It’s the weekend! Ow ow! I’m so happy about that. I especially love Saturday mornings, because they give us time to relax, and look back on the previous week’s adventures. In my reflection, I am having fun looking back at the really cool VIP media event we attended together on Thursday evening over at the new Barton Springs Picnic, a food trailer park on Barton Springs Rd., just beyond Zilker Park, if you’re coming from Mopac, between Chuy’s and Baby Acapulco.
We arrived right at 6 p.m., and checked in at the VIP media check-in table, got our wristbands, drink coupons, and were set on our way.
First impressions: IT WAS AWESOME.
There were 8 incredible trailers all lined up, ready to serve. But these weren’t just any trailers. These were some of the best and most well-known trailers around. The iconic Mighty Cone, one of Austin’s first food trailers that got its start back in 2009, sits proud at the front of the park, next to the equally distinguished Hey, Cupcake!
Next to that sweet spot stands the 2013 Taste-Off at Truck by Truckwest Taste-Off winners, Hey!… You gonna eat or what? I’d never sampled the fare that this truck delivers, but I have heard SO much about the deliciousness that they’re concocting… I couldn’t wait. At all.
The Skinny Limits trailer with their live and organic juices and fresh veggie/vegan foodstuffs stood their ground next to Tapas Bravas, a silver trailer with a Spanish-inspired menu with delicious and creative tapas.
Turf and Surf Po-Boy was nestled in a corner, but didn’t hide back there. That trailer was by far the most impressive trailer I’d ever laid eyes on. Ever.
With all of the fun decor and loud colors, it felt like a cool beach grub-out spot, and it somehow brought the feel of salt water and crashing waves right to the banks of The Picnic. I loved it, and couldn’t wait to sample their food.
Next to them sat the super rustic and quietly elegant Seedling Truck by Royal Fig, the group that actually catered our wedding this past September. I love their straightforward approach to delicious food, and couldn’t wait to see what they had to offer that evening.
Last but certainly not least was Ms. P’s Electric Cock, home to some of the best fried chicken in the city. I’d never tried her chicken, but couldn’t wait to see what all the hype was about!
Another thing I loved about The Picnic? It was comfortable. With plenty of parking, ample seating, large fans in the overhangs to keep everyone cool in the hot hot heat, and REAL bathrooms (no port-a-potties here), The Picnic really caters to the desires of their patrons. For these simple, yet important things, I am grateful.
Lastly, The Picnic is family-friendly, which has become one of the more important things, now that I’ve got a kiddo to think about. Basically, this place has everything going for it: Location, excellent food, comfort and fun for all ages.
So I bet you’re eager to know what all we feasted on, huh?
1. Chicken and Truffle Mac & Cheese | Ms. P’s Electric Cock:
Juicy, tender chicken with the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had in my life. Hands down. I loved everything about that mac and cheese. It was creamy, had a nice toothsome texture, and the truffle shined through with the perfect amount of earthy umami flavor. So good.
2. Albóndigas | Tapas Bravas
These handmade meatballs are crafted with all pork, tons of parsley and red wine for flavor. Their sweet Brandy sauce is killer, and a perfect accompaniment to one of the most beloved tapas. I loved these little meat balls. Yum.
3. Coles de Bruselas | Tapas Bravas
Though Brussels Sprouts are not at all part of any traditional tapas, the folks at Tapas Bravas have jumped on the fried Brussels Sprouts wagon. And we’re better for it. These are flash-fried and dusted with sea salt, and are the perfect pair with their fresh garlic alioli as a dipping sauce. The crunchy and flaky leaves keep their super fresh taste thanks to the lack of breading and the absence of unnecessary garnishes and flavor enhancers. The caramelized centers showcase the nutty and rich nature of this vegetable. We scarfed these bad boys up REAL fast. I’m drooling all over again. I can almost taste them now. So good.
4. Piquillos Rellenos | Tapas Bravas
Now, I’ve had these bundles of joy before, at Trailer Food Tuesdays, way back when. They’re Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Goat Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts, and honey, and there’s really nothing like them. The peppers were beautifully roasted and had a gorgeous red color that contrasted nicely with the fresh parsley and the soft goat cheese. The goat cheese was remarkable. It was velvety and luscious. It filled my mouth with the tangy pungency that only goat cheese can bring. The sweet roasted peppers combined with the cheese was a perfect pair. Perfect. Pair. The pine nuts added a nice and unexpected crunch while the honey just tied everything together. Basically? Yum.
