DFW.COM/PAUL MOSELEY
DFW could use more trucks like Good Karma Kitchen, whose chili is shown here.

Recently, I was asked what I think is missing from the local food truck scene. The question was broad, and I have spent the past few days thinking about my response, and researching trucks in other cities. I’ve come up with seven categories I think are missing: four related to types of food, and three that would help enhance the quantity and quality of the trucks.

Food we need

Ethnic/regional cuisine. Yes, we have Korean, Vietnamese, Cajun, Italian, Indian, Greek, Cuban and English trucks, but where are Filipino, Chinese, Ethiopian, Caribbean, Thai and scores of other regional cuisines? Across the United States, huge contributors to the food truck scene are first- and second-generation immigrants who want to share their food and culture. I would love to see DFW food trucks become more international, with owners sharing family recipes.

Dessert trucks. Speaking of diversity, North Texas needs more dessert trucks beyond cupcakes and ice cream. With the recent closing of Rockstar Bakeshop, the only dedicated dessert trucks serve those two treats. We need pies, Bundt cakes, cobblers, fudge and other truck-made candies, cookies and brownies. And how about a whoopie pie truck?

“Healthy” food. Last year at this time, I knew that if I was in Fort Worth, Good Karma Kitchen was my go-to healthy truck, and in Dallas, there was Green House. With Green House since closed, when I’m on my “clean eating” food days, I feel like options are limited. I would love to see a build-your-own salad truck with homemade dressings, maybe even a paleo truck, and a farm-to-market food truck. As health-conscious as so many people are these days, even if the high-quality food were priced a bit higher, I think this type of truck would be popular, especially during lunch service.

Juice truck. I know it’s trendy, but much of what makes the food truck scene great is the ability to pick up on a trend and go with it. A few trucks have specialty drinks, and I love them for it. But many times, especially in the heat, I don’t want a heavy meal; I want a high-quality, flavorful cold drink.

In the details

There are also components of the street scene that would make DFW a stronger, more globally recognized leader in the street food scene.

More trucks, more customers. First and foremost, we need more high-quality trucks. Several times a month, especially in the spring and fall, someone contacts me desperate to find a food truck for an event. Unless the event is weeks away, more often than not, there is not a truck available. In terms of private bookings, DFW can certainly handle more gourmet trucks. But before the Metroplex can adequately support them, we need more truck-accessible, traffic-heavy locations.

Suburban parks. We need dedicated truck parks in the suburbs. Last winter, there was a lot of chatter of food truck parks being built across North Texas. Today, there are still only two full-time dedicated parks, and one lunchtime, weekday park — all in Fort Worth. There are various reasons why suburban parks have not come to fruition, but they would go a long way in helping the trucks come to the cities in the suburbs, where people are constantly asking for them.

Chef-driven trucks. In other cities, the food truck scene is full of executive chefs who walked away from the pots and pans of a brick-and-mortar kitchen and took to the streets. That has taken those cities’ street food to very high levels. In the Metroplex, very few professional chefs have done this, and most who have have made their way back to the brick-and-mortar within a few months. I would love to see someone with a high level of experience, an understanding of new cuisines and an innovative spirit enter the market, not only to bring something new to the streets, but to challenge and mentor existing truck owners to continue to grow and create new menu items.

http://www.dfw.com/2013/05/29/799328/dfw-food-truck-scene-what-it-lacks.html

Hey girl, this is tank top regulation

The Dallas City Council’s Quality of Life Committee met this morning (and is probably still meeting) about potentially lowering the costs of streetscape licensing and street vending permits in downtown Dallas. Generally, I think this is good news for the city. Lowering the costs = potentially more restaurants with outdoor seating/more food trucks in Dallas = more pedestrians enjoying downtown =  everyone is happy. In George Lewis’ words, “Fees can be onerous, simply because food trucks are mobile, which means multiple cities.  Multiply $300 – $600 for all of the cities: Dallas, University Park, Highland Park, Arlington, Denton, FW, Carrollton, Garland, etc. and you rack up a chunk of government money.”

