Goselog, the Filipino food truck that has become one of the hottest stops each week at the Turlock Certified Farmers Market, will attempt to defend its titles next weekend at the second annual Lumpia Competition and Multicultural Foodie Fiesta in Modesto.

Last year, the Gose family — brothers Charles and Barry, along with their wives Adrienne and Michelle — took home the top prize for best non-traditional lumpia (bacon-wrapped shrimp lumpia) and the People’s Choice Award as the overall favorite lumpia vendor at the competition.

This year, Goselog’s traditional pork-filled offering (dubbed “Shanghai Lumpia”) will be one of the favorites at the festival, which will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday at 3430 Tully Road in Modesto (near Standiford Avenue).

“We started this company in 2021,” said Charles Gose. “It was a conversation between my brother and me after he was laid off from his construction job during the pandemic. My brother had been a chef before, and it was kind of his dream to own a food truck, so he suggested it.”

They started small, working out of their home and taking orders via Facebook.

“After a while, people were messaging us, and then we started doing pop-up events and added rice plates to the menu,” said Gose. “From there, we started doing more events and got more popular, and then Good Day Sacramento did a segment on us and more people got to know us. It was just a matter of getting out there.”

Soon, the family was ready to make the next step and buy a food truck. They made a down payment, only to be swindled by a truck builder who was eventually charged with 28 counts of fraud totaling $992,895, with victims up and down the state.

The family regrouped and continued to grind until they were able to purchase their current food truck — which can be found each Saturday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Main Street in Turlock.

I discovered Goselog — the name is a contraction of the family’s last name and the word “silog,” a garlic fried rice, fried egg and protein dish — earlier this summer quite by accident. I was walking through the Farmers Market in search of a story when I bumped into a friend who was enjoying an order of Shanghai lumpia. I inquired as to what she was eating and she offered me a taste. I politely took one (about the size of my thumb) and dipped it into the sweet and sour sauce, not expecting to be knocked over by the flavor.

“That’s the best lumpia I’ve ever tasted,” I said. “Where’d you get these?”

I was directed toward the north end of the market. Gose happened to be working the window when I arrived.

“One order of Shanghai lumpia, please,” I said. After devouring the five lumpia in less than five minutes, I determined that my wife and son absolutely had to try them. I went back and asked for another order.

“You liked them,” Gose said.

“I did,” I told him. “But these are for my family. They have got to try them.”

Gose just smiled, knowing he’d made at least one new customer.

I took the lumpia home — just a few blocks away — and insisted  that my wife and son try them. I knew my wife would like them — and she did — but I wasn’t so sure about my finicky son.

He took a cautious bite before his face lit up.

“Are there any more?” he asked. There were three remaining in the carton. He called dibs.

Five minutes later, I was back at the food truck to buy my third order of the morning. Gose smiled politely and thanked us.

Now, each Saturday, my son gets up at 8 a.m. — those of you with teenagers know how rare that is — to walk down to the farmers market to buy multiple orders. He’s brought friends, teachers, even his grandmother from Merced. All have become instant fans of Goselog.

“He’s our best customer,” joked Gose.

But Goselog is more than just Shanghai lumpia, which is the most popular menu item. There’s gulay lumpia (ground beef with vegetables) and the aforementioned shrimp wrapped in bacon. Additionally, Goselog features rice bowls: chicken adobo, pork adobo, and marinated New York strip steak. There’s also Pancit — rice noodles with vegetables, ground beef, and sausage (the Filipino version of chow mein).

A dessert lumpia called turon features banana on the inside. Goselog also serves a drink called halo turron — translated it means “mix turron” — that features banana, yam, jelly, boba, Rice Krispies, shaved ice, sweet cream, and topped with flan. It has to be seen to be believed.

“People come from Fresno, all the way here, just to get our food,” said Gose. “When we first started, somebody recognized my wife and I. They said, ‘Oh, there’s Goselog.’ That was the best experience, because our purpose is to share our culture and showcase the food. The reaction we get from people is worth more than gold. It motivates us to serve more people.”