Conway, Arkansas, a city with tons of culture and home to three colleges, is constantly growing and adding more options for dining out. Recently, the city has joined the ever-popular food truck movement that’s sweeping the state.
In case you didn’t know it, the Conway Food Truck Park opened in April of this year. It’s located, downtown, at 1104 Front Street and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11a.m.-2 p.m.
The Conway Food Truck Park is home to Zavala’s Mexican, Natural State Grillers, Nate’s Hotdog Haven, and Dream Cart (trucks may vary, check online for schedule).
Food Truck Friday is an event hosted every Friday, which features the local food trucks, as well as guest food trucks.
On a scorching Wednesday I visited the Conway Food Truck Park, where I met Lonnie Massey, co-owner of the food truck park and Nate’s Hotdog Haven, who told me the best time to visit is on Friday because Katmandu MoMo and The Pie Hole will be the guest carts (Little did I know that Katmandu MoMo would change my life).
When I arrived on Friday, I saw a small gathering of people that quickly grew by the hour. The first truck I visited was the locally famous Katmandu MoMo truck, known for their Nepal-style dumplings. The tender dumplings (MoMo) are filled with either chicken, beef, or vegetables served with a side of their amazingly flavorful sauce. The sides they offer are fried rice, spring rolls, or Aloo Dum (spicy potatoes). Eager to try dumplings, because everyone was raving about them, I ordered the chicken and beef and was surprised by the unique flavor they had. I would definitely recommend these to any fan of a good dumpling.
Zavalas’ Mexican serves authentic Mexican food, with a menu that features their Grande Burrito that’s stuffed with either Chicken or Steak, Pico De Gallo, Mozzarella Cheese, Pinto Beans, Spanish Rice, and Salsa. You can also try their quesadillas or tacos with the option of a steak or chicken filling. All meals come with their house-made spicy salsa.
If you haven’t tried a Nathan’s hotdog, it’s now time for you to try one. At Nate’s Hotdog Haven, ran by Lonnie Massey, is an all-American cart where you can get an all-beef Nathan’s hotdog. Lonnie taught me a valuable lesson in grilling hotdogs, and that’s “If the dog doesn’t sweat or bubble up, then it’s not real beef.”
The Locals, a local food promotion program was also in attendance. The Local’s sold; Chow-Chow, Jam, Corn Relish, and Snack-Sticks, made from local ingredients. They also sold their special cold brew coffee to compliment the hot day.
Dream Cart’s services were a necessity on such a hot day. Dream Cart is an ice cream cart that has all of your childhood favorites, along with cool Dream Cart t-shirts to buy.
The Pie Hole seemed to be quite popular, their Hot Fudge Brownie Pie was gone before 1p.m. (I was lucky to get one of the last slices). Other pies they had, were Lemon Icebox, Peaches and Cream, and Coconut Cream with an option of ice cream on the side.
Subtracting the heat, my visit to the Conway Food Truck Park for Food Truck Friday was a pleasant experience filled with good people and great food. For more information on the Conway Food Truck Park go to: www.conwayfoodtruckpark.com
