Vancouver Street Eats

Tell the City of Vancouver what kind of street food you want to see in 2012

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:30:00 -0800

The City of Vancouver is looking for help choosing next year's new street food vendors. Until January 22, 2012 you can submit your ideas for new food carts and vote/comment on other people's ideas on the City of Vancouver Ideas Forum.

Three people participating in the forum will be chosen to sit on the judging panel to help decide which street food makes the cut.

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Nu Greek Street

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:33:00 -0700

By Sean Neild

Guest blogger Sean Neild blogs at Sean's Adventures In Flavor Town. Follow him on Twitter at @yvrbcbudz.

Nu Greek Street is slinging some of the BEST lamb pita I have ever had, that being said let’s get down to business.

See the full gallery on Posterous

I was meaning to get to Nu Greek Street for quite sometime now and I’m kicking myself in the ass for not doing it sooner. I was walking down Granville street and was looking for something quick I could eat while walking with out making a mess of myself and thanks to There is Always Room and Heather’s recent review I stopped my Nu Greek Street. Chef Robert Clark of C restaurant was working the cart that day and who better than Robert Clark to cook your lunch!. The menu here is greek on the go but this isn’t your typical greek food, the owner of this cart and namesake restaurant Nu is Harry Kambolis who also owns C restaurant and the RainCity Grill among others so your dealing with a guy who knows and cares about putting out a quality product and teaming up with the Ip brothers who have been a part of 3 other food carts in the city you know you have a solid cart with people who know what their doing from a food and service stand point.

Service here is really quick and professional, you get your choice of tomatoes and onions and homemade satsiki all on a homemade lightly grilled pita, protein options are standard but with big flavors, I went with the lamb as my meat because it’s be raved about and I can see why but chicken and vegetable are also available. Besides soulvlaki pita @$6.5 and plain meat and pita (naked as they say) $4 they also offer pita with a choice of humus or satsiki $4 and also greek salad $4 and pita bread on its own $3 as other menu options.

With my Lamb pita I chose not to have the onions and punish who I was going to meet after lunch but I did have all the other toppings. The pita bread here was amazing, it’s totally homemade and has a sprinkling of sea salt on both sides, it’s totally tender and soft and very addictive.

I really don’t know how I’m going to eat at other greek places because I’m going to be comparing everything else to Nu, the lamb was super tender and spiced nicely, it wasn’t overly gamey or heavy tasting. The satsiki was thick and not overly garlicky and the cucumber really came through~it really was a perfect lunch and hit the spot. One thing to point out is on the front of the cart the picture of the pita is a stuffed pita, what I had and was a rolled pita sandwich~2 completely different things but it’s no big deal at the end of the day.

To be totally fair and to put out a good review I’m going to also show the chicken and vegetable options they offer so keep that in mind when your reading this~I didn’t cram 3 pita in my pie hole in one day even though they are super addictive so this blog post is spread over a few days, here are the other items I tried:

See the full gallery on Posterous

the Chicken Souvlaki Pita $6.5, another solid offering from Nu, the chicken is marinated and was moist and tender. If I had to choose between the lamb and the chicken I’d go with the lamb~the flavor was bolder and gave more ban for you buck you could say.

See the full gallery on Posterous

The Veggie Pita $6.5, their vegetarian offering from Nu greet Street consists of 2 skewers of grilled whole baby tomatoes, zucchini, onions, mushrooms and peppers. The veggies are marinated in the same flavorful stuff used on the lamb and chicken, it was really full after having the toppings added and I was presently surprised by this sandwich~any vegetarian would be happy with this choice I think, it’s a substantial meal and wont leave you feeling like you ate too much and if it can satisfy a meat eater like me Nu is doing something right.

The real stand out for me after trying all 3 different pitas Nu Greek Street is the home-made pita bread~its totally delicious and is the perfect vehicle to deliver the quality fillings that will put a smile on your face and won’t break the bank. I’m really looking forward to trying Harry Kambolis’s full service Aegean restaurant Nu for some more quality eats.

