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Taco n' Madre

Taco N' Madre is located off of Eastside Dr. and Oltorf in a Valero parking lot. Although apparently they've opened another location in Austin. I love the thought that food trailers are so popular in Austin that they are expanding into miniature franchises! Also... and this is the real killer... Taco n' Madre also *drum roll* DELIVER!! Anyone else elated with the idea of delivery breakfast tacos? Although to be fair, they only deliver within a 1 mile radius of the trailer. That's still pretty convenient for all the Saint Edwards students near by and the neighborhoods and apartment complexes off Oltorf.

Taco n' Madre serves all sorts of dishes from tacos to 12 in' burritos to full plates of food. Their breakfast tacos are delicious of course. They combine the additional ingredients (whether it be potatoes, cheese, meat) into the egg mixture when cooking. This way you get all the ingredients somewhat stuck together to where you can eat your burrito without worrying that little chunks of potato will fall out the other end. Finally! A burrito with staying power. The tacos come with orange and green salsa and are $2.50 a taco. It's a quaint, friendly, quick, delicious taco truck that was certainly worth my time and money. Check to see if their 2nd location is near you! It'll be worth it when they deliver those warm tacos in the morning!

#Oltorf

G'raj Mahal

Yes, that's right. We are finally posting about the tasty little Indian food truck on Rainey Street that's always busy. You know it. The one you stumbled upon drunkly after a few hours at the Luster Pearl or Clive Bar. Sound familiar yet? Although it's cleverly coined G'raj Mahal, after bar hopping on Rainey Street the this place might appear a lot more like the actual Taj Mahal than you realize. The trailer has a whole seating area in front of it with light bulbs hanging on wires above and tarp to keep out the wind. It's a miniature mecca for anyone who enjoys a good Indian meal and especially convenient for those of us who get tired and hungry after bar hopping on Rainey St.

The Pakoras are my personal favorite. Now, I am no Anthony Bourdain but I feel infinitely confident in saying that the Pakoras at G'raj Mahal may well be the best damn pakoras in all of Austin. For those of you that don't know Indian food, Pakoras are essentially deep fried vegetables. I was hooked on the first bite.

Check out this random review from a fellow Austinite's blog: (I call it Mecca. She calls it the Holy Grail)

http://www.reconciliationblog.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

#Rainey St.

Regal Ravioli

Pasta made fresh, from scratch, and made well, quickly pushes into a league of its own when compared to store bought pasta. The difference is that this often bland source of carbohydrates becomes a determining source of flavor when made fresh. If you have not had the opportunity to test this claim, I highly recommend a trip to Regal Ravioli, located at 504 West Oltorf St Austin, TX 78704.

The pasta at Regal Ravioli is all made fresh, from scratch, something that is notable in its appearance, flavor, and texture. It should be noted that making fresh pasta is a time-consuming practice, so I think it is safe to say that the food coming from Regal Ravioli has been made with heart. Whether you are looking for carnivorous or vegetarian options, Regal Ravioli has a hospitable menu that rivals every brick and mortar Italian food restaurant I have been to in Austin. I had the Butternut Squash ravioli with Fontina Veloute sauce. The sauce was creamy and rich, the ravioli was packed with fresh veggies, and the ravioli shell was soft, but dense. I couldn’t resist cleaning my plate with the complimentary garlic bread I had received. In addition to the ravioli I had a single meatball that was incredible. Large and cooked through perfectly, the meat balls at Regal Ravioli are worth the trip alone.

Check out Regal Ravioli’s website, for more information.

#Oltorf

Biscuits and Groovy

I have never been a particular fan of breakfast food (tacos aside). I'm the caffeine junkie type who chooses to drink coffee until lunch. That being said, if I lived within walking distance of Biscuits and Groovy I would have to seriously rethink my routine. Biscuits and Groovy is Austin's very own version of breakfast utopia. They serve a variety of biscuits and gravy combos with different choices of meat (and vegan substitutes I might add). Some of the dishes have jalapenos, some green onions, and they are all soaked in a delicious creamy and peppery gravy. If their biscuits aren't enough to cheer you up in the morning (which they are) you can also order a warm beverage like coffee or my personal favorite the ginger root soda.

Biscuits and Groovy has blessed Austin with its biscuits for about two years now and they are located off of 51st street in North Austin. There are a few benches outside beside their trailer to relax with friends or you can take your food to go. Either way you choose, you want to make sure you get there before 2pm. They are only open in the mornings and trust me, even if you're hungover on the weekend and the last thing you want to do is see the morning sun... you'll want to wake up for this kind of treat.

