En Las Calles: Where to Snag Panther City's Best Street Food
Courtesy Boca 31
For those seeking the vibrant flavors of Latin and Asian street food, these notable havens offer convenience without sacrificing authenticity.
Boca 31
Chef Andres Meraz’ Boca 31 near the Hospital District offers a trove of Latin favorites, like empanadas, tacos, rice bowls, and fried desserts — all representing South and Central America and the Caribbean. The cozy space is the perfect spot to grab a quick bite or takeout. On a recent visit, we ordered two empanadas, a pulled pork taco, and yucca fries.
Empanadas aren’t the first thing people think of as a dessert option, but the guava and cream cheese empanada, dusted with powdered sugar, was sweet, tangy, and creamy. The yucca was fried to perfection with a crisp exterior and a soft, creamy interior. Every bite of the chicken al pastor taco was mouthwatering. The tender pieces of marinated chicken, seasoned with a lively mix of spices, were juicy and bursting with savory and tangy flavors.
The delicate outer layers of the beef empanada yielded a savory center — finely ground beef mingling with piquant spices. The meaty center, tinged with paprika and garlic, was a spicy blend that benefited from dunks in sour cream.
Banh Shop
The Vietnamese adopted French baguettes and other delights in the 19th and 20th centuries, resulting in the savory, sweet, and spicy cuisine we all love today. Banh Shop offers a lighter, healthier take on traditional Vietnamese food. Bowls, soups, salads, and shareable small plates crafted with fresh ingredients, wok-seared proteins, and hand-crafted sauces round out the delectable options at this TCU-area newcomer.
The long, shotgun-style bar bleeds purple. The big screens followed TCU sports when I recently ordered a lovely pork belly plate. The lightly glazed tender cuts of meat, blending sweet and spicy, benefited from the mildly spicy side of sriracha mayo. The refreshing slaw featured a medley of shredded carrots, greens, and rice noodles all drizzled in a rich peanut sauce.
Zaap Kitchen Lao and Thai Street Eats
Westbend’s Zaap Kitchen specializes in Laotian cuisine and Thailand’s tantalizing street food. The menu boasts sizzling Lao sausage (famously rich, aromatic, and deeply savory), crispy wings, riblets, and succulent pork shoulder bites, among other Southeast Asian treats. The smallish dining space encourages quick dining and to-go orders.
Their signature dish, pineapple fried rice, features a medley of egg, cashews, pineapple, peas, and garlic. Another popular option, Laotian fried rice, comes packed with egg, white onions, green onion, tomato, and garlic.
Recently, the Dancing Garlic Riblets were a hot and crunchy treat. The lightly breaded morsels were heavy on garlic flavor but light on heat, so I lightly doused the friend cuts of pork in chili oil. Another winner, the red curry, was a creamy delight that blossomed with sweet and peppery basil flavors, tender cuts of chicken, crunchy bamboo shoots, and vibrant bell peppers.
Kiyomi Street Food
Follow this pop-up late-night Asian street concept via Instagram (@kiyomistreetfood) to try their dumplings (served with chili oil, scallions, and pickled radish), drunken noodles (accompanied with pork belly, tofu, oyster sauce, veggies, and Thai chili), or chicken fried rice, among other Asian street food options.
Los Guapos Mexican Street Food
Chef Angel Fuentes is bringing a taste of Mexican street food to the West 7th area via Los Guapos Mexican Street Food later this year The spinoff of Riverside’s Guapo Tacos debuts at 2708 W. 7th St. late this year with a menu showcasing Mexican delights including pozole, street tacos, tortas, alambre (skewered beef or chicken strips), and huaraches (oval-shaped masa).