Our neighbors frequently comment on the restaurants and food trailers in the neighborhood. I will share those reviews here with a few added edits and comments.
Bouldin Food Trailers Make Food Culture Map
Local foodie website reviews one of our trailer parks: “Whether it’s Sam’s big blue Soco To Go, Lawrence’s Wasota, Wendy’s Little Thai Food or Kat’s Kat’s Ice Cream, the trailers of the Bouldin Creek Food Court are sure to catch your eye as you drive through South Austin. Located at 1209 South 1stStreet. (Sue’s note: This trailer park is on the east side of S 1st and is the farthest north, just before the back side of the deaf school grounds.)
“Tonight we dined at Wasota West African Cuisine and it was great! It’s in the little trailer park across from El Mercado and it’s worth checking out.”
“… pleasantly surprised by Buffalo Bob’s trailer at Live Oak and 1st. I had a Chicken Chalupa, and the husband had 2 bison chalupas. They were very tasty, very healthy, and they held together. He uses all natural products, no processed products, no hormones, etc. The Chicken was stewed, not grilled, so it was extra tasty.
The owner is very friendly and takes pride in his project, and will gladly explain his mural of local music artists on the back. Try them out! I believe they are open till 8pm.” (Sue’s note: This trailer park is on the west side of S 1st and is about 4 blocks south of Monroe.)
A lot of comments on this place because it is very new, as of Jan. 2012.
“Vietnamese restaurant at the SE corner of South 1st and Elizabeth St. The restaurant is being opened by the operators of Perla’s and Lambert’s who also recently purchased Jeffrey’s, all high-end restaurants. According to the project manager, ‘We are serving Vietnamese food and French pastries. Our menu includes noodles (bun), noodle soups (pho), and Vietnamese sandwiches (bahn mi). We also have fun French pastries like eclairs, brioche & canelles. We will have a fantastic hot tea program built by the owners of The Steeping Room and an awesome coffee program by Stumptown Coffee.’
They will add delivery service soon. 512-291-2881
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“The 40-to-50-seat space will be open for moderately priced breakfast, lunch and dinner daily until around midnight with baguettes, croissants and pastries baked in-house by pastry chef Alexandra Manley, coffee drinks, beer and wine, plus pho, banh mi and other Vietnamese standards. McGuire said the cafe will make its own pâtés and pickled vegetables for the sandwiches, which will run $5-$8, with noodle bowls running $8-$12.”
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“Ashamed to say I don’t remember what it was called, but I had a dish of noodles, shrimp and roast pork. One of the best meals I’ve ever had. Excellent French baguettes.”
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“Well, if that’s your analysis of the croissants, then Austin must have been pretty bad prior to. On the strength of your review I stopped by twice and both days, before 10am they were small, somewhat stiff, tasted of butter and not much else, I had a butter and almond ones.
As I counted yesterday, there were 17 staff working around 9:45, it was a confusing mess behind the counter with people getting in the way of each other. I find the idea of a patisserie that does a $22 Pho confusing. I’m inclined to agree with this review. “ (Sue’s note: Larger crowds and extra staff-in-training are most likely due to the newness of this place..)
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On $22 Pho: “…reason being that it’s filled with Shrimp, Red Snapper, and Crab. Most of the other Pho offerings are $10 cheaper. The $14 Bun Bo Hue is huge, delicious and inexpensive. Same goes for the Vietnamese Crepe. “
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“I could handle the $7 for the ham & croissant if it had been big enough to make a meal as TFB’s used to be. It was really tasty, just too small.”
A great little gem in the neighborhood, just two blocks south from GeneviEve’s on 2nd St, and left, around the corner. Their specialty is French macaroons – lots of beautiful pastel colors and a large, changing variety of flavors. Here’s what their newsletter said in December: “Perfect way to end the day- a cup of coffee or hot chocolate & one of our signature macaroons. Our holiday flavors are colorful & have festive flavors like gingerbread, pumpkin cheesecake, peppermint, eggnog, cranberry, and s’mores.”
There are other fine cakes and desserts, as well as savory sandwiches, tea and coffee. Open til 8pm Fridays and Saturdays. Sue often can provide a 15% coupon for your purchase, if you ask.
“There’s a new drive-thru place at the corner of Oltorf and S 1st (south of Monroe) called El Tacorrido. We stopped in tonight to pick up a couple of tortas, some chips and queso and Mexican Coke. I was pleasantly surprised. They have a few vegetarian choices and lots of breakfast taco variety and PROPER torta bread/bolillo – thank you! They have tons of options for meat-eaters but I can’t comment on that. Their torta de hongos (mushroom sandwich) was pretty spicy and way delicious. Reasonably priced, convenient with their drive-thru, and they take cards and have some choices we only previously would have had at a cart or at Zocalo for a higher price. Their menu is on their website and for you non-Spanish speakers, this is the “sur” location. I hope you try them out and like them!”
“Thai fresh is now serving brunch on Sundays with a menu including gluten-free fried chicken and waffle, Thai omelet , rice soup and more. Mimosa is $5. Also cooking to order all day long for the regular items that you love. No deli case on Sundays . Brunch 11-3 and regular menu 11-9. Corner of S 5th St and W. Mary. (Mary is 2 blocks south of Monroe.)
Thai Fresh
Home cooked Thai meals with local ingredients, cooking classes, groceries.
512 494 6436
Thrice Cafe
Brazilian coffee. Music. Wine & beer on tap. Gluten-free & vegan house-made baked goods.
512 447 9473
Lick Ice Creams
2032 S. Lamar, (512) 363-5622
“Lick Ice Cream is worth a stop…Next to the Horseshoe Lounge on S Lamar, just south of the W Mary St intersection…..really good ice cream, unusual vegetable(!) flavors, super nice owner with extremely great taste!….Love this new addition to our neighborhood.”
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“I’m not much of an ice cream guy, but we tried Lick yesterday (in the same little shopping center as El Meson, Barley Swine, et al.) and it is amazing. We tried caramel with sea salt, cilantro-lime, goat cheese-thyme-honey, and some sort of coffee-chocolate-cream thing.”
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“Also, the ice cream is egg-free so my severely allergic son can partake. Believe it or not, he liked the roasted beet flavor best and has brought it up several times since our visit last week. “
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“WOW!!! They had cream corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, mint chocolate, beet and rosemary(?), goat cheese-thyme-honey. Awesome!!!! We talked to the owners today and they are great people.”
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Non-dairy options? Yes, sorbet.
Speaking of ice cream shops with non-dairy options, here are two more recommendations.
“Thai Fresh at West Mary and South 5th has dairy-free ice cream, and some amazing combinations. When you go, do a taste test of the selections. I love sweet potatoes, but TF’s sweet potato ice cream is too cloying for my taste. TF uses coconut milk/cream. Even non dairy-eating friends and family love it. Only problem: it’s expensive.”
“Amy’s Ice Cream on south Congress north of Monroe, usually has one or two non-dairy options, which rotate on a random schedule. Amy’s Aloha (coconut-pineapple) non-dairy selection is great, if you are lucky enough to be there on the day they have it.” Amy’s is a long-time award-winning local ice creamery with many standard and unusual flavors and a reputation for having entertaining servers.
More to come as time permits and our neighbors provide reviews.