I snuck out of the meeting after the streetscape licensing part because I had to get back to the office, but the vending permits Powerpoint is on the committee briefings page, anyway.

The proposal is to cut vending licenses by half to $600 annually. Right now, food trucks are allowed to operate between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily, but the proposed update would extend those hours to 10 p.m. (Mon-Thursday, Sunday) and midnight (Friday and Saturday). There’s also a suggestion to require photo ID badges for all vendors, prohibit smoking by vendors while operating in the vending locations, and to establish a dress code. All these are unregulated right now and sound pretty fair, except… what’s up with this dress code? Take a look for yourself:

Appendix B: Proposed Dress Code

• Proposed minimum dress requirements for vendors include the following
• Clothing must be neat, clean and sanitary at all times
• Walking shorts allowed, but no cut-offs ◦ No apparel with offensive or suggestive language,images, symbols
• No tank tops or halter tops
• No outer apparel made of fishnet or undergarment material

I don’t know about you, but I can imagine  it gets pretty hot in a food truck when the weather reaches over 100 degrees. No tank tops?? Perhaps people are afraid of tank tops for chest hair or other sanitary reasons (deodorant should do the trick), but George makes another good observation. “Funny thing about required clothing.  Pretty dumb… no tank tops or halter tops, yet Hooter’s, Twin Peaks?  Where’s the consistency?”

And those ladies even get to work indoors.

Overall, the city’s stance on food trucks seems to be heading in a fair direction. “In general, despite the occasional carping by the public about how behind Dallas is, I think that the city permitting and enforcement has done a pretty good job,” says George.

http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2013/05/13/food-truck-operators-might-not-be-able-to-wear-tank-tops-anymore/

After 60 years of serving guests at their restaurants, Jack in the Box® has introduced a mobile food truck. Jack’s Burger Truck is visiting Central Texas and supporting civic and charitable activities while it’s here. The truck serves free Jumbo Jack burgers and offers coupons and gifts to those who stop by.

Jack’s Burger Truck is traveling to Mesquite for the Real. Texas. Festival. this weekend. From 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, Jack’s Burger Truck will be at the Mesquite Arena and Rodeo Center serving up free Jumbo Jack Burgers.

The Real. Texas. Festival. is two days of music, food, fun and even rodeo. Headliners for this year’s festival are Pat Green on Friday and Kevin Fowler on Saturday.

Jack in the Box Regional Marketing Manager Sean Lockovich said that the company appreciates the opportunity to participate in community celebrations like the Real. Texas. Festival.

“These events give us a chance to get out and meet our customers, and to bring Jack in the Box to them when they’re not close to one of our restaurants. Music, rodeo, and a great burger – what could be more Texas than that?”

Other Jack’s Burger Truck stops include: Bright Realty Golf Classic benefitting Big Brothers/Big Sisters on Monday, May 6, from 2-6 p.m. at The Lakes at Castle Hills Country Club in Lewisville; Grand Prairie Airhogs – Winnipeg Goldeneyes on Saturday, May 18, from 5-11 p.m. at the QuikTrip Park, Grand Prairie; and the Crowne Plaza Invitational Youth Golf Clinic on Monday, May 20, from 5-7 p.m. at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

For information or to request Jack’s Burger Truck, go to the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MunchieMobile.

About Jack in the Box Inc.

Jack in the Box Inc. is a restaurant company based in San Diego that operates and franchises Jack in the Box® restaurants, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains, with more than 2,200 restaurants in 21 states. For more information on Jack in the Box, including franchising opportunities, visit jackinthebox.com. Follow Jack in the Box on Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.scntx.com/articles/2013/04/25/mesquite_news/news/1441.txt

Maui Wowi Hawaiian is hitting the streets of Dallas-Fort Worth with a new mobile food truck to bring the party to the people. Franchise Owner, Jason Sorrells, is one of the first to embark on the new business model and has pulled out all the stops to turn his truck into a party on wheels. It will offer the company’s all-natural fresh fruit smoothies and a full coffee and espresso bar.

