big market here," Karacam said.
Some members of Community Board 7 had voiced opposition to the boozing plan, raising fears it would lead to under-age drinking and people wandering the streets with liquor in hand.
But Parks officials had argued that Ballfields Café on the north side of the Heckscher Ballfields, the Mineral Springs Cafe and the Boathouse also already serve liquor with no major problems.
Pera, believed to be the country's first Turkish taco truck, is an offshoot of Pera Mediterranean brasserie in Midtown.
Another liquor application by the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck is currently pending, according to state records.
Farm-to-kitchen food truck Ladle of Love also hopes to start dishing boozy treats, too, manager Alexander Kirk said.
