Street Food

[delboy]

Not sure if there is already a thread on this (could a mod please move if there is thx).

Globe and Mail article on push to bring a wider range of street food to Vancouver. Looks promising:

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/street-meat-and-diversity-together-at-last/article1553386/?service=mobile

[touraccuracy]

i wanna open a crazybread stand.

no meat portion, so its safe.

easy to walk and eat.

cheese and oil and bread?!
-everybody fucking loves crazy bread.

i'll be a millionaire.

[Spork]

How about a bread stand in general? Choose your bread and your toppings (simple stuff), and a type of dipping sauce, if desired. Take a cart, clad it in light weight stone veneer to make it rustic-like. I'll take some focaccia with balsamic & olive oil, please!

[cornholio]

Its not easy. Last license draw by the engineering department had 300 applications each with up to possible three choices applying for 10 locations in the city.

That means you have give or take a 1 in 600-700 chance of actually getting a location for street vending.

Obviously im on that lottery like a fly on shit since its $150 for three choices and if you win you can milk them via lease(free money). The hot dog stands for example make well over $100,000 in profit just within the late spring to early fall months, and their incredibly easy to run. Thanks to the city making the number of street vendors artificially low(to protect actual businesses) the profits with one of these licenses can be astronomical.

[Yume-sama]

I don't know if they are ridiculously easy to run, the government imposes A LOT of mind numbing restrictions on them, such as exactly how many square feet they can take up, and how big or how many umbrellas they are allowed to have :P

And the list goes on, and on, and on...

Are there any pretzel stands around :P? That could be better than just selling a breadstick lol

[cornholio]

I don't know if they are ridiculously easy to run, the government imposes A LOT of mind numbing restrictions on them, such as exactly how many square feet they can take up, and how big or how many umbrellas they are allowed to have :P

And the list goes on, and on, and on...

Are there any pretzel stands around :P? That could be better than just selling a breadstick lol

The regulations aren't actually bad, the city has quite a few but their easy to follow and are not pricey or complicated(though lots of them are pretty idiotic like usual). As far as coastal health health approval for the satand and storage location goes its easy for the food allowed right now, which is pre cooked hot dogs, nuts, coffee, fruit and I think pretzels and popcorn(could be wrong about the last two). Other than that you dont need a business license and you deal mostly with cash which makes accounting a bit easier as errors are hard to spot. Believe me it is easy, the problem is that lots of other people know that and its not easy to win the location lottery.

[Spork]

They should simply do what Toronto does and use the uniqueness of the concept as a primary evaluation criteria. I remember posting an article 6-12 months ago on how they were specifically looking for different types of vendors to sell pad thai, mexican, and others.

[SpongeG]

i hear the twitter food scene is alive and well in vancouver - pop up food tastings and stuff that moves around and done by word of twitter

[ozonemania]

Vancouver Finally Decides to Allow Street Food and Taco Trucks!

Posted by Kat Braybrooke / May 28, 2010

News outlets are all atwitter because it looks like Japadog's about to get some (much needed) culinary competition of the street variety. The City has announced that it's doing a summer pilot project to give mobile kitchens, ala Portland, the chance to sell food on city sidewalks. God, yes!

As someone who grew up in the U.S., I can say with full seriousness that there truly is nothing quite as satisfying as a greasy, hot plate of random ethnic food served up dirty and fast from an impolite vendor who lives out of the back of her truck. I was actually in Portland this past weekend and got a delictable dish called "Drunken Noodles" from a Thai street vendor at 4am. I can't even tell you how amazing that was. Our progressive City Council is working at this very moment on a big call-out for vendors who are interested in offering "streetside food service".

With Vancouver's active weekend clubbing (and underground music) scenes, and a burgeoning multitude of upper middle class students who throng together in drunken gangs late at night looking to waste their cash, the pilot is pretty much guaranteed to be successful, in my opinion.

Here's hoping that street food is as well-received by Vancouverites as it was by those in Portland, L.A., Austin, New York and other cities that have thriving street food cultures. There's just something about international food out of tiny, bright trucks that really adds to a city's sense of local culture and flavour.

I'm also hoping that it doesn't go the way of Toronto and its horrifically batched and over-regulated 'A La Cart' street vendor initiative.

Street food I would pay good money (and by that, I mean $5 a dish) to see ASAP? First on my list would obviously be Mexican -- authentic street tacos give me a great amount of joy. Next, Indian. Last, Caribbean. Why not?

Japadog, watch your back.

What street food do YOU want to see on Vancouver's sidewalks? Tell me in the comments because I'm hungry!

http://www.beyondrobson.com/food/2010/05/vancouver_finally_decides_to_allow_street_food_and_taco_trucks/#comment-655493

A 'news item' from Beyond Robson. So we want to emulate Portland's foodie scene. Looking forward to seeing this happen. From what I've read (perhaps here on this site), bricks-and-mortar eateries are not very happy about this, since they might steal customers away from them without the overhead and costs that they have to go through.

Does anyone know where to find more info about this pilot project?

[LotusLand]

An excellent discussion on the street food scene here:

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2010/05/vancouver-expands-street-food-vendors.html

Mexican seems to be preferred by many:D

[raggedy13]

I'm excited about this. Can't wait to see what turns up. :yes:

[mr.x]

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/3158122.bin?size=620x400

Roaming Dragon ready to roll

By Mia Stainsby, Vancouver Sun
June 15, 2010 8:11 PM

Vancouver City Hall should be rolling out its liberalized street food plans any day now.

And Jason Apple and Jory Simkin are ready, with sleeves rolled up. They’re ambitious and they’ve got a business plan ready to go.

So far, they’re proprietors of Roaming Dragon, a 25-foot gourmet food truck that began selling pan-Asian foods at Richmond’s Summer Night Market last week, with food by consulting chef Don Letendre, who, until recently, was the executive chef at the city’s hip boutiquey Opus Hotel.

They entice with fried rice balls, Chinese pork bun sliders, Korean short-rib tacos, Asian duck confit salad and Japanese chicken karaage, $6 bucks a pop or two for $10.

That’s so far.

