Getting Slushed in Garland; It's Mayhem at Antojitos El Panzon

We may all have fall on the brain, but the summer heat isn’t quite done with us yet. The good news is if you’re looking for a way to cool down, there’s a solution in Garland that’s sure to refresh, with a little kick.

Antojitos El Panzon is a bright yellow food trailer parked in the lot of a convenience store at 2215 W. Walnut St. in Garland. While it may look small from the outside, Antojitos El Panzon is making big flavors inside.

The trailer offers everything from nachos and quesadillas to fruit cups and fruit waters, but the star of the menu are the slushies. These aren’t your ordinary slushies. They’re made with fresh fruit and packed full of sweet and savory treats for a combination that on paper sounds interesting, to say the least.

The drinks are built into a jar-like cup, with the slushie at the bottom. The cup is packed with candies like sour gummy worms, gummy ropes, and depending on the flavor of the slushie, a variety of Pulparindos, Chamoy Vasito Mara, and Chileta, Rica Pina and Limon Paleta lollipops in flavors like mango and fresa (strawberry). Then it’s drizzled in a homemade chamoy, which contains tamarind, syrup, pulparindos and a special secret blend of spices. The result is a savory heat that balances out the sweetness of the slushie.

Owner Jose Carlos says he got the idea from drinks he saw at other places that inspired him to add his own spin. Carlos, a Richardson native, has worked in kitchens as a line cook since he was 16. At 26, he decided he wanted to be his own boss and opened this trailer this past May. With the help of his wife, Lilliana, mother, Rosa Pineda and mother-in-law, Angelica Garcia, he’s trying to create his own business with this concept. Eventually, he hopes to have other trailers around the North Texas area.

We tried three slushies: the piña, the strawberry lime, and the mango, which was the house recommendation. The strawberry lime tasted like strawberries fresh from the vine, with chunks of real strawberry in the drink. The tart flavor from the sour gummies added a sweetness to the drink that really brought out the lime.

The piña tastes like a piña colada minus the coconut: cold, refreshing, and again, not too sweet. There was just enough chamoy to let the pineapple shine as the star ingredient, but enough spice to keep the drink in balance.
The mango was the sweetest of the trio, and it's easy to see why it’s a house recommendation. The floral notes of the mango were not outshined by the candy or the chamoy, and the results were a well-balanced drink overall.

While we were there, we also tried the fruit cup, a mix of strawberries, cucumber, jicama, and pineapple, also drizzled in the tamarind chamoy. The flavor of the chamoy is not overbearing, making the fruit a little spicy but not changing the flavor much.

Finally, we tried the aguas frescas; fruit-infused waters that Antojitos El Panzon makes in-house. They offer a rotating selection of flavors depending on the day, so we tried the cucumber water and the mango water. The cucumber water tasted slightly sweet, and is packed with fresh cucumber slices and ground cucumber with a slight hint of pickle. Perfectly refreshing for these hot Texas evenings. The mango was the sweeter of the two options, but equally refreshing, and made with freshly pureed mango.

While the slushies aren’t exactly cupholder friendly, Antojitos El Panzon has shaded picnic tables set up for you to enjoy your drinks and snacks on the premises. Keep an eye out for shots, which they were giving away with purchase this weekend.

And, no, as much as we tried, we couldn't finish one. In fact, we're still working on the candy.

For specials, hours and announcements, be sure to follow Antojitos El Panzon on Instagram. Antojitos El Panzon, 2215 W. Walnut St. (Garland), 4 - 10 p.m., Wednesday - Sunday