Trailer Thursday: East Side King’s fried Brussels sprout salad and “pho” buns

25 Aug

This Thursday marks my very last Trailer Thursday blog post for Texas Monthly magazine’s Eat My Words blog. It’s been great fun to write this column, but going forward, I’ll be concentrating more of my time on feature writing, as well as my poetry. Below is the post as it appeared on the Eat My Words blog. Talk to you kids soon!

Well, folks, it’s been almost a year and half since I braved a sushi trailer in June and lived to tell about it. In that time, I’ve circled Texas’ cities in search of the best trailer food. I’ve binged on bulgogi-and-kimchee tacos, bogarted some barbecue, gorged on doughnuts, imbibed a bacon milkshake, and become the queen of the pork belly slider. I’ve also gotten to know a ton of small business owners, as well as learned that you can’t always count on the food trucks to be open. But my trailer reign is coming to a close. Blame it on my high cholesterol or my growing need to eat somewhere with air-conditioning in the 106-degree heat, but don’t for a minute think that it means I don’t love the trailer scene, especially here in Austin.

But even though I’ve reviewed 62 trailers and eaten at dozens more (don’t remind me about the inedible salmon, feta, and raspberry vinaigrette hoagie from a place that shall go unnamed), I’ve never mentioned my favorite trailer of all time: East Side King. This baby has become the closest thing we have to a trailer chain, with locations at Liberty Bar, the Grackle, and its newest location, the Shangri-La.

While all three of Paul Qui, Moto Utsonomaya, and Ek Timrek’s brightly graffitied trucks serve delicious offerings, sometimes oldies really are golden. And I don’t care if that makes me sound like one of those indie snobs who only listen to Radiohead’s early albums. My favorite is still the Liberty trailer’s fried Brussels sprout salad, with crispy fried Brussels sprouts, crunchy cabbage, a sweet-spicy sauce, and more fresh basil, cilantro, and mint than an herb garden in springtime. The fresh jalapeños and onion are a nice touch too. Of course, it’s hard to beat the Thai Chicken Karaage, which is the Uchi/Uchiko chefs’ version of chicken nuggets on crack: tender chicken bites with a perfect fried crunch and an addicting sweet-and-spicy sauce. Junk food at its fusion finest.

The trailer at the Grackle has a nice menu as well. They were out of pork belly on the day I visited, but that suited me just fine (see above about the profusion of pork belly I’ve polished off in my time). I was happy with the yakitori with rice, an Asian-barbecue chicken thigh with slightly sour pickled cabbage and vegetables served with kewpie mayo and deliciously sticky rice with green onion on top. The pork ribs, though, stole the show. The huge grilled ribs were dry-rubbed and then doused with tare (a sweet Japanese barbecue sauce), then sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onion. I had to fight my friends for the last bits of tender, falling-off-the-bone meat.

Now, what I haven’t mentioned are East Side King’s buns. A twist on the classic Chinese bao, the sticky steamed buns are served at both the original and newest location. But they’re ideal at the idyllic, divey Shangri-La. I liked the “Pho” Buns Au Jus. Kind of like a sandwich, the pillowy bao wraps around all of the fixings for pho: slightly stringy, thinly sliced beef; fresh cilantro and jalapeño, Sriracha, Hoisin sauce, and onion slices, with crispy shallots on top. To top the bun off, you dip the whole thing in wonderfully salty pho broth, the “au jus.”

I wasn’t as much of a fan of the curry tteokbokki. The tteokbokki itself was amazing. A Korean street food described on the menu as a “rice cake,” it resembled very dense, chewy French fries. But the rich curry (with Enoki and king oyster mushrooms) was too gelatinous for my taste. With some refinement, though, this dish could be the Asian answer to Canadian poutine.

When I started this weekly series, East Side King was a six-month-old baby with only one location. The trailer scene itself was well on its way, but it was nothing like what we see today. Now trailers are a living and breathing force in Austin, and more and more of them are driving into Houston, San Antonio, and, hopefully, Dallas.

