Want more Food Truck News in 2012?

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Reflect on Your Year with Beer, Bacon and Cheese

New Years Eve isn't stopping Ft. Worth's Rahr and Sons Brewery from holding its weekly Saturday Beer Tour. Lee's Grilled Cheese, The Bacon Wagon and Rahr have teamed up for this week's tour in what might be the perfect trifecta of tastes to wrap up 2011. The whole family is welcome to join in on the $7 tour, but only the 21 and up set will get to fill up their complimentary pint glass for three beer tastings. The Food Trucks will be set up from 1-3 and the brewery tour typically gets started around 2:30. Rahr and Sons Brewery is located at 701 Galveston Avenue in Fort Worth.

Ft. Worth's 'The Import Store' To Host Food Trucks in January

A local business in Ft. Worth is stepping up to play host for many of Cowtown's favorite food trucks. The banner is hard to see, but for the month of January, the following Food Trucks will make lunch appearances from 11-2 at The Import Store:
1/2 Sassy Hot Dogs
1/3 The Wiener Man
1/4 Good Karma Kitchen
1/5 Crazy Sisters
1/6 The Bacon Wagon
1/7 Zombie's Food Truck
1/9 So-Cal Tacos
1/10 The Wiener Man
1/11 Good Karma Kitchen
1/12 Crazy Sisters
1/13 The Bacon Wagon
1/14 Zombie's Food Truck

Changes to BigDFoodTrucks.com in 2012

When I began Big D Food Trucks 6 short months ago, I was juggling just a dozen or so Food Truck schedules. Fast forward to today and you've got a new one coming almost every week. So, after careful thought and consideration I am making some much needed change to the way we do things around here. Going forward, the daily schedule will reflect only the Dallas locations of Food Trucks. And here's why: I would never want to jeopardize the integrity of these hard working truckers or to my readers by posting misleading locations. By narrowing the schedule to Dallas, I'll be able to better prevent that. After all, we are Big D Food Trucks. Not Big Irving. Not Big Fort Worth. 

But before you go unfollowing me in revenge of abandonment, hear me out. I will continue to blog post about all DFW Food Trucks. This is still the best place to find out news, special events and big changes to all of your favorites. All North Texas trucks will remain in my "Rolling Now" bar with links to their pages and I will stay abreast of who's going to be "Rolling Soon." In fact, I heard of a good one this morning: The Meatbomber...But more on that later. You have probably also heard that the fine folks at the City of Dallas have finally come through for us and made some important updates to city regulations. With these changes, many of your favorite Ft. Worth trucks will be working on a Dallas permit. So as you can see, it's really less of a goodbye and more of a see ya later.


Happy New Years to you all and keep on truckin' in 2012.
Sarah

Ring in 2012 with Food Trucks at Big D NYE!

The Countdown is on! Eight days from now, thousands of partygoers will flood Victory Park to pop a cork and ring in 2012. Big D NYE is celebrating its fifth year and for the first time, Food Trucks will be there joining in on the revelry. With all the bubbly being consumed, you'll be happy to have City Street Grille, Gandolfo's NY Deli, Nammi Truck, Ssahm BBQ and The Butchers Son on the scene to feed the hungry masses. Also scheduled for the live televised event is a spectacular fireworks show, music from hit bands like Sleeperstar and a chance to win prizes like a Chevy Sonic and a trip to Sonoma. All activities are free to the public and food/alcohol can be purchased, but make sure and consider using public transit as huge crowds can make parking a hassle. For a full line-up, check out the official website of Big D NYE and we wish you all a very Happy New Year; See ya in 2012!

Have a Nostalgic Holiday Experience at Candlelight 2011

photo courtesy of www.ayearfromoakcottage.org

Take a step back in time this weekend and embrace the Holidays of yore with the Annual Candlelight event at Dallas Heritage Village. Celebrating its 40th year at Old City Park, Candlelight is a weekend of seasonal merriment with carriage rides, crafts, photos with St. Nick, musical performances and more. Historic buildings are decorated in the style of 19th Century holiday decor and performers stroll the grounds in period costumes. For the first time, Candlelight is bringing in Food Trucks, so make sure to come hungry! Confirmed are Gandolfo's NY Deli, Jack's Chowhound and Nammi Truck with drinks provided by Lee Harvey's and Calais Winery. Ticket prices range from $6 to $12 and includes most activities*. Candlelight takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday from 3-9 p.m. at 1515 South Harwood Street in Dallas.

*Food and drink for purchase

Stuff their Stockings with Something They'll Really Want: Food Truck Gift Cards!

