KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 3, 2020
By Jennifer Miko
Tired of cooking? Hit the road and visit one of the many food trucks on the Katy dining scene. Many of these gastro-mobiles have had to pump the brakes in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Large-scale events have been canceled, and catering jobs have been reduced. However, the same care and passion for preparing good food remains, so let your taste buds explore new horizons and find a food truck near you.
Mingo's Loaded French Fries
Like restaurants, food trucks build their brand around their cuisine. Since they're smaller, they typically deliver traditional dishes with a "street food" flair. Their limited menus guarantee customers will enjoy specialty items that feature authentic flavors and ingredients.
Mingo’s Latin Kitchen
21945 Katy Fwy.
832-437-6179
Mingo’s Latin Kitchen offers “imaginative” Latin cuisine to Katy foodies. The company was established five years as a gourmet Latin food truck and catering business. Now, they have two food trucks that cater to small private parties and local neighborhoods, while practicing social distancing.
Mingo's typically served customers Tuesday through Sunday morning, but since the pandemic they have reduced to three to four times a week.
“COVID-19 has affected our business greatly, our caterings that we had scheduled all canceled including one that we serve over 500 guests,” says Mingo’s owner Tomas Villarreal.
In January, Villarreal and his business partner bought the majority of the popular Azul Seafood Tapas restaurant. On July 1, they opened Mingo’s, their first permanent dine-in location. They still operate two food trucks and offer catering services.
“Our hope is that our food truck followers will visit our restaurant and vice versa for our followers that eat at the restaurant,” says Villarreal.
Fan favorites include the Loaded French Fries topped with pico de gallo with chicken/brisket/port/vegetables, shredded cheese, and tomatillo sauce and the hand-pressed empanadas stuffed with a five-blend shredded cheese/chicken or brisket.
Bahama Mama's
24811 Westheimer Pkwy.
Bahama Mama's has proudly been serving the Katy community since 1993. Their well-known shaved ice truck is parked next to Rylander Elementary on Westheimer Parkway. Families line up outside to order fruity, refreshing treats, perfect for a hot day.
The family-owned Katy business benefits from the surrounding residents who easily walk or bike to get their favorite shaved ice. They are open every day until dark.
Bahama Mama's offers over 80 flavors, made fresh daily using pure can sugar. They also rotate sugar-free choices weekly. Customer favorites include the Bahama Mama, Snake Bite, Mocha, Sunset, Gumbow and Jamaica Mistake.
Bahama Mama's also features fun add-ons to their shaved ice flavors. The "Stuffie" includes a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream inside, while ordering the "Picadilly" gets customers chopped pickles on top of their shaved ice.
The owners invite everyone to "Come out and enjoy the beautiful garden hibiscus and numerous butterflies along with the fabulous sunsets."
Daddy Duncan's BBQ
3130 Katy Hockley Cut Off Rd.
713-898-9910
The flame-painted Daddy Duncan’s BBQ food truck can be found at ErmaRose Winery in North Katy off of Katy Hockley Road.
The popular food truck has moved on from hosting pop-up locations. They will continue to work special events, and their BBQ will still be featured on several Katy restaurants' menus.
“We’ve been around for three years offering catering and food truck pop-ups in the Greater Houston area, especially our home of Katy,” says Daddy Duncan.
Duncan and his wife Sylvia and their children have lived in Katy for 15 years.
“We have a strong following in Katy, and we’re used to getting 2-3 hour lines at our food truck. It only made sense to eventually get a permanent location that we could provide our community with barbecue on a more regular basis,” says Duncan.
Currently Daddy Duncan's BBQ is offering a limited menu at ErmaRose Winery on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5-8 p.m. Check their Facebook page for menu options as offerings can change.
Churrasco Food Truck & Catering
832-359-4543
Churrasco, a local family business, started catering 10 years ago. In 2013, they opened their first food truck, and by 2016, they added two more trucks.
Customers can line up to order delicious Brazilian sandwiches with chicken, sirloin or lamb. They can also sample traditional appetizers like coxinhas (chicken croquettes) or their pastel de forno – homemade pastries filled with ground beef, sautéed with red and green bell peppers.
“(The food truck) is a lot of work, not easy at all, but many good times,” says owner Oscar Santaella. “Customers become friends - this is one of the most good things in this business.”
Churrasco has served large festivals, concerts, and sporting events in the Houston area. However, due to COVID-19, they can’t depend on those events right now. Santaella says they are very thankful for their regular and new customers who have shown them support.
“We are struggling,” says Santaella. “But we have one family philosophy: ‘Do not give up, never give up.’”
Before hitting the road, visit the website or Facebook page to confirm the hours of operation and location for your favorite food truck.
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