Wimberley embraces Chinese food at GiGi’s Food Truck

For more than four months, Jana Slate ate Chinese food every night.

It wasn’t enough to learn how to cook Sweet and Sour Pork and Mongolian Beef, she had to master a wok, that bowlshaped stir-fry pan commonly used in Chinese cooking.

Slate had worked in various local restaurants over the years, but nothing quite prepared her for running her own food truck or more accurately, a food trailer.

Slate and her mother Regina Rogers — aka Gigi — opened Gigi’s Food and Drinks at the Junction Eatery and Drinkery in June. But the road to a successful food trailer had some bumps. First, Rogers and Slate had to refurbish a food trailer, then the electrical system was fried crispier than an egg roll. The trailer flooded. Worst of all, a tragic accident claimed the life of one of the owners of the Junction Eatery and trucks started moving to different locations. It’s safe to say, Slate and Rogers have overcome months of challenges.

Still, says Slate, “we’re not giving up.”

Her commitment is obvious. Her food is fresh and piping hot. The Orange Chicken is sweet and crunchy, the egg rolls are golden brown and crispy and the Beijing Beef has a nice little spicy heat.

Getting started

Slate had worked at Brewster’s Pizza and at Milagro’s Hill Country Tex Mex when her mother bought a food trailer. “She called me out of the blue and said, ‘I am going to buy a food truck and you are going to run it.’ “

They found a used trailer that had a rudimentary kitchen set up but it needed a lot of work. Rogers paid $7,800 for the trailer and spent another $7,500 fixing it up. “We had this monstrosity in front of our house for months,” Rogers says. “It was a wonder the neighbors put up with it. It looked like a trailer park.”

A new truck would have cost about $15,000, says Rogers with a chuckle.

Finally, the roomy, red trailer was ready to move to the space at the Junction Eatery. When they flipped the power on, all their appliances were ruined thanks to bad wiring. They had been up and running for about a week when a water leak flooded the trailer. When they ripped out a table, the floor come with it. “I just said ‘I quit’ and went home, ” remembers Slate. But, of course, she came back.

The problems were worked out eventually and food started flying out the front window.

Mastering Chinese food

Slate had worked at pizza places and at Tex-Mex restaurants and didn’t know a lot about Asian cooking — but she saw a need in Wimberley. She and her two sons, Tristan, 14 and Talan, 13, had Chinese food often as she started fine-tuning recipes. Now her menu is extensive with eight entrees and a selection of side dishes that include chow mein and fried rice as well as egg rolls and crunchy crab rangoons.

Sometimes customers make suggestions. That’s how Greg’s Sampler Platter got its name. Greg, a regular customer, liked everything on the menu and suggested she offer a plate that included a variety. Now you can get a sample of your five favorites on one plate.

Over the months using ingredients such as garlic, ginger, corn starch and soy sauce, became second nature.

Slate says she is always open to new recipes. “Everything is cooked fresh,” Slate says. “It’s fresh as can be.”

Tragic accident

The Junction Eatery, opened in June 2017 and grew rapidly. With the bar that was fashioned from an old train boxcar — called the Drinkery — as the focal point, the food court boasted 7 food trucks, a bandstand, and a playground on about two acres at the corner of RR 12 and Highway 32. It drew a couple hundred people on a good night.

Then tragedy struck.

Dan Masullo, one of the owners of the Junction, was killed in a traffic accident along with his wife Angela. Their daughter Abigail died of her injuries later. His son Christian was badly injured. After that accident much of the energy went out of the Junction Eatery. The bar closed. Food trucks moved elsewhere. The surviving partners— relatives of the Masullos — put the property on the market to either be sold or leased.

“It’s not the same place. It won’t ever be again,” says Slate. “This whole place would be packed. You could barely get your car in here. It’s not like that anymore.”

Commitment

Slate and Rogers are always working on new ideas. They now offer delivery as well as a teacher discount of 20 percent on Tuesdays. At first, a typical Teacher Tuesday would be three or four orders. Now that’s up to 25 orders and growing.

Slate arrives each morning around 9 a.m. and typically leaves around 11 p.m. She takes her pots and pans home at night so she doesn’t have to wash them at the food court and can save money on disposal fees.

But there’s something special about owning your own business. Rogers and Slate love it. They laugh about the hurdles they have overcome and look forward to more challenges ahead.

Gigi’s Chinese food: 200 FM 32; Phone: 512-760-1922; Closed Sundays.