I’m sure you have noticed the large shiny trailer on the north side of SoCo. You know, the trailer with the large flashing “Chicken” sign? If the sign didn’t already intrigue you enough to stop and take a taste, maybe this review will.

Fried Chicken is More than a Meal in the South

Growing up in the South, fried chicken is not just a meal, but a way of life. After I moved to Austin, I quickly realized there aren’t many restaurants where you can get genuine Southern fried chicken. On my first trip to Ms. P’s, I was expecting the worst but hoping for the best.

Ms P’s – The Order

At the order window was Ms. P herself. She was welcoming and took the time to explain how she prepares her chicken and some of her favorite side items. I went with the three piece chicken (1 wing, 1 leg and the chicken tenderloin) and, on Ms. P’s recommendation, The Marty (Mexican Street corn with jalapeno spiked aioli, cotija cheese and shaved pepper and lime).

The trailer was pretty busy and Ms. P informed me it would be about 15 minutes, as the chicken is made to order. I took the opportunity to people watch on South Congress. The lot is also BYOB which is always a plus . I didn’t even have time to finish one of my beers from the 6 pack before the order was over.

The Chicken

The chicken looked fantastic. It was nice golden brown and crispy on the outside. As odd as it may sound, the chicken was the prettiest looking fried chicken I have seen. But, it doesn’t matter how attractive the chicken is, it all comes down to the taste.

Ms. P’s implements a two-step brining process incorporating fresh herbs and 12 spices. You can tell Ms. P’s is very proud of her chicken as she should be. This chicken was awesome! It was crispy on the outside and extremely moist on the inside. The first bite has a hint of sweetness followed up with the perfect amount of spice. The chicken is not heavy and greasy like most Southern fried chicken. Instead, Ms. P’s is very light and satisfying.

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The Marty

The Marty was the perfect compliment to Ms. P’s chicken. The corn had a little of everything – spice, tart and sweetness. All the ingredients were fresh and the cotija cheese meshed everything together perfectly. The Marty was so great that I have tried to duplicate it several times at home but I’m still working on it.

Find Ms P’s Electric Cock – South Austin

Ms P’s Final Verdict

Ms. P’s is definitely one of the better food trucks in Austin. Ms. P herself is very friendly. The atmosphere is very inviting and a cool place to sit and drink a few drinks with your friends. Ms. P definitely makes everyone feel like family and on top of that, her chicken is incredible.

Ms P’s Electric Cock – One Sentence Summary

For Austin’s Best Chicken, Ms. P’s is more finger lickin.

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While they’ve only been open about two months, Regal Ravioli is getting their fair share of attention these days. Once you’ve had their food though, it won’t be a mystery as to why. This isn’t Chef Boyardee in a truck, this is your mom’s made-from-scratch pasta sauce paired with some of the best pasta in Austin.

Regal Ravioli – The Basics

The menu might seem limited (about 5 types of pasta and 4 sauces each day), but since you can mix and match any sauce & pasta there are actually quite a few choices. They also have plenty of options for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, so it’s a great place to grab a bite when you don’t feel like eating another boring hummus sandwich. Plus, service is fast & friendly and its location on the East Side has both convenient parking and seating.

Our Order

Wanting to try a few things, we ordered the wild mushroom ravioli with the veloute sauce and the cheese ravioli with the lamb bolognese – both were outstanding. The wild mushroom ravioli had tremendous flavor packed into their small pouches and the veloute sauce (which is like a cheese & cream sauce) complimented it nicely. The cheese ravioli were light and airy while the mild lamb sauce was hearty with just a hint of sweetness. Both were cooked perfectly aldente and were served with a slice of their crusty bread. (Perfect for collecting any extra sauce you may have left behind.)

We’ll Be Back

This is one of the few trucks in Austin where just about everything on the menu looks good. Next time we plan to try the pesto – which was sadly sold out when we went.

Regal Ravioli Reader Review

One of our readers, Anna, wrote in and told us about Regal Ravioli and had this to say … “This trailer had the best gnocchi and the best sauces for their ravioli in all of Austin. Love being able to dress my pasta with my choice of sauce.”

Regal Ravioli Photo Tour

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Find Regal Ravioli – East Austin

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It ain’t Dunkin, its not Krispy and its not even the orange glaze of Round Rock. These are Big.Fat.Doughnuts. Gourdoughs, located in a gleaming airstream on South Lamar, brings a unique and gluttonous take on America’s favorite fried pastry. A quick read through the menu and you’ll quickly find you won’t be ordering a boring cake doughnut here.

23 Unique Menu Items or Create Your Own

Gourdoughs has more than 23 concoctions to choose from. You can also create your own, but why? Let Gourdoughs do the work for you. With choices like the Funky Monkey (grilled bananas and dusted with brown sugar) or the Mother Clucker (doughnut topped with fried chicken and covered with honey) how can you go wrong?

