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!

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

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

SoCal Tacos at Firewheel area Meritage Homes Grand Opening

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!

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.