AUSTIN — In the land of ribs and brisket, you'd think it would be difficult for vegans to find a good meal.
Think again.
Austin's vegan population is growing, and so are their restaurant options. The Vegan Nom food truck, located off East Cesar Chavez Street, is serving up delicious vegan Tex Mex tacos without sacrificing the taste.
Consider Chris Rios a mathematician, a scientist, even a magician.
"I'm putting two and two together. I love experimenting. I am fearless about trying new things. Look at that chorizo. Man now that is vegan or is it?," remarked Rios, the owner at The Vegan Nom.
It took a lot of ingredients and innovation to be a good vegan chef, and that meant hammering down the dos and don'ts of vegan recipes.
"No by-products or anything like that of animals. No milk, no dairy, no cheese," he added.
But at Vegan Nom off East Cesar Chavez, there's still queso on the menu. It's one of the top sellers.
"Look at this thing. Jesus, did it come from a cow? No way?" Rios joked.
Chris improvises.
"It's nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and it's practically just air. No just kidding its legume-based."
All of his food is 100 percent plant-based. He's personally been following this diet for nearly 7 years.
"I became a vegan for environmental reasons and for health reasons. Growing up, my mom was sick, and she always watched what she ate, and I learned from that."
The Tex Mex tacos are so good. We started off with their #1 organic tofu scramble with tempeh bacon.
One bite and Chris said customers are amazed they aren't eating the real deal.
"They are blown away. This can't be vegan. What is this chicken?" he explained.
The #4 has black beans and housemade, porkless chorizo.
Add vegan pepper jack and the tofu scramble to that chorizo and you've got the Gracias Madre.
Next up, a Tex Mex staple -- the migas.
"So this is the vegan version of migas. It is tofu scramble, sauteed bells, crispy chips, and our vegan cheddar," he added.
And check out the papas rajas. We're talking stewed potatoes with black beans and rajas sauce.
So many tacos to choose from and it's clear to see the flavors are ever present.
"A lot of people walk away happy and surprised because the food is tasty," Rios said.
Breakfast tacos are served all day long and they cook with 100 percent with grapeseed oil.
From roasted chipotle and jalapenos to hot peppers -- all their sauces are made from scratch.
"I'm trying to give back by helping the environment. Being more conscious about your health and animal welfare, it's very important."
Just a few feet away from The Vegan Nom sits their original 7 by 12-foot trailer. The plan is to turn that small trailer into a vegan coffee truck that serves locally roasted java.
The Vegan Nom is open Tuesday thru Sunday. Go here for more information.