#North Central

Little Thai Food

The Little Thai Food is literally a little Thai trailer off of South 1st street. The menu is full of delicious looking dishes stretched across the front of the trailer with a plethora of vegetarian options. In fact, if you're a veggie, you'll be thrilled to know that most of the dishes on the menu can be ordered with tofu instead of meat. When I say tofu I don't mean the gooey or overcooked tofu. No, no... This tofu is cooked to perfection and the vegetables are crisp. It's the perfect meal for a winters night in Austin. It probably took a grand total of 6 minutes after I ordered the food for the steamy to-go dish to be handed over. The food is prepared quick, hot, and tasty.

Beside the trailer are a bunch of tables with strings of lights above them and a few more food trailers. So if you want to sit down and enjoy your dinner outside you can do it with a view of downtown and a dessert food trailer to your left.

#S. 1st St #Vegetarian

Kebabalicious

First things first, everyone should read this very well written, tongue-and-cheek backstory for Kebabalicious. It made me laugh like a little schoolgirl. I hope it can bring you the same youthful jollies it brought me.

Now let’s talk me for a second. I recently started a full time job downtown and as a result have been falling further and further behind on my Food Trailer Challenge posts. There is much for me to learn about the work/work balance. Here are a few things I have learned so far about the ten hour work day:

1) Sitting down for more than 30 minutes without producing written word, making productive phone calls, or discussing business with coworkers is called lunch or dinner.

2) Drink Coffee in the morning, Black Tea in the afternoon, and you will have the strength of an ox.

3) Remember to eat well and make food time a good time – which brings me back to Kebabalicious.

By lunch time today, I was ravenous. The hunger hit me deep, and I was tired. My brain was fried from work, my body was fatigued from lack of sleep, and coffee fueled thoughts shot in every direction, one stumbling over the other before the last could resolve, “I wonder when that building was originally built – the fiscal cliff – these gun control politicians need to – I need a haircut – just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world – dammit, why is that song stuck in my head – just a small town – oh God make it stop”. I needed food; something tasty and nourishing to bring the rambling mind and body back to a peaceful bass line.

Then I saw it. Like a beacon signaling street food euphoria.

“Forget your job. Forget the news, the economy, politics, and deadlines. Eat of my plentiful bounty.”

Kebabalicious spoke to me. Everything on the menu looked extraordinary, but in the interest of pursuing a healthier diet I decided to ignore the seductive smells of cooked meats and ordered the hummus pita/wrap. Ah yes, reasonable pricing. Score one for Kebabalicious. Within minutes I had my gigantic wrap. Two points for speed and volume.

I scurried back to the office break room bent over my prize and looking shifty eyed. Upon arrival I tore the protective aluminum from my wrap and took a bite.

Oh yeah… Oh yeah, right on.

Slowly, the flavors of the wrap mixed in my mouth: mashed garbanzo beans, olive oil, paprika, parsley, olives, cucumbers, and warm pita bread. I took another bite. The hunger in my stomach was immediately relieved. Another bite – my coffee thoughts slowed and I began to relax. Another and another – my body began to feel energized and nourished. I took my time and ate the rest of my wrap slowly, with a lazy smile. Kebabalicious is no joke.

#S. Congress

Wasota African Cuisine

African food rarely makes its way into my life. I am always happy when it does though, because African cuisine often approaches ingredients that are familiar to me in totally unfamiliar ways. The result is typically something fresh and new that I have not experienced before. In the interest of seeking out more healthy food options I have been very attracted to vegan and vegetarian options, so when I saw the large list of vegan and vegetarian options at Wasota African Cuisine I had to try it out. Many of the vegan options seemed so simple at first glance that I didn’t know how anyone could make them into interesting dishes. Instead of continue wondering, I ordered what seemed to be the most straightforward dish on the menu, “Jollof Rice & Cabbage”. I also ordered some “Veggie Pies”, which the owner and chef described to me as something like empanadas.

