Between the Bexar County Courthouse, the tourist-y Segway tours, and the infamous downtown panhandlers (that San Antonio PD relentlessly cites for….being… homeless?), rolled a little Yao food truck worth a big ruckus. Yao by Bite Street Bistro is a food truck that typically fall under “cheap eats” category, and Yao packs an oriental punch distinctively different from the many food trucks I’ve visited. I passed the contending food trucks in the area because they looked like EVERY other rolling restaurant with a huge (and #basic) menu. The best menus are usually the smallest and Yao had about eight dishes with some serious chef consideration! These entrees were so interesting! I had to look them a few times (and tilt my head sideways with a confused face) to choose a lunch.
I asked for the cooks recommendations and had them served up HOT! Jalapeno cilantro rice and hog shanks (I KNOW RIGHT! Same face I made.) The rice was a profound mix of carrots, cilantro, sesame seeds, and edamame. Despite its name this rice was VERY sweet, tangy, and heavily oiled. And, of course, the hog shanks, glazed in Hoisin sauce, were juicy and tender (and most importantly- not overcooked.) I gnawed them to the bones- and I hate eating things off of bones (call me uppity, but whatever!) They even gave me three shanky-shanks instead of two as the menu suggested- THANKS YALL! I had to sit in the downtown patio near the food truck and unleash the dragon after some homeless man tried to swipe my plate. I SOO would have just bought him a plate-but I digress!
Since Yao is not a traditional “restaurant” I cannot speak about the decorations or the atmosphere (since its a food truck the location can obviously change), but I WILL speak about the customer service. Not only did they take my order fast, but they also gave me directions to a public restroom nearby since I had been sitting in court all day and couldn’t miss a second (I had to GO!!) They held my food for me until I came back which was very nice as they could have easily stuck it out of the window when it was done and hoped for the best. I didn’t take any pictures or tell anyone about the blog until the very end of my delicious meal. I had a grand experience.
5 Shiny Gold Stars.
#UnleashTheDragon
