Mobile food vendors thriving

Cameron Davies, owner of Boardwalk on Bulverde, sits among the diners and vendors on a busy Saturday. Cameron Davies, owner of Boardwalk on Bulverde, sits among the diners and vendors on a busy Saturday. Photo: MICHAEL MILLER, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Photo: MICHAEL MILLER, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Mobile food vendors thriving 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

Duck-fat fries. Pork belly tacos. Chicken liver paté rolled in Pop Rocks. These aren't dishes you see on an average restaurant menu, but items regularly found on menus from the city's growing mobile food vendors.

In just more than a year, the gourmet mobile food scene has grown from a few trucks to nearly 40 and counting. There's a truck to satisfy just about any craving, whether it's Korean food from Seoul Grill; traditional Pakistani street food from Rickshaw Stop; classics such as burgers from Attaboy Burgers, Say She Ate and Toastie Buns; or wings from R&R Chicken Wings and Wayne's Wings. There are trucks that serve barbecue, cupcakes, snow cones and upscale dishes. The list goes on.

The scene that began in Los Angeles and continues to thrive in cities such as Denver and Portland is here to stay, despite issues that include city ordinances that restrict where the trucks can operate (no downtown parking) or annoyances such as generators on the fritz.

“It bugs me when people call it a trend. It's not a trend,” says Cameron Davies, owner of Boardwalk on Bulverde, 14732 Bulverde Road, and Cruisin' Kitchens. “A lot of the trucks we're (designing) these days are for chefs, and all the trucks are producing gourmet food.”

Davies opened the city's first mobile food park after he saw the hard work and investment that chefs were putting into their trucks, but then finding there was no place for them to park. He saw the need grow as orders for custom trucks grew at his other business, Cruisin' Kitchens.

“We have 10 builds right now and I've quoted 25 trucks this week alone. A lot of it is a migration of folks from Dallas and Austin. There's an explosion of trucks in the San Antonio and Boerne area,” he says.

Davies has hosted several food truck throwdown events, inviting trucks from other cities. Trucks have increasingly shown up at festivals throughout the city, such as the recent SÍclovÍa, Una Noche de la Gloria, Luminaria and First Friday festivities in Southtown.

Mobile vendors are utilizing Facebook or Twitter to connect with their customers and feed them locations. Many of the trucks also regularly park in groups at places such as Boardwalk on Bulverde, where lunch and dinner are served: StrEAT Food at Revolution Room, 8123 Broadway, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Wednesdays; LoneStar Studios Food Truck Park, 107 Lone Star Blvd., on second Saturdays; and Southchow at 1022 S. St. Mary's St., which is scheduled to open next week.

Eddie Romero, founder of Red Collar Media, organized StrEAT Food to bring the trucks to a different part of the city.

“It's a chance for the vendors to come inside the loop,” Romero says. “They'll be able to go out and stay a little later.”

Even established brick-and-mortar restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon — chef Jason Dady opened the DUK Truck, and Cheesy Jane's has rolled out a truck for private events.

Owners also include chefs who cut their chops in a truck with bigger dreams of opening a restaurant; entrepreneurs such as Mackenzie Kozak, new owner of Saweet Cupcakes, who is only 20; and Dominic Chacon, who is a culinary student at St. Philip's College and recently opened his second truck.

Whatever their reasons, owners have lots of delicious plates to taste. We've rounded up the trucks we know about; the numbers seem to grow every week.

Attaboy

Who: Chris Cullum, who previously co-owned Bunsen Burgers. “I've been obsessing over burgers since I was 16 because I like how it's not pretentious but you can feed every class of American citizens and they are equally happy.”

Where: Regular spots include StrEAT Food on Wednesday, and near downtown on Friday. Cullum hopes to park near Medical Center soon. Attaboy burgers are available from 5 p.m. to midnight at Tucker's Kozy Korner. The trailer also is available for private events.

Follow: Cullum's Attaboy on Facebook, @attaboyburgers on Twitter, and attaboyburgers.com

Menu: Burgers served on house-made buns with gourmet cheeses, sauces and other ingredients. Don't miss the Attaboy, Collum's special creation of the day.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Bistro Six

Who: Norma Montalvo; her son Javier Orozco is executive chef and her sister, Stacey Montalvo, is sous chef. “Our main goal is to have a restaurant, but we have to start small,” Norma says, although she says they may open more trucks if the food truck scene continues to grow here.

