Wow!
Spicy!
Fresh!
Flavorful!
Wonderful!
This assessment is based on getting both the Som Tom and the Larb Moo.
First off, two items... probably too much food for a normal person. But I could probably be a competitive eater, so it was awesome for me.
The Som Tom is a papaya salad, with peanuts, fresh green beans, peanuts, and more. It came with sticky rice. This was amazing. And I love spice and spicy foods, so this was perfect for me. If you're averse to spice, maybe ask them to tone it down, because it would be good either way.
The Larb Moo is this weird minced pork dish with fresh cucumbers and fresh herbs and such. So good, and again, rather spicy. It also has that Thai basil flavor, which has the essence of licorice. Amazing! So, so good. Again, sticky rice was included. I doubt many people order this, because it looks and sounds sort of unfamiliar, but as long as you aren't opposed to Thai basil or cilantro, you will not be disappointed. It seemed like most people were ordering Pad Kapow instead. I'll probably try that the next go-around.
The line is relatively short to non-existent compared to La Barbecue, which is in the same food truck park. The wait on food is a bit longer than I would have liked (I was quoted 15 minutes and it took more like 25), because the lovely woman making the food seemed to take a lot of meticulous care preparing each dish individually. The food is totally worth the wait. It's immediately one of my favorite places in Austin. It really rocketed up to my top/elite food trailers and even restaurants overall.
The other knock on it might be that they were out of the pork skewers, which were still listed on their sandwich board menu outside. The proprietor seemed a little exasperated having to tell every person that he had noted this on the website but hadn't updated the board. Basically everyone was ordering the skewers and then having to call an audible at the last moment. Some seemed pretty disappointed to the point of irritated. I look forward to trying those in the future. I hope this spot really flourishes, because it is wonderful food, and if they maintain this high quality consistently over time, it will deserve a permanent place in the pantheon of top Austin food trucks.
UPDATE (April 2018):
I've been here many more times. They've moved. La Barbecue is elsewhere. They are now closer to Taco Flats, La Holly Bar, and down the block from Hops and Grain's beer tasting room. Lots of stuff has happened since I wrote the original review. I've eaten all the menu items other than the tofu. All are amazing. Truly. So flavorful and spicy and unique. The pork skewers (which they now seem to always have enough of) are insanely good. Everyone I've brought here loves this place. And the Thai Green Tea seems to be the favorite beverage of friends and family, although the standard Thai Tea is my personal favorite of the two (I like my tea like I like my women. Bitter, over ice, and topped with sweet condensed milk. That's a joke. Relax.).
My only knock now is the relative dearth of shady seating. Some sort of tent or sail-like cover or other shade panel would go a long way in making lunch more relaxing time from May through September.
Great spot still. One of the top 3-5 food trucks in Austin, hands down. One of the top 10-15 restaurants in ATX overall. Don't miss it. read more