MERCADO FAMILY BREWS COMFORT WITH THE FOOD.

Byline: Elyce Wakerman Local View

ON the sprawling 353-acre campus at California State University, Northridge, where construction sites spring up as quickly as fast food, there is for the harried and hungry a constant and comforting source of stability, hospitality and made-to-order good eating.

I'm speaking of Joe Mercado's catering truck, the Sierra Express. Not a day goes by when I'm not grateful to see the white cantilevered restaurant on wheels in its usual place on the southwest quad, where I know I can pick up a hot cup of coffee or a cool crisp salad. But we're coming up on Thanksgiving, and I teach writing at CSUN: It seems like a good time to put my gratitude into prose.

The first thing that pops out at you as you approach Joe Mercado's catering truck is the incredible diversity of the menu printed on its exterior - a menu as diverse as the CSUN population it serves. The potpourri of international fare includes shish kebab and pastrami on rye, burritos and pita wraps, vegetarian health plates and good old-fashioned cheeseburgers grilled to perfection. According to Joe, who started the business along with his wife, Irma, 20 years ago, the most popular dish is the chicken Caesar salad. But if there's something you want and it's not on the menu, just mention it to him, and he'll have it for you within days.

That's the second thing that no Sierra Express customer can miss: the friendly service. ``Service with a smile'' really means something here. Orders come promptly, portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and, oh, yes, the food is delicious. There's no great secret to Joe's entrepreneurial philosophy. When a satisfied diner asks him how he manages to offer such a wide array of dishes, his answer is simple: ``I want to keep the customers happy.'' He beams.

Mercado is one of those people who is happy in his work. And his commitment and open spirit have fortuitously appeared just when Angelenos have needed them most. The Mercados were having a hard time getting the business rolling, as it were, when Los Angeles history played a hand. In the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict, city officials called in the National Guard, and the Guard found that Joe Mercado was the person to call. Determined to make his catering service available day or night, Joe slept with his mobile phone and pager during those harrowing days, and whenever and wherever he was needed - and frequently it was in the middle of the night - he and his meals on wheels were there.

After the Northridge Earthquake, the Guard called on him again.

But the guardsmen and construction crews at CSUN weren't the only people who came to count on the Sierra Express. A favorite restaurant on the southwest quad had been destroyed during the temblor, and returning teachers, students and administrators found solace in the white cantilevered truck with its varied menu and friendly faces.

And there they are still, every weekday from 7 in the morning until 9 at night.

But the workday for this family-owned, family-operated business begins hours earlier than the 7 a.m. appearance on campus. At 5 in the morning, Joe, Irma and one or two nephews prepare the hot meals and secure them in the steam tables for the drive from downtown Los Angeles, where they live. Similarly, after they roll up their windows at 9, the process of carefully storing and securing everything is repeated for the ride home. Somehow, in the middle of this grueling schedule, Joe finds time to visit local restaurants in search of new dishes to offer.

While it may have been the mobility that distinguished the Mercados' catering services with the National Guard, it's the stability that we at CSUN appreciate now. From dawn to dusk, as we rush between classes or find time to relax at a nearby table, the white catering truck on the southwest quad is there, a reassuring part of our campus neighborhood, a home away from home that nourishes us and makes our days run a little more smoothly. And for that, we are thankful.