who some? else wants

By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media

If you’ve ever stopped at the food truck set up in the Dixon YMCA parking lot, you might be tempted to snap a picture and slap a hashtag on it: #flashbackFriday.

That’s because the guy at the grill bears more than a passing resemblance to one of the actors in the ’90s movie “Friday” — and that’s not all Dixon’s Tommie Wallace has in common with movie and TV actor Tommy Lister Jr.

Sure, there’s their first name, but they share another name, too: Deebo.

Hollywood’s Deebo was a character in 1995’s “Friday,” a comedy film starring Chris Tucker and rapper Ice Cube, and its 2000 sequel “Next Friday.” Dixon’s Deebo is a nickname — Wallace’s — and a namesake: of the food truck he runs with his wife, Carla.

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Tommie and Carla Wallace own Deebo’s, a food truck serving tacos, nachos, meat sandwiches and more. They opened their window for the first time in March, and have attracted plenty of customers from their usual spot across the street from the Dixon Family YMCA. “The community has really been great to us,” Tommie said. “They want us here, and that’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to be here.”

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Deebo’s can most often be found in its usual spot: the north parking lot of the Dixon YMCA, where Wallace and his wife enjoy meeting all the people who pay a visit to their truck to grab a bite to go, or sit at their picnic table to eat and listen to a few tunes piped out of their stereo system.

While Wallace may look like Deebo, he’s nothing like the neighborhood bruiser Lister played. He’d rather give people something to smile about — like good food.

The Wallaces have only had their trailer since mid-March, but in that short time they’ve enjoyed getting to know customers who enjoy what Wallace brings to his menu.

“It was always my dream to open a food truck,” Tommie said. “I love cooking on my own, and I’ve loved cooking all of my life.”

Tommie is living his dream after spending a few years in restaurant kitchens in Dixon and Sterling. In Dixon, his familiar face could be found at the former Bombdiggity (now Palmyra Pub and Eatery) and up until recently, The Corner Spot, where he was its kitchen manager; and in Sterling, at Smoked on 3rd and The Factory Pub and Grub.

Having mastered many menu items during his culinary career, Tommie brought that experience to Deebo’s menu, putting his own spin on tacos, Italian beef sandwiches, egg rolls, and even French fries.

Wallace manages to take customers on a trip all around the world on his food truck. South of the border, his monster burritos and tacos come with a choice of seasoned ground beef, chicken or steak; the grande nachos offer the same meat choices along with queso, onion, tomato, rice, beans, sour cream and salsa. Heading north of the border, customers can get a taste of Philadelphia with a Philly cheese steak. Heading overseas, the monster pork egg rolls are served with sweet-and-sour sauce and rice; and the Italian beef is done Chicago style: thinly sliced beef, dipped in au jus sauce, topped with giardianera and served on a buttered French roll.

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Sides include French fries, cheese fries, onion rings and Dixie-style cole slaw, and you can wash it all down with bottled water or a can of soda.

“This is the way I feel different items should taste,” Tommie said. “This is the first menu that I have ever created, and it’s been a hit since day one. Every item that we sell is our number one seller. Different restaurants sell Italian beef, different restaurants sell Philly cheese steaks, but I turn them into what I believe customers will like.”

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CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM

Fans of the “Friday” franchise will recognize the name of the Wallaces’ business: It’s a reference to the Deebo character in the 1990s comedy films, in which a neighborhood bully named Deebo, played by the late actor Tommy Lister Jr. (bottom right), rides a bike like the one Wallace bought and put in front of Deebo’s. Wallace’s resemblance to Lister’s character hasn’t gone unnoticed. It’s not only his business’ name and part of its logo, it’s Wallace’s nickname, which is what most people call him these days.

The regular menu doesn’t change often, but several daily specials are available, posted on a chalkboard by the bright red trailer. Tommie tries to roll out a different specials each week. In the past he’s served chicken fajitas, chicken quesadillas, chicken bacon ranch wraps, smoked brats, half- or full racks of ribs, rib tips, and hot barbecue fries. Plus, if anyone comes up wanting him to try to make something different, he’ll give it a shot, he said.

The six street tacos deal is the most popular special, but the others aren’t far behind. The street tacos come with steak chunks, diced onions, cilantro shavings and lime flavoring, with a side of salsa.

While tacos are a big seller, the Wallaces want people to savor all their flavors.

“We have a variety of different foods,” Carla said. “It’s not just a taco truck. Some people will come up and ask if we’re a taco truck. We’re kind of an ‘everything truck.’ We’ll make some things that you may not find in this town, and have a variety of them” — and they aim to please, too.

Carla Wallace prepares an order at Deebo's.

Tommie likes his Italian beef soaked in au jus sauce, but if you don’t like it that way, he’ll make it dry upon request. “Whether you want it dipped or not dipped, we try to make everybody happy,” he said — though he’ll still tell you having it dipped is the best way to go, something he successfully convinced his wife of. At first, Carla wasn’t keen on trying one with the juice in it, but Tommie convinced her to try it like that one day, and it only took a couple of bites for her to get hooked. “I thought it was going to be all soggy and messy, but when I tried it, it’s really good,” she said.

“We have a variety of different foods,” she said.

“It’s not just a taco truck. ... We’re kind of an ‘everything truck.’.”

They’ve also had “Kids Eat Free” days with a kid-friendly menu for those 12 and younger; one kids meal is free with the purchase of an adult meal. Discounts for first responders and military personnel also are offered.

When the Wallaces set out to give their business an identity after buying their trailer in November, they didn’t have to look far: right in the mirror.

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“Friday” is one of Tommie’s favorite movies, and his resemblance to the Deebo character was all he needed. The business became Deebo’s, and he even bought a maroon Murray Westport cruiser bicycle, similar to the one Deebo rode in the movie, to display next to the trailer. He also bought a flannel jacket like the Deebo character wore and had a picture taken of him in the character’s familiar fists-together pose. Carla’s daughter, Alyssa Hernandez, designed a logo for the truck based on the photograph, and added one of Deebo’s catchphrases, “Who else wants some?”

The slogan also has become well-known in the community, and the Wallaces hear it, even when they’re not working.

“A couple of times when I’ve walked in the grocery store, someone will come up to me and go, ‘Who else wants some?’” Carla said.

As for Tommie, most people just call him by his nickname — “My name is no longer Tommie, it’s Deebo,” he said.

The YMCA’s parking lot is the truck’s usual location, but they also set up at the Dixon City Market most Wednesdays in the summer, as well as Timber Creek Golf Course and Porky’s bar and grill. The truck also is available for private events, and they can cater parties and other gatherings, too.

Wherever the Wallaces’ menu goes, they’re sure to come back to Dixon. Tommie and Carla are both from here, and like to keep close to home and be part of the community.

“We’ve been offered to come to a lot of spots out of town, such as Whiteside County and Carroll County, but we want to bring something to Dixon,” Carla said. “We’re from Dixon, and we want to offer Dixon something.”