Mama Lama Mobile Kitchen holds grand opening
By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press
Copperas Cove’s newest food truck, Mama Lama Mobile Kitchen, set up shop starting bright and early Friday at 7 a.m. outside of Texas Discount Automotive until a bit after 3 p.m. Despite some complications, owner Lama Marroquin sold out of most of her menu items and considered the day a success.
“I did not expect to completely sell out of everything,” said Marroquin. “We pretty much sold everything…It feels pretty good.”
The Mama Lama Mobile Kitchen has been a dream that Marroquin said has been a long time coming.
“My family and I have been daydreaming about it for forever,” said Marroquin. “Some of my fondest memories were of watching my mother and grandmother create some of the most delicious middle eastern dishes I grew to love.”
Marroquin said that the bulk of her menu is Greek and Mediterranean, but she has added a bit of Spanish flare to some of her dishes. She said that cooking always helps calm her down after a stressful day, and that, having a big family, cooking is a bit of a tradition for her.
Marroquin offered a variety of flavorful sauces with her dishes including tahini sauce, Tzatziki, and cilantro jalapeno pesto.
“If I can get people not to ask for ketchup, mustard, or mayo, that’s going to be an accomplishment for this weekend.”
Friday, Mama Lama Mobile Kitchen included a packed menu including breakfast and lunch items. She offered a free bottle of honey to her first 30 customers, though she ended up handing out more. Marroquin said that she hadn’t considered how much longer it would take to make everything from scratch. To accommodate, she offered free drinks to her customers and handed out free cupcakes while they were available.
Overall, Marroquin’s weekend was a big success, and most customers left happy with their meals.
“I really enjoyed the food,” said Teresa Grant who ordered a gyro and a falafel. She also received a bonus of free cookies and a bottle of honey. “I was surprised by how much meat it contained…It was very tasty. I’m glad I came out for lunch.”
Marroquin offers a 10% military discount on all items as well as a discount for those who pay with cash.
To make things more efficient, she has since made her menu a bit smaller and is working on figuring out what will work best for her and for her customers.
The current menu includes gyros, shawarma, falafel, carnitas, and barbacoa. They are also working on adjusting their start time, opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday.
Marroquin said that she plans to open her Mama Lama Mobile Kitchen on weekends and holidays. Diners can keep up with her schedule and menu at her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/MamaLamaMK/. She can also be reached by calling (254) 760-3189.