When the water started rising in Shoal Creek Monday afternoon, the owners and managers of Austin Land & Cattle were focused on getting their staff to safety and keeping water out of the old creekside restaurant building – so focused, in fact, that they completely forgot about an important extension of their business parked nearby.
“Our lease says we can’t park the food truck in the restaurant parking lot, so we had it parked in the ACC lot on the other side of the creek. By the time I thought to go move it, it was already too late. I stood in rushing water and watched the creek wash over it. Some of the cars in the lot floated and banged into it, but the truck didn’t move” reports Scotty Mescal, public relations manager for ALC Steaks.
The ALC Steaks on Tour food truck has become a real asset to the business since restaurant owners Theresa and Christian Mertens and their partners bought it nearly two years ago. The mobile kitchen truck is popular for wedding and other event catering, office lunches, and festivals.
According to Mescal, the truck was scheduled to be in service for the upcoming X Games again this year and Mertens was busy this week cancelling their more immediate bookings. “We’ve had it towed away and are having it thoroughly checked out to see if it can be salvaged, but it’s doubtful. We’ve go to talk to the insurance company, but it’s looking like a total loss,” Theresa said. Our conversations with both Mescal and Mertens left the distinct impression they intend to be back in the food truck game again soon, one way or another.
One bright spot for the ALC team this week has been the concern and support shown to them by their customers. Considering that the popular steakhouse is just down the hill from the Texas State Capitol, they’ve fed lots of legislators and lobbyists in the restaurant’s 21 year life span. According to Mescal, he’s gotten lots of calls from the Capitol Hill clientele checking on their welfare and offering help and support. The restaurant itself didn’t miss a day of business and we’re betting these folks get some kind of food truck back on the road pretty quickly.
This article appears in May 22 • 2015.