The business partners also set up Gourmet Syndicate, set to provide wannabe street food vendors with start-up services up to and including turn-key trucks or carts. They have Letendre as food consultant, graphic artists to come up with logos and graphics for trucks or carts that they can outfit quickly with whatever’s needed – fryers, cappucino machines, freezers, fridges, grills, sous vides, whatever it takes.

Food trucks and carts have taken cities like Los Angeles and Portland by storm, especially since the recession pounded people’s pocketbooks in the U.S. as well as taking the stuffing out of restaurants. There are an estimated 70 gourmet food trucks in L.A. and the city even boasts a “bustaurant” or restaurant in a bus. All of a sudden, a good-deal meal, has become very attractive and businesses are busting out niche concepts. New York has a Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (described by The Village Voice as a cross between Mister Softee and Mario Batali, the product combines the soft ice cream cone with toppings like wasabi pea dust, dulce de leche, olive oil and sea salt). In Washington, DC, there’s an Indian food truck complete with a travelling culinary carnival circus act. In San Francisco, a 1957 Greyhound bus was converted into the first “bustaurant” and another’s set to open later this year. Toronto is in the second year of a three-year pilot project introducing ethnic and sustainably-sourced foods on city streets.

In L.A., a two-hour parking bylaw requires food trucks to move on after that, creating a social networking system through cyber informarts, giving heads-ups on where these trucks will be.

“The whole street food scene is looking to create an indescribable sixth sense when looking to eat. We want to see this industry thrive. Vancouver deserves it,” says Apple.

mstainsby@vancouversun.com

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Street+food+Roaming+Dragon+ready+roll/3158118/story.html#ixzz0qzLJzT00

[SpongeG]

sounds cool can't wait

[delboy]

sounds cool can't wait

Me too. Vancouver is a great foodie city, something we have become known for and the move to good street food could carry our reputation further. I also feel it's more than just about food and as much about culture and a more lively downtown.

Very exciting me thinks.

:notacrook:

[Conrad Yablonski]

I see a Hunky Bill's truck coming soon to a hood near you!

[GeeCee]

I wonder if the trucks still need to plug the meter when parked and serving food.. :P

[flight_from_kamakura]

wow, a trio of whites selling crypto-asian food from a truck! it makes the news! hehe.

an aside, down in sf, which has had trucks for years, the new interest of these sorts of youngish folks has pushed 'cart food' in all sorts of directions - just this weekend, there was sunday streets in the mission yesterday, local flavors market saturday, dirty-dishes (with carts setting up in bars) on thursday, and that's just the ones i hit. there's the fabric8 gallery food festival and homegrown festival, the mammoth underground market once a month, etc. basically, the food cart deal in sf, pushed by the same sorts of food entrepreneurs, have taken this thing pretty far forward.

in this sense, seems to me that no-funland ought to seriously rethink the draconian restrictions on these things, and high permitting cost. if it can thrive down in high-rent sf without killing restaurants and people, why not go for it?

[SpongeG]

aren't they illegal in SF though? and they are always having to dodge the police?

[SpongeG]

City seeks to expand street meat horizons

JEFF HODSON
METRO VANCOUVER
June 21, 2010 5:17 a.m.

Vancouver wants to add some zest to its street cuisine — salmon, tacos, Korean BBQ, anything but hotdogs.

For the next week and a half, the city is accepting applications for new food carts at 17 locations.

“We have such a vibrant city with such a huge, multicultural food culture here,” said Coun. Heather Deal, who first proposed expanding the food vending program in 2008.

“Having that (food culture) not reflected in the streets was frustrating for me, because one of my favourite things is a lively street scene.

“I want to hear music.

I want to see great food. I want to see people walking around — this is before the Olympics. Now I really want to see it.”

Deal said her original proposal met with some resistance, despite what was happening in other cities.

In Portland, the most bandied comparison, the multiplicity of street food includes Vietnamese and Mexican cuisine, smoked pork sandwiches, paninis and flatbread.

Deal expects a fair number of applicants for the 17 licences. High-demand locations will be determined by lottery.

Also, while the majority of the licences will be kiosks, like traditional hotdog or nut stands, three of the sites will be curbside. This will allow movie-style catering trucks and should vastly increase the variety of food available, Deal said.

...

http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/557981--city-seeks-to-expand-street-meat-horizons

[delboy]

Here's another article from the Sun:

Vancouver is calling on vendors who want to sell nutritional and diverse food on city streets to submit applications before the end of this month.

Those who want to sell hot dogs, packaged ice cream, popcorn, pretzels, soft drinks, chips and candy bars are not encouraged to apply.

"Vancouver is a world-class city, and it's time we had a street food scene that reflects the diversity of the people who live here," Mayor Gregor Robertson says in a release. "Having a wide variety of culturally diverse and health food options on our streets adds to the vibrant and enjoyable nature of our city."

Applicants should indicate their menu offerings and up to three preferred locations. A lottery draw on July 9 will match qualified vendors to as many as 17 new vending locations. They will be expected to start operations by July 31, the release says.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/City+Vancouver+issues+call+street+vendors/3179013/story.html#ixzz0rXW576qa

[delboy]

this article from the globe and mail says that Kits beach and Spanish Banks are two of the locations. Also says that a Korean Taco Stand is amongst the applications.

I also like the fact that the owner of Abagails Pantry in Kits is speaking positively about the benefits of the street food scene.

All very exciting.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouver-seeks-nutritious-exciting-street-food/article1610939/

EDIT.........

Just found this re the city's 'test locations'

http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/streets/retailUse/pdf/newLocations.pdf

[SpongeG]

when i was at the folk fest they had a truck that sold amazingliy good food it was a mix of african, asian, and others it was all really good - would love to see him and his truck offer year round here

[mr.x]

wow, a trio of whites selling crypto-asian food from a truck! it makes the news! hehe.

an aside, down in sf, which has had trucks for years, the new interest of these sorts of youngish folks has pushed 'cart food' in all sorts of directions - just this weekend, there was sunday streets in the mission yesterday, local flavors market saturday, dirty-dishes (with carts setting up in bars) on thursday, and that's just the ones i hit. there's the fabric8 gallery food festival and homegrown festival, the mammoth underground market once a month, etc. basically, the food cart deal in sf, pushed by the same sorts of food entrepreneurs, have taken this thing pretty far forward.

in this sense, seems to me that no-funland ought to seriously rethink the draconian restrictions on these things, and high permitting cost. if it can thrive down in high-rent sf without killing restaurants and people, why not go for it?

