This weekend Piata Opereii, in Timisoara, has been hosting a food truck festival with live bands on a small stage they had set up, and delicious food. From tex-mex (in Romania!) to traditional Romanian ice-cream, to the most amazing shrimp tempura I have put into my mouth.

On the left is me with a HUGE apple flavored (that’s why it’s green) soft-serve ice-cream in a traditional Romanian colac. A colac is usually dough wrapped around a thick wooden stick which is “baked” over an open-wood barbeque like fire. It’s then topped in coconut shavings or walnuts! They’re usually much bigger, about two to three times the size of the one I am holding, however this is a miniature made to hold ice-cream.

My sister and I also had some food from the tex-mex food truck. I had a fairly traditional open face corn taco with chicken, and Annabelle was ecstatic to be munching down on a chicken burrito the size of her face. See below.

The ideology of the way to a man’s heart applies to everyone – it’s 100% through the stomach.  Here are some photos of the food truck festival at night with all the lights on. Annabelle is striking a pose in front of the ambulance housing freshly squeezed juices.

Now, to the best shrimp tempura I have ever eaten. In general I am a huge fan of asian cuisine, Thai being my favorite. Romania continues to surprise me! Twenty years ago, heck! Probably five years ago I couldn’t imagine eating something so authentically flavored, in a country that is honestly not even remotely culturally (food wise) influenced by Asia. To the right, other dishes which I had not had the opportunity to try. Calamari, shrimp, and pork.

The owner/chef of this amazing food was very wonderful and a great marketer. He saw me debating whether or not I wanted to eat anything from his truck and he exclaimed in english “This will be the best you will ever try!” After responding in Romanian he continued to tell me (in Romanian this time) that I will fall in love.

Oh my goodness! I bit into these perfectly flavored, crispy, sweet and sour, with a kick shrimps, and I did fall in love. I like shrimp. I don’t love shrimp. However whatever was placed in the breading for these shrimp are truly delicious.

Here’s to Romania’s first Japanese Food Truck, from Masterchef Robert. Thank you! It was delicious.