It was 58 degrees outside, and I was shivering at a red picnic table next to the glossy black Texas Cuban trailer.
We were the only people there, and I could tell my date was definitely thinking I had picked the wrong day for such an adventure. I was beginning to suspect the same thing when the trailer window slid open.
“Mustard or mayo?” the guy shouted at us from inside.
Salvation. The food was almost ready.
We huddled together giddily as our food was brought outside. With my first bite of the toasty pressed sandwich, I immediately forgot about the chilly weather. The Texas Cuban ($12), the trailer’s namesake, is a generous sandwich definitely made for two. Chunks of hot pork tenderloin and slices of ham were smothered with melted swiss and provolone cheese, studded with pickle chips and pressed in between two large, crunchy triangles of garlic bread. If you’re by yourself, get the one-person version of the sandwich, El Cubano, for $7. Vegetarians can enjoy the South Austin Veggie Soul, $7, which features the same garlic bread stuffed with organic zucchini, squash, spinach, mushrooms and provolone.
All of the sandwiches are served with mariquitas, savory chips made from starchy plantain strips. But after hearing the description of the tostones, crispy plantain rounds that are fried, smashed and fried again, I had to order those instead. They were a delicious change of pace in a French fry-laden-world, and we ate ours greedily, eyeing each other’s basket to see who had gotten more.
In addition to the Cuban, I had hoped to order the papa rellena — beef picadillo inside a casing of fried mashed potatoes — but the trailer was out for the day. Instead, we opted for the croquettas, juicy, fried cakes made from pork, ham and white wine, that were barely contained by their breading. We dipped them in the small cup of secret sauce we received with our sandwiches (a concoction of spicy cilantro and mustard) and agreed that the combination was heavenly.
Co-owners Eric Smith and Hector Ward met serendipitously at the beginning of the summer, opening the trailer just a few months later. Smith, a UT graduate, came from a self-proclaimed “foodie family,” while Ward, a local musician whose mother was a Cuban immigrant, had the authentic recipes that make the trailer great. Before you make the trip, look at the menu online and take enough cash to get what you want, as the Cuban doesn’t accept credit cards.
The Texas Cuban
S. Lamar & Collier Street
512.294.9259
texascuban.com
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