If you find yourself on Granville street Monday to Saturday in front of the Bay or the Granville street Skytrain station get yourself some kick ass pita and see what great Greek can be. You can also check out there hours on the Street Food App and the Eat St app in the iTunes App store.

Twitter: @nugreekstreet

Web: nurestaurant.com

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Vancouver street food vendors invited to feed up to 1000 hungry cyclists

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:31:00 -0700

By Jim Peers

June 23 is the 5th annual Slow Food Vancouver Cycle Farm tour in beautiful Agassiz. The leisurely self-guided Slow Food Cycle Tours provide an educational and culinary experience exploring many farms; some that are open to the public for this day only! The tours give a rare chance to meet the farmers and learn about agriculture in the spectacular Fraser Valley. For more information on the Cycle Tours, check out http://www.slowfoodvancouver.com/index.php/CycleTours.

Street food vendors are invited to help fuel up the cyclists with a tasty breakfast at the start area. We expect up to 1000 riders in Agassiz this year. Anyone interested please contact Cycle Tour Coordinator Jim Peers at jim.peers@gmail.com or call (604) 761-4192.

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Feastro the Rolling Bistro

Sat, 28 May 2011 11:39:00 -0700

By Jeff Voon

After operating for several years from different locations on the Sunshine Coast and gathering a passionate following, bylaw issues prevented Feastro from opening up full-time this year. However, the Sunshine Coast's loss is Vancouver's gain, as the bright purple truck is serving its fresh seafood and tacos from its permanent location just across from the Olympic Cauldron at West Cordova and Thurlow.

Feastro is home to the largest menu on Vancouver’s streets, serving up fantastic seafood / meat / vegetarian tacos, fish & chips, oysters, crab and shrimp cakes, scallops, chowders, yam fries, tuna carpaccio, salads and ever-changing daily specials - all fresh, local, organic, sustainable and cooked to order! Above is one of Feastro's most-loved dishes, the Banzai Prawns - local prawns, sautéed in white wine, garlic, tomatoes, lemon, served on basmati rice and grains, with a grilled pineapple brochette.

Feastro is co-owned by the friendly and hard-working Paul Fenton and Steve Myddleton. Classically trained Chef Steve has a long culinary history in Vancouver, as he was formerly executive sous chef at Salmon House on the Hill in West Vancouver and chef/co-owner of Village Bistro in North Vancouver. Paul brings his background in tourism, sales and adventuring to running the order board, managing the business end of things, and proudly promoting the Sunshine Coast to the truck’s visitors.

To further the anticipation ahead of the truck's arrival in Vancouver, Feastro was featured on a recent episode of Food Network and Paperny Films' “Eat Street,” where viewers all over North America got to see the wonderful food being served up from its Sunshine Coast locale. You can view the clip here.

Follow Feastro on Twitter or check out their Facebook page to get the latest info on opening times and daily specials. As word is getting out about the purple truck, you might find a long lineup, but everything served up by Feastro is well worth the wait.

Guest blogger Jeff Voon is a food cart fiend. Follow him on Twitter at @jvoon.

Location

Thurlow & Cordova [opposite Jack Poole Plaza and the Olympic Cauldron]

Hours

Monday to Friday, 11:00am - 3:00pm [open some weekends]

Sample menu

Grilled Soft Shell Tacos – $7 each
Fresh Halibut Taco
Pulled Pork Taco
Beef Taco
Chicken Taco
Vegetarian Taco
Prawn & Grilled Prosciutto Taco

Local Seafood:
Bonzai Prawns – $13
Fish & Chips – $12
Fanny Bay Oysters – $11
Crab & Shrimp Cake – $13
Albacore Tuna Carpaccio – $11

Website: http://www.feastro.ca/

Email: greatfood@feastro.ca

Twitter: http://twitter.com/coastfeastro

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Feastro-Taco-Truck-Catering/118788819240

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Cartel Taco

Sat, 21 May 2011 18:34:00 -0700

By Jeff Voon

After opening for a short time late last year at Burrard St & Georgia St and gaining a large number of regulars, Cartel Taco is back serving Korean fusion tacos at its new location on the corner of Dunsmuir St & Hamilton St. Located in a nice little courtyard outside the BC Hydro building, the Cartel Taco stand is open weekdays for lunch (Monday-Friday from 11:00am - 3:00pm).

