There's seafood and then there's fresh, New England lobster. No one in Central Texas serves lobster any fresher than Garbo's. We found out that at Garbo's, fresh seafood is a family passion.
The two trucks Heidi Garbo runs don't have set locations. They like to move things around.
"I like to venture out around Austin, I think it's a very untapped market," said Garbo. "We go to Georgetown, we got to Cedar Park, we go to Lakeway, we go to Dripping Springs."
Call it spreading the lobster love.
Garbo says that she feels about lobster the same way folks from Texas feel about barbecue.
"This is the one type of cuisine that I miss. This is my comfort food. It's my barbecue," said Garbo. "And I came here to Austin and we have everything from Vietnamese to sushi, tacos and trucks, and there wasn't another lobster truck."
So she decided to change that. Garbo grew up eating fresh lobster and it's her goal to make sure each and every bite you get out of her trucks is as fresh as you'd find in her home state of Connecticut. In fact, her family makes sure that happens. Her dad and brother built the first truck and her family keeps her lobster supply coming.
"This is the best you can get," said Garbo. "I'm very fortunate that I have quality control up in New England. My family is looking out for me. They only send me the best."
Her family has been in the lobster industry for over 40 years. They have lobster facilities in Maine, Connecticut, Nova Scotia, and they send the product to Garbo after the lobster's been picked.
Garbo's first truck started with a 20-pound box of lobster. That deep-sea deliciousness now arrives by the truckload.
While she's loved her time in Austin, Garbo said she also loves hearing from fellow transplants from the northeast.
"It's great to talk to everybody," Garbo said. "It's a very nostalgic cuisine. I'm super fortunate that I can represent New England."
This food would make any New Englander proud. Of course, they've got the Connecticut style with lobster in butter, and also the Maine style, which is a bit different with mayo, celery and lemon.
All the recipes are original. And the sauces? They're made from scratch.
"I stand behind every sandwich I serve," said Garbo. "It doesn't matter if you're in one of the food trucks, if you're at the restaurant, it does not leave the window unless it's perfect."
Heidi admits that it's not exactly a cheap lunch at $13 for a lobster roll, but she says it's definitely worth treating yourself to occasionally. It's a little taste of New England right here in Texas.