Meet Katrina Cailao, Owner of Downtown's Latest Filipino/Vietnamese Food Truck

Filipino street food may not be the first thing that comes to mind when making your late-night eating decisions, but Katrina Cailao of KalyeSATX is here to change that. Located in the heart of Downtown, the new-to-the-scene bright yellow food truck is offering a culmination of Filipino dishes mixed with flavors and ingredients Texans are accustomed too, such as brisket.

So often the late night workers of Downtown San Antonio are subject to heavy, greasy options after their hard shifts feeding and dehydrating the masses on the Riverwalk, but they now have Kalye, “street” in Tagalog, at their disposal.
Cailao describes as the cuisine as “food that will clear your mind and nourish your body, featuring more veggies and less protein.”

The best part, its all around $5 and under, and boy, is it tasty. Some of Cailao’s staple dishes include steamed buns with choice of meat, dumplings, pho and spring roll salad. (Editor’s note: The dishes really are quite something to reckon with. Sticky rice topped with furikake, beer-battered fish and chips specials, just-spicy-enough wings are all can’t-miss.)

She speaks fondly and passionately about her culinary history, which started at a very young age in the Philippines and over the last several years launched her from college to now owning her own truck.

Cailao ended up in San Antonio as a student at Incarnate Word studying interior design, and like most college students do, landed in a rut of wanting to serve tables, make bank and party. After some time at Pat O’Brien’s as a server, she moved on to Paesanos where she says her general manager taught her the values of professionalism. Eventually her interest in food resurfaced and she started working in kitchens.

In 2008, Cailao began her studies at the San Antonio branch of the Culinary Institute of America, and since then she has made her way from line cook from line cook to lead positions in kitchens such as Biga, Las Canaries, O’liva and Rebelle. In April of this year she decided it was time to go solo. She began hosting pop-ups at popular bars and restaurants such as Old Main Association and FOLC and after finding success with those she decided to purchase the truck, now actively serving for two weeks.

Catch the affordable deliciousness that is Kalye for lunch and dinner services Tuesday through Saturday at 201 N. Alamo St. Kalye opens at least through midnight during the week, but Cailao stays open until 3 a.m. on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.