Apothik Eatery + Food Truck – Rarity to Behold
In the chaos that is 2021 a storm approaches. It is white-hot lightning with no thunder. Do we know where it will strike? No. Will we know how? No. If we are struck will we be changed forever? Absolutely.
Sometimes lightning would strike and there would be the rare monolith that is the Apothik food truck. I have so many questions, how does it take whatever is locally available, make it healthy, and make it delicious. Somehow the bastards know exactly what I want at the rare time I see them? Pokèbowls, insane tacos, even salads that kept me full longer than two hours.
So many emotions on the Apothik food truck it’s hard to encapsulate how I feel about it. Too many times have I gone to an event that’s too hot and long. I’m sure if I drank water instead of whatever beer is available I’d be fine but alas, never quenched.
I describe my relationship with Apothik as unhealthy. I’m Snape wishing I could be with Lilly all the time, it’s a furious love. Always. Lilly’s rarely in my life and when she is I feel the most alive.
When they announced they had purchased a storefront I thought to myself. Apothik’s veiled attempts at hiding from me had ended. You have a store now! You can’t get away from me now. You are not the disappearing island you once were.
Well, fate had other plans and Lilly slipped from my grasp again. Covid dropped and the doors to my heart and to the restaurant remain closed.
The lightning has recharged and they are putting out meals again, last week was pad thai, roasted veggies, a salad, beet spring rolls, and bomb ass wontons. This week fish tacos.
I’m angry in ways I can’t explain. How can you do it every time?! How can you blow my mouth, brain, and heart up every time? Why is every time I see you your menu so different yet so good? Lightning never strikes the same place twice and you guys are like Nikola Tesla wielding the power of Zeus. Stirring up the few hairs I have left to stand on end.
Let’s get into it.
This stuff was vivacious, veraciously herbaceous! There was a theme, and it was basil which made my basal metabolic rate decrease. I can cash a whole ice cream cake log by myself. Let me tell you this stuff is filling, it was $32 and me and Melissa got two precious meals out of it. The salad was crisp, cool, and refreshing. The sesame vinaigrette gave me some salty umami vibes. The basil really brought the salad far above the typical side salad of days past.
Stir fry veggies
The stir fry veggies were what I imagine to be the perfect level of cooked. I like my cooked veggies to put up a bit of a fight and let loose a crunch as it breaks in my mouth. You got mushy veggies? They’ve been dead a while in my book. I used these veggies on top of the pad Thai because why not layer your food like you do a suit.
Spring Rolls
The beet spring rolls, maybe I’m ignorant and maybe it’s Maybelline but spring rolls typically have meat, but beets were meeting my mouth and my brain assured me it was more than okay to keep at it. With my brain’s consent, I grew confident and dropped that roll right into that peanut sauce. Bam! Lightning you sons (daughters?) of guns! HOW DO YOU DO IT?!
Pad thai
Something simple and plain to bring me to another plane of experience. Mixed with the veggie medley was the melody I wish I could hear again. The balance of fresh cilantro and hearty nuts brought tears to my guts. I was happy and mad all over again. How can something be so healthy yet be so good?
Wontons
What is happening? The cornerstone of my crab Rangoon hypothesis is incorrect. It clearly states, wherever you’re from, whatever your consistent Rangoon exposure was growing up, would be the bar in which any other restaurants could not compare. For me, it’s China Inn in Onalaska.
I had to look up the difference between Rangoon and wontons because that isn’t common knowledge. Rangoons are fried with a type of meat inside while wontons are typically boiled. I believe these wontons were fried as the crunch was too satisfactory to be anything else. So the mystery continues there. This herb cream cheese was the antithesis of its wrap. The outside was flaky, crunchy and toothsome. The inside was silk, flavored in a way that was more calming than a hug. More soothing than a rub.
Overall I’m angry that I can’t have the same thing twice. I’m angry that whatever you think of next is just as good if not better than the last thing. I’m angry I can’t have you for always.
❤ Snape
Abram Dyke
Foodie
About La Crosse Local
La Crosse Local is an arts, food, and entertainment podcast and publication for La Crosse County and its surrounding communities.
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