“Jason has been with Maui Wowi for over ten years, and has continuously sought out innovative ways to expand his business and build the brand,” said Erin Hicks, Executive Vice President at Maui Wowi. “Through his partnership with us at the Mainland office, he is testing this new business model, creating huge opportunity for him to reach customers in a fun and exciting new way.”

Sorrells is an experienced franchisee and business owner, with multiple concepts under his belt. He runs a variety of concession-type companies at large venues throughout Dallas, including several of Maui Wowi’s popular mobile Ka’anapali Carts and catering units. The flexible business models are a mainstay of the company and have been a great introduction to the world of mobile operations.

The new Maui Wowi Food Truck will kick off its first day of service at the Texas Food Truckin’ Fest, April 26-27 at The Ballpark in Arlington. The event will host over 35 food trucks for an eclectic food and beverage experience. Maui Wowi will be serving its famous smoothies as well as premium Hawaiian coffees and espresso drinks from its brand new piece of paradise.

Customers can catch the Maui Wowi Food Truck in Dallas-Fort Worth and stay up to date on all the happenings by following them on Twitter andFacebook. For more information on franchise opportunities or to find a Maui Wowi near you, please visit http://www.mauiwowifranchise.com.

About Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies:
Since 1982, Maui Wowi Hawaiian has embraced the Hawaiian culture and has been serving paradise in a cup since the day it began, 30 years ago. From event carts, mall kiosks and stand-alone retail locations Maui Wowi Hawaiian offers premium, all-natural, gluten-free, fresh-fruit smoothies, as well as gourmet Hawaiian coffees and espresso beverages. With over 600 operating units in eight countries, Maui Wowi Hawaiian has truly gone “Global” by adding an online store, shop.mauiwowi.com. Now customers from anywhere in the world can experience the prized-gourmet Hawaiian coffees and taste the ‘Aloha Spirit’ with a ‘Click-of-a button!’ To learn more information about Maui Wowi Hawaiian’s, products, locations, or flexible, low cost franchising opportunities, visit http://www.mauiwowifranchise.com.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/Maui-Wowi-Hawaiian/Food-Truck/prweb10664867.htm

FORT WORTH — Thistle Hill, the historic Fort Worth mansion, will play host to the city’s newest food truck park beginning May 1.

The house, built in 1904 at 1509 Pennsylvania Ave., will host food trucks between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays, said Brian Rhodes, Thistle Hill’s heritage tourism director.

“We’re hoping for about four (trucks) per day” on the property, Rhodes said.

Thistle Hill’s target will be hospital district workers. The house will provide outdoor seating, including bad-weather seating in the carriage house, and lawn games, Rhodes said.

Weekends eventually are a possibility, but, “initially, it’s about the lunch crowd,” Rhodes said.

Thistle Hill has been discussing the idea since last year, and visitors have long asked for food service, he said.

“This is ideal, because we don’t have to deal with certified kitchens,” Rhodes said. The trucks “roll up and do their thing. We provide a great setting.”

The trucks will pay a fee to Thistle Hill to come on the property, but Thistle Hill won’t get a percentage of sales, Rhodes said.

“As a nonprofit organization, we’re constantly trying to earn another dollar,” he said.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/03/26/4729669/thistle-hill-to-host-fort-worths.html

]]> http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/04/ft-worth-tx-thistle-hill-to-host-fort-worths-newest-food-truck-park/feed/ 0 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/03/dallas-tx-new-food-trucks-rolling-out-for-march/ http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/03/dallas-tx-new-food-trucks-rolling-out-for-march/#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:45:00 +0000 MFN Editor #1 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/?p=44367 By DFW Food Truck Foodie | DFWFoodTruckfoodie.com

What’s Cook-N Chef, DFW’s first churrrasco truck, offers a menu of Latin-style meat items. (Courtesy of What’s Cook-N Chef)

In DFW, we have seen many different versions of the same types of food trucks. Several taco trucks, several pizza trucks, several hot dog trucks. All good trucks with good food. But I have spent months wondering why we do not have a larger variety of ethnic and regional cuisine. Things are changing now, and this month three of the five new trucks are new styles, based on cooking in other regions of the world.