Cartel Taco specializes in hand-made Korean fusion tacos, made completely from locally sourced ingridents, using top quality free range meats prepared in the traditional Korean style of Bulgogi. Cartel's aromatic Bulgogi 'fire meat' features sweet, juicy, tender beef (or pork) marinated in soy, chili, sesame oil, brown sugar & spices.

Each taco is constructed on hand-made white corn tortillas from El Comal in Burnaby, topped with your choice of thinly-sliced, grass-fed, free range Pemberton Meadows beef ribeye or free range Fraser Valley Farms pork butt, which are marinated and braised before being barbecued. Tacos are completed with a topping of chopped onion & cilantro, some salsa, delicious kimchi, and wedges of lime and orange, bringing together all these wonderful flavours beautifully.

Though only beef and pork tacos were on the menu during this first week visit, they will soon be offering vegetarian options, including a fresh green papaya salad with kimchi vinaigrette and will bring back the Sunrise Organics mushroom and tofu taco.

Cartel Taco is the first project by the Cartel Street Food Company, whose three founders are bringing a combined forty years of restaurant experience in some of Vancouver's best-known rooms to the streets: Joel Watanabe (Araxi, Bin 942, La Brasserie, Bao Bei), Jesse Grasso (Sanafir, The Flying Tiger, Abigail's Party, La Taqueria, Bao Bei), James Iranzad (The Flying Tiger, Abigail's Party).

Cartel Taco is completely mobile, self-sufficient and available to cater any event. Follow them on Twitter to get the latest info and location updates.

Guest blogger Jeff Voon is a food cart fiend. Follow him on Twitter at @jvoon.

Location

Dunsmuir & Hamilton [outside BC Hydro building]

Hours

Monday to Friday, 11:00am - 3:00pm

Menu

Free range beef ribeye
Free range pork butt
Fresh green papaya salad

One taco $3.00
Two tacos $5.75
Three tacos $8.00
Four tacos $10.00
Drinks $2.00

Website: http://www.carteltaco.ca/

Email: eat@carteltaco.ca

Twitter: http://twitter.com/carteltaco

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carteltaco

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Eating street food in Vancouver can make you famous

Mon, 09 May 2011 20:27:00 -0700

On Tuesday May 10th 2011, Visa is shooting a commercial at Slingers. They'll be parked at Granville St & W Broadway from 11 AM to 3 PM. If you haven't had a chance to try Slingers yet this is a great opportunity to eat some great food, meet other street food fans & possibly be on TV.

Slinging signature parmesans, Italian breakfast burritos, the cheesiest of the cheesy macaroni and more using fresh local ingredients

Here's where you can find Slingers:

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Vendors: looking for shared commissary space close to downtown?

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:28:00 -0700

An established downtown Vancouver street food vendor has commissary space to share, 5 minutes from downtown. Here's the details:

Shared commissary space, base of operations or commissary, meets all VCH requirements and heath code, approved. Commercial stainless steel sinks and prep tables, dishwasher, stove, garbage bin, washroom with showers, one office, very high over head door, private front yard with double gated, lots of storage room, 5 minutes drive from downtown.

One spot left for one vending cart. $600(HST included) per month (cheaper for hotdog cart).

Available from beginning of May. Please email for more information. Thanks.

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Vancouver's 2011 street food vendors announced

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 -0700

The winners of the new street food vending permits have been announced. We'll be adding them to Street Food Vancouver for iPhone as soon as we know their schedules. In the meantime, all Vancouver street food vendors (new & existing) are invited to write a guest post on Vancouver Street Eats introducing themselves and the food they will be serving this year. Get in touch at vancouver@streetfoodapp.com.

