Fantastic Food Trucks: Check out four Central Texas favorites
By LISA CARLISLE | Photos courtesy of PAUL CABO, SKYLAR & SUMMER STEWART, MICAH SCHEXNIDER, and ANGEL CRUZ and KEVIN QUINTERO
Central Texas is blessed with fantastic food trucks with palate-pleasing fare for any craving. Tex Appeal asked readers and here are four of their favorites.
You Da Man Noodle Man
A unique spin on fusion ramen and rice cakes. Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and Army veteran Paul Cabo takes ramen to the next level at his fusion food truck. The combination of fresh ingredients with slow-cooked broth is the soul’s equivalent to hot chocolate on a winter’s night. The combination of heat and spice is just right, and the aromatic broth is the perfect vehicle for fresh cilantro, green onions, jalapenos, tangy pickled carrots and a fresh squeeze of lime. Each bowl is perfected to your personal palate from heat level to protein.
“I think what keeps my customers coming back is the flavor and the portion size,” Cabo says. A happy customer notes each is “well packaged in recycled containers.” Whether it’s a hot meal on a cold day or a spicy dish to go with the Texas summer heat, You Da Man Noodle Man has you covered. Find the truck from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at the Yard in downtown Temple.
Online: Facebook.com/youdamannoodleman/
Granny’s Shaved Ice
THE local spot to cool down with an icy treat, Granny’s has been serving gourmet shaved ice for 11 years. Owned by the Stewart sisters, Skylar and Summer, Granny’s also offers acai bowls. “We really aim to treat our customers like family, and we want to gain personal relationships with everyone that comes to support our family business,” the Stewart sisters say. Granny’s takes pride in house-made syrups, mixed daily. “Our shaved ice is all homemade. We even make our own ice with a filtration system and ice block mold freezer.”
Not your classic snow cone, the ice is fluffy and soft like newly fallen snow, then topped with your choice of syrup and/or snow milk. The sisters say their most popular shaved ice combo is Hawaiian Paradise, which is piña colada, strawberry, snow milk and whipped cream. Grab your favorite flavor at the Granny’s Shaved Ice food truck or in its storefront on Penelope in Belton, open from 3 to 8 pm. Thursday and Friday and from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Online: Facebook.com/Grannysshavedice.
Lulamae’s Cajun Cuisine
So many of us in Central Texas have ties to Louisiana and know far too well that once you crave Cajun flavors, nothing but a bowl of gumbo or etouffee can scratch that itch. Lulamae’s delivers just that. Owner and former Navy aviation mechanic Micah Schexnider has loved cooking his whole life. After a move with his wife from Oklahoma to Temple, he decided to open the truck as the pandemic abated. “I named the business after my grandmother, Lulamae. She raised 11 children on the menu items we serve today, and I wanted to share her food with the community,” Schexnider says. “My customers appreciate a good level of spice and seasonal offerings like our gumbo and jambalaya in the fall and our po’boy sandwiches in the spring and summer.”
One of the most popular dishes is the classic Boudin balls made with spicy Cajun sausage. The dish won a “People’s Choice” award at the Belton Bacon Blues and Brews last year. With a combination of homemade, fresh ingredients and heritage recipes, it’s easy to understand why Lulamae’s is local favorite. Find the truck at First Fridays at the Yard in Temple as well as various venues across Bell County. Look for the week’s schedule on Facebook on Mondays.
Lulamae’s motto is “If you leave hungry, that’s your own fault!” So eat up!
Online: Facebook.com/LulamaesCC/
100×35 Latin Cuisine
When you start to feel the heat amid the transition to warmer months, Latin flavors often come to mind. 100×35 Latin Cuisine has your cravings covered with a full Puerto Rican experience. The fragrance of fried plantains and slow-roasted pork draw customers from thatch-covered tables to the truck where Angel Cruz and Kevin Quintero are there to greet you and make sure you leave with a full belly. “The culture that we have created in our city is what keeps our customers coming back,” Cruz says. “It’s all about our culture.”
Many customers are obsessed with 100×35’s mofongo, a Puerto Rican specialty made from mashed, fried plantains with a unique seasoning, liquid butter and garlic. The dish helped earn 100×35 a 2022 Best Food Truck win from the Killeen Daily Harold. The menu also includes an elevated Cuban sandwich, a mofongo burger, and beautifully marinated pork and chicken. “Food is definitely a love language, let us love you,” 100×35 Latin Cuisine says with pride.
Online: Facebook.com/100x35LatinCuisine/
