- SXSW is one of the most innovative conferences in 2018.
There's something for everyone. From tech, gaming, music, and film.
There's a lot to take in, and you're going to work up quite the appetite checking it all out.
So, what you gotta do is not waste your time Lyfting around Austin trying to find things to eat.
You have to hit up SouthBites.
It can be a bit overwhelming knowing what to get.
But I've got the tips that you need to manage the crowds and not end up with food FOMO.
Let's check it out.
First and foremost, you goal should be to build an entire meal in SouthBites.
But, I wouldn't just go to one truck. You should be hitting up as many as possible.
Don't come cardless. This is a tech festival, no one's using cash. Dude, it's 2018.
Big tip: Ask questions.
All of these vendors are super passionate about the food they're making.
Let's go scope out the scene and see what kind of meal we can throw together.
Is this your first SXSW?
- This like my fifth or sixth.
- Oh no, this like my third time here.
- No, this probably like my eighth South By.
- Oh damn.
- Have you gotten anything to eat?
- I've been hearing a lot about these lobster po-boys.
- This waffle bus looks amazing.
- There's like a Turkish kebab shop.
- Pro tips: Give 'em to me.
- Stay hydrated.
- And a flask. You need your flask.
- Comfortable shoes. For sure.
- Whiskey, man.
- Get out early.
- Get out early?
- Yeah, yeah.
- You got like a big Excel doc going of what you're gonna hit up?
- Yeah man. I can send it to you after the interview.
- Hell yeah. Let's do it.
I've made my rounds, sized up my options,
and I think I've got my four dishes for my meal.
They're all different from on another but I think, in a weird way, they actually work together.
We've got the Ghost & Grits,
the vegan barbecue banh mi,
Lobster Angry Fries,
and the banana and Nutella waffle sandwich.
Let's dig in.
So to start off with my appetizer, I'm gonna have these Ghost & Grits,
which are cheesy buttery grits with a ghost pepper jelly.
I've never had a ghost pepper before. You know what? Let's risk it all, we're in Austin.
Wow, these are great grits. It's exactly what you'd want.
Just a lot of butter, cheese -- just the way Paula Deen would make 'em.
That ghost pepper, at first, is almost sweet. It's like a jam you'd put on toast.
But then, it just starts to creep up the back of your throat,
and it's spicy, but it's not like "kick in the face end your meal" spice.
These grits are absolutely delicious.
But I don't want to fill on them alone. So let's move on to our main course:
the barbecue vegan banh mi from Bodhi Viet Vegan,
an Austin-based food truck that specializes in making
staple Vietnamese dishes with a vegan twist.
What's really cool about this food truck is that it's run completely by Buddhist monks and volunteers.
All the proceeds for it go to fund their Buddhist monastery.
Let's give it a bite.
Wow. It's really hard to come across a good serving of veggies while you're at a festival.
This sandwich is nothing but veggies.
Normally I'm not a big fan of tofu, but what they've done is they've
sliced it super-thin, marinated it in barbecue sauce, and then thrown it on the grill,
really crisping it up and making it have this beef-like texture.
And you wouldn't even know you're eating tofu. It's absolutely delicious.
Now, what better pairs with a healthy vegan sandwich than some overly indulgent
Angry Lobster Fries from the Happy Lobster food truck.
Why are they called Angry Fries?
They're covering them in three types of spices.
The fries themselves are tossed in an Old Bay-like seasoning.
They have spicy pickled vegetables and a spicy Sriracha aioli.
Let's get it.
At Happy Lobster Truck, they're hooking it up with full claws.
Growing up, I was always told, "Nothing should be put on lobster other than butter."
After having this, I feel like I've been missing out my entire life.
I've had a lot of savory food for lunch, and I want to have something sweet just to switch it up a little bit.
So, I went with the Nutella, banana, and sweet cream waffle sandwich from The Waffle Bus.
It's covered in powdered sugar and just looks like this delicious sweet mess.
Let's dig in.
Wow, this waffle is so fluffy and I think that's because they mill their own flour
and create this great Southern-style batter that has this awesome little air bubbles all in it,
ensuring a nice soft bite. It's absolutely delicious.
Who says waffles are just for breakfast?
I came, I saw, I ate. I got my second wind going -- and it's just in time, too.
I just got a push notification that Elon Musk is giving a surprise talk at SXSW this year.
Hopefully I can link up with him and get him to endorse me for eating on LinkedIn.
Let's get back into the SXSW mix.
That's a wrap on SouthBites 2018.
If you got to go to SXSW this year, hit us in the comments with what your favorite thing was that you ate.
And also, let us know if there are other festivals you think we should check out.
Governor's Ball? Coachella? Hell, even maybe Burning Man.
I'm Chas Truslow. SouthBites, out.