Here's a list from the Vancouver Sun website.

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Canada pushes for healthy street food

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:07:00 -0700

Vancouver's push for healthy street food was featured in this Al Jazeera English video today:

Vancouver has become the first North America city to impose strict healthy food regulations for potential street vendors.
In its attempt to cut down on unhealthy street food, the Canadian government is trying to lessen the number of carts selling foods that are high in sodium, fats or sugars.
But public opinion about the move remains divided.
Al Jazeera's Imtiaz Tyab reports from Vancouver.

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That's all folks

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 21:58:00 -0700

Our time at vancouverstreeteats.ca has come to an end. Amy and myself are moving on to other projects. We are planning to hand over the 'VSE keys' later this week to an interested party who can continue the site as s/he wishes. All 8 months of content are currently off until then. I am glad to have been there at the birth of Vancouver's street food scene, providing maps and information on food carts around town. We enjoyed some great food and made some friends along the way. I'd like to give a shout out to some of Vancouver's finest food cart vendors, and some of the most genuine people I've met since I've moved to this city.

Andy Fielding of Kaboom Box - His ever smiling, easy going ways brighten up an otherwise bland section of Granville Street. Awesome guy!
Derek and Michael Ip of PanDa Fresh and Lully's Sandwich Bar - 2 awesome guys who have a passion for food and a great sense of humour about everything they've been though..stand up gents!
Team Re-Up - Super friendly folks skilled in the ways of the BBQ and DIY. They're just so.... 'Portland'.. (I like Portland)
Alan from Fast-Trac fusion - A Class act all the way. He vowed to stick it out by Langara college even when business was slow because he believes in his product. So do I. His teriyaki beef and wasabi subs alone are worth the trip to 49th and Cambie.
Eli of Eli's Serious Sausage - Eli is such a chill guy..I'm really not sure how else to describe him. (if I needed a point man in a zombie-apocalypse scenario, he's my 1st choice) .

These vendors and others like them have the entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community that I was hoping to see much more of when I started the site last year. Unfortunately, I feel that this may not be the case for the scene as a whole the way things are progressing. My objectivity is no longer there when it comes to Vancouver's food carts. When I wrote the 'about' page, I said "Spread the love". I'm not feeling the love any more and there's more than enough negativity in the world (especially online) as it is. I'm not wired for that. A geznut der in pupik!

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COMA Food Truck

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:49:00 -0700

The COMA Food Truck opened in March of 2011 and specializes in serving a delicious fusion of Korean, Mexican, and American cuisine. Watch for frequent updates on Facebook and Twitter! The name COMA is a mix of KO (Korean) - M (Mexican) and A (American).

The COMA Food Truck's grand opening is today! You can find them this weekend in front of Pacific Central Station from 11:30am-7pm We'll be stopping by tomorrow to check them out and will have more details then!

Find them online: comafoodtruck.com

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Jack in the Box hits the road in San Diego

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:20:10 -0700

The growing food truck frenzy is no longer the sole province of cutting-edge chefs and budding restaurateurs looking to sell their culinary creations on the streets of major cities like San Diego. Recognizing the value of mobile marketing, well-known restaurant and fast-food chains are now entering the fray. The latest entry is San Diego-based Jack in the Box, which plans to debut its tricked-out, 34-foot-long truck later this month with a limited menu of burgers, fries and tacos that will be cooked in its mobile kitchen. Outfitted with a grill, fryer, toaster, fountain beverage dispenser and prep area, the truck will be used not only for community events and catered functions, but it will also be stationed in areas like the Gaslamp Quarter where nightclub and bar patrons looking for a quick bite to eat can grab a Jumbo Jack up until 2 a.m. “It really came down to wanting to reach out to our guests in a new vehicle, literally,” said Terri Funk Graham, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Jack in the Box. “It’s really about connecting with your guests, and this is just one way to reach them in a place you’d otherwise not be able to. “The truck will be going to promotional events like concerts and sporting events, or to the Gaslamp Quarter, Pacific Beach, the colleges, where there’s something happening in the community. So we’re connecting to them in their environment. It’s not like we’re pursuing every corner.” Dubbed “Jack’s Munchie Mobile,” the truck will not likely be missed wherever it’s parked. The eye-popping design takes advantage of bold colors and fun illustrations of Jack in action, one of them depicting him wielding a spatula while driving a tiger- and polar bear-drawn chariot that’s pursuing a thunderbird clutching a takeout bag. Another shows Jack fending off snakes, one of which is devouring a shake. “When we looked at the design, we looked at a few options, deciding what would Jack paint his truck to look like,” said Jen Kennedy, associate marketing manager. “We’re taking a nod from the ’70s when you would see the panel vans with the wizards on the side and intricate artwork, and we did something very similar.” Read the rest