Red Jett Sweets Holiday Cupcake

If you saw all the snow on the news blanketing the DFW suburbs this morning then you know that the holidays are fast approaching. This can only mean that it's that time of year again where you have to shell out some cash for the purpose of thanking all of your nearest and dearest for putting up with you for another day! This year, give your friends and family something they'll never expect with a Food Truck gift card. Many of Dallas and Fort Worth's tastiest rolling restaurants offer cards or certificates that will be sure to impress even the most dilettante of diners. Be sure to swing by one of the following trucks offering gift cards before your next White Elephant office party:

-The Bacon Wagon
-Red Jett Sweets
-Ruthie's Rolling Cafe
-Trailercakes
-Good Karma Kitchen
-Rockstar Bakeshop
-Sassy Hot Dogs
-Crazy Sisters
-SoCal Tacos
-The Butchers Son
-Tacoheads
-Gennarino's
-Nammi Truck
-I Scream 4 Cupcakes

Food Truck Fridays at The Shops @ Park Lane

Graphic courtesy of shopsatparklane.com

When I saw the line-up for the inaugural Food Truck Friday at the Shops at Park Lane, I suddenly found the need to stop by Nordstrom Rack between, say, 11 and 2... Greenhouse, Jack's Chowhound, Ruthie's Rolling Cafe, Trailercakes, 3 Men and a Taco, Gennarino's and Ssahm BBQ are the first group slated for tomorrow's food court setting up on the green across from Gordon Biersch. Even if you can't swing by, make sure and go to the Shops at Park Lane's facebook page and vote for your favorite mobile eatery. The one with the most 'likes' under their photo nabs a spot on the center's new digital board!

Celebrate the Season with "Holidays in the District"

Graphic courtesy of www.thedallasartsdistrict.org

As the temperatures are falling, the amount of food truck events seems to keep expanding.  None have sounded quite so cheery as the one taking place this Friday December 2nd in the Dallas Arts District. To help you get into the holiday spirit, the District has arranged an evening of free horse drawn carriage rides, musical performances, holiday crafts, a tree lighting and of course, photos with the man in red himself. Make sure and come hungry because our friends at Greenhouse, Ssahm BBQ, Gandolfo's NY Deli, CupCakin' Machine and Jack's Chowhound will have eats and treats for sale from 5-9pm. 

SoCal Tacos at Firewheel area Meritage Homes Grand Opening

This Holiday Season, Fight Hunger with Nammi Truck

The majority of us spent Thanksgiving afternoon watching football while we let the turkey do its job, but many North Texans were not so lucky. Every day there are about 300,000 meals needed by hungry families all across DFW. Thankfully we have the North Texas Food Bank to organize and provide over 90,000 of those critical meals to people, including many children and senior citizens. Dallas' very own Nammi Truck is joining the fight against hunger by donating the profit of their T-shirt sales to the Food Bank. During the months of November and December, they're donating $10 from every $15 "I Heart Nammi" T-shirt sold. You can help Nammi Truck fight the cause by purchasing a Tee the next time you're stopping in for some Banh Mi!

Grand Opening: Ft. Worth Food Park

Congratulations Fort Worth! You are the lucky recipient of  North Texas' very first Food Truck Park slated to open Friday, December 2nd in the West 7th/Montgomery Ward Plaza district. Rather than rephrase everything from their official press release which you can read for yourself, I'll just give you the who and the what of where you need to be and when for the Grand Opening!
Who:
Good Karma Kitchen
YES! Taco
Red Jett Sweets
Lee's Grilled Cheese
Jake's Hamburgers
Nammi Truck
What:
Nosh on all the above trucks and hydrate with FREE beer from local Ft. Worth favorite Rahr & Sons Brewery and Live Music from UNT Alum Gary Kyle and the No Standards Band all to help benefit Rexanna's Foundation for Fighting Lung Cancer
When/Where:
2509 Weisenberger St.
Fort Worth, XZ 76107
6-10pm

You Had Me at Bacon...

You know when you're scanning the menu at a restaurant and you zero in on one particular ingredient that confirms exactly what you're going to order? Bacon is one of those key words for me, so you can picture my excitement when I found a new food truck dedicated to all things swine. 

Jason Harskjold and Victor Harten of Ft. Worth were just two high school friends who coincidentally hit a roadblock at the same time. Both were laid off over the summer due to corporate cutbacks and were faced with a future of uncertainty. Neither was willing to work for The Man so, "Reflecting over their corporate talents and personal passions, the idea of THE BACON WAGON was born."