After a brief wait I had my order to go and took it to my car. As soon as I closed the door, I realized these dishes were heavily spiced and that they were likely going to be delicious. It turns out the way that one makes rice and cabbage something special is all in how one cooks it. The cabbage was through and through soaked with powerful spices. The rice was covered in a red sauce and was seasoned to compliment the cabbage. They made a pleasantly spicy combination that was lean and kept me feeling fantastic despite the fact that the portions were massive. Add to this already large dish the veggie pies, and by the end of the meal I was rather full. The veggie pies were actually a lot like empanadas, it was the perfect comparison. To quote the menu, the veggie pies are “Baked turnover dough filled with potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, and seasonings,” and were served with the same red sauce that covered the rice. Everything was fantastic. I can give nothing but high praise to Wasota African Cuisine and strongly recommend that any foodies out there check this place out. Wasota African Cuisine offers a menu that brings Austin a flavorful glimpse into West African and Nigerian cuisine.

Learn more about Wasota African Cuisine by visiting their website.

#S. 1st St

Arlo's

Vegan comfort food – is that an oxymoron? Those words rarely mix together in my brain, so I had to investigate. It’s a concept that escapes me in many ways despite the fact that I can immediately recognize its brilliance. Being born and raised in Red Meat, Texas, vegan food is still a relatively foreign land to me – one that is often exciting and sometimes horribly disappointing.

Arlo’s is the first place I have been that serves anything like what they are serving. The menu is entirely vegan, and absolutely fantastic. I have the Tomato Basil Dog and was shocked by how much it tasted like its meat filled counterpart. Really the vegan hot dog itself was not even the best part of the dish, which I found very surprising. What really stole the show was the chipotle dressing that covered the whole thing. It was spicy, creamy, and every other flavor fed into it. The chipotle dressing absorbed everything good about the dish without remorse. I had a friend with me on this particular outing and he asked me at one point if I was ever going to set the hot dog down before I ate it all. The answer was no. I just kept shoving it in my face until it was gone. I exercised no self-control, no restraint, I ate without second thought. Nothing could come between me and that hot dog for three minutes of secluded happiness. Sometimes in this fast paced, sensory-overload society we live in, three minutes between you and a vegan hot dog is exactly what I need.

To find out more about Arlo’s check out their website.

#E. 5th/6th St.

Pitalicious

At last! I caught Pitalicious while they were open; the last food trailer I needed to eat at to complete a review of every option at the South Congress Food Trailer Park. Before going into greater detail about Pitalicious, I want to say that the 90 Day Food Trailer Challenge is now becoming a serious challenge. This is my 32nd trailer. 32 Days of trailer food, at least one meal a day, begins to affect your body in ways that are not flattering. The belly I have been working on with the help of my good friend beer has seen growth in ways I didn't anticipate.

Despite the fact that many of these trailers serve high quality food, I seem to have chosen far too many fried, meat centric dishes over the past 32 days. Over the next few weeks I intend to focus on another side of Austin's food trailer scene - the healthy options offered by food trailers. It's not that food trailers serve only fattening food, it's more so that I have spent my past 32 days like a child with store credit at a candy shop and no self control, choosing the most decadent options without any foresight. I will make it a point from here on out to show how one can keep a balanced diet while still eating our beloved street food.

At Pitalicious I had a felafel wrap that was incredible. I always enjoy felafel. I can honestly say I have never had bad felafel, so I was excited as soon as I saw "Felafel Wrap" on the menu. My instant excitement set Pitalicious up to receive my full support with little effort, so I approached the meal with only a couple of questions. How is the pita bread at this place? The pita bread was fresh, substantive, and soft. If the place is called Pitalicious, I expect some delicious pita bread, and, thankfully, my expectations were met. My next question was simple. Is the pita bread wrapped around felafel? Yes. Praise be to the felafel gods, yes. The felafel upheld my innocent, perhaps somewhat naive, belief that there is no such thing as bad felafel. In fact this felafel was some of the best I've had yet. In my book the gauge for felafel starts at, "Good," and goes to, "Why don't I eat this daily?" The felafel at Pitalicious landed somewhere around, "Oh yeah, that's the stuff." I fear for the chef who one day might ruin my starry-eyed relationship with felafel, but let's not dwell on that possibility.

Pitalicious serves a number of wraps, all held together by delicious pita bread. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

#S. Congress

Fry Baby

I am still determined to hit every trailer at the South Congress Food Trailer Park. I have been trying to catch Fry Baby for the past couple of weeks, but due to holiday hours I was delayed until today. Fry Baby serves only fried foods: fried chicken, fried shrimp, fried pickles, and more. Texans love their fried foods, so if you are a fried food junkie you will find the flavors at Fry Baby immediately comforting and familiar.

