Hanging up the Keyboard...

After much consideration, I've come to the decision to shutter Big D Food Trucks. While I've had a swell time eating my way through DFW street food, this blog (particularly the schedule) is a huge labor of love. Rain, heat, traffic and blowing a generator are just a few reasons a truck schedule is super dynamic and takes tons of dedication. With that, and the ever burgeoning number of trucks, I don't have the time it takes to pour myself into blogging, events and criss-crossing the metroplex. Many thanks to you all for following me and especially to those Food Trucks who supported my blog! There are some committed  folks out there who report on food trucks so I have no doubt you won't go hungry. D SideDish recently released a tracking app and Stephanie Hawkes of DFWFoodTruckFoodie lives and breathes by this business. I can't wait to see how our street food culture will continue to unfold, but for now I'll just watch from the curb! Keep on Truckin y'all...
Sarah

Rainy Days keep Food Trucks Away...

Rain and Food Trucks just don't play well together. Make sure to double and triple-check our schedule plus those of the individual Food Trucks before you head out this week. Be sure to visit those who are sticking it out despite the weather and show them your support!

Party with a Food Truck this St. Patty's Day!

They say everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's day so don't feel left out if you weren't endowed with ginger locks and a smattering of freckles. This year there's a whole fleet of Food Trucks to help you drown down that green beer and we're making it easy navigate them:
Pop up Park on Greenville Ave:
The big kahuna of all St. Patty's day celebrations; if you live in Dallas and haven't been, then you've gotta do this at least once. Other than a 5K and a parade, it's just one grand festival of beer chugging and partying in the streets. Find NammiTruck, Ruthie's Rolling Cafe, Easy Slider Truck and Cane Rosso at 2001 Greenville Ave beginning at 2...and don't leave without trying the special "Lucky Charms" green velvet cupcake from Trailercakes.

Rahr and Sons Brewing Co.:

And over in Cowtown, the shenanigans continue: Fort Worth's Rahr and Sons Brewery is having a contest for the most festive Green Get-ups you can put together. Top 3 will take home a Rahr gift certificate. They'll also have special Lucky Pug pint glasses just for the occasion. Zombie's Food Truck and The Bacon Wagon are setting up from 1-3.

Arlington Springfest:

If the days of partying with complete and total abandon are behind you, then load up the kids and head out to this three day event for some family fun time. Bouncy houses, live music, and food from The Wiener Man & The Butchers Son are just a few of the attractions. For complete line-up of events click here.

Deep Ellum Outdoor Market:

The creative folks at the DEOM have created a Pinterest board so you guys can preview the wares of vendors that are setting up at this weekend's event. We hear Rockstar Bakeshop and Rock and Roll Tacos will be loaded up with goodies from 11-5!

Good Guys Car Show:

Texas Motor Speedway is hosting the 2nd annual Good Guys Car Show, featuring over 2,000 classic cars, trucks and custom hotrods. The show runs Friday and Saturday with So-Cal Tacos and The Bomb Fried Pies.

7 New Trucks in DFW, plus another Food Park!

Twitter and Facebook have been all abuzz in the last couple weeks with promises of new truck concepts, events and another food truck park. Instead of bombarding you with a million tweets and status updates, I'm gathering up all that I know right here in one place. Just keep in mind, a few of these things are unconfirmed and in the early stages.

Cowtown Chow Down-While Dallas has yet to get its first food truck park, Fort Worth is already in the throes of opening its second, due in early April. This new Food Truck Park is going up between the Fort Worth Stockyards and the Downtown Cultural District at 1100 N. Main. They're promising live entertainment from local musicians, free wi-fi, indoor/outdoor dining areas and an 'arts and crafts corner' to display the work of local artisans. Their website has the following gourmet food trucks confirmed to rotate in and out:

•The Bacon Wagon
•Crazy Sisters
•The Butchers Son
•Dough Boys Pizza
•Eat Jo Dawgs
•Gandolfo's NY Deli
•In a Pickle
•Snoball Corral
•Sassy Hot Dogs
•Yum Yum Food Truck
•Zombie's Food Truck
ROCK'N RICK'S-New Braunfels based builder Kitchen on Wheels will be putting the finishing touches on this new food truck from Ricky Minter. The offerings will include breakfast tacos and omelets for breakfast as well as flatbreads, hamburgers and gourmet sandwiches. When possible, they will use only local ingredients and the menu will change up seasonally. They plan to hold court in the Dallas and Forney areas beginning in early May.