But this city has to bow down to the NIMBY's....ugh, don't get me started on draconian restrictions.

[nova9]

The main St. car-free day showed a few examples of food trucks. There was an all vegan kitchen and another one selling pakoras. And I think there was one selling gluten-free desserts.

[SpongeG]

wasn't that a big complaint of the businesses along where the car free days are held?

that outside businesses were coming and setting up their food trucks and stuff and people were patronizing them and not the businesses who do their regular business on the street and they were actually losing out promised money due to higher business on that day...

but those trucks do show what can be done when it comes to street food

[SpongeG]

well hopefully $43,000 isn't going to kill any of the street food

Pilot project winners face $43,000 fee for curbside parking

Fees for sidewalk cart vendors start at just $1,000 a year

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/3214876.bin
The City of Vancouver is holding a lottery to award the following sidewalk and curbside locations to mobile food vendors.
Photograph by: Sungraphics, Vancouver Sun files

The winning applicants in the city's street food pilot project will face parking fees of at least $43,200 to secure the coveted downtown curbside locations through the end of April 2011.

Vancouver is accepting applications from mobile food vendors to fill 14 sidewalk spaces and three curbside spaces mostly on the downtown peninsula, Kitsilano Beach and Spanish Banks. The process is part of a pilot project intended to diversify the selection of healthy local foods available on the street beyond the current roster of hotdogs, popcorn and chestnuts.

All the spaces will be awarded by lottery, but the winning applicants for curbside spaces will be able to choose between a prime downtown location with metered parking or a non-metered location outside the downtown core. The city intends to recover all potential revenue from those metered spaces at a cost of $2,400 per month per metered space, said Grant Woff, Vancouver's acting manager of streets administration. A typical catering truck will require two to three parking spaces for the nine-month trial.

Applicants who win the right to a curbside location can opt for the less desirable non-metered space for a flat fee of $1,500 for the nine-month duration of the pilot.

"The only way we would agree to take one of those [metered] spaces is as a loss leader," said Jason Apple of Roaming Dragon, a truck-based gourmet Asian fusion food vendor doing business at Richmond's Night Market. "We would do it just to be the first gourmet food truck downtown, but it doesn't make a whole lot of economic sense."

Apple said that a vendor paying for metered parking space would have to sell 60 to 70 meals a day to cover that expense alone.

All street vendors are subject to a $1,004 annual licence fee.

Add to that the $125,000 to $200,000 cost of a catering truck and a commercial kitchen for food preparation and profit seems unlikely, Apple said. Nonetheless, Apple and his partner Jory Simkin are each preparing applications for the maximum of three locations.

All 17 vending locations will be awarded in a lottery to take place July 9. Two of those 14 sidewalk spaces are big enough to accommodate a small van or trailer with no additional fees beyond the annual street vendor permit fee paid by all of the city's 60 licensed street food vendors. The other 12 spaces will be awarded to vendors selling from mobile carts, generally measuring no more than 2.6 metres wide. A well-outfitted vending cart, with sink and refrigeration, costs $20,000 or more, said Apple.

The low cost of street vendor permits has long been an irritant to downtown businesses and restaurants, said Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association executive director Charles Gauthier.

"It's not that we object to street vendors, but we want those rates to be much higher," said Gauthier. "It's never going to get close to what a restaurant is going to pay in rent and property taxes, but three dollars a day [licence fee] is not much overhead."

....

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Pilot+food+vendors+face+curbside+parking/3214877/story.html

[delboy]

I fear the start up costs and ridiculous fees the city are proposing will destroy the program and prevent a grassroots street food scene to blosom and grow organically. Given the outlay and competing with the city's fickle weather, it would make more sense to open a restaurant.

this city always seems to manage to eliminate the underdog and everythings becomes about money, which is why there is little variety in the city, can you say Donnelly group?

Too bad:(

[duener]

^^^actually it sounds quite reasonable to me... the city is only charging $1000 a year for sidewalk vendors (14 out of 17 spots). They're trying to keep it revenue neutral by charging the 3 curbside vendors for the amount of parking fees lost.

Thank goodness they didn't copy Toronto with their bureaucratic fiasco. It sounds like the DVBIA want the city to charge a lot more. I think this is a great first step and they'll be able to gather enough data to move forward. Once the novelty wears off will there be enough of a market to support these vendors? We shall see...

I think there ought to be a Richmond night style market on Granville selling clothes/food/trinkets all day Saturday and night. That would induce suburban types to visit downtown and get a taste of excitement (rather than just offering cheesy clubs).

[mezzanine]

As the article states, the food truck vendor can also choose a non-metered spot outside the downtown core for $1500.

And we already have a vancouver night market on weekends - right in chinatown. It looks like CoV and the DVBIA will be putting buskers on granville st this summer anyway, before translink takes it over in the fall.

http://www.downtownvancouver.net/catalog/main.php?cat_id=70

PS - Why do I see Spandy Andy everywhere in downtown now?

[SpongeG]

i heard he had his stereo smashed by some douche bags - poor spandy

[delboy]

from the Metro Newspaper

A lottery tomorrow morning will decide which of the more than 815 proposals will win one of 17 new food stall sites in Vancouver, a councillor said yesterday.

“There is a huge pent up desire for more exciting food on the street,” said Heather Deal.

City and health authority staff waded through the cornucopia of applications yesterday to ensure they complied with city and health requirements.

The city, she added, had only expected about 50 applications. One alternate will be drawn for each spot in case winning proposals are unable to operate before the end of July.

There has been some concern raised about competition from carts by restaurant owners and business improvement associations, Deal said


http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/573640--city-sees-food-stall-frenzy

[Spork]

How much do you guys want to bet that it will be the same old fare with a twist? Filtering for health concerns? Did they ever override the pre-cooked rules?