What’s Cook-N Chef is DFW’s first churrrasco truck. The truck offers a menu of Latin-style meat items. Customers will have the option of grilled beef, pork or chicken sandwiches and churrrasco street tacos. What’s Cook-N Chef also offers fried plantains, which I am very excited to try. What’s Cook-N Chef had its first service last week in Keller and has plans to be back next week. You can follow the truck on Facebook and Twitter to find out where else it will be operating.

via facebook.com

Little Greek Food Truck is DFW’s first Greek food truck. About two months after I started this blog, I posted on Facebook and asked when there would be a Greek truck. It has taken 17 months for one to roll out, while I and many other Greek food lovers have waited patiently. This truck will be serving many of the favorites found in Greek restaurants: pitas, chicken skewers, Greek salad, hummus, spanakopita, baklava. You can follow Little Greek Food Truck onFacebook and Twitter to find out where its next stop will be.

Fernando Ortega and his Empanada Armada are ready to set sail. (Courtesy of Empanada Armada)

Empanada Armada brings what I think is quintessential street food — empanadas — to DFW. Truck owner Fernando Ortego tells me that the signature Empanada will be made with beef. The menu will also include empanadas made with chicken, ham and cheese, spinach and cream cheese. If all of this was not enough, there will be a dessert, alfajor, which is a South American cookie sandwich and sounds amazing. You can follow Empanada Armada on Facebook and Twitter to find out where and when it will be serving its South American inspired menu.

I love food trucks with catchy names, and the next two are among my favorites.

B.L.T.’s Red Hot Cheesy Pepper: Wright Brand Peppered Bacon, melted pepper jack cheese, grilled beefsteak tomato, chipotle relish served on cheddar grilled fresh-baked bread from La Spiga Bakery. (Courtesy of B.L.T.)

B.L.T.N stands for Bacon Lover’s Truck. (Courtesy of B.L.T.)

The Bacon Lover’s Truck (B.L.T) is now operating in and around Dallas. The truck uses Wright Bacon to make specialty sandwiches. How does a “Morning Glory”, with fried egg and bacon, or “Red Hot Cheesy Pepper” with pepper jack cheese, Wright Peppered Bacon, grilled tomato and chipotle relish sound? Both of these are on the daily special menu. The weekly pecial menu has items like “Honey & Nuts” with brown sugar bacon, peanut butter and honey. There are many other menu items, with a bacon sandwich to fit any taste. You can follow the B.L.T. on Facebook and Twitter.

via facebook.com

Gorgonzilla is Fort Worth’s newest grilled-cheese truck. I have to admit, I don’t know anything about this truck other than to say that it has parked at both Fort Worth food-truck parks in the past two weeks. The owners have not been actively posting on Facebook or Twitter, and all I know about the menu is that they serve grilled cheese. Hopefully in the coming days and weeks I will learn more and they will have a more visible social media presence. You can follow Gorgonzilla on Facebook and Twitter.

I’m excited about these new trucks and the new types of food they are bringing to the Metroplex.

http://www.dfw.com/2013/03/04/762954/new-food-trucks-rolling-out-for.html

Christina MacMicken spoke to SE culinary arts students Feb. 12 about how her medical problems affected her diet and how she started her own mobile restaurant business.
Photos by Alice Hale/The Collegian

Medical problems and the need for healthier eating habits prompted two local women to start their own mobile restaurant, and one of them spoke with culinary arts students Feb. 12 on SE Campus.

Executive chef Christina MacMicken was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was 18. She and co-owner Megan Topham opened up their food truck, named Lucy, about a year ago. Just before opening the business, Topham was diagnosed with celiac disease, an intolerance to wheat or gluten.

Both found the need to change their diets drastically to help offset their symptoms.

At the time of her diagnosis, MacMicken said she weighed 280 pounds and was having numerous health issues because of her MS. Over the next eight years, she focused on bettering herself through dieting, exercise and choosing healthier, gluten-free alternatives to the ingredients she used regularly.

MacMicken said a gluten-free lifestyle does not necessarily correlate with medicine and proven studies. But it still works in many cases, she said.

