Monthly event brings Las Vegas Valley’s food trucks together for parking lot party

The Summerlin area has a new event, and it's all about good taste on wheels.

It's called Food Court. The event combines food and friends, maybe even making new friends.

Food Court brings together a handful of mobile food vendors who offer various specialties -- everything from burgers to chicken wings and side dishes that go with them -- and puts them together once a month in the parking lot of Lee's Discount Liquor, 7411 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

It's the brainchild of Ron Principio, a professionally trained chef who began his own mobile food operation, Hanshiktaco , last year. The event revolves around mobile food vendors.

"We're out to wake up Summerlin," said Principio. "It's a social day thing."

Principio sets up his business each day at the Lake Mead Boulevard Lee's , where the next Food Court event is slated from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday . Future ones will be posted online.

"He's serving Korean tacos, I'm serving sandwiches, there's a synergy happening," sad Andy Barbieri of Food Slingers .

Principio said the event helps change the perception of food sold off a truck and shows it can be high to ultra high-end quality.

Six vendors can be accommodated at the site, said Principio, adding that the Pep Boys parking lot next door handles overflow parking . Principio, who sees most of his business from the liquor store's customers, saw it as a way to drum up more business on his slowest day of the week, Sunday.

The first Food Court was Dec. 11. Principio's budget to advertise it was zero, so he thought outside the box and used only Twitter and Facebook.

It was the right decision. More than 200 people showed up. Vendors included Curbside Café, Slidin' Thru and SnOw OnO Shave Ice .

Future Food Court events also will be promoted online via a website, Facebook and Twitter. Participating trucks also will post fliers.

"Very guerrilla -like marketing, I know, but ... we have a budget of zero," Principio said.

There have been some bumps in the road to getting the event started. On March 13, for example, a couple of vendors didn't show up because they had sold out of their inventory after participating in an event the night before. There was no way to restock in time for Food Court. There also was the change to Daylight Saving Time that stole an hour's sleep from everyone.

Sometimes other chefs will stop by, such as Kari Haskell of Retro Bakery, 7785 N. Durango Drive, Suite 130. She and her husband, Brian, bring their two young daughters.

"It's better than anything else (going on) in Vegas," she said. "We've been to the park a million times. We get to chat and meet new people."

Molly Mecka also attended the March event .

"We've been hearing from friends about food trucks in Vegas and began following them on Twitter," she said. "We saw (Food Court), and I thought it'd be nice to be able to experience foodie-type stuff in a casual atmosphere."

Right now, a sound system plays songs with a strong beat, but a live disc jockey , a caricature artist and children's activities are possibilities for the future.

For more information about upcoming Food Court events, visit hanshiktaco.com.

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.