Don’t think my “epic trailer quest” ends here. There are still too many to try (Mrs. P.’s Electric Cock in Austin, Eatsie Boys in Houston). But carrying the torch for me on Eat My Words will be Jason Cohen and the rest of Texas Monthly’s fine web team. Going forward, you can read my writing in CultureMap Austin, Tribeza (forthcoming in October), and other publications around town. And you can always find me at megangiller.com, or the nearest food trailer.

At the Liberty: 1618 E. 6th. Open 7 days a week, 5 p.m.–1:45 a.m. At the Grackle: 1700 E. 6th (512-422-5884). Open Mon–Sat 5 p.m.–1:45 a.m., Sun noon–1:45 a.m. At the Shangri-La: 1016 E. 6th. Open Mon–Sat 7 p.m.–1:45 a.m. Closed Sun.

Photos of trailer, ribs, and pho buns by Marshall Wright.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday reviews, click here.

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Trailer Thursday: The Hot Teacher portobello sandwich at Short Bus Subs

18 Aug

This week I thought I’d take a cue from Jared Fogle, of acclaimed Subway fame, and start my own sub sandwich diet. But rather than jump on the Subway bandwagon a decade too late, I decided to support Austin’s neighborhood trailer sub shop, Short Bus Subs.

Of course, my resolve was detained by a couple of days due to other trailers, so really my diet began mid-week. On Tuesday I waddled over to the bright yellow school bus at Mueller to pick up a Teacher’s Pet, a turkey sandwich with a twist. Always a straight-A student myself, in high school my sack lunches consisted of whole-wheat sandwiches with a few chaste pieces of sandwich meat. Oh, what I was missing! The thick mound of sliced smoked turkey, the generous slatherings of cream cheese and mashed avocado, the crispy cracklings of bacon. And don’t forget the salsa, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce on top (I am on a diet, after all). Put together on a toasty hoagie roll, the sandwich more than satisfied.

On Wednesday I went with the jalapeño chicken sandwich, having read in Cosmo long ago that spicy foods are good for weight loss. If the salsa gave the Teacher’s Pet a surprising little kick, the chipotle sauce and pickled jalapeños on this sammy would have knocked her straight into the principal’s office. Fortunately it was saved by the yogurt-marinated, tender chicken, as well as the melty cheddar cheese and cooling lettuce and tomato. The obviously old, stale chocolate chip cookie, though, definitely disappointed. I’ve never been known to waste sweets, but I threw most of mine out.

Today’s entrée has been the best yet: the Hot Teacher. I liked the fat slices of mozzarella and cheddar paired with the sun-dried tomato pesto, red pepper, and whole sun-dried tomatoes. But what really made the sandwich were the flavorful strips of roasted portobellos. The whole thing most resembled a vegetarian pizza, but hey, I’m not complaining. I figure that if I keep eating these babies almost every day, I’ll look like Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher.

Besides for Short Bus Subs’ made-from-scratch bread (slightly sweet and perfectly toasted every time), I also like that they’re located off the beaten track for trailers. Rather than getting lost in the traffic of East Sixth or South Austin, they cater to the North Austin crowd. One bus is permanently parked during the weekdays in the Mueller development, and the other one roams northern locations like the Domain and the Arboretum.

Tomorrow I’m planning to get the Summer Vacation, to celebrate the last few weeks before it’s over. Honey ham, provolone, Parmesan, marinara, pineapple, and crushed red pepper.

But first, let’s step on the old scale here and see how much weight I’ve lost. Hey, wait, that’s five pounds more than last week . . .

Bus #1: rotating locations, check website for schedule (512-535-SUBS). Bus #2: Old Mueller Airport Hanger, 4209 Airport Blvd (512-535-SUBS). Mon–Fri 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat & Sun 9–8.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday, San Antonio: Brisket sliders at the Smoke Shack

11 Aug

As a barbecue trailer in Texas, the Smoke Shack, in San Antonio, has quite a reputation to live up to. Franklin Barbecue has changed the game for all of us, and even Hitler is into their ‘cue. While no one can live up to that kind of marbled perfection, the Smoke Shack turns out some tender plates on the weekdays and tasty sliders on the weekends.