Our Order at Gourdoughs

With our first visit to Gourdoughs we decided to ease into the experience and try the Naughty and Nice (doughnut with simple sugar and spice). Perfect choice, as this doughnut was incredible. Also helped that he comes with a cup of melted butter to add the naughty in this doughnut.

Having such a great experience, we had to go back the next night for another. This time we decided to go for it all and order the Blackout. Now if you’re not a Chocolate Lover, stay away from this one. If you are a chocolate lover, stay away from this one unless you have a few chocolate lovers to help because it is super rich. This doughnut is made with brownie batter, chocolate covered brownie bites and covered with fudge icing. Not for the weak and timid, but damn good chocolate.

More than Just Donuts

Gourdoughs is an experience all in itself. Its just as fun reading the menu as it is seeing and tasting your doughnut sensation for the first time. We have a long way to go before we really found out what Gourdoughs is all about. We have 2 doughnuts down and 21 more to go. We will be sure to document as we continue our journey through this funky and satisfying doughnut adventure.

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Gourdoughs Final Verdict

Everything But The Kitchen Sink, Creative Creations that Make you Think.

Austin’s late night food truck scene is quite impressive. Some of the best food in Austin can be found after the sun goes down. Where else could you stumble out of a bar and scarf down a pork belly slider or a basket of Kimchi Fries? Even though Austin food trucks are known for their creative menus and fusion of flavors, sometimes you just can’t beat the taste of a juicy hamburger.

Why Shorty’s?

Shorty’s Burger and Fries is conveniently located in Austin’s Warehouse District on the corner 5th Street and Colorado. The owner’s, Donny, Dennis and Ash, bring us these tasty 100% Angus beef burgers that have a West-Coast flair with an Austin attitude. With one bite, you can tell each of these carefully crafted burgers is made with top quality ingredients. Each burger is perfectly stacked so you maximize each ingredient with every bite. You can choose from one of their signature burgers or create your own burger by piling on extra patties, jalapenos, bacon or special sauce. Either way, you will be eating one of the best burgers in Austin.

Mouth Watering Burgers and Fries

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Shortys Burgers Must Tries

Some of the Must Try items on the menu include:

• Shorty’s Original Double Cheesburger – mustard, onions and a pickle slice
• The Lonestar Burger – Double meat, BBQ sauce, jalapeno and bacon
• West Coast Style – Double meat, cheese and special sauce
• Triple By-Pass Burger – 3X Everything
• French Fries – Shoe string style and perfectly seasoned

Find Shorty’s

Shorty’s – Final Verdict

Shorty’s Best Creating Late Night Burgers Better than All the Rest.

With the record crowds last year, this year’s Gypsy Picnic has expanded to meet the demand. With 35 food trailers, activities for kids and a cook off, there will be enough food and fun to go around. Here are some tips and tricks to navigate this year’s festival like a seasoned veteran.

Getting to Gypsy Picnic

Parking will be at a premium as there are no parking lots near Auditorium Shores. If you can walk, bike ride or take public transportation, that will probably be your best bet. But, if you insist on driving, there are several lots in Downtown Austin (just north of Auditorium Shores) that are within a short walk. Or, if you don’t mind the walk, park in 78704′s Bouldin Creek neighborhood and walk to the festival. Whatever you decide to do, leave early to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the food.

Parking Lots Near Gypsy Picnic

• 301 Congress ($7)
• 300 San Antonio ($7)
• One Texas Center Garage at Barton Springs Rd. & S. 1st St. ($7)
• Austin Convention Center Parking Garage at 2nd & Brazos ($8)
• Austin City Hall at Cesar Chavez & Guadalupe (Free until 5pm; $5)

Where is Gypsy Picnic?

This year’s picnic will be held at the same spot as last year’s picnic: Auditorium Shores. Its marked on the map below.

Gypsy Picnic Admission is Free

Admission to Gypsy Picnic is FREE! All you need to bring is money to eat.

Gypsy Picnic Trailer Map

Click for a Larger Map

Plan your “must stops” with this easy to navigate map. Put it in your Dropbox account and easily access the map on your phone while you’re at the picnic.

Cash is King

Most of the vendors will only be accepting cash so you’ll want to bring plenty of money so you can try everything that tickles your fancy. If you do run out of cash, there will be ATMs located on the festival grounds.

Gypsy Picnic Sample Items for $3

Trailers at Gypsy Picnic will have sample size portions on their menu for $3. This will allow you to try more items for more trailers. And who isn’t stoked about that?

Activities for Kids

This year there will be several activities for kids such as face painting, story time, an interactive chalkboard and slideshow acts.

Furry Kids are Welcome Too

Dogs are allowed as well so don’t leave Fido at home. Remember, dogs must remain on a leash at all times.

More Questions about Gypsy Picnic?

For more questions about this year’s Gypsy Picnic including what not to bring, head over the official website, GypsyPicnic.com.

See You at the Festival!