Cafe Con Leche Dallas-There's nothing Dallas loves more than an LA import and we'll soon add another one with Cuban cuisine truck Cafe Con Leche Dallas. They will be hitting the streets of Big D in 3-4 weeks and will make public stops as well as cater private parties. They also want to note that they have unlimited menu possibilites for private catering events.

Three Lions Truck-Soon you'll have no reason to book a nine hour flight to Heathrow just to get your favorite traditional English fare. I have no gauge of when they'll be rolling except for "very soon", but check out their website and follow them on Twitter at @threelionstruck or on Facebook.

Society Bakery-A perennial Dallas favorite for their decadent desserts and cupcakes with sky-high frosting, Society Bakery is wrapping up their build in collaboration with Cruising Kitchens out of San Antonio. While we would love for it to be a full-time Dallas operation, they'll be splitting their time between Dallas and San Antonio. We'll be sure and let you know when they're in the neighborhood.

Rockstar Bakeshop-We've been crossing our fingers for some time that RockStar Bakeshop would finally get its very own rig. After all, when you bake up the most ridiculously perfect whoopie pies, then you deserve more than moonlighting on everybody else's trucks! Rocktar Bakeshop will finally unveil "Layla" at their official Launch Party on March 9th. You can RSVP  to the event here.

Burrito Baron-I know next to nothing, but sometimes this is how you find things out! Armand the burrito baron has a truck and his Twitter says that as of February 16th, they'll be done in 22 days in Denton. If you know more info, be my guest and fill us in on the comments section.

Potato Potahto-For the complete shakedown of all that this gourmet spud truck has to offer, see our last post. But, we thought we'd share a glamour shot of their newly finished truck anyway. 

REVISED 2/29:

Formerly of Dough Boys Pizza Truck, Eliud Castro is striking gold on his own with Gepetto Pizzas, his new concept that is aiming to launch in Fort Worth next week. In addition to all the classics, Eliud is tossing up new pies topped with specialties like Wagyu beef, chicken poblano and smoked brisket. He's further expanding the menu with mini calzones and a prosciutto/bacon/chicken carbonara. To all the Dallas folks, not to worry; Eliud has set his sights on getting a permit in your neck of the woods, too.

Potato Potahto taking Gourmet Spuds to the Streets

The fleet of Dallas/Fort Worth Food Trucks & mobile concepts is hovering somewhere around sixty-ish, but Potato-Potahto is setting out to prove that you can still have an original idea despite the numbers. Proprietor Chic Henderson was reared in the restaurant industry and has always had big dreams of opening his own place. After being inspired by Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race, he turned his focus to opening DFW's only spud truck. Potato-Potahto is taking a cheeky approach to their menu; the "Potato" side consists of either a sweet or russet potato topped with all the traditional fixings while the "Potahto" is a fancier, gussied up version topped with rotating offerings. One month you may see a Buffalo Blue Cheese & Chicken potahto and the next could be a Chicken Fried Steak or Brisket and Pickled Onion option. They're also baking up Chic's mother's original recipe of Reba's Sweet Potato Pie for dessert. Potato-Potahto will be permitted in Dallas and Fort Worth with plans for public stops mixed in with private events. They've already got a few stops planned including the Dallas Arts District and we'll add them to our schedule when they launch in about a week!

Free Love Saturday comes to Fort Worth

A Valentine's Day Food Truck Guide

Top: Cupcakin Machine via Facebook

Bottom: Red Jett Sweets via Kolorato

Listen up Lovebirds! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it's time to start putting some thought into what you'll be giving your sweetie pie. If a heart shaped Russell Stover box isn't going to impress your lady or man-friend, then look no further than your favorite mobile sweet shops. The gals at Trailercakes, Red Jett Sweets, Cupcakin Machine and Rockstar Bakeshop have been elbow deep in the flour sack just to help you pull off the perfect Valentine. Read on to find all the special flavors offered by the sweetest Food Trucks in town and be sure and place your order early! 

Red Jett Sweets:

-Strawberry Champagne Cupcake filled with Dark Chocolate Ganache

-Vanilla Echo with Pink Vanilla Buttercream

-Chocolate with Pink Vanilla Buttercream

-Red Jett Velvet

Trailercakes:

-Red Hot Velvet

-Chocolate Cherry Cake

(not officially named yet!)