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Off the Wagon

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:10:00 -0700

Join our Taco Revolution!! Off the Wagon is a travelling taco trailer. Our mantra is local, ethical, sustainable and healthy....oh, and YUMMY!

Off the wagon sells tacos that are gluten free & topped with homemade roasted tomato salsa, avocado sauce, onion & cilantro & served on soft corn tortillas.

They're at the Nat Bailey Winter Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 10am-2pm until April 30th.

Find them online: offthewagon.ca ..

Reviews Online: urbanspoon.com

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Re-Up BBQ Calls to the Irish gods at the Art Gallery this Thursday!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:50:00 -0700

The vendor deadline is fast approaching and Re-Up is calling to a higher power this Thursday! They have a whole new menu planned for their new cart if the Irish gods are in their favour. Wondering what they've got planned?

Brisket and Chili at the Art Gallery: Thursday, March 17th, 2011 The Re-Up wants to feed you, for free, in advance of your St. Patty's day revelrie. Think of it as an offering to the Great Saint himself, because we need a miracle in the form of a four leaf clover. In other words, we will need all the luck we can muster if we are to win one of the city's twenty new cart licenses, set to be rolled out on March 25th. We have on offer 50 portions each of our black bean and corn chili, and smoked beef brisket sandwiches (the menu we intend to serve from the new cart if we get a license). So come one, come all, bring your smart phones, and social media it up to make your friend jealous. The party goes down at our location at the Art Gallery (Hornby and Georgia) between two and four pm this Thursday. The first fifty revelers will be fed and everyone else can enjoy the aroma of pecan smoke, and our brand new espresso based bbq sauce.

Sweet

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Naan Wraps

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:11:00 -0700

Fresh Naans made in a Mobile Tandoor first in N.America So for fresh Naans,Tandoori chicken and Butter chicken

Naan Wraps brings Vancouver's first mobile tandoor to our city's streets! They are renting Ragazzi Pizza's spot at 400 Burrard on Mondays and Tuesdays. Due to the insanity that's been my life as of late, I haven't had a chance to try them yet. Can't wait to stop by!

They are open from 11am-1:30pm Mon-Tue.

Find them online:

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Britain's food trucks are getting a gourmet makeover

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:26:52 -0700

Vans are serving up classy dishes from authentic burritos to luxury chocolates. Alice-Azania Jarvis steps aboard