So far, they've been paying it forward to the community that they'll be servicing; the pair has invested over $20,000 for their truck in local businesses in and around Ft. Worth.  The Menu is available on their website and has every conceivable way to sandwich bacon between two slices of bread; you can add a fried egg, various cheeses, avocado, green chilis and more to your creation. In addition, they'll feature exclusive Bacon Desserts from Stir Crazy Bakery...Bacon Brownies anyone?

All Photos from The Bacon Wagon Facebook page

The Bacon Wagon will have a  permanent location Wednesday-Saturday behind The Shamrock Tavern and Poag Mahone's Pub on 7th Street and hopes to be invited to other Ft. Worth locations for lunch hours and private parties. They will have their first service run at Wired Willie's 11/11/11 Block Party this Friday and we will spread the word as soon as they announce their Grand Opening!

FoodTruckin' Saturday In the Dallas Arts District

For all of you mourning the demise of the Sigel's Winter Food Truck Festival, fret not; the hard working guys behind the recently formed DFW Street Food Coalition have organized a Food Truck Food Court to be held this Saturday from 4-8 in the Dallas Arts District. Although some of the trucks scheduled at Sigel's had to drop out because of permitting, change can be good...there will be plenty of parking and nobody will have to play chicken crossing Greenville Avenue. Here's the All-Star line up for Saturday and the list may be even bigger by the end of the week! 

The Butchers Son

Gandolfo's NY Deli

NammiTruck

Ssahm BBQ

Rockstar Bakshop

Jack's Chowhound

3 Men and a Taco

Jackalope Vegan Kitchen

Update: Sigel's Food Truck Fest a No-Go

Various news sources have been blasting on Twitter and Facebook that the Sigel's Winter Food Truck Fest that was scheduled for November 12th has been cancelled. We want to make sure all BDFT followers know that it is indeed, not happening. Head on over to Eater Dallas to read more about the cancellation. Irving-based Gennarino's will be still posted up at Sigel's Greenville that evening and you'll definitely want to catch them while they're in Dallas. We're hearing of another event possibly in the works for Saturday so look for more info later in the week!

Food Trucks to Invade Aurora in the Dallas Arts District

Photo courtesy of dallasaurora.com

This Friday, Aurora, a cultural event like no other will be taking place in the 19 Blocks that make up the Dallas Arts District. Having never been to anything quite like this, I'm relying on the description provided by the event's website: "...buildings will become projection screens; streets and courtyards will morph into art galleries; and steel, glass, and concrete will pulse and reverberate..." There will be installations of sound, light and performance from dozens of  American artists and the best part, it's all free and open to the public. With all of this stimulation, count on a hefty number of Food Trucks to be there to feed the hungry masses! The following trucks will be on hand from 7 to midnight with food for purchase: The Bomb Fried Pies, The Butcher’s Son, Enticed Shaved Ice, Gandolfo’s NY Deli, Greenhouse Truck, Jack’s Chowhound, Nammitruck, Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe, Ssahm Korean BBQ, Trailercakes, and Yum Yum Truck. To see a full line-up of the artists showing at Aurora check out their website at http://dallasaurora.com/artists/ and do your mind a favor and go pencil in a little culture this weekend! 

Celebrate with the SPCA at Saturday's "Howloween" Party

The SPCA of Texas is celebrating the opening of the new Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center with a big bash this Saturday with plenty of Food Trucks on hand. The whole family is invited to go check out the Howloween party and enjoy Fall activities like bobbing for apples, a scavenger hunt, face painting and a bounce house. To feed the hungry partygoers, Gennarino's, Gandolfo's NY Deli, Enticed Shaved Ice, Trailercakes and Jack's Chowhound will have food for purchase. The event itself is free to the public and you may just find a furry companion to take home with you!

 

Let the Good Times Roll with Cajun Tailgators!

Photo courtesy of Vegan Soapbox

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Ann Keady of Cajun Tailgators that was practically infectious about her love for Cajun food and her hopes to bring it to the Big D. As a student at LSU, Ann fell hard and fast both for the Cajun cuisine at football tailgates as well as her husband. Together they're working on Dallas' first Food Truck that represents the authentic taste of Louisiana with plans to be rolling in February, just in time for Mardi Gras season. While the menu is a work in progress, you may see items such as Gumbos, Po-Boys, Meat Pies, Crawfish Pies, Red Beans & Rice, Etouffee, Fried Boudin Balls, Beignets and King Cake. As long as permitting goes as planned, they'll be running in Dallas for weekly scheduling mixed with special events catering. Make sure to tell Ann what you want to see on the menu and as they say on the Bayou, "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roule" or Let the Good Times Roll!

