Crazy for FryBaby

One week before prancing around Florida in a teeny bikini and where am I? Gym, you may ask? Not exactly.  I'm down in SoCo ordering a mouthwatering dish from FryBaby, one of the newest additions to the Austin food trailer scene.

Owner Debra Rice (left) and employee in the FryBaby trailer.

FryBaby owner, Debra Rice, lovingly referred to this new business venture as her ‘mid-life crisis’.  Inspiration struck while watching an interview with the owner of The Cutie Pie Wagon, another local food trailer. After a bit of consideration, Rice purchased a trailer, moved to Austin and opened up for business. I can only cross my fingers and hope that my 'mid-life crisis' turns out to be half this satisfying!

FryBaby's location couldn’t be more perfect. Located in the heart of Austin's famous SoCo district, FryBaby sits in the middle of the food-trailer park, on the corner of South congress and West Monroe Street. While eating, patrons can enjoy an excellent view of the city and on weekends, the soulful sound of local musicians playing nearby.

This up-and-coming trailer has a simple menu of Southern favorites. Choose from fish 'n chips, chicken fried chicken or a shrimp po' boy sandwich. Throw that together with some fried pickles, sweet potato fries or onion rings and you're soon diving into a finger-lickin' good time.

In the three-week time span that FryBaby has been open, Rice has already noticed some emerging best sellers. "Definitely the sweet potato fries," Rice said without hesitation. The fried pickles follow closely behind. Not many 'out-of-towners' have heard about fried pickles and after curiosity gets the best of them, a new favorite snack is born.

Fish 'n Chips basket served with lemon, tarter sauce and malt vinegar.

My fried basket of choice: fish 'n chips paired with sweet-potato fries. The two delicate pieces of cod are lightly fried golden to perfection and served with a freshly made spicy tarter sauce.  However, the crown jewels of the meal are the best-selling, hot and crispy sweet potato fries served lightly drizzled in a gooey brown sugar caramelized glaze.

No napkins needed here! Enjoy every second of that mouth-watering glaze, and when you’re done, don’t ‘fry’ baby! You can always go back for seconds.