I had the fried chicken and onion rings - two fried foods I know well and have had from multiple sources. Fry Baby stood tall and delivered some tasty food fried in canola oil and served with flavorful dipping sauces. I would not call the menu at Fry Baby adventurous, but you can rest assured that these familiar dishes will be done right. Check out Fry Baby on Facebook here.

Fry Baby

Gourdough's

This post marks day 30 of the 90 Day Food Trailer Challenge. A third of the way in, with a slightly higher blood pressure and significantly higher appreciation for Austin's food trailer culture, I have discovered that food trailer owners are a colorful and passionate breed. The strategies employed by these entrepreneurs are varied. While quality food is the most important element of any successful food trailer, it does not guarantee success. There is no magic formula for a successful food trailer, but here are a few strategies that seem to be rise to the top:

- Pair up with, or plant your food trailer next to a bar. After a night of drinking, trailer food is highly desirable, and being able to get it right next to or on the patio of the bar makes one's journey home easier and free of hunger.

- There's power in numbers. The food trailer parks with multiple food trailers stand out. They are attractive to pedestrian groups because those in disagreement about what to eat can simply walk another 20 feet to a different option.

- Stay consistent with hours posted and clearly display vacation hours. This seems obvious, but being your own boss at a new food trailer often requires ten hour days or more. Being open for lunch and dinner can be demanding, so set realistic hours and follow them.

- Serve free beer. I have previously mentioned food trailers serving free alcohol. To recap, the TABC has strict guidelines about the sale of alcohol. Food trailers are prohibited from the sale of alcohol due to the fact that they do not fit well into current TABC regulations, which are somewhat dated. Serving free alcohol however is allowed. Just be sure to check the TABC rules and regulations before doing so to make sure you are within your legal rights.

- Develop a social media presence that is engaging and current. Too often food trailers' websites or social media pages display inaccurate information because they have not been updated to changes made on the ground. "Passwords" or "Codes" that can be said at the food trailer for discounts make checking favorite food trailers' social media accounts on a daily or weekly basis worth the effort. Additionally, asking questions and engaging those who do follow you fosters communication and helps build relationships with your patrons. Our digital world can be used to form stronger connections with the people around us. Technology does not have to be an alienating phenomena, take advantage of that fact.

For my 30th trailer I visited Gourdough's. Gourdough's has received national recognition and had enough success to open a companion brick and mortar location. Patrons can pick from a massive list of decadent donuts. I do not recommend this place for persons with heart problems, diabetes, or high blood pressure. These donuts will test your fortitude. They are dense monstrosities that combine some of the most out there ingredients one could ever hope to find adorning fried batter. All donuts served out of Gourdough's trailer are hand made at the time of order so they are served fresh and hot. It seems odd to say describe food this way, but Gourdough's donuts are fun. Subject yourself to their rich power and you will likely laugh at the absurdity of what is going into your mouth. Unexpected and delicious, Gourdough's has carved a niche for itself in the food industry that is extravagant with its caloric budget. The food coming out of this trailer is a nutritionist's nightmare as it celebrates all things tasty without reservation. While our country struggles with an obesity epidemic, Gourdough's says to hell with it and serves food with one primary concern: does it taste good? The answer is yes, it all tastes so very good.

I ate the Bacon Maple, a bacon and maple syrup covered doughnut. Optimism made ground on my cynicism as I ate that doughnut. I wanted to tell the children of the world that dreams do come true; to think big and not to be afraid of the oddities in your imagination. Gourdough's makes bacon and maple syrup covered donuts, and many other donuts that seem to have come from a mad scientist's laboratory, and the result of this madness has been great success - clearly you can do whatever the hell you want in this world.

In short, I should say that it was incredible before I lose myself in the memory of my Bacon Maple.

Check out Gourdough's website for their menu, online store, and more. If you enjoy the donuts coming out of their trailer at 1503 South 1st Street, head over to their brick and mortar location on South Lamar to find more food that might qualify as absurdist art.

#S. 1st St #Vegetarian

Gourdough's

Me So Hungry

Food trailers serving Asian cuisine seem to be established by pun-lovers. I'm not sure what the correlation is, but Me So Hungry is the third Asian fusion place I have visited to have a clever play on words as its trailer name. In conjunction with this strange coupling, every Asian fusion food trailer I have visited with a clever name has served delicious food. Far be it from me to divine the meaning of these intersecting qualities, but I firmly stand behind whatever it is that is causing the intersection to occur, so long as the end result is tasty.

