Foodie News

New must-try food trucks: The mobile craze goes international

Hitting the streets in April: Sirena Seafood Truck
Cameron McClung/Twitter
Campechana from Sirena Seafood Truck
Sirena Seafood Truck/Twitter
Siopao from Flip N' Patties
Flip 'N Patties/Twitter

It seems like only yesterday that The Waffle Bus and Bare Bowls were our latest mobile food obsessions — not that we'll ever get tired of vegetarian stews or strawberry Irish cream creme brulee waffle sandwiches. (One is for when we are being good. One is for when we are so, so not.)

But the food truck movement shows no signs of, um, slowing down and whether it's siopao or French food, there's always something new to try.

Here's what's on our radar and hitting the streets soon:

L'es-Car-Go

While some food truck owners, (like The Eatsie Boys and Green Seed Vegan) are expanding into brick and mortar shops, there are also restaurants who are adding mobile units. L'es-Car-Go is a forthcoming food truck from Bistro Provence owners Jean-Philippe and Genevieve Guy, the first French food-based truck in Houston.

The truck is scheduled to launch sometime this month, and will cater to West Houston office parks and events with a menu of fresh French soups, hot sandwiches including a Cordon Bleu and a Croque Monsieur, and an array of snail specialties, as befits the name.

How about an escargot pocket pita ("a halved pocket pita filled with escargot, roasted corn, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, avocadoes, cilantro and yogurt sauce") or some escargot popcorn, made of almond-crusted snails topped with hot sauce?

Flip N' Patties

There's no paucity of burgers on the streets of Houston, but Donramon and Michael Jante are mixing up the formula at Flip N' Patties with Filipino flavors (and slang in the burger names) and a menu of Filipino street foods including siopaos, chicken pupu, pork adobo and much more. Look for them starting in May or June around the Montrose/Midtown/Heights neighborhoods.

Sirena Seafood Truck

Mexican foods on wheels doesn't have to be all about tacos. Hitting the streets this month, Sirena promises "seafood cocktails and regular ol' delishusness from the Mexican coasts," and is already tantalizing Facebook and Twitter fans with her tempting photos of campechana, empanadas, ceviche and aguachile.

Hungry yet?

What are your favorite food trucks of 2012? Which ones are you looking forward to trying?

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Let's a-go-go tacos

Houston taqueria opens 2 new locations with cocktails by Anvil owner

Tacos A Go Go Sharon Haynes Bobby Heugel Maribel Gomez

Photo by Dylan McEwan

Co-owners Sharon Haynes and chef Maribel Gomez with Anvil owner Bobby Heugel.

Residents of the Heights and Briargrove have a new options for tacos and margaritas. Tacos A Go Go has opened new locations in both neighborhoods.

Located in the former Lola Neighborhood Diner (1102 Yale St.) and Killen’s STQ (2231 S. Voss Rd.), the two new restaurants are the first Tacos A Go Go locations to feature a full bar. Owners Sharon Haynes and Maribel Gomez turned to Anvil owner Bobby Heugel to create the cocktail program.

“Launching a full bar felt like the natural evolution of Tacos A Go Go,” Haynes said in a statement. “We’re known for fresh, authentic flavors, and our bold, fun new cocktails and designated bar area are totally in line with that thinking. Working with Bobby Heugel meant we could bring that same care and thought to the bar, offering excellent cocktails with fresh-squeezed juices and perfectly matched spirits.”

Heugel, along with bartenders Máté Hartai and Tyler Wang, put a Mexican spin on familiar cocktails, including the Mole Espresso Martini (vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and mole spices), the Frozen Mangonada (Mexican rum, mango, lime, chamoy, and chile spices), and a fresh spin on the margarita that can be enhanced with a housemade pico de gallo syrup and finished with a pico de gallo garnish.

At 2,646 square feet, the Heights location offers more space and better parking than Tacos A Go Go’s former home on White Oak. Both new locations feature interior design by Brittany Vaughn of Garnish Designs (Milton’s, Tiny Champions) and hand-painted graphics and collages by Matt Tabor of Letterset Houston.

The restaurants will serve Tacos A Go Go’s familiar menu. Led by chef Gomez, it includes street-style tacos with fillings such as carne guisada, pastor, picadillo, and barbacoa. In addition, the restaurant offers breakfast tacos all day and more elevated options such as grilled shrimp and smoked brisket. Non-taco options include burritos, quesadillas, and salads.

The Heights location is open from 7 am-10 pm Sunday through Wednesday and 7 am-12 am Thursday through Saturday, while Briargrove is open daily from 7 am-10 pm. Both restaurants offer happy hour daily from 2-5 pm, including $5 margaritas.

Photo by Dylan McEwan

Co-owners Sharon Haynes and chef Maribel Gomez with Anvil owner Bobby Heugel.

news-you-can-eat openings tacos the-heights