ACL Preview 2017: The Eats!

I did this last year, reviewing the food that you'll find at the Festival in addition to the tunes. However, since the food lineup is pretty darned similar to last year, I'm going to just cut and paste the majority of this and add some new commentary.

You will eat well at this festival.  They do an awesome job of bringing legit local food folks out there to offer a wildly diverse menu, from pizza and burgers to Korean and South African-inspired and back to BBQ.  These days, with food trucks insanely popular and readily available, people have gotten damn good at cooking real deal food in a little tent or limited kitchen, and so you can do better than gross turkey legs and cheese whiz nachos.  It ain't cheap, but you can probably do two meals for about $30 total (plus $800 in beer) for a good day at Zilker.  Or you can blow it out like one friend of mine and try to eat everything in the park.  Whatever!

AND, on top of that, they have added a second food court area, down by that new Barton Springs stage that is across Barton Springs Drive from the rest of the park, so it may be even easier to get some eats in your tummy.

The Menu listing all of the restaurants/options is ridiculously detailed, so I'm not going to try to run through that whole thing.  Unfortunately, this year they don't actually list the menu items with prices as in years past, so I'm making guesses on the costs and selection, based on prior years.  The selection will allow you to try several iconic Austin places or just get some food in your belly.  The choice is yours.  Here are some eats that I remember from the past few years.

Awesome Things:

• East Side King's Poor Qui Buns.  $8.  So stinkin' good.  I love those soft, steamed buns, and the pork and seasoning going on in this was great.  They also do fried chicken thigh chunks that are awesome (but sometimes overly crunchy).
• P. Terry's burger. $4.  Best deal in the park.  I like these burgers anyway, but instead of dropping $8 on something weird and potentially bad, you can fire down two excellent burgers for the same price.  This is definitely my go-to when in the park and trying to snag food in between shows.
• Mighty Cone!  $7.  These things are awesome.  They have a chicken and a shrimp, and I recall destroying several a year ago.  Great crunch on the fried protein, plus a tasty sauce, some slaw, and a tortilla of sorts.  Yummo.
• Peached Tortilla.  We have eaten at their new brick and mortar several times, a kind of hybrid of Asian and Mexican that is mighty tasty.  Brisket tacos or pork belly tacos? Heck yes.  If their burger is available, it is bad ass also.
• Burro Cheese Kitchen.  I've eaten these things several times and they are freaking good.  Those little King's hawaiian rolls with cheese melted inside are mighty tasty!
• Torchy's is awesome, but I'm not going to wait in line for this stuff.  They always have a long line, and I can get it anytime at home.

Not Awesome Things:

• Chi'Lantro Kimchi Fries.  $8.  This trailer used to be right across the street from my office and it was awesome.  They pretty much serve that one kind of meat 7 or 8 different ways.  The burger, with a fried egg on it, is so fantastic.  But that wasn't an option here, so I went with the fries.  I recall them being less than warm, and kind of sad and soggy underneath the yummy kimchi.  Mediocre.
• Mmmpanadas green chile chicken empanada.  $8.  My recollection of this is that this was a poor choice.  I thought it would be a good change of pace, but I recall it being kind of waxy and dry.  And pretty sure I pooped green afterwards.
• Tino's Greek Cafe.  I tried to be adventurous last year and grabbed a super dried out Gyro wrap from this joint.  Not again.

No more Stubb's, which is jenky, because it was my other go to easy meal in the park. Their chopped beef sandwich comes with chips for $8.  But they aren't listed on the website anymore, I guess you have to go with Salt Lick now for your cheap BBQ eats.  Maybe the ongoing legal battle over the naming of Stubb's sauces and the venue means that they hate each other and won't offer that food now.

They did add in Micklethwait Barbeque, which has some great food.  I ate at their festival-style booth at a golf tournament earlier this year and it was excellent.  The brisket was well cooked and flavorful and all the nerdy nerd things that BBQ snobs demand now out of anything they eat.  I recall a pickle or something too.  Anyway, you should try this.

Assuming I can tear myself away from East Side Kings and P. Terry's, here are some things that I want to seek out to try:

• Kababeque.  I've never heard of this, but they are an Indian and Mediterranean Fusion food truck, which sounds awesome.  Gimme some of that action.
• Way South Philly Authentic Cheese Steaks.  That sounds really good right now.  No indication of what they will cost, but I'd assume $8 for a sandwich, which sounds yummy.
• More burger entries - Wholly Cow and Shake Shack - but I'll likely stick with the simplicity of P. Terrys.  I've had Wholly Cow from the trailer and it is good.  I've also had Shake Shack twice at the south Lamar store, and I think it is overrated.
• Southside Flying Pizza.  They've also got Austin's Pizza there, but I'd probably go try this one instead.
• Something called Peli Peli, which is described as a melting pot of flavors from South African chef.  Sign me up.

As for actual eating, know that it is a grind to get the best stuff during the usual eating times. If you want to get Torchy's at noon, expect to wait for it.  The word is out and the tourists want to eat the tacos.  This is one of the reasons I go with the burger - for ease - they have them ready and you just snag, pay, and roll along.  And on hot days, the sno-cones and popsicles and whatnot are going to have insane lines.  Also, regardless of how tired you are of standing, you likely are not going to get a spot to sit in the shade by the food stands unless it is an off time.  Usually, every seat in the big eating tent is occupied by some large group of bored-looking college kids who are texting each other and fanning themselves with their hip straw fedoras.  They aren't eating, but when you glance around with food in hand, hopefully scanning for a spot to sit, they do not move, or offer their seat, they just continue to chew their gum and stare.  I love the youth.  Although, maybe with the second food service area it will be slightly easier to cop a seat.  One can dream, right?

There are a handful of other weird things you can get, like snocones or cake pops or bananas covered in stuff or popcorn or popsicles, but I'm not about that stuff.  I want fuel to get me to the next show and soak up my beers.  I AIN'T GOT TIME FOR THE BULLSHIT BANANA COATED IN PEANUT DUST!  GIMME MEATS AND CHEESES WRAPPED IN CARBS!