Dallas' First Gourmet Whoopie Pie Truck?

Photos from Rockstar Bakeshop facebook

Rockstar Bakeshop is working in reverse order of many start-up Food Trucks; they already have an established operation selling their unique Whoopie Pies across Dallas. With pie flavors ranging from Butterscotch Ganache sandwiched between Chocolate Cake to the Tiramisu filled with Espresso Mascarpone Cream, Rockstar is already two steps ahead of most mobile vendors. But owner Kristin Leonard and her husband see huge potential in taking their pies to the people, via a food truck. They'd like to be hitting the streets by Valentine's Day of 2012 and they're going to need your support to get there. While they currently have no truck of their own, they will be partnering with other Dallas food trucks to sell their pies. This coming Wednesday Ruthie's Rolling Cafe will be selling Rockstar's Whoopie Pies out of their truck at City Hall's Living Plaza. Look for them to team up with other trucks in the future as well as selling their pies at local markets and events. Check often with us to find out who they're partnering with so you can get in on the goodness! If you simply can't wait to try them, take advantage of the Daily Candy deal where you can get a dozen (or two) of their Halloween pies at a third off the price.

Ft. Worth's Keep on Truckin' Fest

Photos from The Wiener Man's Facebook

This Saturday marks the first ever "Keep on Truckin' Fest," the brainchild of Fort Worth's The Wiener Man whose franks were named Best in Fort Worth by the FW Weekly. He's bringing together several of Ft. Worth's finest rolling establishments along with live music from  Brandon Thomas, Antonio WIcker, The Wicked Messenger and Dirty Pool. Festival is held behing Poag Mahone's Pub from 6-10 and is totally free and open to the public. Other trucks joining him include Red Jett Sweets, Crazy Sisters, Salsa Limon and Tacoheads and best of all, he's even promising a bounce house. Just make sure to do your bouncing before you feast on food truck fare. For more info see http://www.wienermantx.com/

Food Truck Fiesta at the Santa Fe 5K

Non-profit organization Friends of the Santa Fe Trail is hosting a 5K race Thursday at Lindsley Park and this will be an event you won't want to miss! Even if exercise isn't exactly your thing, there are 6 good reasons why you should be at the race: Greenhouse Truck, Jack's Chowhound, 3 Men and a Taco, Enticed Ice, Gennarino's and Ruthie's Rolling Cafe. Actually make that 8 reasons: booze and music will be there too. The food trucks will be rolling out to celebrate the newest Dallas trail system that begins at White Rock Lake and meanders through the edge of Deep Ellum and Fair Park. So get on out there and support the racers or better yet, sign up yourself! (Registration is open through race day)

The Elusive Drifting Bistro

A new truck surfaced on Twitter a couple weeks ago and although it isn't much, I'll tell you what I do know. Due to contractual agreements with their current employer, the owner of The Drifting Bistro must remain completely anonymous at this time. He or she is currently the executive sous chef at a Ft. Worth restaurant with over a decade of restaurant experience and has decided that it's time to get their own thing going. As far as the menu, they describe their approach as a combination of "well known street food classics with a southern and global 'bistro' flare." However vague they have to be at this time, they are steadily posting scrumptious food pics to their Twitter account; but you'll have to wait til January to see which of those makes the final dozen items on their menu. In the meantime, we'll keep drooling over their photos and let you guys know more as it unfolds!

South African Cuisine, Deep in the Heart of Texas

I'd like to think of myself as an adventurous eater, but admittedly I have little to no experience when it comes to South African cuisine. Lucky for me, there is someone making it a little easier for all of us in DFW to expand our culinary finesse. Acacia Cafe founder Joshua Wrinkle may live in Ft. Worth, but his heart lies in Africa's southernmost country. His love for such a diverse, vibrant nation has inspired him to open the first Food Truck of it's kind in North Texas, aiming to hit the streets in about 6 weeks. Acacia Cafe is a fusion of Afrikaner, Cape Malay, Indian and English cuisines, along with hearty Xhosa and Zulu fare. Dishes will range from a "Boerewors," a traditional spicy sausage in a bun with grilled onions and sweet chutney to savory pies, curries and hand-cut chips. You can first expect to see the truck rolling in Fort Worth but he eventually wants to share his love for the Rainbow Nation with all of North Texas. His only request? Keep an open mind and you just might find yourself in love at first bite.
Follow Acacia Cafe on Twitter and Like them on Facebook! 

Opening Soon: The Cup Cakin Machine!

