Houston's mobile food scene is still going strong, as evidenced by the crop of new trucks like Ladybird, Pad Thai Box, Happy Endings , and my new favorite, Kurbside Eatz. You can find every type of cuisine on wheels now, but Kurbside Eatz fills a void for what they like to call comfort food with an Asian twist -- and they certainly do it well. And not only are they putting an Asian twist on offerings such as burgers, fries, tacos and egg rolls, they've got a few other surprises up their sleeves.
Partners Nancy Luong and Jerry Jan debuted Kurbside Eatz late last year and have been garnering a loyal following ever since. Having both been in the restaurant business before, they saw the emerging food truck scene as an opportunity to bring the kinds of food they love to eat to the party. Kurbside can normally be found late nights parked outside of popular clubs and bars on Washington Avenue, and they certainly cater to the crowd with a TV on the side of the truck blasting music videos and foods that can only be described as a party in your mouth.
With nothing on the menu over $7 -- unless you decide to add an egg to the hamburger for an additional $1, and really, why wouldn't you? -- it's easy to try a little bit of everything they have to offer.
If there is one item you have to order off the menu, it's the Braised Pork Belly Buns ($5). Sure, you can find buns at other places, but the real twist here is the deep-fried bun. The pork belly is slow-braised for six hours until it's so soft and tender that a traditional soft bun wouldn't be able to hold all the juiciness. You can really taste the spices, like the fragrant star anise and the hints of cinnamon that add a sweetness to the savory pork. It's garnished with fresh cilantro and crispy fried onions for crunch.
The tacos ($4) on the menu will also surprise you, as they aren't your run-of-the-mill tacos. Here the tortilla is replaced by paratha, Indian pan-fried flat bread. The paratha adds a flaky, bready quality that goes so well with the tender meats -- either chicken, beef or crispy fried slices of pork belly. The well marinated meats, in which hints of garlic and soy and pepper are infused into every bite, are garnished simply with lettuce, cilantro and cheese and a spicy mayo that has just enough heat that it hits the back of your mouth without taking away from any of the flavors. The pork belly taco is kicked up a notch with the addition of crunchy kim chee.
The Triple Cheese Curry Burger ($7) is also a must-try. I was afraid the curry would be too strong, but the subtle curry flavor really is an unexpected, welcome surprise to the palate. Topped with parmesan, American and a cheddar cheese crisp and the same spicy mayo as the tacos, the burger is as gooey and juicy as you'd expect it to be.
They've also got Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and their signature Kurbside fries -- crunchy fries topped with Asian marinated ribeye, cheese, spicy mayo, green onions and kim chee. Different menu items will be featured, so you'll never know what kind of comfort foods they'll put a twist on.
Right now Kurbside Eatz is doing lunch on Thursdays and Fridays in the Rebel's Honky Tonk parking lot -- but follow Kurbside Eatz on Twitter and Facebook for all their different times and locations.
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