We Tracked Down the Roving Food Truck with Best Damn Clam Chowder in Dallas

Normally, the internet is a deep, dark hole of despair, but sometimes it has its moments. Since the all-knowing algorithms know we stalk the Cousins Maine Lobster truck, when a new gem appeared on our feed, it caught our attention: On the Hook Fish and Chips was coming to Plano. Intrigued, we dug a little deeper. And since it has 633,000-plus Facebook followers, we were shocked we hadn’t heard of it before. But with a steady stream of customers at 2 p.m. on a Thursday, clearly, someone had. It claims to offer “sea to table” cuisine, but really it’s “sea to street,” with a Texas truck so big it looks like a modified Mack. Started by a college student in Wyoming — of all places — it has since blown up in popularity, with the local franchise rolling across Texas all the way from McKinney to Abilene and Amarillo.

With a very pared-down menu, it offers one main: fish. Plus a few sides: fries, clam chowder, slaw and two homemade sodas, old-fashioned strawberry and root beer with hints of honey and vanilla (highly recommend). We knew the fish was going to be good (and huge), as the operation says that each piece is wild Alaskan cod that’s individually line-caught (no nets). It's hand-battered right in front of you, and that takes about 10 minutes, but like all good things, it’s worth the wait.

The standard plate comes with three massive pieces for $14, with the option to add one more for $4. With the extra, it was definitely big enough to split. The sauces are also handmade with secret recipes — the sweet chili, chipotle mayo, and original tartar are all fan favorites. The fries are seasoned and battered with that signature crunch, made to be bathed in malt vinegar. Dunking and dashboard dining was a bit of a balancing act, but we made do. If your feed’s been all “soup season” lately, same, it must be sweater weather somewhere, and the clam chowder is what we were most excited about, especially since it’s way too early to break out the crockpot here. The not-so-secret ingredient, bacon, did not disappoint. There were also creamy notes of thyme, pillowy potatoes and sustainably sourced clams. The only regret? Not getting the large.

We did not have “chugging soup in the car on a 100-degree day” on our summer bingo card, but sometimes Dallas and the internet surprise you in the best way. The truck has a few more upcoming stops in Plano and Rockwall, but check the website to see where it might roll up next.