Arancini

I have a very Americanized perception of Italian food. Think red sauce, noodles, and meatballs (basically anything you might find on the kid’s menu at Olive Garden). I am not one to speak to the authenticity of an Italian food establishment.
That being said, I enjoyed my dinner at Arancini. The menu offers enough dishes to placate a variety of palates without offering so many options that the decision process becomes overwhelming. The ingredients are fairly accessible — you won’t encounter any exotic spices or sauces that might provoke your IBS on date night. I whole-​heartedly endorse Melissa A.‘s suggestion to bring a cooler of Peroni. Or you can class up your outing with a bottle of wine — the canopy and hanging lights provide a nice ambiance on a Friday night, despite the actuality that you are sitting in a dusty parking lot off South First rather than looking up at the stars from the sidewalks of a romantic Tuscan villa.
The service is friendly — numerous times during our dinner, the staff came out to check on us and apologize for the «wait». I hardly think it is unreasonable to «wait» 15 minutes for your food, but I appreciate the staff’s concern for our dining experience.
We sampled many items from the menu — the arancini from which the trailer derives its name, the potato wedges with garlic aioli, the eggplant flat bread, and the dessert bruschetta. Most of the dishes are prepared in such a way that they are easy to share, which is a nice touch. Two or three people can easily order multiple items and guiltlessly grab from each other’s plates.
The arancini was the star dish in my opinion. The risotto had a great overall flavor and a nice subtle crunch from the frying process. It is worth noting that the risotto balls are prepared in advance of the night, so unfortunately the vegetarian crowd can’t get their arancini without bacon. Another side effect of the pre-​preparing process is that the arancini has somewhat of a homogenous texture to it — which is to say that all the ingredients and flavors meld into a single solidary object instead of expressing their own distinct textures and flavors. Don’t get me wrong, the arancini was still really good and should be ordered by all first-​timers.
The roasted eggplant flatbread was good, with the flatbread itself outshining the eggplant and sauce adorning the dish. It is a nice change of pace from the denser risotto. The potato wedges were not particularly memorable, and I wouldn’t recommend getting them if you order the arancini. The bruschetta with mascarpone, honey, and lavender was a pleasant surprise. It was very light and served as a nice conclusion to the meal.
Sadly, this place is closed through September (chef undergoing untimely surgery, per their website), but it is absolutely worth checking out once it reopens.

I’m addicted to the arancini. Addicted. To be fair, though, everything I’ve eaten here is ah-​mazing (meatball slider, fried artichoke hearts, etc.). The prices are phenomenal given the food quality and the care put into preparation. Also, eating under beautiful trees draped with strings of lights is both whimsical and completely delightful on warm summer nights. Which is why it will be a very long August… can’t wait for the trailer to re-​open in September!
NOTE ABOUT TEMPORARY HIATUS from Arancini’s Facebook page (eatararancini): «To our loyal and valued customers Arancini will regrettably be closed August thru mid September 2011. Our head chef is undergoing an unexpected and unavoidable knee surgery. We apologize for the unfortunate temporary closing of Arancini and appreciate your understanding. We will keep you posted on our exact reopening dates. We look forward to seeing you all this fall. Sincerely Arancini management.»

This trailer is cute and the service very helpful. A few of us tried many different things to get a feel for the menu. The meatball slider was juicy and almost as big as a burger. Give up trying to look delicate while eating it, just sink your teeth in and act like the carnivore you are!
Summary of the rest: artichoke hearts were perfectly fried and had a lemony-​aioli sauce; brussels sprouts with capers a great choice for a veggie; soft and salty flatbread with sausage, walnuts and grapes was an interesting combo; the arancini were good but too much for us since we had already had the fried dish; the pasta dish needed something else to really make it pop, like lemon or basil or capers.
BYO Bottle of wine and sit under the lights and mangia!

Amazing meatball sliders… Ive been waiting to try this place, as the last time I came by there were all sold out! It was worth the wait! The melon and basil salad is simply fresh and delish! Wonderful atmostphere

I can’t speak for any of the other items here, but I can say the arancini are awesomely tasty. I could have eaten a dozen of them. There is a place to buy beer across the street, so you can put your order in, get some drinks across the street, and bring it all back to the S. 1^st food court. Perfect.