Rockstar Bakeshop:

-Heart-shaped mini Whoopie Pies

-"Heartbreaker": Chocolate-covered Strawberry Whoopie Pie

Cupcakin Machine:

-Cupcake Bouquets: Customer's choice of cupcake flavor decorated with Buttercream Roses and "planted" in a pot or vase (similar to cakeball-style) Available in dozen or 1/2 dozen

Food Trucks Ring in the Chinese New Year with The Crow Collection of Asian Art

Graphic courtesy of www.crowcollection.org

Bid adieu to the Year of the Rabbit and usher in the Year of the Dragon this Friday with a celebration to Ring in the Chinese New Year at the Dallas Arts District. The Crow Collection of Asian Art has put together a fete full of arts and crafts like decorating traditional Red Envelopes, and making Illuminated Lanterns and Dancing Dragon Puppets. Kids can have their faces painted like a dragon and enjoy the music of Chinese Harps along with a Kung Fu Showcase and a Luminous Dragon Dance Parade. Food Trucks will line up along Flora Street during the festival. The official event site lists Nammi Truck, Ssahm BBQ, Greenhouse Truck and Easy Slider Truck but we've heard that City Street Grille, Cup Cakin Machine and Ruthie's Rolling Cafe are joining the celebration. The festival time is 6pm-11pm; click here to see a full list of scheduled activities.

Easy Slider Hits the Park Cities in January

For all you folks living and working in the Park Cities, you have a gem of a lunch spot every Thursday in the month of January. Easy Slider Truck is setting up shop outside of Preston Commons near the corner of Northwest Highway and Preston Road. I had the chance to stop in here last week and I can attest that this is some of the best food I have had off of a truck. They have unique slider combinations like the "Sweet & Low Down" (beef, bacon, goat cheese & strawberry jam) and the "7-Layer" (beef, black bean dip, salsa, guac, fritos and cheddar). When you pile on the ingredients, often times the burger gets lost-but not in Easy Slider's case. Every component has a purpose and at the end of the day, you can still taste the actual beef. Easy Slider also carries whoopie pies from Rockstar Bakeshop and has an exclusive "Banana Pancakes" flavor; think banana cream sandwiched between spongy cake and rolled in Nilla wafers. I urge you to drop whatever lunch plans you have and go see the gals at Easy Slider; you will not be disappointed!

The Wiener Man Goes to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo

This weekend kicks off one of the most historical sporting events in Texas with the return of the Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Since 1896, Ft. Worth has hosted the legendary event that has evolved into 3 weeks of Live Music, Exhibitions and many Charitable and Multicultural Activities for people of all ages. For the first year, The Wiener Man Food Truck is setting up adjacent to Rodeo grounds to serve the thousands of daily visitors. The Wiener Man sells much more than the classic hot dog, which owner Bryce Tomberlin tells me that almost nobody orders. Gourmet dogs include the "Slaw Dog," an 1/8 lb. All-Beef dog topped with Vinegar based Slaw and a strip of griddled Bacon with signature Spicy Mayo and the Vegetarian "Porta Dog;" Portabella strips, sauteed Spinach, fresh made Pico and Spicy Mayo. Daily service will be at the corner of University and Lancaster at the Goodwill Donation Center beginning at 4pm on weekdays and 11am on weekends.  As a nod to Goodwill for being a great host, The Wiener Man is implementing a "Match Tips Program" where every dollar put in the tip jar means one dollar donated to Goodwill...and it's all in the good name of Wiener Fans!

Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo:

January 13th-February 4th, 2012

Rodeo Tickets, Schedule  & Driving Directions

Easy Slider Truck & Bacon Wagon Team Up for Brewery Tour

This has got to be the most unique Food Truck event of the year. As the flyer says, pay $30 to load onto a double-decker bus for a round-trip Brewery Tour departing from Deep Ellum Brewing Company and making a stop at World of Beer in Arlington with eats from Easy Slider Truck and The Bacon Wagon. We also hear that The Bacon Wagon is making a special Deep Ellum IPA Bacon Chili just for the event. You can purchase tickets Here and your thirty bucks will get you some some cool shwag to remember your day in the event that you don't remember your day. 

Local Food Trucks Battle for National TV Segment on Eat St.

For weeks now, several area Food Trucks have been hard at work perfecting their video submissions to the Cooking Channel's Eat St. Video Contest. From January 5th thru the 31st, fans all over the nation will be able to vote for their favorite video to win the ultimate prize: a chance to be featured on a nationally televised segment of Eat St. Videos were submitted by So-Cal Tacos, Nammi Truck, Red Jett Sweets, Ruthie's Rolling Cafe and The Bacon Wagon. Winning a segment on Eat St. would bring well-deserved national attention to the burgeoning Dallas/Ft. Worth Food Truck scene, so follow the link and make your picks!

Want more Food Truck News in 2012?

We finally drank the Zuckerberg kool-aid and joined Facebook. We'll be feeding you similar information from Twitter but with graphics and comments. Join the party with one click of your mouse and make sure to share your best food truck photos, feedback and suggestions.

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!