Getting Peached at The Peached Tortilla

It used to be that the American Dream was defined by the small business owner who became successful by virtue of hard work and clean living. For later generations who were fortunate enough to benefit from their parents' and grandparents' pursuit of that dream, another element was added to the mix: the desire to succeed at something they were passionate about.

It is obvious to anyone who's spent a few minutes talking to Eric Silverstein that he is on track to achieving the new version of the American dream. He quit a lucrative job as a lawyer in Missouri to launch The Peached Tortilla, a mobile food truck business that has spent the last four months winning the hearts of food lovers in Austin. Not only is the food being turned out of this truck outstanding, but Eric's passion is infectious, and his humble, friendly demeanor means that every visit to The Peached Tortilla is not just a food run, but a visit to a friend.

The Peached Tortilla open for business.

As anyone who knows me knows, I tend to be a little suspicious of Asian fusion. I'm not sure whether I'm a traditionalist or just protective of the flavors I grew up with, but I typically cast a wary eye upon perceived attempts to evolve Asian flavors into something different. But Eric and his chef, Louis (who has worked the kitchens at Maria Maria and Imperia), have done this right. They've captured influences from Asian, Mexican, and Southern cooking and have married them in a way that makes the finished product into something altogether new, and definitely delightful. Everything I've tasted here was busting at the seams with bright, crisp, fresh flavors. This is Asian fusion I can get behind. Their menu tops out at $3.50, so it's very affordable for upscale-restaurant-quality food. And with gluten-free and vegetarian options available, there's a little something here for everyone.

Just look at this gorgeousness. How can you not want to eat this?


Top: crunchy catfish taco (Southern spiced, cornmeal-encrusted catfish with creamy slaw, spicy mayo, and purple cabbage);
Bottom: banh mi taco (Vietnamese-braised pork belly topped with pickled daikon and carrot salad, sriracha mayo, and cilantro).


L to R: Southern squash taco (sautéed citrus-scented summer squashes and red peppers, sweet onions, spiced pecans, basil aioli);
chicken pad thai taco (chicken sautéed in pad thai sauce with bean sprouts, peanuts, and lime wedge);
banh mi taco.


Left: Banh mi slider (Vietnamese-braised pork belly, pickled daikon and carrot salad, sriracha mayo, cilantro)
Right: BBQ brisket slider (brisket, creamy slaw, smoky roasted peach BBQ sauce).


Belgian fries - served with your choice of dipping sauces (peach mint, truffle mayo, bacon ranch, smoky roasted peach BBQ, or sriracha mayo). All of the ones I've tasted have been wonderful, but the peach mint is their special, and it is AMAZING.

Want to get peached? These guys are on the move, so check the truck schedule on their website to find them. You'll be glad you did.

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More Trailer Treasure: Odd Duck Farm to Trailer

I've been hearing rave reviews from all sides about the recently-arrived Odd Duck Farm to Trailer. Yelpers love it; my foodie friends on Twitter love it - it was high time to go.

I finally trundled over there for lunch today with my friend Mike, who was gracious enough to relent when I asked to change our previously-agreed-upon lunch venue at the last second. I think all the food bloggers had the same idea this week; we ran into Marshall from Eat This Lens there, I heard that Peter of Tasting Buds had been there too, and after I returned to the office, I saw several other food bloggers on Twitter arranging a meeting there tomorrow. Open the floodgates!

Odd Duck is at 1219 S. Lamar Boulevard;
it shares space with trailer brethren Gourdoughs and Austin Brevita.

Odd Duck Farm to Trailer is the brainchild of Bryce Gilmore, whose restaurant experience includes stints at Z Tejas Grill, Wink, and Moonshine, as well as a number of establishments outside the Austin area. Bryce also probably had some cooking juju in his genes, as he happens to also be the son of Jack Gilmore (the founding chef of Z Tejas, who just opened his own brand new venture, Jack Allen's Kitchen).

Whatever the source of his skills, they are certainly in fine form here. Everything we sampled from the menu was delicious, and Bryce's focus on locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients guarantees that everything is fresh and good for your soul, too.

Portions here are on the small side, so I'd suggest ordering at least a couple of things per person. For the two of us, we ordered two sliders, a salad, a soup, and an order of polenta, and it was just about perfect.

We started with a cup of cauliflower soup ($3) and a grilled romaine salad ($5). The salad was, in a word, groundbreaking. I've never had grilled romaine before, and was completely taken by the wonderful smoky flavor that it imparted to mere lettuce. The goat ricotta was incredibly creamy, and the farm egg was poached just right and oozing with freshness. My only complaint was that the only utensils they gave us to eat this salad with were plastic soup spoons. Laughably inadequate. We ended up just picking up the lettuce with our hands.


Grilled romaine salad with goat ricotta and a poached farm egg.

The soup was also wonderful, although less innovative. At first I thought it was a hair on the bland side, but as we got deeper into the bowl, it got more flavorful. Maybe it just needed a tiny bit of a stir.


Cauliflower Soup.

Next up was an order of polenta with turnips, mushrooms and pulled duck leg, topped with a soft duck egg ($6). Again, wow. This man can cook an egg. And the polenta was smooth as silk and made a delightful base for the smoky duck, the earthy mushrooms, and the soft turnips.



Finally, we each devoured one of these wonderful sliders ($5) - filled with coffee porter braised pork, paprika roasted carrots, and some sort of delightfully garlicky sauce that I think was an aioli. Insert snarfing noises here.



The entire meal for both of us set us back just $23 including two bottles of ice cold Topo Chico. This may sound like it's on the high side for trailer dining, but trust me - it is well worth every penny.

Menu changes daily and is diligently updated on their website, so if you're going with a picky eater or somebody with dietary restrictions, check it out here first. If they decide not to join you, give me a call.

Odd Duck Farm to Trailer
1219 South Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704

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