Despite the obvious popularity of Thai restaurants in San Jose (with people of all different ethnic backgrounds), not all Thai food is a big hit with everyone. At least that’s what Min Yang, owner of the new San Jose food truck PM2 Kitchen, explained to me when I ordered from her Thai dessert truck.

I tracked down PM2 in front of eBay, where Yang was set up alongside four other food trucks for lunch. She sells basically one item, taro ball bowls, a popular dessert in Thailand that hasn’t really caught on yet in the States. She told me that when she sets up at a location where there are a lot of Asian immigrants, she does well, but otherwise, not so much.

Taro ball bowls are enjoyed all throughout Thailand, and in parts of China. Yang, who’s from Thailand herself, saw the huge Asian immigrant community here, and the lack of such desserts, and decided to open PM2.

This eBay parking lot set-up was one of those “less popularÓ times. Employees were lining up for Indian food truck across the street, and the more familiar Thai food truck next to hers, but very few people besides me were standing in front of PM2 to try a bowl of taro balls.

Taro balls are made of mashed taro root, sweet potato flour (or sometimes potato flour) and water. They are formed into small multi-colored cylindrical shapes that have a springy texture. They are lightly sweet and taste delicious. Yang serves the dessert in bowls with jelly (which looks and tastes like unsweetened Jell-O), ice and beans—diners get a choice between red and mung beans. Like other Thai dishes, the end result is a concoction of interesting and competing flavors. Traditionally, desserts in the U.S. are viewed as wholly sweet experiences. Even adding a little bit of salt to caramel is viewed almost as exotic. The taro ball bowls are sweet, savory and a little sour—plus each component in the bowl has a completely different texture. They are $4.50 per bowl.

In addition to taro balls, PM2 currently sells both mung bean and taro cookies, which have similar flavors as the taro ball bowls, and come in pretty flower shapes. Yang would like to add lunch items to the menu in the coming months and is still deciding which items to include. But for now the focus is on her flagship dish, the taro ball bowls.

PM2 Food Truck
pm2kitchen.com or 408.673.1357