I’ve mentioned before while writing reviews for Italian places that I am picky concerning this cuisine, perhaps unreasonably so. With that in mind, Arancini is. tasty. It’s not as earth-​shattering as the reviews might suggest, and I honestly debated giving it 4 stars, but I think there are a few things they could do to make their dishes sing.
The Arancini — Execution is excellent, but I agree with the previous reviewer who said they were a bit bland. Using a sharper/​more flavorful cheese in the risotto and/​or amping up the bacon would do a lot for this dish. I wouldn’t have even been able to tell there was bacon in if I didn’t know from the menu.
Fried brussels sprouts — What can I say, they’re fried brussels sprouts. A solid showing, but I prepare a better version with carmelized shallots and walnuts at home.
Pasta with brussels sprouts and tomato butter sauce — This isn’t on their online menu, but they were serving it the night we showed up. Surprisingly it was one of my favorite dishes. It struck a good balance between delicate and rich, had a nice well-​rounded flavor, and was served in a good-​sized portion.
Meatball slider — It would be interesting to know if they’re using pork in these sliders — if so, their menu should probably reflect that. If not, well… they could use it! It was tasty, but I prefer a more savory meatball that only the right seasoning + ground pork can create. The bolognese sauce on the slider was a nice touch, but as a sauce, wasn’t anything to write home about.
Everything was good, I just couldn’t stop thinking about how it could be better. We’d return if we were in the area, but the search for the perfect (and not horribly expensive) Italian food place continues…

All I can say is WOW! I literally just got done eating what I brought home from there tonight and I just knew I had to come on here and write a review. The food was delicious! I got the Arancini and the Meatball Slider, loved them both. Did not eat there so I can not rate the atmosphere, but I can say that it was very inviting. I can not wait to take my friends and family there. I highly recommend it!

Called in a to go order for dinner this evening. The food was amazing!!!
I ordered 4 items — this is definitely more than one person needs, but everything sounded so good.
Grapefruit Arugula & Wild Greens Salad — loved the citrus & the roasted pine nuts on top
Arancini — I have never had anything like this before, and they were so delicious. Fried balls of risotto, cheese, bacon, and peas. Each order comes with three. So delicious!
Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Mussels & White Wine — spaghetti was cooked perfectly, red pepper gave it a nice kick, and fresh basil & parsley added flavor. Mussels were great, and the dish was the perfect size.
Fried Brussel Sprouts with Capers — cooked in a lemon vinaigrette. I could have eaten a giant bowl of these.
I loved everything I ordered. When I called they quoted me 25 minutes, so I got there right about that time. They had a bit of a dinner rush so they were running a little behind, and I ended up waiting an extra 10 minutes or so. They were really apologetic though and gave me a free san pellegrino while I waited. They have a nice shady seating area with plenty of tables. There were a few other trailers on the lot that I’d like to try out sometime as well (Fried Green Tomato & Grill Haven).
The food at Arancini was top notch. Sometimes when you take food to go from places it’s not as good. I can’t compare since this is the first time I’ve eaten at Arancini, but I was extremely happy with my order. Whether you take food to go or eat it there, I highly recommend this place. It will definitely be one of my new spots to take friends & out of town visitors!

I have been wanting to try Arancini for a while. I’m so glad I finally figured out when they were open and went. It was superb: menu, prices, value, service, atmosphere, location. Be sure to bring your mosquito spray and a cooler of Peroni to make the night even better.
The South First Street Food Court itself is really nice, with grass, and real chairs, lights hanging in the trees. It is hedged in from the street and almost has a beer-​garden feel to it. They are dog-​friendly to the point that they even have a bowl of water by a spigot for the puppies.
Menu standouts include the arancini (or «Special A» as Ryan G. says), the shrimp diablo (perfect portion for the price, good amount of kick and shrimp), the meatball slider (which the staff said were still baking so we’d have to wait awhile for them, like 10 minutes – totally not «a while» and totally worth it).
Food was fresh, well seasoned, and well-​portioned and served with a smile. It was a very pleasant evening under the hanging lights, with the quiet hum of S. First in the background, drinking beers, and eating wonderful food. Really looking forward to hitting up Arancini regularly. Yum!