Where: Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Monday at Boardwalk on Bulverde; also available for special events.

Follow: Bistro Six on Facebook, @bistrosix on Twitter and bistrosix.net

Menu: Don't miss the seared ahi tuna tacos and truffled grilled cheese, smoked-brisket fried rice and sun-brewed tea sweetened with lemongrass.

Payment: Cash only

The Bulldog Hot Dogs & Crepes

Who: Twenty-year-old Edgar Menchaca, a business marketing major at Northwest Vista College, opened The Bulldog less than a month ago after a trip to Europe. “I saw huge hot dogs in Germany and crêpes in the markets of France,” Menchaca says. For now, he and friends Pablo Sanchez and Rodrigo Hernandez are catering to the UTSA Main Campus nightlife.

Where: 14541 Roadrunner Way, off UTSA Boulevard

Follow: The Bulldog Hotdogs & Crêpes on Facebook, @TheBulldog111 on Twitter; 210-313-0624 or thebulldog111@gmail.com

Menu: The Bulldog is a 6-inch beef hot dog, the Super Dog is a footlong all-beef hot dog; both can be topped with chili for 50 cents more. The crêpes can be made with chocolate and strawberries, chocolate and bananas, caramel and nuts, and ham and cheese.

Payment: Cash for now; credit cards will be accepted soon

Cheesy Jane's

Who: Jon Lindskog, who has been looking into opening a truck for more than three years. He built an exact replica of the brick-and-mortar kitchen in the truck, complete with a shake station. “I was doing so much catering, it just makes life easier,” he says.

Where: Special events and catering for now, but look for the truck to hit the road after October.

Follow: Cheesy Jane's on Facebook, @cheesyjanes on Twitter and cheesyjanes.com/catering

Menu: An abbreviated menu, that includes a 1/3-pound burger, a chicken sandwich, a chicken Caesar salad, tater tots, french fries and five flavors of milkshakes. Don't miss the sliders, spicy splinters and milkshakes.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Chela's

Who: Celia and Marty Davis, who say they opened the truck out of necessity. “I used to have a real estate company in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. When the economy ditched here, the money dried up there,” he says. Chela's was named Express-News Readers' Choice and Critics' Choice for Best Food Truck this year.

Where: The truck has been parking at UTSA and UTEX boulevards for three years; 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays

Follow: Chelas Tacos on Facebook and chelas-tacos.com

Menu: Tacos that are not from an average taco truck, such as chicken cilantro and cochinta pibil. Don't miss the carne deshebrada, or shredded beef tacos, and la Costra del Güero, a delicious combination of white cheese fondue and a choice of carne asada, chorizo or pastor in corn tortillas.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Crepe Nation

Who: Chef Frank Ramirez and wife Jennifer Ramirez had to do a little explaining when they rolled out their crêpe truck this summer. “We had a sign that showed what the crêpes looked like,” Frank says. “I basically told them it was like a big tortilla, or a wrap.”

Where: Boerne Main Plaza Gazebo, 100 N. Main St., Boerne, and Boardwalk on Bulverde for special events.

Follow: Crepe Nation, LLC on Facebook, @CrepeNationLLC on Twitter; 210-381-7390, crepenationllc.com

Menu: Savory crêpes include Szechuan beef, Reuben, pepperoni, chicken pot pie and chilled grilled chicken Caesar salad. Sweet crêpes include a mixed berry, bananas Foster, peanut butter chocolate s'more, strawberry banana Nutella and coffee Kahlua. Don't miss the shrimp Creole or apple crisp crêpe.

Payment: Cash and credit cards except for American Express

DUK Truck

Who: Jason Dady's Underground Kitchen

Where: Special events, such as throwdowns at Boardwalk on Bulverde; it will be at the Bin 555 Block Party, at 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday at 555 W. Bitters Road. Dady says the truck will be out a lot more in 2012.

Follow: The DUK Truck on Facebook and @duktruck Twitter

Menu: It changes frequently, but features include banh mi sandwich and curry. Don't miss the duck confit tacos.

Payment: Cash only

Fat Bellies

Who: Earl Styles learned how to cook at what he calls the “Culinary Institute of Mommy,” making Cajun classics alongside his mother. “We're offering Pappadeaux food at half the price,” Styles says of the food served out of his 18-foot truck.

Where: Fat Bellies parks mainly in the Boerne area, making the occasional visit to San Antonio for throwdowns at Boardwalk on Bulverde.

