An El Paso food truck experience. That’s what I had been searching for this
fall. I ‘’liked’’ a location called
Foodville on Facebook, hoping to learn more about local food truck offerings.
My first food truck experience was when our son invited me
to one in Austin, Texas that served exclusively crêpes. The
experience of eating a gourmet item sitting al fresco at a wooden picnic table under
leafy trees was quite cool. I felt liberated
and part of the “Keep Austin weird” movement.
An enormous cupcake for dessert at another food truck location topped
the meal off royally.
My only other food truck experience was in Taos, New Mexico,
another town where even stodgy people feel they can kick up their heels a
bit. My husband Wayne and I pulled into
a food truck location on a large parking lot and lined up to order homemade
tamales. It was more economical to order a half dozen than the three tamales we wanted, so we gave away our extra three to some other patrons. We found a seat at a big
communal table and woofed down these delicacies ( I shudder to think about the
canned tamales I was served as a child).
Would El Paso food trucks offer the same old stand-bys,
tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and hamburgers (not that there is anything wrong with these foods), or would the food truck chefs come up with something inventive
to tempt diners? My first hint that El
Paso was going to jump on the gourmet food wagon was when I read in the newspaper that a
food truck was offering a fusion of Jewish and Mexican food. Unfortunately, I missed that experience. But my curiosity was piqued.
Last week, plans came together, and my husband and I headed
to downtown El Paso to do errands and find Foodville. Three trucks were
parked around the perimeter of a city lot with picnic tables made from wooden pallets placed in the middle. Fortunately, each table was supplied with an
umbrella to shield diners from the noonday sun.
Two of the trucks offered main dishes.
“The Reef” announced mainly seafood.
The other, Takorexico, appeared to be a fusion of Asian and Mexican food. A pyramid and a pagoda were painted on the side of the truck.
The third truck , “Sweet Addiction,” was the cupcake seller.
Wayne was drawn to the
first truck for fish and chips. I saw
vegetarian offerings at the second and went to examine the menu more closely. Bean tostadas with oriental vegetables on top
sounded good. We met back at a table to eat our
meals, both of which we pronounced as delicious. You may be wondering about the
cupcake truck. Yes, true confession time, we
split a red velvet cupcake.
It was a pleasant experience. Food does seem to have added flavor eaten
outside. The downtown area was sunny and
busy at the noon hour, and people watching at Foodville was great. Office workers with tags around their necks
arrived in small mixed groups. A lone
soldier in camouflage dress was enjoying a cupcake.
Two millennials, one male and one female, were discussing what appeared
to be business at another table. Cell
phones were in evidence everywhere.
I had discovered another reason to live in the
Southwest. I can sit outside in
beautiful weather and enjoy a gourmet snack prepared by someone else. That’s a lot more fun than sitting at my
computer eating half of a peanut butter sandwich, which is what I am doing
right now! Have you had food truck experiences?
PLEASE NOTE: The Southwest
Kaleidoscope is going on vacation for three weeks. It will return on Halloween. See you then!