It is midday on Leather Lane and the heavens have opened. Stall holders lurk, limply, eyeing the empty market. The frequently bustling corner of London has been emptied of its usual custom by the sudden downpour. All, that is, apart from a corner patch mid-way down the cobbled street. With the smell of chilli and coriander hanging in the air and a queue of at least a dozen customers, the Daddy Donkey burrito truck is still very much in business. In the six years since its inception as – in the company's words – "a rickety stand" on Brick Lane, east London, Daddy Donkey has won a loyal following among the city's lunchers. Joel Henderson, the business's owner and founder, showed me photos, taken on his phone, of customers queuing in December's heavy snow. "It was so good to see that," he enthuses. "Just the fact that people are willing to make the effort for our food. It's great." Henderson and his team – a core staff of five-odd cooks, servers and burrito-rollers, plus several freelance or shorter term members – cope well with the demand. Joining the waiting masses, I'm giving my order in less than a minute: A Daddy D Burrito with carnitas. Huge, crammed with slow-cooked pork shoulder, rice, black beans, salsa, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole, it is a lot of food for £5.50; good food, too. Spicy, saucy and piping hot in its tinfoil parcel, the Daddy D is a pretty faultless meal for a rainy lunchtime. My fellow diners don't linger. They head back – frequently with multiple orders in hand – to eat at their desks. In warmer weather things might be different, though the portability of Joel's creations is part of their appeal. Indeed it is one reason why the food truck has become an increasingly visible presence on the British high street. With food-on-the-hoof an ever-expanding market it was just a matter of time until the burger van got a gourmet makeover. "I've always found it incredibly frustrating when I've been running around town and there's nothing good that you can eat in a hurry," agrees Mark Jankel. Formerly head chef at the Notting Hill Brassiere, Jankel established the Street Kitchen food truck alongside Jun Tanaka, executive chef at London's Pearl restaurant, last year. The pair made their debut at the London Restaurant Festival. "Our concept was basically to take the techniques we employ as Michelin-trained chefs and simplify. For us, it was all about good local produce. Everything was British. Our veg would arrive at midnight and then we'd be serving it the next day. People could really taste it." Jankel and Tanaka spent October dishing out classic bistro-style dishes – hot-smoked salmon, braised beef, artichoke soup – at easily affordable prices. The result was a runaway success with the public and plans are afoot to establish a more-permanent set-up this year. "We've just got a production kitchen and by the end of the year we'd like to have two vans in the city." Together with Henderson, Jankel and Tanaka represent a small part of the revolution in British street food. Alongside the gourmet farmers' markets that populate the weekends, the food truck offers a whole new way to enjoy eating on the go. And they're not alone in their adventures; a growing community of mobile street vendors is carving out its place on the British culinary landscape. Read the entire article

Britain's best food trucks

Daddy Donkey Doling out warming, authentic Mexican food to the masses, Daddy Donkey prides itself on using locallysourced produce from small-scale producers. Renowned for their spicy burritos, no trip to Leather Lane is complete without a visit. Brewed Boy Not every coffee cart can claim to offer some of the best cappuccinos in London – but Brewed Boy is the exception. Founded by former journalist and photographer Rob Lockyear, Rupert Street's pavement coffee stand has a loyal following amon g Soho foodies. The Meat Wagon First a cult success, then a full-on foodie craze, Yianni Papoutsis's Peckham burger van attracts diners from across the city. This year Papoutsis temporarily set up shop on the first floor of New Cross' Goldsmiths Tavern. The "meateasy" café swifty became a go-to point for carnivores, choc- a-block every day of the week. Stoats Porridge Beloved by students at the city's numerous universities, Stoats has been offering early birds a nutritious breakfast since 2004. As well as its delicious organic porridge, Stoats makes a selection of cereals and breakfast bars sold by specialists across Scotland. La Grotta Ices Kitty Travers's ice-cream hit the headlines when she was selected as one of 100 chefs to feature in Coco, a round up of the world's brightest culinary stars. Winner of the "Best of the Best" gong at the British Street Food Awards, her flavours range from almond milk to damson, grape and caramelised cobnuts. A regular at foodie festivals, the summertime sees her parked in Maltby Street, Bermondsey.