[delboy]

Here's the full list of new locations:

* East Side of 200 Howe St – 100 metres North of W Cordova St: Chinese Dim Sum
* South Side of 400 W Georgia St – 12 metres East of Richards St: Korean food with meat and vegetarian options
* North Side of 700 W Cordova St – 14 metres East of Howe St: Burritos, whole wheat, rice, beans, sauces, fillings
* East Side of 700 Homer St – 20 metres South of W Georgia St: Chicken salad with lettuce, tomato. Fruit cup with melon, kiwi and mixed fruit.
* East Side of 700 Hornby St – 22 metres South of W Georgia St: Southern BBQ, Rice, Veggies
* South Side of 700 W Georgia St – 20 metres West of Granville St: Traditional Chinese and Japanese Cuisine
* South Side of 900 W Hastings St – 24 metres East of Burrard St: Skewers of beef and pork
* West Side of 1100 Burrard St – 28 metres South of Helmcken St: Greek Donair
* West Side of 1100 Burrard St – 25 metres North of Davie St: Modern Satay Barbeque
* South Side of 2000 Beach Av – 30 metres West of Chilco St: Fresh squeezed Lemonade
* East Side of 600 Granville St – 50 metres North of W Georgia St: Fresh Bakery
* West Side of 600 Granville St – 95 metres North of W Georgia St: Healthy meals & snacks, roll ups, sandwiches
* East Side of 6400 Cambie St – 20 metres North of W 49th Ave: Specialty noodles
* East Side of 1300 Main St – 12 metres North of Terminal Ave: Falafel
* West Side of 1100 Station St, or West Side of 400 Burrard St: Authentic Italian stone ground pizza
* West Side of 1200-1300 Arbutus St, or North Side of 1000 W Georgia St: Fresh & frozen fruits, chocolate dipped fruits
* West Side of 1400 NW Marine Dr, or East Side of 800 Hornby St: Central European foods from Poland, Russia, using local organic products, borscht, schnitzel

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100709/bc_food_carts_100709/20100709?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

[Millennium2002]

Luckily, the options are varied and not randomly "uniform" as feared.

[SpongeG]

cool when can they start opening?

[delboy]

cool when can they start opening?

July 31 st. My concern is that since vendors were selected by a lottery, they may not have a realistic business plan in place and some may fall through or not stack up to expectations.

Rather than a lottery, the city should have looked at the proposals and short list entries based on a defined set of criteria.

We shall have to see....

[nova9]

July 31 st. My concern is that since vendors were selected by a lottery, they may not have a realistic business plan in place and some may fall through or not stack up to expectations.

Rather than a lottery, the city should have looked at the proposals and short list entries based on a defined set of criteria.

We shall have to see....

Well the CoV had admitted that they had no qualifications to select based on food and culinary palates so they felt that given their own limitations, a lottery was fairer.

Anyways, here's more insight to the whole process from Scoutmagazine.ca:http://scoutmagazine.ca/2010/07/09/the-street-food-vendor-lottery-winners-why-we-should-worry/

[SpongeG]

i saw an article that some of them were ready and could start asap - hopefully they were chosen

[jsbertram]

July 31 st. My concern is that since vendors were selected by a lottery, they may not have a realistic business plan in place and some may fall through or not stack up to expectations.

Rather than a lottery, the city should have looked at the proposals and short list entries based on a defined set of criteria.

We shall have to see....

I wonder if some of the 'business plans' were to get a location & open a humdrum stand that doesn't stay open for very long, and then sub-let the space to a different vendor that is popular (more JapaDogs?) who didn't get a location & who will pay a higher sub-lease price for the space.

[SpongeG]

i wonder but i think the city would see that coming?

but how can a lemonade stand be a good idea? to commit to a full year selling lemonade? who is going to want lemonade in january?

[mr.x]

City Hall's street vendor picks get thumbs down from foodies
10 Jul 2010

Post by Mike Klassen in Editorial
http://www.citycaucus.com/images/fotolia_3373463_XS.jpg
According to foodies, City Hall picked some real lemons in their food cart trial

The food cart issue brought about by Vancouver city council struck me as a goldmine of populist politics. Who doesn't like food, right? There were some initial concerns raised by the DVBIA, who rightly pointed out that it would be grossly unfair to position the carts in the vicinity of already rent and property tax burdened retail restaurants. For the most part, however, the suggestion by Charles Gauthier to model the program after Portland's successful street food cart system was ignored.

For average folks who just want some good eats, they don't worry that much about how economically viable a sushi or wraps restaurant is. The City pulled out the bugles to announce their list of food cart selections whittled down from a massive 800 applications. How did they do it? Did they conduct a cook-off, a Canadian Idol of sorts as myself and Frances Bula proposed on last week's civic affairs panel?

No. What City staff did was throw a dart, and if your name got hit you were it. By using a lottery to pick who got the cart locations rather than on inventiveness or merit, there are a LOT of foodies around town who are miffed. Foodie columnist Andrew Morrison of the excellent Scout Magazine sums up what many are thinking in this great post:

"While I’m glad the city recognized that they were unqualified to choose which food businesses would suit our streets best (their track record on this is pretty bad), they could have just asked around, perhaps even called in a couple of independent consultants who knew a thing or two about food. Better yet, they could have actually interviewed the applicants to discern whether or not they were serious. I certainly would have advised them to the best of my ability for free, as would (I’m sure) other local food writers, chefs’ associations and so on…but no. In an effort to be democratic (which can be interpreted as ‘blameless’), they basically drew names from a bingo barrel as if the vendors would be selling scarves, toques and glow sticks. This, according to Grant Woff, acting manager of street administration, was “the fairest method as everyone was given the same odds”.

Big mistake."


http://www.citycaucus.com/




Not that I would support this....a lack of regulation and the free market will wean out those carts of less calibre.

[delboy]

I wonder if some of the 'business plans' were to get a location & open a humdrum stand that doesn't stay open for very long, and then sub-let the space to a different vendor that is popular (more JapaDogs?) who didn't get a location & who will pay a higher sub-lease price for the space.