They say three's a crowd, but not when we're talking about cupcake trucks. Joining Trailercakes and Red Jett Sweets, DFW is about to have a trifecta of mobile sweeteries with the introduction of the Cup Cakin Machine. The idea of a cupcake truck came to proprietress Ashley Greene, a wife and mother of two whose love for baking took this teacher-by-day to enroll in culinary arts classes at night. She plans on starting the Machine as a part-time gig but dreams of making a living out of it all. With the preview of flavors she gave me, I'd say it won't be long until that all becomes a reality. Other than the standard classics like chocolate and vanilla topped with buttercream frosting, here's a few that got my tongue wagging:

• Pumpkin Carrot-carrot cake blended with pumpkin puree and walnuts, with spiced cream cheese frosting
• Strawberry Lemon-strawberry cake speckled with lemon zest, topped with lemon & strawberry buttercream
• Chocolate Butter Cup-peanut butter cake with chocolate buttercream and crumbled Reese's Pieces
• Buttermilk Maple-buttermilk cake topped with maple frosting and real bacon pieces

A few others making the rotating menu include Chocolate Mousse, Cookies & Cream and German Chocolate.The Cup Cakin Machine will only be running on the weekends, but you will be able to order on-line for weekday deliveries. In addition, Ashley also whips up "Cupcake Bouquets" for gifts or as centerpieces at your next party; Picture a whimsical bouquet of flowery frosted cupcakes that comes with your personal message attached. Her fancified sprinter van is also available for private parties, showers and weddings. 

Expect to see the Cup Cakin Machine making her maiden voyage come the 1st of October, give or take a few days. She's got a few Dallas locations in the works (with other cities to follow in 2012), but is definitely looking for a willing host to provide a steady site. Find the Cup Cakin Machine on Twitter, Facebook or at their Website and, as always we will keep you updated on their whereabouts!

Round 2: Sigel's Food Truck Festival

Photo from www.dallasobserver.com

I was not one of the 2,000 people that flooded the Sigel's parking lot for the the first Food Truck Festival...but only because I was stuck at a Jackson, Mississippi wedding. While I can't say I was sad to miss out on the sweltering heat, I am delighted that that this event is coming back and bringing along with it, those elusive cooler temps. The next Sigel's Food Truck Festival is staked out for November 12th and the line-up for this go round is a long one:
3 Men & a Taco
Butcher’s Son
Il Cane Rosso
City Street Grille
Enticed Shaved Ice
Gandolfo's NY Deli
Gennarino’s
Jack's Chowhound
Nammi Truck
Ruthie's Rolling Cafe
If space permits, there may be more trucks joining the event along with craft beer, wine and spirit tastings inside Sigel's.  With one of these already under their belt, I'm betting the trucks will have some kinks worked out making this will be an event not to be missed!


Sigel's Winter Food Truck Festival @ 5757 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX Time: TBA

Food Trucks: The Next Trend in Wedding Catering

Being a girl in my late 20's, my friends are coupling up at an alarming rate.  Save the date magnets, shower invitations and registries are ruling my life; but what I really want to know about is the food. Well, that and the open bar situation. 

If I have to hear another bride prattle on about food stations and how cute mashed potatoes can look in a martini glass, I might just vom. I came across an article from The Knot a couple months back and I thought my future of attending weddings was looking up. The newest catering trend for nuptials is mobile trucks and carts and I could not be more thrilled. Maybe you're having a casual afternoon event where food trucks provide your main course, or a soiree the size of Wills & Kate where trucks provide fare for late night revelers; either way I'm all over this. 

If you want to consider this for your own wedding, make sure you read The Knot's "Wedding Catering: Everything you need to know about Wedding Food Trucks" And if you book Ruthie's Rolling Cafe or Trailercakes for your own affair, I bet you can count on more people check-marking that 'yes' box on your terrifically expensive Vera Wang reply cards. 

Park Cities getting Weekly Food Trucks!

Park Cities is getting in on the Food Truck wave...well temporarily anyways. Preston Commons, the towering office at Preston and Northwest Highway is closing their ground floor deli-the only restaurant to serve the property's tenants. During the 3 month renovation of the deli, building manager CB Richard Ellis is arranging for food trucks to serve lunch on site Monday thru Friday. No word yet on who has committed to the building, but they expect to have trucks beginning in about 2 weeks and running thru the end of the year. Check back and we will share with you as soon as they announce the schedule! 


Preston Commons is at 8117 Preston Rd. Dallas, TX 75225

Don't Wait Until the State Fair for Fried Marshmallows!