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Prices for Food-Cart Permits Skyrocket in NYC

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:22:27 -0800

Monawara Sultana says her rent is going up: $14,000 for a two-year permit to run a food cart where she sells $1 hot dogs outside of Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. And it's not the city levying the increase or recouping the money. It's the permit holder, who is asking for double what she previously paid, according to Ms. Sultana. "It's not fair," said the Bangladeshi immigrant and mother of three. "Why did it go up so much?" The city's competitive street food culture has created a thriving black market for mobile food vending permits issued by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The city charges a mere $200 for most food-cart permits, which must be paid every two years when they are renewed. But it only issues 3,100 year-round permits plus an additional 1,000 seasonal permits—not enough to satisfy demand. Transferring or renting these permits to another vendor is illegal but everyone, including the city's Health Department, acknowledges, that it happens. Two years ago, the city's Department of Investigation did an undercover probe of improper permit transfers, which led to six arrests. The department recommended, among other things, that the Health Department move to a competitive sealed-bidding process to help "eliminate the criminal conduct found in the investigation." Elliott Marcus, an associate health commissioner, said the black market was a source of "big concern." Still, in a statement, the Department of Health noted: "While the Health Department suspects that in some instances permits are being transferred illegally, it is extremely difficult to prove an illegal sale in a particular case because the law does allow a permit holder to employ other licensed vendors to work his or her cart." To help remedy that, the department will soon propose changes requiring that permit holders appear when renewing permits and carts are re-inspected every two years. Meanwhile, demand for permits and their black-market prices continue to climb as street food's popularity soars with blogs like Midtown Lunch chronicling vendors' moves and some gourmet food trucks developing cult-like followings. Some permits fetch as much as $20,000 for two years, vendors say. In the case of Ms. Sultana, the Bronx food vendor, she says the permit holder told her someone else was willing to pay $15,000 for the permit she previously paid $7,000 for two years ago. Mohammed Rahman, who has operated the popular Kwik Meal cart in midtown for 11 years, says he pays $15,000 every two years for his permit. "The city charges only $200, why should I have to pay $15,000? All the profits go to someone else." Obtaining a food cart or truck permit in one's own name can take a decade or more, according to vendors. There are 2,080 people currently on the citywide waiting list for a two-year permit. The list is compiled of license holders and it's not uncommon for families to get licenses for every member of their family—even if they don't work at a cart—to increase their chances of obtaining a permit. The Health Department has distributed 292 year-round permits for food carts since June 2007 through a lottery system, forcing many new carts and trucks to navigate their way through brokers and middlemen who sell the permits, or the permit holders themselves, most of whom are retired vendors. According to a list of permit holders from the Health Department, some live as far away as South Carolina, Texas and Arizona. Read the rest

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Seattle may ease rules for street food trucks

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:14:22 -0800

The idea hit Doug Somerville one day as he was looking out the window of his Kaosamai Thai Restaurant in Fremont. Every day, he said, he watched a Mexican food truck moving down North 36th Street. Why not do the same thing with Thai food? The concept seemed like a winner, with low overhead and a wider customer reach. Somerville bought two trucks and started the street-food vending side of his business in 2005. In the years since, as creative cuisine and foodie culture flourished in America, demand has spiked for food from such "roving restaurants." Yet, unlike other cities - Portland, for instance - Seattle's street-food scene has been slow to emerge because of restrictive city laws, city planners say. And officials want to change that. New legislation is expected to go before the City Council by the end of the month, detailing changes that would make it easier for street-food vendors to set up shop and, in the process, help bring more economic vitality to neighborhoods. "Urban neighborhoods are where we want our growth," said Gary Johnson, center-city coordinator for the Department of Planning and Development, which helped craft the proposal. "A street-food scene can help brand a neighborhood in a positive way." The recommendations are directed at sidewalk-cart businesses and larger mobile food trucks, some of which essentially are rolling kitchens. The proposal's highlights include expanding the type of food sidewalk vendors can sell and allowing larger food trucks to park curbside. Sidewalk vendors now are limited to mostly selling coffee, popcorn and hot dogs. That's due to rules approved in the 1980s, when outdoor vending was associated with blight, Johnson said. Street food now is seen as a way to enliven public spaces. Under the proposed guidelines, "we're going to allow everything on the push cart except raw proteins," said Christopher Skilton, health and environmental investigator with the county health department. If someone wanted to sell, say, chicken skewers, the meat would have to be cooked fully beforehand at a licensed commissary kitchen, Skilton said. Because selling street food - tacos and burgers, for example - on a public street is prohibited, an owner of a food truck now must negotiate with a private landowner to park at a certain spot for a certain amount of time. Somerville, for instance, worked out agreements with a Shell station near Seattle Pacific University and a property owner on Eastlake Avenue to sell food at those locations every day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. To put more vendors in high-density urban areas, the Seattle Department of Transportation wants to designate zones where curbside vending would be allowed during particular days and times. Vendors then would apply for a street-use permit to sell food in those spaces. If more than one vendor were interested in a location, a lottery would be held, according to city documents. Read the rest