This is sort of what I;m getting at. Let's face it, anyone could have applied. Just like any business, you need a firm plan, funds and inventiveness, otherwise, one is doomed to failure.

[Delirium]

you could say that about about a real restaurant too. the city issues a permit to serve and operate a business based on sound models. that obviously doesn't always happen. but like the restaurant business, customer receipts will drive who succeeds. the city can't be the ones to determine what's good food and what's bad. they don't do it now. only customers can.

IE: a lemonade stand isn't going to succeed in the winter. who thought of that one? once there's some turnover i'm sure we'll see some exciting carts but it might take some time. our restaurant scene was not born overnight.

[delboy]

Not all street vendors ready to go........................

Claudia Kurzac, acting manager for health protection, doesn’t expect all 17 new food vendors to be operational by July 31, as per the city’s goal. “It sounds like some went into the lottery without even a business plan and don’t even have an actual trailer or cart and would have to manufacture that first, never mind even find a base of operation,” Kurzac said.

Can't say that I'm surprised at this one:

http://scoutmagazine.ca/2010/07/20/surprise-not-all-street-food-lotto-winners-ready-to-operate/

from scout magazine

[SpongeG]

gotta love this city - how it survives i don't know - stupid lets just give anyone who applies a chance without researching their bids

[sacrifice333]

Well hopefully the city follows through on their 'threat' to pass the initial rights on to other lottery participants that ARE ready-to-go!

[SpongeG]

Time crunch puts the brakes to Vancouver's new street vendors

Program delayed as carts, trailers still being built

By Lena Sin, The Province July 30, 2010 5:42 PM

Extra staff have been hired, the crew is working overtime.

But no matter how fast he goes, Norm Kerfoot says he simply won’t be able to deliver the food carts and trailers by Saturday for Vancouver’s widely-anticipated new street food program.

“We’ve been extremely busy. I mean, we’re normally fairly busy anyways, a lot of our stuff goes to the States and overseas, but with this whole Vancouver thing, it’s really blown it all apart,” says Kerfoot.

Kerfoot is the owner of Apollo Carts in Surrey and has been inundated with business since Vancouver announced the winners of its expanded street food program three weeks ago.

Ten of the 17 street vendors have ordered carts and trailers from his company, creating a backlog of work.

That means of the 17 winners, only two are able to meet the city’s deadline of operating by July 31. :rolleyes:

And of those two, one was not even a chosen winner but rather has paid someone for their spot and the other won’t be operating on Saturday due to family commitments.

Many believe the lacklustre showing speaks to city hall’s unrealistic deadlines and a poorly organized pilot program.

Kerfoot, whose company has made carts for the city’s famous Japadog vendor, says it normally takes between three to eight weeks to create a custom food cart or trailer.

“Unfortunately, [three] weeks from the time they find out they’ve got their spot to get everything together and manufactured, it just can’t be done,” says Kerfoot.

Apollo Carts has been in business for 15 years and is one of only two or three companies in B.C. that builds food carts, he says. Prices range from $10,000 for a basic cart to upwards of $30,000 for a trailer.

Kerfoot anticipates two carts will be ready by next week, another two the following week and others toward the end of August.

The pilot project is intended to usher in an era of gourmet and healthy street food after archaic guidelines restricted vendors to selling just hotdogs and chestnuts for decades.

The city received 800 applications for the pilot and picked the winners by lottery. Critics said the city should have screened applicants by looking at their readiness, business plan and menu to ensure a degree of quality and to meet the tight deadline.

Derek Ip, of Richmond, said he started working on his van before he even found out he was one of the lucky 17 winners. But even he won’t be able to meet the July 31 deadline and has applied to the city for an extension.

“Hopefully we’ll be open within a week. Our van is coming along nicely, it’s just the finishing touches now,” says Ip, who will be located at Drake and Pacific Boulevard.

Ip is outfitting a yellow school bus with a kitchen and will be making freshly-baked croissants. Named Panda Fresh Bakery, he has been getting help from Richmond street food vendor Kan Ogata, and says his baked goods will have a Japanese influence.

Jason Apple and business partner Jory Simkin are currently the only ready vendors on the street.

Their Roaming Dragon food truck, parked by Kits beach, offers tantalizing Asian dishes such as karaage (Japanese deep fried chicken) and duck confit salad and has so far been a hit.

“We’ve had neighbours that have literally eaten every night since we opened [a week ago,]” says Apple.

Apple approached winner David Duprey to use his spot temporarily. It was a win-win situation given Duprey wanted more time to set up and the Roaming Dragon truck was ready to operate. The two parties are now talking about sharing the location by operating at different times.

...

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/news/vancouver/Time+crunch+puts+brakes+Vancouver+street+vendors/3344048/story.html#ixzz0vDWF9fpP

[delboy]

to be expected really. The start up times by the city were very optimistic.

[SpongeG]

yeah but a lot were ready and prepared - like the roaming dragon who didn't win in the lottery for a spot - at least they were able to work out a deal with someone and their spot

[delboy]

Only one street cart ready to go:

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Vancouver+street+food+experiment+rolls+slowly/3344212/story.html


location map:

http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/food-carts/

[IanS]

to be expected really. The start up times by the city were very optimistic.

I'm surprised that there was no process in place to ensure that the vendors picked were ready to go. I wonder how many vendors who were prepared and could have opened on time were passed over as a result of the City's failure to put such a process in place. Seems pretty basic.

[delboy]

I'm surprised that there was no process in place to ensure that the vendors picked were ready to go. I wonder how many vendors who were prepared and could have opened on time were passed over as a result of the City's failure to put such a process in place. Seems pretty basic.

it seems that many applied on the basis that they could sell their licences. the good news is that the bylaws have changed and 18 months down the road, we may well have a better street food scene. Time will tell

[jsbertram]

Yet another article on the Vancouver food carts:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/frustrated-street-food-vendor-puts-cart-on-craigslist/article1658188/

"The girlfriend of a businessman with no experience in the food industry won the right to the location. The businessman was prepared to hand over the space to the crepe vendor for a fee, but Mr. Bernaudin decided the price was too high. “He was too greedy,” Mr. Bernaudin said in an interview."

