Clark/Cooper Concepts, the popular local restaurant group behind Brasserie 19, Ibiza, Coppa Osteria and Punk's Simple Southern Food, has launched the first phase of their busy 2015 with a new food truck. Sporting a giant, red, 50-pound coffee mug on its roof, Mobile Mug serves the popular illy coffee and scratch-made cinnamon rolls.
The restaurant group is known for its stylish design, and Mobile Mug is no exception.
The truck made a brief debut in front of Brasserie during the Houston Marathon on Sunday, where it served coffee to spectators and runners alike. A full range of espresso-based drinks like cappuccino and latte are available. Those who eschew caffeine may opt for a hot chocolate. "We'll be as close (physically) as possible to Starbucks," owner Grant Cooper told CultureMap in July, "but with a better buying experience and a better product."
The restaurant group is known for its stylish design, and Mobile Mug is no exception. In addition to the eye-catching red mug, the truck's exterior graphics mimic newspaper headlines that make exaggerated claims like "Frightened Corporate Coffee Runs Away" and "Thousands of Abandoned Cinnamon Rolls Find a Home." The messages can even be tweaked for events, as in one that read "Breaking News! Marathon Runners Caught Fueling During Race."
A regular schedule is still pending, as the truck has yet to receive its Health Department operating permit, but that hurdle is expected to overcome this week. If all goes according to plan, it could reappear during morning rush hour later this week. Follow Mobile Mug on Twitter for exact times and locations.
Meanwhile, progress continues on the company's plans to open The Dunlavy, an event space on Buffalo Bayou, and Salt Air Seafood Kitchen, a seafood restaurant in the former Brio/Pesce space on Kirby.
Mobile Mug features a red coffee cup on its roof.
