Food trucks

🚚 The Flyin’ K BBQ food truck celebrates its 10-year anniversary at Ahwatukee Eats, the monthly food truck roundup from 5-9 p.m. today in the Desert Dentistry parking lot on the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and 46th Street in Ahwatukee.

What’s on the menu?

Flyin’ K BBQ owners and Arizona natives Ken and Heather Davis (pictured) have developed a menu of central Texas-inspired barbecue dishes with an Arizona twist.

Signature items include their Arizona brisket, MOAB (Mother of All Burritos), Mac Daddy (scratch-made mac and cheese topped with brisket), and White Bite sauce (a horseradish-based sauce with smoked paprika and garlic).

The history

After serving in the military, Ken Davis was a member of the Prescott Hotshots firefighters before joining the corporate world.

“I’d bring my barbecue to the office for colleagues to test,’’ he says. ‘‘When people showed up for meetings they didn’t need to attend just because they heard my newest BBQ was up for grabs, I thought I might have something good enough to leave corporate.”

The company

Davis and his wife, a 17-year veteran of the hospitality industry, now run the Flyin’ K Hospitality Group, which includes the food truck, a catering service, and a consulting business.

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Food truck vendor stabbed & killed in west Phoenix

By Jess Harter Tuesday, February 20, 2024

🚚 A food truck vendor was stabbed and killed during a brawl at 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Van Buren and 35th Avenue in west Phoenix.

What happened?

Police say the Mariscos Las Islitas food truck was preparing to close when a vehicle pulled up and multiple men began fighting with the vendors. Heriberto Acosta, 41, suffered several stab wounds and died at the hospital.

Detectives do not know the motive for the attack.

Tip line

📞 If you have any information regarding the case, you can call Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or 1-800-343-TIPS.

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AZ Feastivals, the organizers of weekly food truck roundups in Mesa, Gilbert, and Queen Creek, will launch a fourth – San Tan Feastival – in San Tan Valley.

When: The roundup will take place 5-9 p.m. Saturdays beginning Sept. 24.

Where: Central Christian Church near the southeast corner of Signal Butte and Ocotillo.

Admission: Free.

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Cubanitas, a new food truck featuring Cuban sandwiches and plates, has launched in the West Valley. It sets up from 6-11 p.m. every day except Thursdays at the 76 gas station on the southeast corner of Olive and 51st Avenue in Glendale. (Pictured: Pan Con Bistec De Res sandwich, $8.50.)

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Power Food Park, a six-days-a-week food truck roundup on a 2-acre lot near the northeast corner of Power and Brown in northeast Mesa, has abandoned its legal battle with surrounding neighborhoods and the City of Mesa and will close at the end of the month. Organizers say they will seek a new site.

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Longtime East Valley chef and restaurateur Dennis Petty launches his new food truck, Papa D’s, at 6 p.m. Friday at The Reserves at Val Vista park between Val Vista and Higley south of Riggs in southeast Gilbert.

The resume: Petty and wife Diana Blewer founded multiple Gilbert restaurants, including The Groves Bar & Grill, which they sold in 2014, and JC’s Steakhouse, which closed in December.

Papa D’s menu: American comfort foods such as prime rib sandwiches, meatloaf sandwiches, New York steak sandwiches, chicken fried steak sandwiches, green chile cornbread casserole, and more.

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Eis Cafe, a new food truck specializing in German-style gourmet ice cream and coffee, will make its debut at the Gilbert Feastival from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday.

The weekly food truck roundup takes place in the Sam’s Club parking lot on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Houston (halfway between Baseline and Guadalupe).

Eis Cafe is the brainchild of Merlin Ward, who closed his Wartega Brewing in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2018 and moved to the Valley with plans to open another brewery.

Instead, he and his mother, Maria, are venturing into ice cream.

“As a kid, my mother and I would frequent ice cream cafes in our hometown near Köln, Germany,” Ward says. “We’d enjoy huge, ornate desserts with fruit, and chocolate, and whipped cream. They were beautiful, and that’s the experience we want to create with Eis Café.”

Signature desserts include the Choco Loco – chocolate, vanilla and Nutella ice creams with brownies, chocolate chips, chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream, Ferrero Rocher, and pocky sticks.

The family-run food truck also will offer espresso drinks like cappuccinos, lattes, and a German specialty it calls “Venezia,” a drink made with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, cold brew, and whipped cream.

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Pita Jungle, a Tempe-born chain of Mediterranean eateries, will roll out its first food truck next month.

The 20-foot truck will serve up many of the salads, pitas, sandwiches, and bowls popular at Pita Jungle’s 22 Valley restaurants.

It also will unveil several new menu items created just for on-the-go diners.

Pita Jungle hopes to eventually launch a fleet of food trucks.

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If you’ve ever wondered why there’s no such thing as cupcake fondue, you’re in luck.

Cupcake Queen, a Tempe-based mobile bakery, will celebrate its grand opening Friday at the Gilbert Feastival food truck roundup.

Besides an assortment of cupcakes, the bakery will be selling cupcake fondue (pictured) from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. next to Sam’s Club on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Houston.

Cupcake Queen also makes wedding cakes, cookies, pies, and more.

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