Should we be surprised to read that a 'business plan' was to get any location & rent it out to someone with a cart who didn't win the lottery? No surprise to me since there were 800 people vying for 17 spots, and there was no pre-qualification that you needed to have a cart and be able to cook.

[hollywoodnorth]

what a joke this has turned out to be......

[Yume-sama]

I don't know how anybody thought this would be a GOOD idea. Results are as expected.

Speaks volumes of the people who run the show. They can't even set up street food properly.

[Yume-sama]

On another note, how the hell did two white yuppies decide to start a "Roaming Dragon" Asian food cart in Kits??

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/3344214.bin?size=620x400
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Vancouver+street+food+experiment+rolls+slowly/3344212/story.html

[SpongeG]

qKVn1thTh2M

[SpongeG]

Hitting the streets

By Shelley Fralic, Vancouver Sun August 18, 2010

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/3409859.bin
Michael Kaisaris offers BBQ sandwich created in his Re-Up BBQ food cart, which is available by Vancouver Art Gallery.
Photograph by: Wayne Leidenfrost, PNG

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the Vancouver food-cart experiment has fallen a little flat, a victim of an overzealous rush job that relied on selection by lottery and the mistaken assumption that the chosen few would be ready to roll by the July 31 kickoff date.

Two weeks in, and only four of the 17 newly licensed carts are serving up their curbside nosh on city streets, with two more expected to be open for business this week.

So we understand those who are critical of the folks down at 12th and Cambie, though that vitriol might best directed at more important issues, like those ill-advised bike lanes, which are far more dangerous and inconvenient than being able to buy a divine slice of thin-crust prosciutto and funghi pizza from a truck parked at Burrard and Pender.

Besides, had city hall dithered even more, and made sure everything was perfectly in order for a summer 2011 launch, which was Plan B, we would have had to wait a whole year to tuck into one of Michael Kaisaris’s pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches.

And that, fellow foodies, would be a cryin’ shame.

It’s early Monday morning, and 28-year-old Kaisaris and his partners — girlfriend Lindsay Ferguson and barbecue cook-off master Chester Carey — are prepping for the day, working out of their commissary, which is the kitchen of the Irish Heather in Gastown.

Carey, who competes in West Coast barbecue competitions, has been up all night smoking 55 kilograms of pork butt. There is homemade sauce to whip up, and five kilograms of coleslaw to make, and special dressing for that, and a trip to the Calabria Bakery for fresh buns, and the brewing of a big urn of iced tea.

Because in just a few short hours, they’ll be lifting the walk-up window of their tiny shiny food cart, The Re-Up BBQ, sitting just off the curb beside the Olympic countdown clock at the Vancouver art gallery, and filling orders for their specialty, the only thing besides a few cold drinks that they offer: a barbecue pulled-pork sandwich.

It was just a few months ago that the three friends, mulling Carey’s lament that there was no money in barbecue contests, pondered the viability of starting a barbecue catering business.

And then the city hall food cart lottery came up, and Kaisaris submitted an application and, on Aug. 9, started selling their sandwiches, fat handfuls of tender pulled pork slathered with barbecue sauce and topped with crunchy coleslaw, all wrapped up in a big soft bun, a messy delectable $6-plus-tax meal in a little paper bag.

But first they had to find a cart, and research showed there were waiting lists at the cart suppliers, local and south of the border.

So Kaisaris, who studied English literature at SFU and has culinary training, started cruising the Internet and found one in Squamish that had been used to sell hotdogs.

It cost $17,000, and they had to buy a truck to haul it, but it was perfect, if a little small.

Impossibly small, really, a mere four by nine by eight feet, rather like a silver phone booth, but big enough to house two propane-powered warming trays, one large propane griddle and a hybrid fridge. It has a 40-litre water capacity and room for Michael and his jugs of sweet tea, and that’s about it.

The partners have invested more than $30,000 to date, including the cost of city and health permits, but say business is good, on their best day pumping out 70 or so orders. They not only intend to stay open, Mondays to Fridays from about noon to 6 p.m., but they’re committed to pulling pork through next spring, when their renewable city licence expires.

As food carts take big cities such as Portland, Los Angeles and New York by storm, they have become the new underground magical mystery tour, their menus and hours often changing. Some are open rain or shine, some weekdays only, and most rely to a large degree on word of mouth and the new media to spread the word.

The Re-Up is no different, promising barbecue chicken and ribs in the near future, but you’ll have to follow them on Twitter for updates, teases Kaisaris.

Meantime, don’t be asking for their tasty barbecue sauce recipe. All Kaisaris will divulge is that it is a tomato base infused with chocolate and chipotle and other “secret” ingredients.

...

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Hitting+streets/3409854/story.html#ixzz0xICXBRZ0

[Millennium2002]

On another note, how the hell did two white yuppies decide to start a "Roaming Dragon" Asian food cart in Kits??
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Vancouver+street+food+experiment+rolls+slowly/3344212/story.html

I do realize that it's not very authentic in a way due to the poor cultural representation. On a side note, they've set up shop at the PNE now.

[ozonemania]

I do realize that it's not very authentic in a way due to the poor cultural representation. On a side note, they've set up shop at the PNE now.I am a little curious about this. Places like this Roaming Dragon food cart, places like that chain that seems to be around Wok Box, and the recent news about a new 'traditional Chinese restaurant that serves sweet and sour pork Peking duck fried noodles in a modern setting' Chinois -- are these kind of places that fit Vancouver? With one third the population Chinese and a relatively educated general population of what good authentic Asian food is, I am wondering if these guys have the right idea.

How are places like Wild Rice and Bao Bei doing? Where would they fit in terms of authenticity vs popularity?

Sorry to be offtopic re: street food.

[vanlaw]

Just had on the of the pulled pork sandwiches for lunch. Very good, and for 6.75 w/tax, pretty decent when you compare to price of hot dog etc.

