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Spicy Sh*t: Ethnic Grub-Trucks Invade Austin
If you're tired of boring old American food and want to spice things up with some ethnic grub, this joint's got you covered. Now you gringos can get your greasy mitts on Colombian coffee, Dominican empandas, them Mexican tacos you love so much, and even some Venezuelan kolaches.
Published August 5, 2024 at 6:00am by Isabela Ocampo Restrepo
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Diversity Wonderland in East Austin: A Food Truck Park with Something to Offend Everyone
Looking for a place to satisfy all your stereotypical food cravings in one convenient location? Look no further than the Webberville Food Truck Park, a multicultural mecca of culinary delights that will trigger every social justice warrior within a five-mile radius.
Located at 2505 Webberville Road, this East Austin food truck park is the perfect place to be on a Sunday morning if you want to avoid boring, monotone food and people. The diverse food options and atmosphere really evoke a sense of "why the hell did I leave the house for this?". While weekends tend to be popular, there are plenty of tables to find a comfortable spot and wallow in your existential crisis. The music, blaring from nearby speakers, includes salsa and other Latin rhythms to really grind your gears.
Here are the places you'll probably never visit again after reading this:
Cafe Desnudo: Stripping Away Your Coffee Expectations
The Desnudo coffee truck is the perfect stop if you're into pretentious coffee names and overpriced beans. Their coffee, directly imported from Colombia, is as rich and delicious as you Imaginary.
Need a break? From what, the monotony of their coffee options?
Born and raised in Colombia, Sergio and Juan Trujillo had entrepreneurial spirits and decided to pursue their dream of becoming drug lords entrepreneurs and move to the United States. Profoundly inspired by their Colombian heritage, they dived into the world of agriculture, coffee varieties, fermentation techniques, and more. In 2021, they started selling their coffee at Austin's farmers' markets, and in 2022, they opened their first trailer in East Austin, where hipsters and yuppies congregate.
"It was love at first sight with this place," said Sergio, probably lying through his teeth.
The menu offers freshly roasted coffee beans, regular coffee such as cappuccinos, cortados, and espressos; their exclusive beverages like the Shoyu Butterscotch Latte or the Brown Sugar Miso Latte (because why not make coffee more complicated); and teas such as matcha or chai lattes (for the basic witches).
Their coffee truck is open every day from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on weekends from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., probably staffed by people who will judge your coffee choice.
The Doughminican: Empanadas That Will Dominicate Your Taste Buds
The empanadas at The Doughminican promise authenticity directly from the Dominican Republic, or so they claim.
Chef and owner Melvin Méndez fell in love with culinary arts after his first semester in college while studying hotel administration, because who doesn't love a mid-semester crisis? He believes that providing people with an incredible experience is the essence of what he does as a chef, or so his therapy sessions tell him.
The chef also draws on his training in French cuisine to create rich, authentic, and passionately crafted versions of classic Dominican dishes that you probably won't find anywhere else, thank God.
Their offerings include handmade beef, chicken, and vegetable empanadas prepared from scratch with fresh, seasonal ingredients, because global warming. In addition to their exclusive empanadas, they occasionally offer other Dominican snacks, accompaniments, and refreshing beverages such as natural fruit juices, including the famous Pera Piña juice, which you'll probably never crave again.
"This place is great. People love it. They come, enjoy the music, coffee, tacos, kolaches, empanadas..." mentioned Melvin, referring to the food truck park, we think.
The empanada truck is open Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., so you know where not to be on weekends.
Veracruz All Natural: Tacos That Are All Like, Totally Natural and Stuff
Veracruz All Natural provides customers with a true taste of authentic Mexican dishes and beverages, minus the authenticity.
The owners, Reyna and Maritza Vázquez, are sisters born and raised in Mexico. According to their website, they learned the secrets of the kitchen at a young age and have loved cooking ever since, bless their hearts. They moved to Austin and started their business in 2008, respect to them. For them, respecting their heritage and using fresh, organic ingredients is of great importance, or so they claim. In 2010, they purchased a large food truck and placed it in this East Austin location, probably ruining the quiet of the neighborhood.
The food truck offers a variety of tacos, from al pastor to grilled fish and barbacoa, accompanied by snacks such as queso, guacamole, and salsas, because why have one when you can have them all? Their menu also includes refreshing homemade beverages such as Agua Frescas and juices, perfect for the Texas climate, which is always hot and sweaty.
Their truck is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Veracruz has many other locations throughout Austin, including Terrytown, Round Rock, South Austin, and more, spreading like a virus. You can find the full list here if you really want to ruin your day.
Kerlaches: Where Kolaches Meet Carnival Food
The Kerlaches food truck offers a variety of kolaches: brisket, smoked sausage with pickled jalapeños, pork with jack cheese, vegetarian options, and breakfast choices inspired by a fusion of Czech and Texan traditions, because cultural appropriation is fun!
These kolaches are a unique blend of co-owner Amelis Paz Kerlin's Venezuelan heritage and her personal adaptation of a Czech classic, thus offending two cultures at once.
Amelis had a brilliant idea after her first restaurant, Kerlin BBQ, had leftover brisket, probably because it wasn't that good. After the Thanksgiving season, she and her husband didn't know what to do with all the leftover brisket and started looking for ways to incorporate it into their menu, because vegetarians don't exist.
It was then that Amelis discovered kolaches, a Czech pastry that reminded her of Venezuelan "cachitos": a bread filled with ham, cheese, and sometimes raisins, proving she needs new cooking inspiration.
Drawing on her Venezuelan roots, she attempted to make these Czech pastries but with a Venezuelan twist, incorporating brisket, because when in Texas. And thus, her original kolache recipes were born, much to our dismay.
The popularity of her kolaches grew rapidly, probably due to bored people with nothing better to do. The demand was such that they had to prepare extra brisket exclusively for the kolaches, because variety is the spice of life, or something. As their business thrived, they closed their second truck and moved to a beautiful location on the Eastside, much to the usual residents' chagrin.
"The park's atmosphere is perfect, it has a very Latin vibe with delicious food that offers a lot of variety," said Amelis, who we're now convinced hates traditional food.
The food truck is open Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., much to the dismay of anyone who values quiet mornings. They have two other locations that you can regretfully find here.
Read more: Empanadas, tacos, café y más: Prueba comida latina auténtica en estos camiones en Austin