Save for one disastrous evening at Billy Bob’s that I’d care to forget, thank you very much, I’ve not had much of a reason to venture to my neighbor to the west, Fort Worth. I do now.
I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, the land of spontaneous neighborhood backyard gatherings of families and friends, where everyone kicks back with a beer, unwinds, and munches on everyone’s culinary contributions while listening to the classic rock station that is the communal backdrop for all of our everyday lives. That is, until someone turns down the radio and picks up a guitar to sing some acoustic version of a great Creedence hit that everyone knows the words to, but no one sings along in order to give their friend the spotlight. That was my typical Saturday night back home in Mississippi. Sounds kinda perfect, right? I also just described my Saturday night at the Fort Worth Food Park.
Picnic tables run the center of this “who-would-even-know-it’s-there-unless-you-triple-checked-the-GPS” park. With six distinctively different trucks lining the sides of the park, a bar in the back, and two patios at either end, I focused my attention on one particularly elegant food truck (sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it? But it’s true.) with a promise to my eager inner-child that we will come back – soon! – to try the rest of the equally appetizing offerings.
Having been struck by the beauty of the Noserdna truck, I was equally taken aback by the gracious and knowledgeable team and the owner, who I had the pleasure of meeting when she popped by the park after serving her military duty. This group has concocted an enticing and flavorful array of food – perfectly pressed paninis are their specialty, but as you can see from the menu,
they love to flavor-play, and as a culinarian, this is when I get little-kid giddy.
Tabouleh with bits of basil and chunks of fresh tomato. Melt-in-your-mouth pesto, tomato, and mozzarella paninis. Fresh-squeezed cherry lemonade. Pausing only to take a few photos to give y’all a visual taste, I quickly devoured the divine delicacies and felt no shame eating the crumbs one by one. I probably should feel shame for even admitting that, but it’s my job to report the truth: it was incredible.
I was lounging at my patio table, watching people play with their dogs, catch up with old friends, introduce their young-ins to one another, and just enjoying the evening, when the classic rock station was slowly turned down, and someone picked up a guitar…
I left feeling a sense of melancholy homesickness for impromptu Mississippi cook-outs around the neighborhood when it dawned on me – Fort Worth Food Park is just in my backyard, and I have no doubt that this place will be fodder for fond memories for many a Saturday night to come.
Photos & Article by Gina Marie Gandy // Roaming Hunger’s Dallas Contributor
Contributor Page: http://roaminghunger.com/guest-contributor-gina-marie-gandy
Nosredna Boutique Catering Company
http://www.nosredna-dfw.com
@nosrednadfw
(817) 333-8146
Contact: Carleen Anderson