My favorite was the chopped brisket slider, with a tiny toasted bun and plenty of sauce to go around. The pulled pork was addictive, tender and juicy, and the thinly-sliced sausage, though a bit chewy, satisfied nonetheless. If anything, the only downside of the meal was the overly sweet sauce that made it feel a bit like eating dessert rather than hunkering down with a big hunk of meat.

Now for the sides. I liked the spicy corn in a tomato base, with a fun kick that hit the back of your throat when you least suspected it. The potato salad was nice as well, with little mayo or mustard but instead big chunks of potato with the skin still on—rustic and filling, though it had enough pepper to make the slider next to it sneeze. The coleslaw was the perfect crunch on a hot summer day.

Whereas Franklin’s exterior recalls 1960s kitsch, the Smoke Shack hits up Texas vintage in the best way: distressed, gray wood, an American flag, and the truck’s name branded on the side as if the trailer itself were a nice, fat cow in the pasture. Chris Conger, a former chef at Dallas’ Smoke restaurant who runs the trailer with his wife, Kate, built the shack himself, along with family and friends.

The two currently just serve lunch, but they expect to extend to dinner soon. And that’s not all the two are expecting: Kate is due to deliver a baby this month. With two professional pitmasters as parents, that kid is going to be one lucky Texan.

2347 Nacogdoches, 410 & Nacogdoches (210-829-8448), San Antonio, Mon–Fri 11–2. Pearl Brewery, 200 E. Grayson (210-829-8448), San Antonio, Sat 11–2. Closed Sun.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Kitchen Window’s lamb burger and chili-sesame wings

4 Aug

Dear Kitchen Window,

It’s been less than a week since we met, but I knew it was true love as soon as I picked up one of your delicate, deep-fried wings with a sweet chili-sesame glaze and habanero peppers and took a big bite. Name one other trailer that serves wings in this town! The sauce may have been a little lacking in zest, but the crispy fried garlic on top more than made up for it. You are truly unique.

My little lamb, the same could be said of the decadent lamb burger on your menu. Tender, juicy meat piled on top of a toasty, house-made pantofolina bun, showered in a dill-yogurt-cucumber sauce with peppers and romaine to finish, and sided with crispy fried chickpeas (a little too oily, but still novel). What a salty, Greek-inspired treat.

Some trailer connoisseurs might be bored with yet another traditional burger, but that’s only because they haven’t tasted yours. I have a feeling that the beef burger (with meat from Windy Bar Ranch) would have made Texas Monthly’s 50 best burgers list, but the vegetarian version was good eating as well. The thick, flavorful eggplant patty melded nicely with the hearty homemade sesame-seed bun, as well as the arugula and lemon aioli; the only discord was with the ketchup, which didn’t fit the lush eggplant tones. Still, not a crumb was left on my plate.

Kitchen Window, if only you would call me back, I would tell you all about how I can see the influence of your days at Enoteca and other gourmet outfits around town. Who else would offer a crisp cucumber-and-tomato salad at a trailer on a hot summer day? I was expecting the traditional Greek-style fare, but I was pleasantly surprised to find fresh romaine, juicy quartered tomatoes, marinated red onions, and crunchy, perfect-for-summer cucumber slices, with a hint of basil in the (slightly heavy-handed) sherry vinegar dressing.

So don’t play coy with me, Kitchen Window. This is more than a crush. We could have a beautiful life together! Now get back to that kitchen and make me my dinner.

415 Jessie Street (512-750-8396). Open Wed & Thu 11–10, Fri & Sat 11 a.m.–12 a.m., Sun 11–10. Closed Mon & Tue.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Grilled kebabs and veggies at Trey’s Cuisine

28 Jul

Let’s face it. Vegetables aren’t usually a part of the trailer experience. So I was pleasantly surprised to find grilled veggies on the menu at Trey’s Cuisine, the newest trailer next to Odd Duck and Gourdough’s, on South Lamar.

