When I arrived at the gravel parking lot and spotted Flip Happy Crepes’ 1966 Avion Trailer, I was shocked to discover no wait, just a bunch of smiling customers luxuriating in the shade at red and blue tables. Was it really possible that a food truck that has garnered national attention would offer instant gratification? Of course not. The ordering window read, “Our wait is 45-55 MIN!” Thankfully, it was unseasonably cool and breezy, so the wait was pleasant enough. More importantly, when the crepes finally did arrive, they nearly matched the hype.

According to a recent Food & Wine article, Nessa Barrow handles sweet crepes, Andrea Day-Boykin makes savory crepes, and Andrea’s husband Patrick Gannon handles the rest at the circa 2006 creperie. The counterwoman said the idea originated when “Andrea had a crepe in Galway and became obsessed with it.”

Nessa said Flip Happy’s turning point came when she and Andrea battled Bobby Flay on the Food Network’s “Throwdown.” Sales quadrupled. The Food Network “presented it as a special about ethnic cuisine. We expected it to be a one time thing.” When asked how they decided on the location, Nessa said they used to be located further south, but rented a space for the nearby Austin City Limits music festival and never left.

The blackboard menu featured several interesting options, including shredded pork with caramelized onions and Gruyere and roasted chicken with goat cheese, caramelized onions and garlic aioli.

An index card taped near the window advertised the Special Moroccan! crepe ($6.75), and it proved irresistible. The pliant crepe was folded around pulled pieces of smoked chicken, tangy feta dressing, spicy harissa sauce and a bonanza of roasted vegetables: chunks of squash, zucchini and bell pepper, plus sweet little cipollini onions.

To balance the savory selection, I ordered the triangular crepe folded around tart lemon curd ($3.75), dusted with sweet blueberry “dressing.”

Austin is known for barbecue, Tex-Mex and comfort food, so I was conflicted about eating from a crepe truck. It’s unlikely I’d wait another hour to eat crepes – anywhere – but on this day, it was worth it.

Hours:
Wednesday – Friday: 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Saturday: 9 AM – 3:00 PM

Related Posts

1. Harajuku Delivers Tokyo Style Crepes to Beverly Hills
2. Torchy’s Tacos – Austin, TX – May 16, 2008
3. Lamberts – Austin, TX – May 16, 2008
4. Hoover’s Cooking – Austin, TX – May 17, 2008
5. Barley Swine – Austin, TX – April 30, 2011

This entry is filed under Austin, French, Texas.