Indian food trucks are few and far between in the Arch City. Frankly, their presence is pretty much nonexistent — but a vivid new truck is here to fill the void.
Horn OK Please has joined the ranks of the burgeoning Columbus food truck domain, serving up flavorful Indian fare.
Bo Pang and Manan Rathi, founders of Horn OK Please, first met at Johnny Oak’s Po’ Boy & Shrimp Shack, a cajun joint that closed in 2011. After a few years of brainstorming, Pang and Rathi quit their day jobs to pursue Horn OK Please. They gave Johnny Oak a ring, and he agreed to help them rebuild and remodel a ’91 Dodge Dakota into a food truck. Currently, Horn OK Please is running an ongoing pop-up out of Ace of Cups while they put the finishing touches on their truck.
So, what’s the story behind the puzzling name? In India, where roads can become legendarily congested, trucks and taxis commonly have the phrase “Horn OK Please” elaborately painted on the back. If you want to overtake someone, honk, and if the ‘OK’ sign lights up, you’re good to pass. The origin of the phrase is a mystery, but it’s embraced all the same, with thousands of Indian vehicles featuring the quote. Pang and Rathi’s colorful take on the phrase is splashed on the truck in bright orange-red.
“All the trucks in India are really decked out,” said Rathi. “That was our inspiration for the business.”
The flavors at Horn OK Please are predominantly Indian, with a dash of Asian and American influences. Kebabs, available on a stick or in a crispy naan bread wrap, are the main menu offering, with spicy lamb, veggie, chicken, and paneer tikka fillings. Sides include lamb biryanai, Kashmiri beans and rice, and tater tots chaat. The chaat, a familiar take on a common Indian street food, has proven to be one of the most popular items. Horn OK Please involves a heaping pile of tater tots topped with chickpeas, tamarind, yogurt sauce, and cilantro chutney. Cool off your meal with a dollop of tangy cucumber raita yogurt sauce. Pang and Rathi intend to eventually add a few desserts, like an Indian-style cheesecake.
While Horn OK Please finalizes their truck, keep up with their Ace of Cup pop-ups via Facebook.