This trailer is so good you’ll slap yourself. For no good reason, but you’ll do it. Because it’s awesome and the food is awesome.
They make brussel sprouts into an amazing dish – and they don’t even mask it with bacon. Which would be awesome, but they don’t need to. I don’t know how they did it, but I’m pretty sure black magic and alien technology is involved. I was afraid to ask too many questions.
The fried artichoke hearts were awesome as well, lots of excellent lemon and salty kicks.
And I haven’t even gotten to the dishes with meat in them!
The arancini themselves (fried risotto balls with cheese, bacon, and possibly crack they were so addictive) were incredible. While we were there someone rolled in and picked up 20 of them. I think he’s dealing them in back alleys under the street name Special A. But you can get them fresh here.
But, beyond my wildest expectation, the absolute best thing I had was the meatball slider. Wow. Salty and savory with great texture, and an inexplicable olive hanging out on the toothpick as if it say «I’m better than a martini, beyotch.»
Top 5 trailers in Austin for sure. Possibly higher. Can’t wait to return. And super nice couple running the place.

Arancini is a great addition to the Austin trailer scene. I like that the menu is fairly short and changes often. On a recent visit, I tried probably half the menu and everything was great. Bonus points for being byob. I dig the atmosphere with the lights on a crisp summer night.
One bit of constructive criticism: I know it’s Italian comfort food, but wouldn’t mind seeing them push the envelope further creatively.

Any place that can make brussel sprouts taste this good deserves five stars. While they’ve probably been sucked dry of all nutritional value, the fried brussel sprouts almost taste like tasty french fries with an awesome texture. I would go here again just for the brussel sprouts.
Based on other reviews, it seems they have an offer where you can taste everything on the menu for a base price. Seems pretty cool, but we didn’t know about this when we were there. There are definitely a few other things on the menu I would like to come back and try.
Overall, really cute trailer with good food and kind staff.

Holy moly. Tonight was my first visit, and I can’t wait to go back! I’ve been looking for a place that serves quick, inexpensive Italian food and this is the spot. The fried risotto balls served with marinara sauce are a delicious combination of fried, cheesy, and tangy. I also had the poached egg, blue cheese, and bacon salad as well as the lasagna bolognese with bechamel sauce. Loved it all. My friend also had the meatball slider, which I didn’t try, but looked pretty great.
When we went, there was barely anyone else around, so it was a short wait and they brought the food out from the trailer to our table. Great South Austin location with available parking and good seating. Two items per person make for a pretty filling meal, and won’t break the bank. Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit and am looking forward to trying more of their menu.

Alright, sorry I’m spoiling the 5-​star streak! I liked this place quite a bit, I’m just a bit conservative about giving 5-​star reviews, especially for places I’ve only been to once …
Anyhow, last Friday my husband and I needed to get a quick bite to eat after his haircut and before a certain nerdy engagement. We were both craving good non-​pizza Italian food but figured that that wouldn’t happen within the aforementioned constraints. So finding Arancini basically right next to our hair salon was definitely serendipitous.
The fact that Arancini takes credit cards was another unexpected bonus as it allowed us to sample approximately half of the menu for around $ 23 rather than having to stick to what we could afford with the slightly-​lesser amount of cash we had.
We ordered the arancini (which are risotto balls … at most other places at which I’ve had these, they are called «suppli») and the fried brussels sprouts with capers as appetizers/​sides to share. For our «mains» I ordered the meatball slider and my husband ordered rigatoni pasta that I believe had meat sauce. For drinks, I had an Aranciata (seemed to go with the «orange» theme) and my husband had a Mexican coke.
The fellow who took our order was courteous and efficient. There was a pleasant seating area in front of the trailer that was well taken care of and that would probably even be romantic later in the evening (as there were Christmas-​like strands of lights strung up above).
Our food began to arrive soon after we sat down. The arancini and brussels sprouts arrived first, and the other items arrived when we were about halfway through with them (so they truly did function as both appetizers and sides). So about the food …
*The arancini were good but not great. We’ve definitely liked them better at other places. They were served appropriately hot and had interesting ingredients, but they were a bit bland. I guess I like the rice to be more differentiated from the filling in this dish, whereas for the most part these were just a unified creamy experience. Also, the «crispy bacon» that according to the menu is supposed to be included was actually only present in one of the balls. That didn’t bother us much but I’m assuming that it might bother folks that are further along on the bacon-​freak spectrum.
*The brussels sprouts were just plain awesome. But keep in mind that I love brussels sprouts. I had wondered whether fried ones would taste different from the ones I roast in the oven at home, but not really … still awesome and still seeming healthy and flavorful and not at all gross. And I even tried the capers (I’d been wary of them since my first experience with them in 6^th grade), and they were fine too, just adding a little bit of a salty/​briny element.
*My meatball slider was quite good. At first I was disappointed because the menu’s description had mentioned cheese and all I was seeing/​experiencing was a slightly saucy meatball on a bun. But then I realized that the cheese was on the inside and I just hadn’t gotten to it in my first couple of bites (yes, this slider took more than two bites … another plus). The meatball slider’s taste seemed like a cross between my beloved chopped beef (brisket) sandwiches and a traditional meatball sub, but that was fine with me.
*My husband liked his rigatoni with meat sauce, but said it was probably the least interesting thing that we ordered and that he found it a bit bland. When I tried it I liked it quite a bit, and I was impressed at the depth of flavor in the sauce and that the pasta was cooked appropriately, so I guess opinions may vary on this dish …
Neither my sandwich nor my husband’s pasta probably would have been enough for an evening meal on their own (which is probably more of a commentary on being used to unhealthy portion size than it is indicative of anything else), but with the arancini and brussels sprouts there was enough for a satisfying dinner. We’ll definitely go back to Arancini if we get the chance, and maybe then I can add on that fifth star!