Follow: Fat Bellies Food Truck on Facebook, 210-410-7886, fatbelliesfoodtruck.com

Menu: For its October Feast Throwdown launch where Fat Bellies won Peoples Choice, the menu included fried boudin balls with Tabasco-mustard dipping sauce, chicken and sausage jambalaya, catfish po' boys and roast beef po' boys. Don't miss the blackened catfish with a light crawfish jack cheese cream sauce over dirty rice or chicken and sausage gumbo.

Payment: Cash only

Guilty Pleasures

Who: After seemingly retiring from the restaurant business in 2003, chef Emery Budahazi, 56, changed his mind. With the help of his girlfriend, Laura Mitz, Budahazi is dishing out guilty pleasures such as rich pasta and desserts. He hopes to add chilis, chowders, pot roasts and meatloaf to the menu. “We all have our guilty pleasures,” he says. “I want to give a gourmet caliber of food to the working class.”

Where: Weekends at the Boardwalk on Bulverde

Follow: Guilty Pleasures Food Truck on Facebook; 830-837-1334

Menu: The menu changes often, but has included the fan-favorite blackened shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, bread pudding with whiskey sauce, and mac and cheese. Don't miss the daily pilaf.

Payment: Cash only for now.

KC's Cones

Who: Owners Kaycee and Cameron Davies originally planned the trailer as a Cambo's Cantina, where they'd provide beer and wine for dining patrons. As the trucks grew in diversity, the Davies decided to avoid the hassle and instead treat sweaty San Antonians to icy dessert snow cones. The cones are served in five cheeky sizes: A cup, B cup, C cup, D cup and a DD cup. Davies plans on adding espresso, teas and hot chocolate during the winter.

Where: The Boardwalk on Bulverde

Follow: KCs_Cones on Twitter; 210-844-7786

Menu: Try Wicked Watermelon, Tiger's Blood, Groovy Grape, Crazy Coconut, Rockin' Raspberry, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Bomb, Granny Smith Apple or Bubble Gump. Don't miss the virgin Pina Colada or spot-on Dreamsicle.

Payment: Cash only

K-Hill BBQ Company

Who: Keith Hill, who has been cooking for 20 years.

Where: Boardwalk on Bulverde and private events

Follow: KHILL BBQ Company on Facebook, @KHILLBBQCompany on Twitter or khillbbqcompany.com

Menu: Brisket, chicken, pork spare ribs, sausage and pulled pork. Don't miss the slow-cooked brisket.

Payment: Cash only

MARS mobile

Who: After working as a chef for 20 years, most recently at P.F. Chang's at the Quarry, Michael Anthony Romo decided to go solo. “I wanted to start my own business and spend as much time as possible with my family,” Romo says. Now, he spends his nights and days working with his son, daughter and wife, providing comfort food classics to San Antonio.

Where: StrEAT Food on Broadway, 8123 Broadway; la Galleria Balleza, 1015 Hildebrand Ave.

Follow: MARS Mobile Kitchen on Facebook, @marsmobile1 on Twitter; 210-800-1525 or marsmobilekitchen@gmail.com

Menu: Regulars on the menu include burgers and tacos; Romo adds a special of the week that can be anything from a mushroom and Vermont white cheddar Vermonster burger or a green chili cheeseburger. Don't Miss the five-cheese MACK'n cheese topped with a mixture of panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

RC's Heavenly Dogs

Who: Robert Coon and wife Sharon are dishing out gourmet hot dogs from their trailer.

Where: Currently, RC's is catering exclusively to private events and can be reached at 239-634-3320 or rc_67@hotmail.com.

Follow: RC's Heavenly Dogs on Facebook

Menu: RC's offers a sauerkraut-topped New York dog; a Chicago dog with neon relish and a New Orleans dog topped with red beans and rice. Don't miss RC's chili dog topped with Sharon's Italian-style chili. The Coons are in the process of releasing the Alamo and Lucky dog.

Payment: Cash and checks

Rickshaw Stop

Who: Husband-and-wife team Meagan and Sameer Siddiqui decided to take their love of food on the road in 2011, using family recipes to help whet San Antonio's appetite for authentic Pakistani food. To attract the taco-loving crowd, the pair started offering their kebabs wrapped in thick and flaky paratha bread.