Despite the truck’s unfortunate and puzzling Celtic logo, Trey’s Cuisine serves up some fine meat and vegetable kebabs (it used to be called Pick Up Stix but changed its name after a messy legal entanglement). My favorite was the flavorful blackened pork, served with a skewer of red bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, and sliced onions. Each kebab comes with a thick slice of buttered wheat bread and your choice of sauce from four categories of worldly dips, from Asian and Mediterranean to Spanish and “Cowden Weird” (thirteen sauces total). I ordered my skewer with the intriguing (and recommended) honey mustard ancho, but instead I was presented with an overly sweet sauce that I think was actually the sesame glaze.

I wish that the lamb had lived up to the pork’s high standards. But the meat was tough, and the mint-and-sweet-soy marinade was sticky and saccharine, without a trace of mint. I had been reassured that it would mesh well with the chimichurri, but even a good garlicky chimichurri couldn’t save the lamb. The vegetables, on the other hand, disappeared quickly.

Now, now, don’t get too worried: There is plenty of creative junk food on the menu too. Take the Steak Mac croquette slider. Just in case mac and cheese with New York strip wasn’t enough for you, the trailer fries it up into a delicious crispy patty and serves it on two thick slices of toasted white bread. Drunk food paradise, my friends.

The Greek Chick croquette slider, on the other hand, not so much. I was expecting an oregano-and-thyme-marinated chicken croquette sandwich, dripping with feta and tzatziki sauce. Instead, it was a bland fried round of rice and cream cheese, with a few chunks of overcooked chicken thrown in. The white bread might have been the best part.

The trailer claims to be mostly Mediterranean, and I can see the influence in some places. But though there wasn’t much opa! in his pierogis, they were delicious: a blend of creamy mashed potato and cheese with prosciutto, hand-rolled in homemade pasta and deep-fried. The sour cream dipping sauce was hard to resist.

So perhaps I should retract my earlier statement about vegetables. Sure, they made a rare appearance at Trey’s Cuisine. But it’s near impossible to beat a deep-fried mac-and-cheese sandwich.

1219 South Lamar Blvd (512-234-2103). Open Tue–Sat 11–3 & 5–10. Closed Sun & Mon.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Yummy Bowl’s yummy beef bánh mì

21 Jul

It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re eating at a place with a silly-fun name like “Yummy Bowl.” Of course, I’ve always been a big supporter of such onomatopoeic interjections and have been known to order sushi rolls solely because they came with “yum-yum” on top. I’m also an unabashed fan of Asian fusion, and Yummy Bowl, which offers an array of Malaysian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese dishes, was right up my alley.

I liked the good old-fashioned Vietnamese summer rolls, with fresh shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and cucumber with a peanut dipping sauce. Nothing earth-shattering here, just a cool appetizer on a hot day.  The French grilled beef sandwich was also a nice surprise. Long touted as the only good thing to come of colonization, the bánh mì is a delicate art (and now, unfortunately, a favorite food of hipsters nationwide). Yummy Bowl’s satisfied my craving, with a good baguette, marinated sliced beef, pink pâte, sliced cucumber, carrots, and plenty of fresh cilantro, though I missed the kick of the marinated jalapeños that are served on many bánh mì (at least in Texas).

As much as I wanted the signature Yummy Teppanyaki to live up to its name, it didn’t quite make the cut. A twist on the Japanese grilled cuisine, the enormous portion featured a smorgasbord of meats mixed with rice noodles and a few zucchini in a somewhat bland sauce. The beef bulgogi thrown into the mix was tender and flavorful, but the pork and chewy shrimp felt like overkill. The dish looked impressive, but as my lunch buddy wisely proclaimed, it tasted more like college food (as in, it’s food and it’s here, and there’s a lot of it).

No visit to a trailer is complete without something fried, and the rice bowl with a bread-crumb-encrusted pork loin chop more than did the trick. In fact, the fall-apart pork, crunchy crust, and sticky-sweet sauce were the highlight of the trip. Alongside a giant heap of coconut-flavored jasmine rice, it wasn’t the most balanced meal. But was it yummy? Indeed.