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Smoke-free outdoor dining coming to Los Angeles

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:49:27 -0800

Today the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health launched a campaign to inform the public about a new L.A. City ordinance prohibiting smokers from lighting up in outdoor dining areas -- including restaurant patios, cafes, food courts, food carts and mobile food trucks. The law, which goes into effect March 8, 2011, strengthens the city's efforts to reduce residents' exposure to the harmful chemicals found in secondhand smoke. Los Angeles is the largest city in the nation to implement a smoke-free outdoor dining policy. "The vast majority of L.A. County residents are non-smokers -- 85.7 percent -- and data has shown that even many smokers prefer to dine in smoke-free settings," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, director and health officer of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "This ordinance continues Los Angeles' commitment to protecting the health of our residents and reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, emphysema and the many other diseases associated with tobacco smoke." The policy specifically prohibits smoking within 10 feet of outdoor dining areas, including food courts, as well as within 40 feet of food kiosks, food carts, and mobile food trucks in the City of Los Angeles. Beginning March 8, 2011, affected businesses are required to request that patrons not smoke within the designated distance of their business and post signage with specific phrasing and the international "no smoking" symbol. "The City of Los Angeles continues to set the pace for healthy living," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "Angelenos already enjoy smoke-free parks, beaches and farmers' markets and now they will be able to enjoy all the wonderful outdoor dining that L.A. has to offer without exposure to toxic secondhand smoke." The campaign features colorful outdoor transit ads placed throughout the city showcasing delicious and healthy food and proclaiming eating out better with "a side of fresh air." Patrons and business owners can also learn about the law through radio announcements, online ads and the informational website FreshAirDiningLA.com. "This is great news for the City of L.A. and we wanted the campaign to reflect that," said Fielding. "Nothing goes better with good food than a side of fresh air." Read the rest

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San Francisco : Restaurants, Food Trucks in Turf War

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:13:48 -0800

A food fight is breaking out in downtown San Francisco, with a group of restaurants squaring off against an incursion of food trucks that they say pose unfair competition. The rift broke out a month ago after a food-truck vendor called JapaCurry began parking in front of restaurants in a South of Market neighborhood, selling to-go meals during the busy lunch hour. "They just showed up right in front of us, and didn't even ask," said Jasmine Tran, a clerk at Tart to Tart, a bakery café on Mission Street. "It hurt our business, definitely." A dozen other nearby restaurants in the Mission and Second Street area signed a Jan. 21 complaint to San Francisco police asking to keep the vendor from parking so close to them. The complaint prompted the police to revoke JapaCurry owner Jay Hamada's permit for that street. Mr. Hamada disputes that he posed a business threat because his menu of mostly Japanese curry dishes isn't offered at any of the area's restaurants. "I feel sorry, but I don't think I'm taking their customers," said the 40-year-old Mr. Hamada, who started his mobile curry business in November with a $100,000 investment. Meanwhile, restaurateurs have expressed concern about a possible onslaught of food trucks under a new city ordinance designed to promote their growth. Some 65 to 70 currently ply the streets, according to a city official. "The food trucks are a threat to us," said Diane Tran, owner of Muffins, Muffins, a pastry and sandwich shop on Second Street and one of the restaurants that signed the police complaint against JapaCurry. "They park in front of us, take our customers and leave the truck running so we get the smell of gas and smoke in our shop. We wish they weren't around here, because we don't do well when they are." Read the rest

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