Food trucks, tasty cuisine add to Marfa’s eclecticism

By JOHN DANIEL GARCIA

MARFA – Having evolved from the chuckwagon, feeding hungry cowboys on long cattle drives during westward expansion in post-Civil War America, the food truck has become a common sight throughout urban areas. Marfa is no exception, as this past Sunday saw the opening of the third mobile kitchen currently in operation in our town.

“I want to fill the void,” says Mark Scott. “I want to travel around the world without having to drive anywhere.”

Scott is referring to Fat Lyle’s, a food truck he and his wife Kaki Aufdengarten-Scott have been working on for months and is open at 719 South Highland Fridays through Tuesdays from 11am to 4pm. The truck is named after the Scotts’ chubby blue heeler.

One of Scott’s goals is to stay as local and fresh as possible. His bread will come from Nice Bread of Alpine and he will be using beef, pork, and cabrito from livestock raised in Fort Davis. Vegetables from various Marfa gardens will also be used until he cultivates his own on-site at the lot.

Another goal is to keep things interesting at Fat Lyle’s. Scott hopes to revamp the menu every month, though he will have some permanent menu items, such as Vietnamese sandwiches and scotch eggs. Deli-sliced meats and cheeses will be available at the truck, as well as Scott’s homemade hot sauces, Two Dick Billy Goat and Ghost Dick.

Scott also plans to hold events, such as dinner-and-a-movie nights, where he’ll project his favorite movies on the side of truck while in service, and live music events with multiple-course set menus.

Fat Lyle’s will also have a presence at this year’s Marfa Lights Festival. Fried Chicken and biscuits will be served and there will be a hot wing challenge. Anyone who can eat six of Scott’s hottest wings in under 20 minutes without liquid relief will get their wings for free, have their picture posted in the truck, and will win an undisclosed prize.

Fat Lyle’s joins other Marfa mobile kitchens, the Food Shark and Boyz 2 Men. A short-lived crepes truck came and went.

“There’s more variety,” said Food Shark’s Adam Bork, “It’s different food, a different location. We have more choices.” Bork’s wife and Food Shark partner, Krista Steinhauer, agrees.

“It’s great. One of the best things to do here is make your own job.”

Even though the Food Shark is known throughout the world with help from the likes of Vanity Fair magazine and Beyonce’s website as Marfa’s original Food Truck, Bork is quick to point out that there was barbecue truck before they opened for business in 2006. The 1974 Ford that is the Food Shark was, in fact, that barbecue truck.

Musician and city council member David Beebe opened Boyz 2 Men in July. He also sees the food truck business as something that makes sense.

“It’s a way to make good food at a reasonable price point,” he said before pointing out that many chefs use food trucks as a stepping-stone before they open a permanent kitchen.

“I did it the opposite. I went from a permanent place to a food truck,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m not in it for the business. I’m out of business. I do it for the fun and as a service to the community.”

Boyz 2 Men is known for it’s offbeat feel. From the truck’s name to their often-changing menus, which each has its own name, such as the original “Hombre’s” menu and the “Robocop 2” menu, which was created by Joe and Ross Cashiola during their reign over the Airstream while Beebe was abroad.

Beebe will be taking Boyz 2 Men on the road at the end of October. He will be setting up shop in Presidio during the UFO Festival and will be providing food at Charlie Angel’s Dude of The Dead Festival the day after.