August 31, 2011

Municipal Taste: Don't Mind if I Do

Location: 1817 S. Lamar Austin, TX 78704
Phone: 512-788-1517

Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11a-7p
Web: http://municipaltaste.com/


I'm going to go out on a limb here and coin their genre of food as "South Austin Bistro".  Their menu equals the quirkiness of 78704 plus industrial trailer with tight cuisine.  Although their pulled pork sandwich and lamb burgers came highly recommended, I went for the "Velvet Elvis": sliced bananas served on grilled sourdough with bacon, peanut butter, and habanero jelly.  Every bite was amazing.  It came out exactly as I would have made it if I were to have prepared it at home.  Crispy bacon.  Crispy toasted sourdough.  Fresh nanners.  The right amount of pb and j.  The habanero jelly makes it just Texas enough without wearing out it's welcome. 

So who are the guys behind the trailer?  Meet Keegan Archer and Philip Evans (thats one L, get it straight).  Formerly both in real estate, they found themselves 'gainfully unemployed', as Keegan tells the story.  They were cooking lunch socially one day when they decided to go into business for themselves with the Municipal Taste Trailer.  "We created low paying jobs for ourselves in comparison to what we were doing before, and we've never been happier.  Working in the trailer really helps you see the lack of value of money."  Well said, K-Arch.

They grow their own herbs, which you can see in an aluminum container in front of their trailer and are excited about the anticipated "Crossroads" bar opening up across the parking lot from them.  They give a nod to Odd Duck and East Side Kings as successful trailers that have proven models and eventually hope to open a brick and mortar version of their trailer.