Nope, it’s all true. Believe it people! Go to Arancini for some delicious Italian comfort food and you won’t regret it. I had the arancini and they were absolutely to die for. Cheesy, gooey risotto goodness with just a few peas and a little bit of bacon on the inside, crispy light happiness on the outside. Plus they come with a great tomatoey sauce. Only bummer here is that they don’t have more flavors of arancini on the menu (vegetarian perhaps?). I also got the sausage and potato fennel salad, which was hearty and flavorful and good value on the menu.
The very nice dude at the window tried to sell me on a nutella brownie, and now I’m sorry I passed it up.

I know, two five-​star ratings seems suspicious, but this food truck is so good, it deserves six or seven. Having sampled some of the finest cucina italiana from San Francisco to Roma, I have to say this humble truck holds its own — and then some!
Perfectly prepared dishes — we especially loved the meatball slider, roasted brussel sprouts, and the flat bread with roasted vegetables — can be enjoyed in one of the more laid back, unpretentious food courts in Austin.
Great stuff!

Spotted: A food truck cooking up Italian comfort food! I absolutely LOVE Arancini. I had such a great first experience there that I went back the very next day. My next trip will be as soon as I can go again without feeling embarrassed about it, ha.
It’s part of Sofi’s Food Court on S. 1^st, sharing space with Taco Madre, Grill Haven, an Italian ice truck and Fried Green Tomato. I think this particular trailer park has something Odd Duck or the Trailer Park Eatery lack — AMBIANCE. The tables actually match, and the candle on each is a sweet touch. For some reason, string lights on a big patio always compliment a summer night.
The menu is small, with a handful of small plate offerings. They also have one dessert option, which changed on each of my two trips. It all sounds amazing, and I can’t wait to get through it all.
The food is great. The truck’s namesake, Arancini, is absolutely mandatory. These fried risotto balls with bacon and peas nail the texture and combination of flavors really well. I have also tried both the linguine with asparagus and the meatball slider — both were very good. The lemon in the linguine makes it just a little extraordinary, and the smoked mozzarella inside of the meatball slider makes a huge impression. For dessert, I had strawberries and mascarpone cream in a balsamic reduction– amazing. I wanted another one. Nah, I really wanted like three more.
The plates are priced $ 3-​$ 5. Still, I wouldn’t call this place cheap, as these prices definitely reflect portion sizes. Think Odd Duck Farm to Trailer in terms of how much food to purchase and expect. I think it’s perfect, though. You can try a wide selection of food, have an appetizer AND dessert, without going into a food coma afterwards. B.Y.O.B. They provided cups for my wine. Thanks.
Be patient for the food and with the service, it’s all worth it.