Foodie food cart panel: Sf hearts the cart

THIS is what a food vending operation should look like.


(Guatemalan taco vendor - braised vs. grilled meats keep the meat moist and flavorful over longer periods of time)

Apparently we (the US, CA, SF, etc.) have rules against exposed food preparation. All forms of outdoor vending must be enclosed from potential contaminants (ie: bird poop, dirt, sneezes (H1N1 be gone) and thus the well-known taco truck was fabricated to meet all of these undesired desires. The problem is you see, you can't actually SEE your food until a faceless hand thrusts the taco (or bacon-wrapped hot dog) through a tiny window at you. Will the safety codes be reexamined now that the market has been recently flooded with a new wave of open-air food carts? I surely hope so...

Bay Area Street Carts

There has been a recent appearance of food vendors in Northern California, particularly in the Mission district of San Francisco and in Oakland in the East Bay. An article from SF Gate "Growing crop of vendors hitting the streets".

Some take home points:
- "fun-employed"
- lower costs, hard economy
- require permits - some operate clandestinely
- variety of choices - Vietnamese pho, French creme brulee, escargot to-go, Thai curry
- strict regulations might cause the end of the temporary surge of vendors
- desire to connect with street global street food (How beautiful is this!)