Taking top honors at the State Fair's annual Big Tex Choice Awards, Deep Fried Bubblegum is a bubble gum flavored marshmallow fried to a crisp and topped with a curlicue of icing. Frankly, bubble gum flavored anything sounds disgusting outside of it's original form; one thing I can get behind, however is a deep fried marshmallow and I know just where to find one. Fort Worth based food truck Sassy Hot Dogs has been frying up their own version for over a year now sans bubble gum flavoring. They take the classic marshmallow, deep fry it and roll it in crystallized sugar topped with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Getting into their hometown spirit, they also come coated in purple sugar and those are dubbed the "TCU Toadstools"
So, if you can't wait until the State Fair of Texas to try a fried marshmallow, find Sassy Hot Dogs at 9621 South Freeway in Ft. Worth. They may not have gotten the love from Big Tex, but make sure and let owner Garland Geeslin know how much you like their version!

White Rock Market to host Food Trucks

Photo from Lake Highlands Today

Dallas Morning News' Kim Pierce has confirmed that White Rock Market will be hosting a half dozen or so DFW area Food Trucks at its September 24th community market. This East Dallas market has a mix of vendors selling local meats, cheese and produce as well as local artisans and music.  These bi-weekly markets are located next to The Green Spot and held every 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. We'll keep you posted as we hear which of your favorite trucks will be rolling into this fun event!

Healthy Appetites can Enjoy Gluten-Free, Vegetarian Food Truck Alternatives

It can be frustrating trying to navigate the food truck scene with dietary restrictions when the cuisine du jour consists of tacos, hot dogs and fried bites. But for those seeking healthy, vegetarian or even vegan and gluten-free options, you're in luck. Dallas-based Greenhouse Truck offers local, seasonal choices based around lean proteins, fruits and veggies. Gluten-free options on the menu include soups like watermelon gazpacho or spiced pumpkin and leek. Popular rice bowls with brown rice, vegetables, Asian spices and your choice of miso flank steak, chicken or portobellos also make the gluten-free menu. With so many Americans affected by Celiac disease, a common gluten allergy, we are fortunate to have the likes of Greenhouse Truck offering balanced alternatives. The sweetest part about it all, besides their gluten-free sorbets is that there is no evidence of blase health food. Expect bright, substantial dishes abundant in flavor and all at an affordable and guilt-free price. 


In the coming weeks, Greenhouse Truck will be joined by Good Karma Kitchen, a moveable feast of vegetarian and gluten-free gourmet; We'll keep Big D Food Truck fans posted on their happenings! 

Brat Truck Coming to Big D.

For a week or so I've been trying to pull details out of new food truck The Butcher's Son, but for whatever reason they are staying mum on specifics like cuisine, locations and launch date. When you have several social media outlets, it doesn't take much sleuthing to figure a few things out. So, here is what I know...Wolken Restaurant Group LLC, the Dallas franchisee behind Gandolfo's NY Deli and Petro's Chili & Chips has something to do with this. I only know this because I saw it in his signature from an e-mail he sent me last week. Second...it's powered by Johnsonville Sausages which leads me to believe that this is another food truck franchise in the making (Both Gandolfo's and Petro's are franchises). I've deduced from Facebook comments that the launch date will be October 5th and that they plan to have two trucks rolling in DFW. Calling their cuisine "mobile gourmet" doesn't give me much besides that I already know encased meat is involved. However, they are letting Facebook and Twitter fans help them decide what the last two menu items are going to be. Either way, we're happy to have another food truck in the mix and we'll let you know what else we come up with in the weeks ahead!

Food Truck Consultant? Yes-they Exist!

Photo from www.citystreetgrille.com

You've been watching Eat Streets on the Cooking Channel and now you've got it in your head to start a food truck. When you begin to navigate the rules and regulations for a mobile vending permit, you'll quickly realize you may need a support group. 
Herein comes Jessica Smith and Hunter Johnson from City Street Grille. In addition to their established Food Truck, they have a side-business of helping people like you get out on the streets. They've consulted local businesses, including caterer & baker extraordinaire Piecurious, and for a consulting fee they can help you get roving too!
Find them on Twitter @CityStreetGrill or on their website.

Red Jett Sweets is now Rolling!

Making their Ft. Worth premiere this week, mobile cupcakery Red Jett Sweets is hitting the streets with their scrumptious mouthfuls of cupcake goodness! In addition to the signature Vanilla Bean and Milk Chocolate, the girls are crafting cupcakes like the Beloved Bananas Foster, Snickerdoodle and their namesake Red Jett Velvet. 
Note that their fancy scarlet truck is also available for your private parties and their website will give you all the pricing details! Find them tonight at 1800 Montgomery Street in Ft. Worth from 7 until sellout and check back for rotating locations!

