The Jalopy

Photo by John Anderson

The Jalopy

Owner/chef Nic Patrizi grew up in Switzerland, traveled in Italy, earned a degree in finance, and then finally decided that his future was in food. His family was in the restaurant business, and he first planned on opening a conventional cafe until he realized that it would take too much money. Like many in mobile food, he realized that this less-expensive option was much more practical. Situated on the northwest corner of 15th and San Antonio streets, Patrizi's semitrailer-based unit can be found under the trees, along with several picnic tables for seating. You order at the window, and the foil-wrapped sandwiches come down a delivery chute when they're ready.

We tried four of his dozen or so options, all priced at $5.50. Our favorite was the Jalopy Original: griddle-toasted bread with generous amounts of moist chicken, demi-glace, and vibrant, caramelized onion confit. There's a nice balance of fillings and taste, with a sweet-tart hint. The Bacon features chicken with crisp, smoky bacon; a bacon-infused aioli; and tomatoes: a BLT gone fowl. The Son Hong comes with chicken, sweet/salty/spicy chile sauce, pickled onions, cucumbers, and cilantro salad: Nic's version of Vietnam­ese báhn mì. The Caprese offers chicken paired with a zesty lemon-parsley pesto, mozzarella, and tomatoes, and it's a surefire winner.

Our made-to-order veggie chips, which come dusted with your choice of seven different seasonings, weren't made-to-order, but in all fairness, we were the first table of the day. They were enjoyable just the same with the Parmesan-garlic and barbecue flavorings. If we had a suggestion, it might be to lube the bread rather than dry-toast it; the crunch can be a little rough on the roof of the mouth.

Patrizi is offering fresh, flavorful sandwiches made from quality ingredients at a great price point, convenient whether you work in one of the many surrounding offices or drop in off the street.