Cajun French: le “truck” (lu “truck”) – truck
Picnics are something we enjoy especially on a cool spring day. So when Mike and Heidi said park and picnic, we said let’s go!
The park was the Zilker Botanical Gardens and the picnic, well that was not what we expected. Actually it was more than we expected; it was food truck heaven.
We are used to food truck round ups that happen once a month or so. Otherwise the food trucks are in various locations around the city. In Austin there is a permanent food truck round up – The Picnic at Barton Springs. They are located at 1720 Barton Springs Road just steps from Zilker Park. This is more than food trucks. To help you enjoy your meal there is a covered pavilion with ceiling fans and restrooms are also available. Gourmet picnicking with amenities.
These culinary creations are delights at less than you would pay in a sticks and bricks restaurant but no less creative or delectable. The offerings ranged from savory to sweet and everything in-between.
The four of us indulged in a variety of foods including: roasted Brussels sprouts from Tapas Bravas, The Shiner Bock Monte Cristo from Hey! You Gonna Eat or What?, and the Mighty Cone.
The Brussels sprouts were roasted with sea salt and had a salty smoky flavor. They were served with a garlic aioli. Laurie was in heaven!
The Shiner Bock Monte Cristo was enough for four. The sandwich is a stack of cheddar, provolone, mesquite smoked turkey, and pit smoked ham. Then dipped in a batter made with Texas’ Shiner Bock. Once fried, it is dusted with powdered sugar and served with a side of cherry-fig jam. The sandwich melts in your mouth as the flavors dance around your palate. Are you hungry yet? They were the official winner of the 2013 Truck by Truckwest Taste-Off and we understand why.
Then there is the Mighty Cone. The tables are even configured to handle the cone, good customer service. If you know Austin, then you will know Hudson on the Bend. They bring their famed “Hot ‘n Crunchy” breading to the food truck industry. We had two Mighty Cones – one was “Hot ‘n Crunchy” avocado and the other was chicken and avocado. In addition to the main ingredient, The Mighty Cone consist of a tortilla, cole slaw and sauce. It was mighty and it was mighty good. The coating was crunchy and the avocado was creamy. Great combination. According to the sign on the truck, the items are not fried – “We don’t say fried… we say deep sauté”.
We were happy, satisfied and yes, stuffed. We all felt like the Mighty Cone. What a hell of picnic — Austin style.