Photos: Red Jett Sweets facebook 

Is the City of Dallas Pushing away Food Trucks?

Investigative journalism is not my prowess but I'm noticing a common theme among many food truck operators: Dallas is not an easy place to get a permit.  From the regulations to the specifications, the Big D is forcing many a new food truck to our neighboring cities.


The girls over at Good Karma Kitchen have laid it all out for me. The City of Dallas only permits mobile vending trucks that were originally built as catering vehicles. If you buy a converted vehicle, say an old UPS truck, and you bring it up to meet all specifications to a catering truck, you will still not be permitted. Several new operators are finding out the hard way that their used trucks will not pass inspection in Dallas, so they're moving on to the next place: Ft. Worth.


I don't know the ins and outs of city regulations, but it strikes me as odd that one health department's policies vary so greatly to those of neighboring cities like Ft. Worth, Austin & Houston.  Gina of Crazy Sisters has run into that exact problem; her vehicle is permitted in Tarrant County but Dallas is slamming her with two-bit modifications to her truck. When adding them all up, she doesn't think it's worth it to come to Dallas at this time. Scott of SoCal Tacos is facing the same situation-the used catering truck he bought in New Braunfels won't pass Dallas inspection, but he can take it to Ft. Worth with ease.


Yet another operator, Comfort Food on Wheels was advised by the California manufacturer of his truck not to even bother coming to Dallas because of restrictions. Now Comfy Foods is considering a move to Cowtown. 


Not only are the truck requirements exacting, take a look at the Operational Requirements as outlined by the City:
"An itinerary must be provided for each vehicle prior to the first business day of each month. 
The Health Department must be advised of any changes immediately. Schedules/Stops must 
be accurate to within 30 minutes.  The name, address and telephone number of the owner of 
the premises must be provided.  A description of the food to be sold or served at each premise 
must accompany the itinerary."

I say Dallas needs to come up to speed with the other metropolitan areas, otherwise they will discourage new business...a business that is experiencing a huge tidal wave across the country. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Step-by-Step Oh My Ganache! Recipe from Trailercakes

If you haven't met Bubbles, the Airstream about town delivering Trailercakes' heavenly cupcake confections, then you are truly missing out! The lovely duo Heather and Leora share a super-secret recipe just for Big D Food Truck fans. See my step-by-step instructions for this rich, glossy frosting: 


What you will need:

• Stainless steel or any heat tolerant bowl
• Medium-sized saucepan
• Mixing spoon
• Measuring spoons/cups

• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter 
• 6 Teaspoons Sugar
• 1 ½ Cups Chocolate chips or bakers chocolate (Chips are usually easier) Get creative! You can use semi-sweet, dark, white, etc.

Instructions:

• Break chocolate into small pieces (unless using chips) & place in a heat tolerant bowl.   
• Boil the cream, butter & sugar in a medium saucepan.  
• Once the cream/sugar mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the chocolate and let stand 4-5 minutes. Do not let it cool for much longer.
• Stir the mixture, starting from the center until it appears smooth.  
• Let cool & enjoy on cakes, fruit, pretzels etc.

Dip pretzel rods & lay on wax paper

Pretzels, frozen bananas & chocolate walnut cookies

Enjoy! And as the gals at Trailercakes say, Happiness is in the Frosting.

Breaking Down the Menu: Dallas' First Friggitoria

Gennarino's Food Truck is launching DFW's first authentic Neapolitan-style friggitoria and you're not alone if you have no idea what that means. A friggitoria is essentially a place where fried food is sold, just one of Italy's great traditions in street food. Before you venture out to place your order at Gennarino's, read our quick guide to these fried delights:

• Arancini-Balls of rice fried to a golden brown & often stuffed with ingredients like ham, prosciutto, mushrooms, meat sauce, or just cheese.
• Panzarotti-Smaller version of a calzone with a deep fried soft dough and most often stuffed with tomato and mozzarella. Can also be filled with mushrooms, ham, onions etc.
• Polentina-A wedge of cornmeal dough fried to a golden crisp
• Timballo-Typically a pasta baked with other ingredients like cheese, meat or vegetables but staying with the theme, expect theirs to be deep fried.
• Panuozzi-Stretched raw dough filled with ingredients like soppressata, mozzarella or pepperoni and baked to resemble a stuffed panini. 