Longhorn Food Court, 610 W. MLK Blvd (512-436-4319). Open Mon–Sat 11–close (Call for hours). Closed Sun.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Bad puns, decent food at Coat and Thai and Naan Stop

14 Jul

Clever puns are to Austinites what baker’s yeast is to bread: an essential ingredient that never fails to get a rise out of the crowd. (For example, the annual O. Henry Pun-Off, in May.) But sometimes, the puns go a little sour. That seems to be the case with two trucks in town: Coat and Thai and Naan Stop. But how did the food compare to the wit at these punning Asian trailers?

At Coat and Thai, I started with the pork dumplings. Served scaldingly hot, they were above average, with tender pork centers and slightly doughy wonton wrappers, served with a dark soy dipping sauce. The red curry was surprisingly rich and a little spicy, its broth thick with coconut milk. I liked the flavorful zucchini, bamboo shoots, and bell pepper, but the chewy shrimp lacked flavor.

The concept of the trailer — a homegrown Asian restaurant owned and operated by Austin musicians — is appealing, and it’s hard to beat a South Congress location with picnic tables. The only real disappointment with my lunch was the overly sweet pad thai. A good pad thai has a complex flavor. The rice noodles are soft and rich, the meat is fall-apart tender, the stir-fried egg is a nice surprise, and the sauce is sweet with a generous kick. Sadly, Coat and Thai’s version was one-dimensional and dry.

Just as a Thai restaurant’s fate lies in its pad thai, an Indian restaurant’s rests in its naan. Naan Stop’s was soft and thick, with a generous dusting of flour. It was missing some fluffiness as well as the crispiness from a tandoori oven, but I saw said oven in the trailer and, given the blazing temperature outside, was impressed.

Based on its downtown Red River location (and the, um, partiers that go with the territory), Naan Stop serves mostly to-go wraps and other handheld foods. The samosas had a nice flavor, although the overall texture was mushy. But dipped in the made-from-scratch cilantro chutney, they were a perfect late-night snack. I also loved the sweet tamarind chutney, made fresh with coriander and cumin. Same for the variety of naan wraps: the spicy (and I mean spicy!) chickpeas (i.e., chana masala) were great, and the shredded chicken wrap had a nice flavor as well. I also liked the chicken tikka masala, with big, tender chunks of chicken in a tomatoey sauce, although the sauce itself lacked the creaminess of a traditional tikka masala.

So what’s the problem? I didn’t order the chicken wrap, but I did ask for a keema naan plate that never arrived, despite repeating my order multiple times. I wish I could say that it was because they were busy, but I was almost the only patron while I was there. To their credit, the husband and wife team just opened Naan Stop less than a month ago and were incredibly friendly and nice. I have faith that the kinks will be worked out in the coming weeks. Confession time: I kind of like the name “Naan Stop,” anyway.

Coat and Thai: SoCo Food Court, 1603 South Congress (512-970-2154). Open TKTK.

Naan Stop: Twin Liquors parking lot, 519 E. 7th (512-537-6226). Open Wed–Sat 7:30–3 a.m.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Spicy Frito pie and fried pickles with garlic ranch at SoCo to Go

7 Jul

You know you’ve lived in the southern part of the country for too long when you’re seriously disturbed by a lack of cream gravy.

Now, don’t get me wrong, SoCo to Go’s Southern comfort trailer food did exactly that: It comforted. But when I uncovered my chicken-fried chicken, I was expecting a slathering of that white, peppery goodness, or at least a to-go container of it. But there was none to be found. (For the record, they do offer gravy. Just be sure to ask for it.)

Poor me. I had to suffer with a tender, juicy chicken breast breaded in thick, crispy golden batter. I’m almost certain that the crust crunched loud enough to scare off the neighbors.

It’s too bad, because I had enough food to feed all of them. For example, the Frito pie: a generous helping of crunchy Fritos topped with spicy beef chili (no beans, of course), chopped tomatoes and onions, lettuce, and a pile of grated cheddar cheese. Or maybe they would have been interested in the jalapeño mac and cheese. Less spicy than creamy, it reminded me of everything I love about Luby’s.