Sangria Set-up | Tapas Bravas
Now, we didn’t actually get this, but a couple sitting at the next table down did, and I couldn’t help myself. I moseyed on over and asked them all about what they were sippin’ on. If you bring your own bottle of wine to Tapas Bravas, grab a Sangria Setup Kit for the perfect libation. Their secret recipe of juice and berries goes perfectly with both reds and whites, or even add Prosecco for a bubbly kick. It just looks like so much fun, and looks delicious to boot. Next time…
5. Seared Quail & Sweet Potato Grits | The Seedling Truck by Royal Fig
One word: YUM. Well, there’s more than one word, but this dish was righteous. Sensational. Stupendous. Mouth-watering. The quail was cooked perfectly, and was super tender. The sweet grits were beyond delicious. This food was super reminiscent of our wedding food that the amazing people at The Royal Fig catered. It’s super fresh, and straightforward. Love it.
6. Blackened Yellow Tail Taco | Turf N Surf Po’Boy
Before I talk about the food, I want go back to the trailer itself. Like I said before, I loved it. It was so bright, and colorful, and really made me happy. The chef/owner, Ralph Gilmore, created his trailer made of 90% recyclables as “a statement that he cared about the little man, and he wants to always be giving back.” How cool? Anyway, when it came to the food, it was scrumptious. And this was the tasting portion! Huge! Remarkable! The flavors were intense in the best way, and I loved the creamy sauce paired with the wonderfully slightly-spicy blackened fish and crisp veggies. The tortilla was awesome too – I’m not sure if they make them from scratch, but they taste crazy-fresh.
7. The Shiner Monte Cristo | Hey! You Gonna Eat or What?
I’ve heard so many better-than-awesome things about this particular trailer, so I was pretty much expecting A LOT. And, they definitely delivered. The airy, deep and nutty Shiner beer battered crust around this sandwich paired perfectly with the smokey meats, and brought the best flavors out of them. The cherry-fig jelly was crazy good. Sweet, tart and completely balanced, this sauce made the sandwich shine. And the kiddo LOVED it.
Loved. It.
Loved it so much that he insisted we go back to get more. Yeah, it was THAT good.
8. Juices + Snow Cones | Skinny Limits
Now, I’m not generally a juice person, and have never once felt compelled to jump on the juicing band-wagon that seems to be all the craze these days. Green juice. Green shakes. Green…. stuff. But I have to say… Their Pure and Simple raw juice was actually pretty dang good. It’s made with kale, cucumber, spinach, apple, parsley, celery and lemon, and tastes fresh, light and invigorating. No lie. I wish I didn’t taste the celery so much, but I was very pleasantly surprised with it. I also got to taste their carrot and ginger juice, and this was more up my alley. Yum. The kiddo loved the raw juice, and was able to bring some home for the next day. He even got to try a fancy vegan mango snow cone.
What could be better though, than a mango snow cone mixed with cherry-fig jelly?
It was actually pretty fantastic. Kinda wish I had some now.
9. Hot & Crunchy Avacado + Hot & Crunchy Queso Chihuahua Cones | Mighty Cone
I have to make a confession. I’ve never eaten at Mighty Cone before. Sure, I’ve walked past/driven past several times, and was always curious about one of the front runners in the Austin Food Truck movement, but just never stopped. I was excited to finally get a taste of what the cone-rage is all about. As you can very well imagine, at this point in our Picnic adventure, I was starting to get full. But I had to press on. We ordered one avocado cone and one Queso Chihuahua cone. Both were fried in their signature sesame seeds, almonds, arbor chili flakes, sea salt, sugar and corn flake batter. The avocado was pretty yummy, and I liked the spicy/creamy sauce drizzled over the top. I loved the cheese sticks… I’m a monster mozzarella stick fan, so these really hit the spot. Too bad I could only manage one. We still had one more stop to make!
10. Red Velvet Cupcake + Red Velvet CoolHaus Ice Cream, Sweetberry Cupcake + Vanilla Dream CoolHaus Ice Cream, John Lemon Cupcake + Vanilla Dream CoolHaus Ice Cream | Hey Cupcake!
A perfect end to a wonderful tasting at The Picnic, for sure. I loved my sweet strawberry cupcake with the Tahitian Vanilla ice cream from CoolHaus. The kiddo, being a huge red velvet fan, fell in love with both the cupcake and the ice cream. But my husband’s cupcake/ice cream duo was by far the best in show. That lemon cupcake… More, please? Paired with that super intensely vanilla ice cream… I’m fairly confident that I dreamed about it last night. Like… literally.
The moral to this very long story is that The Picnic is not only home to some of the best casual food you’ll eat in this city, but it’s got a taste for everyone. The kiddo loved it, and so did we. That’s two thumbs up in our book, and you can’t beat the location. Plus, this place screams permanence. With the large parking lot, permanent bathrooms and seating, The Picnic be a long-time home to amazing grub, that’s for sure.