Boots in the Oven

Spartan Pizza (Trailer), Austin

Let's say you really have a hankering to eat at a trailer tonight or this weekend, but then you look at the mercury and hey!  IT'S 14 FREAKING DEGREES OUTSIDE!  WHERE DO WE LIVE, MINNESOTA?  I DID NOT GO THROUGH 68 DAYS OF 100-DEGREE PLUS TEMPERATURES ALL LAST SUMMER SO I COULD BE G$%^%$N COLD DURING THE WINTER!

OK, composure.  I know it could be way worse.  For one thing, we don't have an ice storm predicted, which frankly is an enormous relief.  

So, back to my original point, which in case you forgot is: you want to eat at a trailer, but it's way too cold outside.  Well, friends, may I ask you to consider Spartan Pizza?

Yes, it's true you will have to stand outside to order (unless you plan ahead and call in your order on the way down), but then you can move your freezing self over to the nice warm Red Shed Tavern (also on Facebook), where you can order a beer and wait for one of Spartan Pizza's friendly owners to deliver you your trailer pizza.  While you stay warm.

And this isn't just any pizza.  Jeremy, Nicole, and Kelly have come up with some truly interesting combinations on their pizzas if you're feeling like something a little out of the ordinary.  For instance, how about a Pegasus pie, with cilantro pesto, buffalo chicken, red onion, banana peppers, and blue cheese?

When we visited back in December, we had the eponymous Spartan pizza, which is a little tamer.  Tomato sauce, crunchy green bell pepper and white onion, fresh garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Yum.  

We were totally surprised by the quality of the pizza, too.  Look at those crust bubbles!  Now THAT is a welcome pizza on a freezing day like today.  This is the 10 inch pizza, but you can also order a 14-incher.

So, do not despair, lovers of trailer food!  The kind folks at Spartan Pizza are ready to pizza you up!  (Is that a saying?)  And their menu is even available online on their website, so you can plan out your order ahead of time - or even call in when you're on your way down, so you barely have to get out of your car.  

Let me know if you try the Apollo (roasted garlic spread, spinach, mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives, herbed ricotta cheese) because it is TOTALLY next on my list.

Spartan Pizza (also on Facebook) and the wonderfully welcoming Red Shed Tavern are located (way) south at 8504 S. Congress.  If you'd like to call your pizza order in ahead of time, dial 512.484.0798.  Spartan is currently closed Sunday and Monday - hours on their pdf menu.

East Side King. Go There.

On the first night of Hanukkah, my wife and I ended up in an alley eating pork buns with a pair of freelance mixologists, a couple of old friends, and Olympic gold medal swimmer Garrett Webber-Gale. The koala and the eye-patch wearing nun couldn’t make it.

But let me explain.

I’m not sure what you’re doing right now but if it’s not driving yourself over to the Eastside King trailer behind The Liberty in Austin, Texas, you’re doing the wrong thing. Ok, I suppose you could bike there. Or walk. Or you might already be eating there and reading this on a netbook or smartphone or something. Or through some small chance may actually be working there. Fine- all of these are acceptable as well.

Crazy freaking "that could not possibly be coming out of a trailer" food after the jump:

A Gringo's Lament

A few weeks ago I reviewed a little taco trailer called La Canaria. At the end of the post I mentioned that I had heard that they were really well known for their soups, which we didn't try.

It turns out that I'm actually just really white. Earnest, but still white.

I was thinking sopas when all along we were talking sopes. What a difference a vowel makes. 

I know I said I was in love with the gorditas but I was wrong. I’m actually in love with the sopes. These little masa boats and their savory cargo fillings make my salivary glands work overtime.

Since they’re handmade to order, they’re every bit as slow as the gorditas. But don’t worry, it’s worth it.

-Logan

La Canaria 

810 E 51st St at Airport Blvd (right next to Casey's Snowballs)

 Austin, TX 78751

Shuggie's. Oh, balls.

So, I had planned to tell you guys about this delicious burger we discovered, from this trailer called Shuggie's down off of South 1st Street that also serves up a heckuva brunch every Sunday, and what happens?

 

They announce this morning that the place is closing.  Well, actually, the announcement was that Shuggie himself had been killed in a drive-by shooting by Ronald McDonald and Jack (in the box), but I'll forgive them the levity this once.  (Here's the link, though I don't know how long it will be active.)

 

We had some pictures languishing on our hard drive from a tasty brunch we ate about a month ago, so I'll show those off as an incentive for you guys to get to Shuggie's on Sunday - that's the last day they'll be serving!

Taqueria La Canaria

Yellow is the new awesome.

In the continuing theme of taco-truck-obsession I have recently discovered yet another little enclave of Mexican yumminess.

I actually pass this truck all the time on my way to work. I haven’t eaten there though since powerful forces hate me and don’t want me to be happy. Recently (and lucky for me), its siren song of bright color and bubbly hand painted menu items proved too much and I found myself timidly sidestepping up to the little window to see what might be delicious.

The menu offered no real surprises. It was a basic blend of tacos, tostadas, soups and gorditas with a few specials that are mainly to be found on the weekends. I figured I needed to make up for lost time so I decided to order some of everything. (Rachel was inside a nearby gas station buying drinks so her powers of logic and moderation held no sway.)

The two nice ladies inside the box were from Veracruz and Guerrero and spoke zero English. Not a problem. I just do what I always do in situations like this. I open my mouth to confidently order away in my best restaurant Mexican and inevitably end up spouting poor Italian and garbled pidgin. I have a keenly honed talent for making an ass out of myself.

Taking pity on me, the ladies dished up some of the finest street food that I’ve had in this town for a while.

We started with an adorable tostada filled with al pastor. The generous chunks of fresh avocado and fine smear of beans were a great texture contrast to the crispy corn disks. (I loved how the tostada wore an extra one on top like a tiny hat.) The al pastor was a bit chewy but I was pleasantly surprised by the deep savoriness.