I wish I could say the same for the Ultimate Tacos, but sadly, they were far from ultimate. Both the fried tilapia and fried avocado varieties were bland and slightly fishy, the tortillas floppy and thin. Even the peppery breading, crunchy carrots, and red cabbage couldn’t revive the entrée.

Thankfully, they were served with a side of cilantro ranch. And here’s where SoCo to Go really shone. Both their garlic ranch and cilantro ranch were good enough to make a northerner scream, “Yee-haw!” The fried pickle rounds were crisp-fried perfection by themselves, but dipped in garlic ranch? Look out!

In other words, what Daisy Mae, SoCo to Go’s Daisy Duke lookalike “mascot,” lacked in gravy, she made up for with ranch.

Keep in mind that the brand-new trailer is definitely a to-go place (it used to be a brick-and-mortar kitchen). They have picnic tables and shade, but the food comes in plastic containers with lids. For example, the Frito pie is deconstructed into several neat little containers.

Of course, there’s an upside: Daisy Mae delivers. If you live or work near downtown, you can order by phone or online and have your comfort food delivered to you by a cheerful attendant without your even breaking a sweat. In this summer heat, that’s worth a pretty deep-fried penny, cream gravy or not.

1209 South First (512-970-8646). SoCotoGo.com. Open Mon 11–2, Tue –Thur 11–2 & 6–9, Fri 11–2 & 6–10, Sat 12–10. Closed Sun.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday: Coolhaus’s deliriously good mint-chip-and-chocolate-cookie ice cream sandwiches

30 Jun

Picture this: It’s one of those brutally hot days, when the Texas air is as still and thick as homespun cream. Far in a South Austin field, behind a row of trailers, there’s a girl. She’s standing in a tiny patch of shade, holding something in each hand. Closer, closer now. We don’t want to scare the wildlife. Now you can see the outline of the huge, fresh-baked cookies, the ice cream sandwiched between them melting faster than an ice sculpture in August, dripping down her wrists and onto her milk-studded, poorly chosen black T-shirt. On her face there’s an expression of pure, unadulterated five-year-old joy. And more ice cream and cookie spackle than there are summertime freckles.

Don’t judge. So what if I had two ice cream sandwiches? I dare you to brave Coolhaus and not flash back to the footprint of your childhood. Except, remember that bland vanilla ice cream between two chocolate wafers, the way the columns of chocolate stuck perfectly to your fingers? Those sandwiches will always have my heart, just as I’ll always love candy necklaces. But comparatively, Coolhaus’s skyscrapers are like Willy Wonka’s everlasting gobstoppers: architecturally interesting, edibly stimulating.

And here we’ve hit on Coolhaus’ shtick (every trailer has to have one, after all). A riff on the name of the famed architect Rem Koolhaas and the influential Bauhaus movement, Coolhaus serves “architecturally inspired ice cream sandwiches.” Translation? A cookie roof and floor with ice cream walls, served to you from a 1985 vintage mall truck with green glass bricks on the roof.  The mini-chain started in L.A. in 2008 and now has outposts in New York and Austin. All of their offerings are made fresh with local ingredients, and their ice cream is hormone- and antibiotic-free. Plus, they serve their sammies in edible rice-paper wrappers. How tastefully green is that?

Especially in the delirious Austin summer, you’ve got to admire Coolhaus’s philosophy: When it’s as hot as an oven out, bake cookies! Then use them to anchor lusciously cold ice cream. My favorite was the ever-popular double-chocolate cookie and Dirty Mint ice cream combo. It’s hard to beat just-baked, decadent cookies with the right amount of crunch and a huge scoop of thick, minty ice cream to cool you down.

I also loved the mascarpone-and-fig ice cream: light and understated, with big hunks of juicy, balsamic fig. Though the soft, cinnamony snickerdoodle cookies were great, I was disappointed with Coolhaus’s recommended combination. Instead, I wish I’d tried the ginger cookies, which promised to be less bland.