Me So Hungry departs from other cleverly named Asian fusion trailers I have visited in that it takes inspiration from multiple Southeast Asian culinary traditions. Patrons will find a number of dishes adapted from Vietnamese, Laotian, and Thai cuisine. What it means for Austinites is a diverse blend of flavors that have been adapted to the American palate. The flavors range from hot and spicy to cool and refreshing, sweet and tangy to savory and salty, creamy and mellow to potent and punchy - the menu will take your mouth around the block. Creative things are happening in the Me So Hungry kitchen. Check out the Me So Hungry website for the menu, catering and contact information, and more.

#East Austin

Spartan Pizza

Continuing on my 6th and Waller kick, I would like to direct everyone's attention to Spartan Pizza. Spartan Pizza serves a number of specialty pizzas whose titles and toppings are largely inspired by Greek mythology and cuisine. The specialty pizzas are all interesting in their own right and worth your attention, but if there isn't anything on the menu that tickles your fancy, you can always build your own.

I had a piece of another Austin Phoenix writer's "build your own". She ordered garlic olive oil sauce with mushrooms and jalapeños. The sauce and cheese were mild and largely dominated by the spiciness of the jalapeños and the distinct flavor of mushrooms. Each of the ingredients were fresh and tasty, but for those building their own pizzas in the future, I would recommend combining the garlic olive oil with toppings less spicy than jalapeños. I am a big fan of garlic olive oil sauce on pizza, but I like to be able to taste it. Of course, the fun of being able to build your own pizza is that you can experiment and develop your own unique combination of flavors over time. Check out the specialty pizzas as well as the many sauces and toppings available for "build your own" pizzas on the Spartan Pizza menu here.

#East Austin

Fire & Soul

Fire & Soul is all about wood fired food that caters to eaters of all kinds. Whether you're a ravenous carnivore or a hyper-conscious vegan, Fire & Soul can satisfy your hunger. This food trailer is open late. Considering its location on 6th and Waller near many east side bars, vegans will be very happy to know they can grab a delicious snack after a late night out. Check out their hours and more here.

I tried the Roasted Beet Salad and the Fiery Vegan Dog. The Roasted Beet Salad is a vegetarian friendly option and the Fiery Vegan Dog was... well, vegan. Both were delicious. The Roasted Beet Salad had perfectly roasted beets, whose flavor in contrast to the feta cheese made this simple salad full of potent flavors. The Fiery Vegan Dog had excellent consistency and unlike many other vegan meat substitutes I have tried, could easily pass for the real deal. It is a godsend for any vegan leaving a nearby bar at 2 p.m.

While I focused on the vegetarian and vegan friendly nature of Fire & Soul during my visit, I hear the wood fired meat options are incredible. If you have tried any of the meat options here and would like to share your experience with us, please feel free to post your thoughts to our Facebook account under this post. I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season, and to those of you celebrating Christmas, I hope your Christmas Eve has been well spent with family or friends. For any and all scrooges out there, it's not to late to rearrange someone's yard decorations or play death metal so loud that you receive a noise complaint. Cheers!

#Vegetarian

Way South Philly

Who here is from Philadelphia? Do you miss the food you grew up with? If so, Way South Philly is particularly for you. Of course everyone in Austin is welcome, but Way South Philly is about bringing Philly food to the streets of Austin. For some people, there is nothing more nostalgic than a Philly Cheese Steak. I can't say I fully understand, but I do harbor a more removed, outsiders fondness in my heart for this dish. To those of you living in Austin and missing your home in Philadelphia, cheers, this post is dedicated to you.

There is one item on the menu that captures the Philly favorite more completely than any other: The Balboa. The Way South Philly menu states that The Balboa is, "A generous portion of Seasoned Grilled Philly Steak, Sautéed with Steamed Onions then topped with "Cheese WIZ!" It is a weighty sandwich and is immediately comforting to all Philly Cheese Steak lovers. I was impressed with the richness of the flavors and their lasting appeal despite the gravity of the meal. It left me feeling warm and relaxed.

Way South Philly is a food trailer that takes it's passion for Philadelphia favorites seriously. Located at 6th and Waller, the personality of this establishment is colorful and engaging. Take some time to poke around their website and get a deeper understanding of what's going on at this patch of Philly in the middle of Austin.

#East Austin

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