The Vitals:
the spot: Patrizi’s 2307 Manor Road Austin TX 78722
the eats: Pomodoro, Patrizi’s Red Sauce, Carbonara Alexandra, Meatballs
the bucks: $12-$13, Meatball add on is $5
the full nelson: Italian comfort food truck in Austin is the Austin way
Back in 2019 I found myself seated at picnic table in the middle of a steamy Austin Summer, eating at the best Italian food truck in Austin while the cameras rolled for an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. Sadly the episode as of 2022 never aired(but they have a habit of popping up eventually) so I feel like the time is right to shine a spotlight on Patrizi’s in Austin TX.
Austin might not the be the first city that comes to mind when someone says “Italian food” but in my travels there’s always the possibility of a hidden gem around the corner. Sometimes a long line on a hot summer day gives that gem away. Patrizi’s is spitting distance from my abode. In fact I walk passed it almost everyday when I walk my dog, which is another reason I’m down for it: this is my neighborhood Italian joint. And not surprising that in Austin, that means it’s a food truck/trailer.
So here’s the nitty gritty: all the noods/pasta are the same and you just gotta pick the sauce. When I bring the family that means we get three pastas and mix up the sauce order. I love the carbonara, it’s an eggy version but Patrizi’s take on the Roman pasta classic hits the bacon beats hard with a cured and smoked pancetta. Still, I can’t resist a good meatball. Whether in sandwich form or on a bed of noodles, splashing in red sauce, I’m gonna order one up.
I ordered up the Carbonara which is a red sauce that lands on the sweeter side. There’s also Patrizi’s red sauce which packs a little more bite plus has savory tones thanks to pork trimmings and Grana Padano(think Parmesan). Sounds awesome right? Well when you get the Pomodoro, it hits a little softer thanks to a kinder and gentler garlic confit plus the addition of butter. And that scoop of white in the pic above? It is a farmhouse cheese that works like Ricotta. It all adds up to a slightly sweeter and creamier red and when you bring in a monster meatball? It’s pretty much the Best Thing I Ever Ate, even if it didn’t make the airwaves.
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