One of the most alluring things about a good food truck park would have to be the variety of food that is being offered. You may argue that food truck parks operate on the same level as everyday mall food courts, but you would sadly be incorrect. Each individual truck is like entering a whole new world of flavor and if you play your cards right, you can taste them all in one meal. I call this family-style, where I decide was each member of my family will be eating based on what I was to steal.
It was quite disappointing to arrive at Thicket Food Truck Park just after both the trucks I had been craving closed for the day, but a smart "foodie" never goes anywhere without some backups. We started our hunt off with a Vietnamese coffee from Steller Coffee Co, quite the bolt of energy for those suffering from mid-morning slumps. While the espresso and coffee mixture was sweetened with condensed milk, it was still a bit on the bitter side for my taste (perfect for my dad to finish, however).
Hanh’s Homemade LLC was the next natural stop for me since I’ve never turned down a bowl of chicken fried rice in my life. It’s comfort food to me and after just missing out on some brunch from the Brooklyn Breakfast Shop, comfort was exactly in order. However, a slight mix-up in the kitchen resulted in me getting both combination fried rice and a free sandwich, both of which I still dream about to this day (I really should have asked what the sandwich was called). Now was it the most amazing plate of fried rice I’d ever had in my life? No. But it definitely snagged a spot in my top 5. There was a beautiful balance of shrimp and chicken, the onions were lacking a bit for me and it could have seriously benefited from some lime wedges, but the fish oil sauce on top was just chef's kiss. The sandwich as well was such a good bite with a crunchy hoagie bun and a nice salty peanut sauce, definitely worth the extra 10-minute wait it caused.
While I shared that Vietnamese meal with my dad, my mom and brother wanted to visit a whole different side of the world. They opted for a shrimp po boy from Cajun Eats. Before this trip to Austin, I would have sworn up and down that I wasn’t a major shrimp po boy fan but that sandwich alone has converted me. Forget the fact that it was almost as big as my head (if not bigger), the fluffy buns were loaded with fresh and crisp baby shrimps and smothered in sauce. The perfect balance of refreshing and filling.
Thicket Food Truck Park is definitely not the only park in Austin and it may not be the biggest, but it is definitely worth a visit. I know I will most certainly be going back to hit up the trucks I missed out on and maybe even revisit the ones I liked as well.
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