Pork was perfect, bbq sauce nice and tangy, and the coleslaw on top was fresh and tasty :)

[officedweller]

I am a little curious about this. Places like this Roaming Dragon food cart, places like that chain that seems to be around Wok Box, and the recent news about a new 'traditional Chinese restaurant that serves sweet and sour pork Peking duck fried noodles in a modern setting' Chinois -- are these kind of places that fit Vancouver? With one third the population Chinese and a relatively educated general population of what good authentic Asian food is, I am wondering if these guys have the right idea.

How are places like Wild Rice and Bao Bei doing? Where would they fit in terms of authenticity vs popularity?

Sorry to be offtopic re: street food.

That's the reason that "Asian fusion" doesn't do well in Vancouver...
remeber:
- "Oritalia" at the Sheraton Suites le Soleil?
- The Keg Caesar's (on Dunsmuir/Hornby) Asian fusion second floor back in the 90s?

[SpongeG]

it does better in the burbs which also houses olive garden, montanas, east side marios, coza etc. not found in vancouver

[nova9]

on a side note, i'm taking off to NYC on wednesday and will be eating my way through the city and a large portion of that will be on food trucks. should give an a good idea of what our food truck scene is failing to be (but we'll give it time)

[mezzanine]

I am a little curious about this. Places like this Roaming Dragon food cart, places like that chain that seems to be around Wok Box, and the recent news about a new 'traditional Chinese restaurant that serves sweet and sour pork Peking duck fried noodles in a modern setting' Chinois -- are these kind of places that fit Vancouver? With one third the population Chinese and a relatively educated general population of what good authentic Asian food is, I am wondering if these guys have the right idea.

How are places like Wild Rice and Bao Bei doing? Where would they fit in terms of authenticity vs popularity?

Sorry to be offtopic re: street food.

good point. I would like to think that it boils down to darwinism -that if an asian fusion place (or any restaurant, really) has the right emphasis/mix of food, presentation, room and price point they can't lose.

Some 'authentic' chinese places have awesome and unique food and very reasonable prices, but have curt service and less ambiance. top shanghai restaurant on ackroyd would fit this bill. only a third of their menu is in english, and you really have to know the food or read chinses to know what to get.

another great thing, IMO is that even if a richmond chinese restaurant is geared towards a younger/more upward clientle, it would not be unusual for you to see families, seniors and babies at the restaurant, if the food is good. ;) you would rarely see this at western restaurants, but then again some might like this.

bao bei is on the other side of the spectrum. they have a really nice room and ambiance, an extensive drink list (rare for chinese restos), accessible menus, but the food is serviceable compared to some of the richmond places and prices are very high compared to other ch. restaurants.

[SpongeG]

just look at the crazy popularity of PF Changs in the states - ask people up here and they seem to love it and go everytime they are in seattle

I tried it once it was good but its pretty easy to get asian food in vancouver

[Yume-sama]

Plenty(of)Fatty(grease) Changs is pretty blah. I don't think America is capable of producing a dish without lard.

[delboy]

Looks like some more stands are set to go ..... at the end of summer sadly. The whole thing has been a let down, but I'm just grateful to see anything that resembles liberalism in this city:

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/eat-drink/Good+your+heart+olive+takes+cake/2694012/Vancouver+building+demolition+goes+awry/3142759/street+food+carts+should+operating+Vancouver+Tuesday/3487071/story.html

[Waders]

I walked by Waterfront Skytrain station today and noticed 'Dim Sum' has opened.
Has anyone try the food yet? There are 4 or 5 Combo choice on the menu, each costs $6.99 (+ HST?), not cheap. May be tourist would be more interested?:)

Photo. taken by me.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4988303152_9f73983de4.jpg

[delboy]

http://www.straight.com/article-345492/vancouver/three-new-food-stalls-out-week-downtown-vancouver

[Yume-sama]

I've walked by Kimono Koi's quite a bit. The crepes look and smell delicious. Good location, too, right infront of the exit to VCC Station!

One of these days I'll make time to try them~ Japanese crepes are very good.

[sacrifice333]

So who's enjoyed the Roaming Dragon?

I picked up the Groupon last week. Apparently 1600 other people did too!!!

Not sure where I'll enjoy it... was planning to at Kits Point one eve... but sounds like they're now on Georgia during the week for lunch and at the Kits Farmers market on the weekend. So no dinnah! :(

[Rusty Gull]

The dim sum stand is OK. My Chinese friends weren't impressed that they smother the dumplings in hot sauce and soy sauce. But what do I know. I thought it was pretty good. You can order a set of dumplings for 3 bucks or so. The shrimp dumplings are definitely a nice snack.

[SpongeG]

i saw some kind of salad cart on granville outside of aritiza - is that one of the vendors?

it was pretty small and had no customers and it was the height of lunch hopefully she can survive

[delboy]

i saw some kind of salad cart on granville outside of aritiza - is that one of the vendors?

it was pretty small and had no customers and it was the height of lunch hopefully she can survive

i noticed that too, she doesnt look very interesting and far too healthy. In comparison that pulled pork guy over by the art gallery has line ups all lunch and had a sign up advising he was sold out.

I'm actualy quite impressed thus far, the vendors are creating points of interest and are adding to the street level flavour of the city. I also saw some chinese skewer guy at teh bottom of burrard and a pizza truck that looked interesting.

[vanlaw]

i noticed that too, she doesnt look very interesting and far too healthy. In comparison that pulled pork guy over by the art gallery has line ups all lunch and had a sign up advising he was sold out.

I'm actualy quite impressed thus far, the vendors are creating points of interest and are adding to the street level flavour of the city. I also saw some chinese skewer guy at teh bottom of burrard and a pizza truck that looked interesting.

The pizza truck is Ragazzi, which is, imho, one of the best pizza places in Vancouver (Renfrew/22nd). Not sure how the pizza from their truck is as I havent tried it yet, but the pizza from their restaurant is fantastic....havent ordered pizza from anywhere elsein the past 4 years or so.

Have also had the pulled pork 3 or 4 times now...consistently good.

