The Egg Roll Food Truck

What was known as a food truck parked at "Austin's" grocery store, has also turned itself into a restaurant that sits at the intersection of W. Walnut and South Broadway.

Owners of The Egg Roll Food Truck introduced themselves to the city of Green Bay in 2014, serving egg rolls, banh mi sandwiches, and rice dishes. But while most may compare their food truck to other "Hmong" restaurants in the area to be the same; their effort to stick out from the norm has provided them an opportunity to expand and market themselves at two different locations.

I applaud their services and the audacity these owners take in stepping outside of their comfort zone. Playing around with multiple cuisines and not restricting yourself to only one, portrays your credibility to the community; it lets people know that you're not tedious, but you have a willing disposition. However, it also means that people have raised the bar of their expectations for your restaurant.

Kimchi Fries

Kimchi may be one of the greatest things that have been introduced to mankind, it has a sourness that bites at the tongue, and if you're not careful most Korean Ajumma's don't hesitate when it comes to spicy (I know from experience). The kimchi fries were recommended to me by a friend, and of course, I listened, but mainly out of my pure love for fermented cabbages. The fries, with their oily composition and "sauce" (which I believe was siracha mayonnaise), intervened and balanced out the tanginess of the kimchi. Combine the components and you'll experience something that completely blows you away. It's hard to explain.

But there is only one flaw to go with this dish. While kimchi and fries are great, this dish could have gone without the melted cheese hiding underneath the "sauce." It takes away from the actual flavors of the dish and has an overwhelming taste that will ruin what kimchi fries are supposed to be like.

Left to right: Vietnamese Taco & Thai Taco

I knew I needed to try the Vietnamese and Thai tacos when I saw them on the menu. And I'll be honest, I was not surprised to see it on there either. If the world came out with Korean street tacos, why wouldn't it be a great idea to stretch out and test if this will work, too?

I had a few issues with the Vietnamese taco though. Considering that its flavor profile was to contain a hint of vinegar from the pickled root vegetables and a sweet tang from the marinated pork belly, it failed to impress me. The taco was very wet when I took my first bite, it wasn't able to hold its figure very well, and half of the time I needed to use a fork. The sourness from the pickled vegetables was very overpowering. There wasn't anything different about this taco, and if I were to describe what it's like to eat a Vietnamese taco in one sentence, I'd say it like this: think of it as eating a banh mi sandwich, except it's in a tortilla.

The Thai taco was good though. It had marinated pork belly as well but also holds to the curry seasoning that you'd taste in most Thai dishes. On top of that, their pork belly was not too rubbery (like most restaurants I've tried), rather, it was scrumptious and easy to chew on. The pickled cabbages were perfect, not too wet nor dry, they added a subtle crunch to each bite and complemented the entire taco. But the sauces that came on top of the taco will forever be a mystery to me...

The Egg Roll Food Truck was good, but as I've mentioned before, some would say that they are no different from any other Hmong restaurant; since they all offer the same items on their menu. The Egg Roll Food Truck pursues what they believe, will make them stick out from the average Hmong restaurants, in Green Bay. They're bold and not afraid to do things that seem eerie, but those are the steps to take if one strives to be prominent in the food world.

3.5/5 stars