Sipping a Sunset at El Mango Feliz: Refreshing Tropical Drinks
Hola Acapulco!
Words by Deven Wilson Photos by Will Bowling
Beyond the roars of a rapidly changing neighborhood, a beachy food truck sits inside a courtyard oasis serving up tropical flavors.
A colorful bouquet of succulent watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple slices rests like a crown above the fruity drink. El Mango Feliz’s co-owner, Kimberly, smiles and explains as she shows off the radiant orange hues of their Acapulco drink, “That’s one of the secrets. The fruit has to be fresh because if it’s soggy, the colors are not bright.” Fresh feels like an understatement with each slice appearing as if it were hand-selected by Mother Nature herself.
El Mango Feliz’s owners, Kimberly Nieto and Brian Cordova, give meticulous attention to detail that touches every aspect of the experience at their humble food truck. They infuse their coastal backgrounds into everything from the truck’s playful exterior to the names of each menu item. Their specialty tropical drinks, Acapulco and Cancun (think agua fresca and Mangonada meets salty ocean air), pay homage to their beginnings, with Kimberly from Mexico’s west coast and Brian from the east.
Their tropical narrative comes through effortlessly with the Acapulco. It tastes like a sunset distilled into a tropical pool of mango and pineapple with cooling waves of refreshing cucumber. Countering the natural sweetness of the fresh fruit, the straw is coated in tamarind flavored chili, blending hints of spice into the beachy elixir. Every sip offers the essence of each fruit without one overpowering the other. The mouth-watering garnish of towering fresh Tajin-spiced watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple, each dripping with accents of the drink, makes the Acapulco big enough to be a meal in its own right.
Brian takes special care to make sure that the fruit stands out as the defining feature of this taqueria. Beyond the drinks, fresh fruit finds its place all across the menu. The El Mango Feliz taco takes joy in flaunting the well-seasoned mango resting on a bed of black beans, topped with avocado salsa. Packing in the vibrant flavors of these tropical getaways into delicious drinks and savory bites, El Mango Feliz is a destination in its own right.
Contact:
1405 E 7th St.
el-mango-feliz.business.site
@elmangofelixatx