“Most neurologists recommend that if you have any type of auto-immune disorder that going gluten-free will help,” MacMicken said. “It’s going to be more about what you physically react to and for me, more than anything, once I took gluten out of my diet, I became a completely different person.”

Good Karma Kitchen is regularly parked at Clearfork Food Park in Fort Worth with about five other food trucks. MacMicken said they chose a food truck over a restaurant mainly for the personal attention they can give their customers. The women support and hope to encourage a healthy lifestyle to their customers by serving strictly gluten-free and vegan meals, she said.

Their business is more about making people aware of different food options that taste good but can be enjoyed by everyone, including those who have extreme food allergies, MacMicken said.

“People do not realize that we cannot eat at these other food trucks or at most restaurants,” she said. “On opening day, we had a boy crying outside the truck because he had never been able to have chocolate cake before that day. People need to feel safe when they eat, and not a lot of restaurants offer that.”

Making people aware that most restaurants do not accommodate specialty diets is another goal of Good Karma Kitchen. To influence those same people enough to consider adding alternatives to their menu is a huge success in MacMicken’s opinion.

“We are responsible for the plates that we are putting out,” she said. “And if I can plant a seed in somebody to where they are thinking about that, then great.”

Culinary arts student Stephanie Ingram is still undecided on exactly which direction she wants to go with her career but found MacMicken’s presentation informative.

“I don’t think [gluten-free] is something I would want to do, but I would maybe offer some items on my menu,” she said.

Student Adrian Gutierrez was impressed with MacMicken’s journey.

“I found her story amazing,” she said. “It’s awesome seeing someone that is so passionate. I think it’s just incredible that she used [her personal experience] to help motivate her to start this amazing thing.”

http://collegian.tccd.edu/?p=8542

The “First Impression” is a carne asada sandwich on sourdough bread with carne asada meat, Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado and bell peppers. (DFW Food Truck Foodie)

When I meet new truck owners, one of the first questions I ask is how they decided on their concept and the name of their truck. Everyone has an interesting story but none more interesting or meaningful than First Bite. First Bite is a Fort Worth-based truck, serving all over the Metroplex. It was created as a means for the Jackson family to feed the homeless, a calling that every member of the family seems to have. As the back of the truck proclaims: “If everyone gave a little, no one would go hungry. Your first bite can make a difference … Kamarie Jackson.”

True to their calling, several times a month, the Jackson family takes the truck out to feed the homeless, using the profits (the equivalent value of the first bite of a meal) from the prior week’s sales.

First Bite’s “First Rate” chicken sandwich (DFW Food Truck Foodie)

First Bite’s menu reflects many “firsts.” The “First Impression” is a carne asada sandwich on sourdough bread with carne asada meat, Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado and bell peppers. The meat is very tender with a mild spiciness. This sandwich is very filling, which you might’ve guessed from the menu, which uses descriptions such as “generous” and “loaded with.” There is a strong feeling among the Jacksons that their sandwiches should be loaded; so much so that when I posted a picture of my sandwich on Instagram, they emailed me and said, “We apologize, that sandwich is not up to our standards. We were training a new employee and we can tell by the picture that wasn’t made by our regular sandwich maker, who would have been much more generous.”

To be honest, the email surprised me; I thought there was plenty of meat on the sandwich and was very satisfied with my lunch. Later in the week I sent a friend to get their “First Impression.” Even though this is not a well-lit picture it shows how much meat First Bite normally places on their sandwiches.

If a chicken sandwich is more to your liking, I was impressed with the “First Rate,” which was very flavorful, and the meat was very fresh and tender. Like the First Impression, the bread holds together nicely but is not so thick that it overpowers the sandwich.

If vegetable sandwiches are your favorite, the “First Act,” with avocado, bell peppers, spinach and tomato is available All sandwiches come with a side of black bean salsa or cilantro lime rice.

First Bite also has starter items including “First Love” — rice balls made with the cilantro lime rice and a piece of carne asada inside. The rice balls are large and lightly fried; the star of the show is the avocado sauce on top.

