Owner of destroyed Mineola restaurant carries on with food truck

Owner of destroyed Mineola restaurant carries on with food truck
Published: Feb. 8, 2024 at 2:37 PM CST|Updated: Feb. 8, 2024 at 8:38 PM CST

MINEOLA, Texas (KLTV) - It’s been about five months since the Mineola Country Club burnt down in a tragic fire, taking the beloved “Jorgie’s” restaurant with it. Since then the owner of the restaurant, Jorge De La Garza, has found a way to keep his dream alive with a food truck called Jorgie’s on the Road.

“I had to keep something going, not just for myself and Jorgie, but I wanted to keep the name out there and didn’t want to just fade away,” said De La Garza, who opened and named the restaurant in honor of his late son Jorgie. “When I lost, the restaurant, it was very heartbreaking to myself, because it wasn’t just a restaurant, it meant a lot more to me,” he said.

While the original structure is no longer standing, loyal customers have found their way to the order window of the truck.

“He’s just done really good over the last couple of years – has a good customer base, he has a real good following no matter where he goes,” said Curtis Dowdle, a long-time customer and owner of Chubby’s where Jorge often parks the truck.

As for why they keep coming back, there was a consensus:

“The food, oh and Jorge too. He’s a pretty nice guy,” said Cindy Gill.

Gill and her husband used to eat at the club’s restaurant at least once a week, and now they come to the truck, especially for the Mexican pizza.

The good news is Jorge has plans to expand. They are now partnering with The Line Restaurant & Tavern in Mineola. De La Garza said they will have a brand new menu and live music whenever possible in honor of son Jorgie who played the cello.

Despite the plans for the future, “I don’t want to expand out of my realm, should I say, because I want to be the face that you see when you walk into Jorgie’s,” he said.

It’s been about five months since the Mineola Country Club burnt down in a tragic fire, taking the beloved “Jorgie’s” restaurant with it.