Panuozzi

Misto Platter

All photos from Gennarino's facebook page

New Truck SoCal Tacos bringing 'Killer Salsa' to the Streets

This week I was the lucky recipient of a salsa house call from Scott Wooley of soon-to-be SoCal Tacos famedom.  Being a native Texan I'm certain that I've done my fair share of salsa slingin, but Scott had me convinced that his 'killer salsa' was gonna be good. 


When I answered the door for my personal salsa delivery, there was Scott-a cooler of salsa over his shoulder and chips at the ready. With his surfer drawl, backwards hat and tattoos, he gave me the evolution of how he went from living in Laguna Niguel to real estate in Dallas and now proud taco truck owner.  His dream of one day owning a restaurant with his wife and 3 (almost 4) kids is coming true via the burgeoning food truck scene he was witnessing in DFW. He saw it as a way in the door and his excitability about the trucking scene is contagious. 


So back to the salsa. I wanted to know what makes it killer and his answer's pretty simple. Good ingredients, juicy Mexican limes and no roasting or pureeing like most Texas salsas. It reads like a chunky pico and the taste is pretty amazing.  Expect it to come with a seasoned chip alongside battered tilapia or honey chipotle glazed salmon tacos. He hopes to be rolling in the next 2 weeks in Tarrant County with plans of coming to Dallas in the future. This southern Californian is practically giddy about hitting the road and I, for one caught the SoCal Taco buzz. The only thing zestier than the salsa may be the truck owner himself! 


Check back for schedule and find Scott on Facebook & Twitter @SOCALTACOS

Food Truck SMACKDOWN for a Cause

How do you top the success of last years Chef Smackdown, an Iron Chef style competition pitting Dallas' premiere chefs against each other for charity's sake? You go bigger. Much bigger. 

Calling in the heavy machinery is Sheryl Coyne-Batson, the woman behind Ten for 10: Water for Africa, a charity doing their part to help solve the world water crisis. She has wrangled the top trucks around Dallas/Fort Worth to compete in a Smackdown for the titles of Best food, Best concept or the coveted Best Overall, voted by you. On the bill are Gandolfo's NY Deli, Tacoheads, Squeals on Wheels, Nammi Truck, SoCaL Tacos & Gennarino's, but we hear that the list is growing by the day.

Besides a sampling from all of the Food Trucks your $60 general admission ticket includes 3 specialty drink tickets, entertainment from The Duo of Domino Effect, a silent auction and the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped provide clean water and sanitation education to over 17,000 people in Kicukiro, Rwanda. This year's event takes place October 21st at Dallas' Sunset Lounge, where cash bar will be available to drown down all of the food truck fare.

If you're a real do-gooder then you should consider the $100 VIP tickets where you'll have access to an exclusive happy hour, food sampling, swag bag and 5 drink tickets before the event's 7:30 start time. Tickets and information can be found here. Don't wait, ticket prices will go up after October 10th.

All the Cheesy Details on upcoming Ruthie's Rolling Cafe

Top: Ruthie's Classic Grilled Cheese
Bottom: Ruthie's Newly Remodeled Truck

With the bevy of new food trucks on the horizon in Dallas/Ft. Worth, we're excited for all the details coming in on each and every one, starting today with Ruthie's Rolling Cafe.  Coming  to us from the folks over at In Any Event, an established Dallas-based event planning company, Ruthie's hits the road tonight for her big debut at a private party.  It won't be long, however until they'll be making stops all over town and we've got the scoop on the locations they have in the works. I spoke with Lauren Brundage of In Any Event and starting the last week of August, Ruthie's will be rolling to the following locations around Dallas: The Hunt Building downtown, Walgreens at Lemmon/McKinney & Cedar Springs/Oaklawn, Bank of Texas on Hillcrest, Centennial Wines at Preston Center, Shell station at Lemmon/Cole, Polly DuPont on Beltline in Plano and of course the Dallas Arts District.


Manning the griddle will be former chef of Twisted Root's SMU Boulevard location and when it comes to cheese Ruthie's aims to please. Their event planning background makes them a private party specialist where the menu can be customized to fit the client's need. But if it's grilled cheese you want, it's grilled cheese you'll get. They source their cheese from local vendors right here in Dallas. The bread comes from Empire Baking Company and veggies are sourced locally from the Dallas Farmer's Market. 


Your first chance to get a taste of Ruthie's will be on August 20th at the Lemons to Aid event at the Museum of Science and Nature at Fair Park. Let us know in the comment section if you have any questions about Ruthie's and we'll try to get them answered for you. Check back often, we're excited to profile new food trucks on our blog giving you all the details on where to find them and what to eat when you get there!

Empire Bakery Breads for Ruthie's assorted Grilled Sandwiches
All photos from Ruthie's Facebook Page