Where: Dinner at Boardwalk on Bulverde, Thursdays-Mondays and lunch Friday-Sunday

How to follow: Rickshaw Stop on Facebook or @RickshawStopSA on Twitter; 210-902-9308 or info@rickshawstop-sa.com.

Menu: Beef bihari kebabs, beef, chicken and veggie samosas, baklava made using a family recipe. Don't miss the chicken boti tikka kebabs, marinated for 48 hours in a spice mix before being char-grilled or the kheer rice pudding.

Payment: Cash and most credit cards

R & R Chicken Wings

Who: During the week, Roland Esqueda builds mobile kitchens for gourmands itching to get on the road, but on the weekends he's the one cooking. Esqueda, 39, and 13-year-old son Roland Jr. are busy filling orders of wings out of a 12-foot trailer. “We used to go out and eat wings, until one day I said I could make them just as good,” Esqueda says. Growing pains have caused Esqueda to put his current trailer on the market while he shops for a bigger trailer to put more fryers in.

Where: The Boardwalk on Bulverde

Follow: R & R chickenwings on Facebook, @RRChickenWings on Twitter; 210-379-0152, randrchickenwings@gmail.com

Menu: Wings come in barbecue, Cajun, mild and hot, served with fries or onion rings. Don't miss the crispy and tart lemon pepper wings.

Payment: Cash only

Sabor Colombiano

Who: One of the biggest food trucks on the roads is driven by mother-daughter team Fanny Valdez and Jame Arias. Valdez and Co. gave the RV a facelift to get it up and running near Lackland AFB. “We like being near bases,” Valdez says. “They have an international school with people from Colombia and all of Latin America who have given us as a great response.”

Where: Outside Tiffany's Cocktails, 338 Valley Hi Road

Follow: Sabor Colombiano on Wheels on Facebook; 210-639-7922, saborcolombianoonwheels@gmail.com

Menu: Colombian empanadas made with corn masa, ground beef, shredded chicken, pork and potatoes, arroz con pollo; fried plantains; brisket burgers. Don't miss the arepas or corn cakes, similar to Mexican gorditas. Valdez's arepas are made with corn masa and mozzarella cheese, topped with baked and shredded brisket.

Payment: Cash only

Saweet Cupcakes

Who: The accessibility and relative inexpensiveness of owning a food truck has helped 20-year-old Mackenzie Kozak work on her dreams of pursuing a career in the culinary arts. As the new co-owner of Saweet Cupcakes with mother Lori Moy, Mackenzie has spent the past six months keeping the brand alive and thriving, selling 2,000 cupcakes during the recent Octobeer Feast. “We're using the same original recipes, including the seasonal ones, while adding our own cupcakes,” Kozak says.

Where: Boardwalk on Bulverde and Legacy Outdoor Market on Sundays, 18402 U.S. 281 N.

Follow: Saweet Cupcakes on Facebook, @saweetcupcakes on Twitter; 210-215-0121, saweetcupcakes.com

Menu: The truck carries at least seven varieties of cupcakes including vanilla squared, vanilla chocolate, chocolate squared, chocolate vanilla and coconut. Don't miss the best-selling dark red velvet and the seasonal pumpkin cream cheese cupcake filled with cheesecake filling and topped with cinnamon butter cream.

Payment: Cash and all credit cards

Say She Ate

Who: Brandon McKelvey and Jason Paschall

Where: The streets of San Antonio, Southchow, First Friday in Southtown and other special events

Follow: Say.She.Ate TX on Facebook and @SaySheAteTX Twitter

Menu: Nostalgic comfort food dishes with a twist. The menu changes frequently. Don't miss the chicken 'n' waffles, duck fat fries and sliders.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Seoul Grill

Who: Brian and Crystal Callender are easing their way into the mobile food scene by educating the South Texas audience on Korean street food. “We took my background in operations and Crystal's passion for Korean food and decided to open a food truck,” Callender says. After relocating to San Antonio from Indianapolis, they worked on opening their 16-foot truck complete with stainless steel appliances. In the future, Callender hopes to host a “Seoul Grill Café” night, with a sit-down menu and individual grills for patrons.