But there to save the day was the I.M. Pei-nut butter ice cream with chocolate chip cookies, bright and shining as the Louvre Pyramid, melodious as the notes echoing in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. What else can I say? This is my dream dessert, come to life. The peanut butter was rich and creamy, a perfectly smooth compliment to America’s favorite chewy-crunchy cookies. But if you’re looking for something less traditional, don’t despair: Depending on the day, the truck serves interesting offerings like lambrusco ice cream and oatmeal cookies with baked apple ice cream, not to mention gastro-experiments like brown-butter-with-candied-bacon ice cream.

As much as I love standing by a trailer in the 104-degree heat with ice cream dripping down my arms, it is a bit ironic that Coolhaus’s architectural bent has not lent them a building with four walls and a blasting air-conditioning unit. But then again, they could just as well riff on old Corbu and say that food trailers are architecture, buildings are bourgeois.

Two trucks: “Smokey,” 3600 Lamar, Thur & Fri 3–8, Sat 12–8. “Betty” roams; for hours and location, check their website andTwitter.

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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Trailer Thursday, Special Edition: On the Trail of Reliably Open Trailers

23 Jun

Image courtesy Flickr user TheGiantVermin

If you’ve been to half as many trailers as I have, you know one sad little fact: Many of them are never open. Oh, all right—maybe “never” is an exaggeration. But many times, finding a truck that sticks faithfully to its hours is almost as tricky as gracefully eating those bulgogi chili-cheese fries once you find said trailer.

So before I continue with my “epic trailer quest” and review another delightful food truck, I thought I’d pause to acknowledge the places that I would like to try, if they’d ever raise their darn gratings and start dishing out food when they say they will.

Before I call anyone out, let me first say that it’s hard to be a trailer. Especially in the summer. In Texas. When it’s 104 degrees out. In many cases, these are ordinary, plucky folks running homegrown businesses and serving gourmet shoestring fries on a shoestring budget, and I admire the work that they do. I admire it so much that I would like to put the fruits of all of that labor into my mouth and enjoy it for lunch or dinner.

For example, Diner on Wheels, I would love to try your spinach-ricotta enchiladas, with green chiles on a blue-corn tortilla. Your Grill Fiesta, with green chiles, cheddar cheese, and calabacitas, sounds like a delicacy. Alas, everything I know about you is from your online menu, because when I sidled by last Thursday (when you said you’d be opened), you were locked down tight.

Same goes for you, Fat Cactus. The idea of Navajo fry bread tacos and pizzas intrigues me. But are the red onions on your Foghorn pizza (with cilantro–pumpkin seed pesto, chicken, goat cheese, and pepitas) sliced or diced? When I arrived at your trailer a few months ago at lunchtime, after checking your Facebook page (and Twitter!), your windows were sealed for the day, and I could only imagine the refreshing splash of your cilantro lemonade.

One more: Danny’s BBQ. Danny, you can’t imagine how excited I was to find a trailer in North Austin, near Burnet and 183. And a barbecue trailer at that! I had visions of brisket and sausage in my head. But by now, you know how this story goes: Sadly, Danny’s was closed.

To these three trailers, and others that I haven’t named, learn from a recent ancestor, Not Your Mama’s Food Truck. I’d heard about Ron Chadwick’s amazing trailer, where he served sweet-spicy Asian fried chicken, among other interesting items. But the trailer was always closed. Finally, I got hooked on reading Chadwick’s unintentionally comical Facebook updates (for example, “Ok. So. Have another matter I have to deal with today. Be there Thursday the 5th. For real,” posted on Wednesday, January 5). I never got to try the trailer, and it was shuttered at the end of March.

Sigh. Such is the life of a trailer addict. I’ll be back on the hunt next week, bringing you tasty treats from food trucks, trailers, carts, and wagons. In the meantime, trailer owners and businesspeople, please: I’d love to hear from you. And readers, dear eaters, what trailers have you tried to frequent, and failed?

To read more of my Trailer Thursday posts, visit Texas Monthly’s Eat My Words blog.

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