Fire Noodles rocks Monte Vista

Menu: Asian-themed foods of Thailand and Vietnam 

By JOHN WATERS, Courier News Editor
Posted 1/18/25

MONTE VISTA — One of the best barometers of a restaurant is the number of patrons waiting to enjoy the cuisine. On my first visit to Fire Noodles, the takeout food trailer located on Monroe Street in Monte Vista, the line of six cars waiting for their food was a good sign. 

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Fire Noodles rocks Monte Vista

Menu: Asian-themed foods of Thailand and Vietnam 

Posted

MONTE VISTA — One of the best barometers of a restaurant is the number of patrons waiting to enjoy the cuisine. On my first visit to Fire Noodles, the takeout food trailer located on Monroe Street in Monte Vista, the line of six cars waiting for their food was a good sign. 

Operated by Crestone native Aeon Saltsgaver, a chef trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, and Viviana Catacora, an engineer from Peru, the married couple bring a unique blend of culinary expertise and engineering precision in their food to Monte Vista. 

The two opened Fire Noodles in Del Norte in 2022 as an introduction to the local market. After two years of hard work and dedication, they decided to close to save money for their Monte Vista location. The new site opened in December, a testament to their commitment to business. 

The menu offers a variety of items, including fresh (not fried) spring rolls made of rice paper, butter leaf, carrots, noodles, mint, and cucumber. 

On the main menu is the well-known Thai street food, pad Thai, which consists of rice noodles with cabbage slaw, pickled peppers, onions, radish slaw, peanuts, egg, and a sweet and spicy sauce. 

The Crestone Fire Noodle is made with lo mein noodles, cabbage, onions, bell pepper, radish slaw, Valley potato, broccolini, and a special curry sauce. 

Food has been a part of Saltsgaver's life since he was 14 years old. He took an apprenticeship in the kitchen of the Crestone Mountain Zen Center, which serves a completely vegetarian menu which includes vegetables harvested from the on-site garden. The center introduced the young chef to the tastes of Asian food. 

"That experience sparked my interest in that type of cuisine at a very young age," said Saltsgaver, who added, “The idea of Asian-inspired street food made fresh to order, and I've always been fascinated with the flavors that come out of Asia. As a chef, I've been able to mix and match things and create my recipes over the years.” 

Catacora said the two have a shared love of food. 

"Every time I go to a restaurant, I'm passionate about those with generational recipes. Going to restaurants brought us together, trying new food and doing some creative things. We are both into Asian foods," Catacora said. 

This shared passion for food is what drives their commitment to delivering the best culinary experience. 

Saltsgaver said, “She is my biggest critic, and I am always trying to improve. I hope that translates to good food for the public.” 

"So far, we've gotten a great response to our food, and we are really happy about it. The next step is to expand, and for now, this is our fixed location," said Catacora. 

Fire Noodles is at 219 Monroe St., Monte Vista. Call 719-588-7970 to place take-out orders.