[delboy]

The pizza truck is Ragazzi, which is, imho, one of the best pizza places in Vancouver (Renfrew/22nd). Not sure how the pizza from their truck is as I havent tried it yet, but the pizza from their restaurant is fantastic....havent ordered pizza from anywhere elsein the past 4 years or so.

Have also had the pulled pork 3 or 4 times now...consistently good.

I'll be sure to give it a go!

How do you find the street culture feel due to the carts? i like it and can envision quite a good street scene in the not too distant future. Hot dog carts still out number though.

[giallo]

It's nice to hear that some of the carts are not only good, but tasting a bit of success as well.
This sort of thing was long overdue for a foodie city like Vancouver

[SpongeG]

i was expecting more to the carts - the one on robson and something is just like a hot dog cart so i didn't even look at it - turns out its some kind of meatball cart or something

[delboy]

i was expecting more to the carts - the one on robson and something is just like a hot dog cart so i didn't even look at it - turns out its some kind of meatball cart or something

well a cart is a cart...not sure what you were expecting. I thought the ones i saw were mostly very un hot dog like.

It is clearly a work in progress and there is much to be done, but I'm staying postive that street food can be a real success.

[nova9]

i wonder when we get to have food trucks!

[delboy]

Site that is tracking the food carts.

http://vancouverstreeteats.ca/

[SpongeG]

i was thinking more of what they have in portland - thats my exposure to street food

http://scoutmagazine.ca/scout/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/4595668593_bc82faae7f_b.jpg
scoutmagazine.ca

[delboy]

i was thinking more of what they have in portland - thats my exposure to street food

http://scoutmagazine.ca/scout/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/4595668593_bc82faae7f_b.jpg
scoutmagazine.ca

it would be nice to see a collection of carts side by side somewhere. We have to remember that we are in a very preliminary test project. The hope is to add an additional 60 carts next year, if the program is a success.

Like anything else, if you allow a liberal approach, the street food scene will grow organically as is the case in portland. One only has to look at the failure of Toronto's street food program to see what over-regulation might do.

[SpongeG]

i just meant for carts - some of them are bigger and easy to see - but some of them have been really small and easy to miss and I wonder have they always been here or are they new - they look like they just sell hot dogs or something

[SpongeG]

took this pic today - new one on georgia at granville - looks like japanese style crepes?

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9559/dsc01335tw.jpg

[delboy]

G and M article about the future of the street food program and a desire by the city to cluster carts as in portland:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouver-hungry-for-food-cart-solutions/article1736510/

[Yume-sama]

i was thinking more of what they have in portland - thats my exposure to street food

http://scoutmagazine.ca/scout/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/4595668593_bc82faae7f_b.jpg
scoutmagazine.ca

I was just in Fukuoka, and this idea works remarkably well there! There are many rivers / canals running through Fukuoka, and in the Nakasu area there is an area where a whole bunch of Yatai (street food carts) set up every single night on the sidewalk along the river. It was so lively, a ton of people, and a ton of really good looking food. Everything from sushi, yakiniku, to the most delicious ramen I've had in a long time. :slob: Honestly, it was more "restaurant quality" than "street food" quality. It would be miraculous if we could ever have something similar over here.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4803.html

[SpongeG]

G and M article about the future of the street food program and a desire by the city to cluster carts as in portland:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouver-hungry-for-food-cart-solutions/article1736510/

that would be good cause i can't find any - maybe they shut down at 11 am or something but other than the ones in granville i haven't seen the others althought i hear about them they are like mythical food carts

[delboy]

Cartel Tacos at Georgian and Burrard:

http://scoutmagazine.ca/2010/10/01/new-cartel-invades-georgia-burrard-with-korean-tacos/

[delboy]

Newest adddition "fresh local wild:

http://www.freshlocalwild.com/menu.asp

Looks great and shows what the street scene is capable of. Great to see some guys breaking the mold with a distinctly west coast theme.

I have to say I'm pleasently impressed overall with the variety, although I've noticed inconcistency with some of the vendors showing up.

[jozero]

The korean taco stand is good, but the 3 tacos you get for 10 bucks doesn't fill you up for long. Pretty soon after the stomach is growling for food again.

The Pork bun stall near the art gallery is good and fills you up. The huge bun gets a bit too much though, some variety on the platter would be nice.

The best one for me so far has been Fresh and Wild. I tried their smoked salmon burger with spicy fries and that hit the spot. The burger is a good size, and the fries offer some variety.

Still meaning to try the dim sum place near the waterfront.

[SpongeG]

where is fresh local wild?

[Millennium2002]

Apparently from what I've seen the dim-sum may not be a very worthy deal... they just reheat freezer food from what I can tell when I passed by a week ago.... =S However that may be just me... Sherman's Food Adventures' review of Dim Sum Express (http://www.shermansfoodadventures.com/2010/10/dim-sum-express.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+shermansfoodadventures%2FoWrx+%28Sherman%27s+Food+Adventures%29)

However, the taco stand nearby, Arturo's Mexican Tacos, is pretty good. They just opened up this month. I was there a few weeks ago and tried out one of their burritos... which seemed pretty tasty (although I'll honestly admit I don't know how authentic or tasty it should be). =)

[jozero]

where is fresh local wild?

Its robson and granville right next to future shop. However it randomly seems to be there. I'm not sure what their schedule is.

[SpongeG]

okay i was just reading this too

http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/wordofmouth/archive/2010/10/31/new-vancouver-food-truck-fresh-local-wild.aspx

[city-dweller]

I wish people could vote which of the approved licences went where. Also, I think the Granville Mall could handle a stand near Dunsmuir and on the sidewalk section between the convention centers.

[delboy]

I wish people could vote which of the approved licences went where. Also, I think the Granville Mall could handle a stand near Dunsmuir and on the sidewalk section between the convention centers.

Don't forget this is simply an experiment. The city is set to issue 60 more licences and group vendors in groups of 3 and 4.

Despite the poor starting, I like where its going

[city-dweller]

I had forgotten this was a trial phase. Is there any provision to allow for mobile licenses on the seawall?

[entheosfog]

Broadway and Granville:

http://a.imageshack.us/img440/27/day317nov13.jpg