The food on First Bite is delicious, and normally that would be enough to keep me returning to a truck. But First Bite takes things to a whole new level and has touched not only me but many associated with the food truck scene with their generosity and mission to make sure the homeless are fed a hot meal.

“First Love,” rice balls made with cilantro lime rice and a piece of carne asada inside. The rice balls are topped with an avocado sauce. (DFW Food Truck Foodie)

Last week, the Jacksons took their truck out to serve the homeless, and Cruising Kitchens owner Cameron Davis — who built the First Bite truck — went along for the experience. Early the next morning, I received a text from Cameron that said: “I can honestly say that after watching the First Bite crew feed the homeless, I am floored. It was an amazing experience.” He also tweeted pictures and said that the truck had fed 300 hundred people that night. To put that in to context, many trucks in DFW don’t serve 200 paying customers in a full day; this truck gave away food to 100 more than that. I have seen tweets from First Bite that said after going out to serve, they had been disappointed that they had to turn people away when they’d run out of food. It is my hope that as this truck becomes more established in the DFW community, their profits will increase and they will be able to feed more and more of those who are in need. If my eating good food can help someone else, at the same time, that is absolutely a win-win.

First Bite serves in both Fort Worth and Dallas. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter to find their location and learn more about their mission to give up their “first bite” so everyone can be fed.

http://www.dfw.com/2013/02/21/757773/food-truck-review-first-bite-gourmet.html

The “Beet Me” salad from Sauzy’s food truck (Courtesy Sauzy’s)

January was a slow month for the food truck business, so it’s not surprising that the number of new trucks rolling out to the streets of the Metroplex has slowed to just two.

Fort Worth added a burger truck to its truck line-up with Sauzy’s Truck. Owner Lee Wright describes his truck’s special sauce as “magical.” In addition to beef burgers, Sauzy’s offers a vegetarian beet burger that is getting rave reviews on social media. You can follow Sauzy’s on Facebook and Twitter to find their next stop.

Pulled pork from OinknMoo BBQ food truck (Courtesy OinknMoo BBQ)

DFW’s first full-time barbecue truck — OinknMoo BBQ– opened at the end of January. The truck specializes in Texas-style barbecue with a rotating menu that includes brisket, ribs, burnt ends and even chicken-fried brisket. Sides that rotate include bacon mac-n-cheese, fries, hominy and beans. This truck has one of the best eye-catching wraps and I love the logo! DFW has long asked for a BBQ truck, I expect this truck to be very popular. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to find out where they will be bringing the BBQ.

Brisket at OinknMoo BBQ food truck (Courtesy OinknMoo BBQ)

As the weather begins to warm, more new trucks will begin to roll out. I know of four planning to hit the streets in February or March, including a new bacon truck and a dessert truck. Stay tuned!

http://www.dfw.com/2013/02/04/749246/new-food-trucks-in-dfw-include.html

FORT WORTH — The chefs behind Fort Worth food truck Bento Box are taking their sushi skills off the road. The Japanese-inspired business officially turned off its engine December 16, 2012 in favor of a catering company called Whim.

The food truck was in business from August to December 2012. Chef Scott Kaiser said their short run did not end because of an over-saturated market. He cited the unpredictability of the market — including a down season during chilly winter months — as the reason to move toward catering. “It’s a tough market, for sure,” Kaiser said. “You’re not sure if you’re going to get 100 or 1,000 people [at a festival]. It’s unpredictable how to prepare, especially with perishable stuff like sushi.”

The catering company will be owned solely by Kaiser and his wife Brandi Kaiser and will focus on more progressive Japanese cuisine. He also wants to “bring sushi into the house” — offering chefs who can roll sushi during parties instead of offering just a sushi platter. Catering menus will range in price between lunch and dinner.

While their food truck business was short lived, Scott Kaiser said he and his wife will miss the experience. “We made some great friends. And it was a great journey for my wife and I,” he said. “You would never guess that starting a business and being confined in a 20-by-10 box with your spouse would make for a good marriage, but it has been the best recipe for our marriage.”

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2013/01/food_truck_bite_of_the_week_th.php