Where: Boardwalk on Bulverde

Follow: Seoul Grill on Facebook, @SeoulGrillSA on Twitter; 765-412-2411, seoulgrillsa@gmail.com

Menu: Bulgogi tacos and Daejigogi tacos topped with Asian slaw, soy vinaigrette, fresh cilantro and Seoul sauce; a Korrito stuffed with bulgogi or daejigogi, kimchi fried rice, green onion and three-cheese queso; Korean Cheese steak; kimchi; a Kamja Twister, a potato on a skewer with Korean red pepper flake.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Smoke Shack

Who: Kate and Chris Conger opened the shack about a year ago. “My husband loves barbecue and he's always worked at barbecue restaurants and always wanted to do his own thing,” Kate says.

Where: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday at 2347 Nacogdoches Road, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at the Pearl, 200 E. Grayson St. and private events.

Follow: Conger's Smoke Shack on Facebook, @CongerCatering on Twitter and congercatering.com

Menu: Barbecue — brisket, pork, ribs, chicken — sides and barbecue Frito pies. Don't miss the barbecue sliders, brisket, pulled pork and sausage.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Tapa Tapa Truck

Who: Feeling adventurous? Chef Rudolfo Martinez's Tapa Tapa might satiate that craving. A grad of the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, N.Y., Martinez takes a whimsical and upscale approach to mobile dining. He serves small plates, or tapas, from around the globe, drawing inspiration from Spain's Ferran Adria. He's also offering traditional favorites in taco form with a twist.

Where: Boardwalk on Bulverde and LoneStar Studios Food Truck Park

Follow: Tapa Tapa Truck on Facebook, @TapaTapaTruck on Twitter; 210-373-9907, tapatapatruck@yahoo.com

Menu: Martinez has served root beer-glazed lamb belly with licorice potato salad, truffled mac and cheese with Cheez-Its and the fan-favorite watermelon and Pop Rocks.

Payment: Cash only

Tin Can Tacos

Who: Manny Olivarez is upping the ante when it comes to taco trucks. One of the first food trucks to hit the road, the '68 Airstream is home to jazzed-up classics.

Where: Olivarez and Tin Can are taking a break from the road while he and Neil Hajji of Wheelie Gourmet nurture their brick-and-mortar project, Counter Culture Café.

Follow: Tin Can Tacos on Facebook, @tincantacos on Twitter; 210-913-6758, tincantacos.com

Menu: Tin Can offers carnitas, lamb, beef, chicken fajita and chipotle chicken mini tacos, a Trashcan burrito and pork, lamb, beef or chicken tortas.

Payment: Cash only

Toastie Buns

Who: Dominic Chacon, who is pursuing a culinary arts degree at St. Philip's College.

Where: Boardwalk on Bulverde for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday.

Follow: Toastie Buns on Facebook and @ToastieBuns on Twitter

Menu: Burgers, burgers and more burgers. Don't miss the veggie-friendly portobello burger.

Payment: Cash only

Wayne's Wings

Who: After 20 years in the food industry, Wayne Price found himself jobless and about to lose his father. “We had a long discussion about how I never followed through,” Price says. “When he passed, I took the money I had and bought a trailer to start Wayne's Wings like I'd always wanted to.” Since last June, he's collected almost 1,000 Facebook followers with his homemade sauces and crunchy-fried wings.

Where: Out most nights at Broadway Bar, 8800 Broadway, StrEAT Food on Broadway Wednesdays

Follow: Wayne's Wing's on Facebook, @WaynesWings on Twitter; 210-300-3891, wayneswings@gmail.com

Menu: The wings come in Cajun spicy, barbecue, spicy barbecue, Wayne's buffalo, Southern country fried and fan-favorite lemon pepper. Don't miss the Philly cheese steak in beef or chicken. Sides include french fries, potato salad, chips or his signature grilled toast.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Wheelie Gourmet

Who: Neil and Rachel Hajji

Where: The Hajjis are taking a break from Wheelie Gourmet while they work on Counter Culture Café, as well as two other food trucks.

Follow: Wheelie Gourmet on Facebook, @wheeliegourmet on Twitter: 210-370-7692, wheeliegourmet.com

Menu: Wheelie offers a collection of fusion sandwiches, including slow-roasted chicken tagine on pita bread, a Veggie-wich, a gyro, a beef sandwich and a salmon Up Streamer sandwich with raspberry vinaigrette, feta cheese and pickled turnips on pita bread. Don't miss the daily specials, where the Hajjis take a classic such as grilled cheese and give it a new spin.

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Don't see your favorite food truck on our list? Send details to Jennifer McInnis by calling 210-250-3523, emailing jmcinnis@express-news.net or faxing 210-250-3405.