For the latest entries into the world of "faster food," look no further than the two trailer parks that have popped up in San Marcos. Mimi's Trailer Park, which opened in October, and The Hitch, which opened in June, would not look out of place up the highway a few miles in Austin. Below is just a sampling of what their trailers offer.
The Hitch, 312 E. Hopkins St.
Cupcakes, cookies and homemade marshmallows make for interesting dessert options at How Sweet It Is. Ana Hubig, one of the trailer's employees, says the Chocolate Truffle cupcake is the most popular item.
This tiny treat comes with chocolate icing, chocolate cake and a chocolate truffle in the center.
Mr. Bigotes offers tacos a la south of the border. This "autentico" Mexican food is the product of the sister duo of Whitney and Kristen Groth.
The sisters came to San Marcos for school and found something alarming about the taco options in town.
"We're from the Rio Grande Valley so this is what we grew up eating," Whitney said. "There aren't tacos like what we know in San Marcos."
The sisters said they hope Mr. Bigotes can change that. The Zapatista, with pastor, bistec and sweet bread is one of the lunchtime options.
For those looking for some Texas barbecue, The Hitch offers Smokin' Ace's Bar-B-Que.
The vendor's most popular item, the Hoagie, is a six-inch offering that includes pulled pork, sausage and brisket piled high.
St. Pita's, the Mediterranean-style cuisine trailer, is owned by Rachel and Matthew Buchanan, who also call the shots at one of Wimberley's premier dining spots, The Leaning Pear.
Employee Riley Booth said the Classic Gyro is the most popular item on the menu. It comes with beef, lamb, veggies and "Saintly Sauce."
Reese Martin, an employee at Bobby Hotdogs, said his trailer's most popular offering is the Bobby Dog. This savory item comes topped with bacon and two types of cheese.
"I have yet to meet a dog I didn't like," Martin said. "I'm always trying something new."
Say Cheese offers more than just the average pizzas. One of the most popular is Wally's Pizza, which includes goat cheese, basil and grape tomatoes.
Owners Brian and Jenny Kneese use their own sauce and dough recipes to set themselves apart from the myriad options pizza fans have to choose from.
The Tin Box features gourmet sandwiches and plate specials with "Hill Country flair."
The owners said they plan to source, whenever possible, as much of their meats, produce and cheeses from local farmers and artisans.
The newest addition to the park is The Caboose, offering what owners describe as "Southern fried love on a plate," including jalapeo poppers, onion rings, frog legs, chicken strips and, for dessert, fried ice cream.
Mimi's Trailer Park Eatery, 310 N. Guadalupe St.
Pedestrian Caf puts a healthy spin on the traditional trailer park fare, offering smoothies, paninis and soups.
Owner Ryan Barnett said his experience growing up in Germany was the main catalyst for his desire to open a health-conscious food trailer. The Italian and vegetarian paninis are a couple of his personal favorites.
Mark Jacobson has been in the Hawaiian food game since he was 9 years old.
The Big Kahuna specializes in Hawaiian-style food, and Jacobson cites the Ahi Poke as his personal favorite dish.
"If you like ceviche, it's a twist on ceviche and it's Hawaiian-style," he said.
Local is the name of the game at Nibbling Nomad. Nearly the entire menu is created from items in the central Texas area.
"We do everything fresh every day, and we make our own sauces," Jeremy Summer, husband of the owner, said.
Summer said the Southwest Pork Tacos is the most popular menu item.
Peanut Butter and What?!? offers pretty much exactly what its name suggests. Mickey Harris is a mad scientist of peanut butter-based sandwiches.
Harris' trailer boasts nine types of jellies that get worked into sandwiches that include traditional peanut butter and other foods like meats and cheeses.
The Country Mouse is the trailer's most popular offering and consists of two cheeses, a fried egg, bacon and jelly.
Everything offered in the Patek Shiner Smokehouse is made in Shiner, Texas, and comes from the historic Patek Grocery Store.
The Shiner Bock beer bratwurst and the hickory smoked brisket have been the trailer's two most popular items.
The Patty Wagon's menu consists of burgers, crepes, fried Oreos and other goodies, but Fred Varela said he is planning to triple the menu's offerings by early 2012.
"I'm planning on doing supreme nachos, different kinds of turkey burgers. I'm trying to put together what everyone's been asking for," he said.