In Defense of Food (Trucks) August 5, 2010
Posted by Eli in : Uncategorized , 5comments
Walking back to work from 26th and Pennsylvania yesterday afternoon, soaking up the beautiful Santa Monica sunshine, my iPod blasting Chromeo, twirling my @nomnomtruck bahn mi in my hand; I thought to myself how genuinely wonderful it it to work in a city that has food trucks. Today, I saw on twitter that the @manillamachine truck would be at that exact same location and for the second day in a row I made the quick walk over to 26th/Penn.
I walked up and saw Nastassia, the writer of http://theletmeeatcake.blogspot.com/ and proud co-owner of The Manilla Machine. While scoring some chicken adobo and beef sliders, she told me that the cops were really cracking down and that food trucks at 26th and Penn were being threatened with VERY large tickets.
Now, if you walk down 26th/Penn from 11.30-2.30 when food trucks park there, something slightly magical happens. Cars don’t really drive down the street and people – yes real alive human beings – WALK THERE and congregate, consuming food that is not mass produced but instead cooked with great love by the indies – you know – the SMALL guys. Mom and pop ethnic stands in truck form. Chefs who got bored of being in a kitchen who struck out on their own. And inexperienced young entrepreneurs with a good idea and a lot of balls. But then here come the cops with their zoning ordinances, and their ‘park X amount of feet away from here’ rules and their blue uniforms and overpriced SUV’s. And this is when I go all Cool Hand Luke on them without having to even consume 50 eggs.
Food Trucks are part of the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and to not embrace this culture,to actively seek out to destroy it and limit its ability to flourish is a disastrous mistake. Like going to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, walking Runyon Canyon and being weirded out by Hollywood Blvd. , things that are uniquely LA deserve to be embraced and fostered by the community. Because the food truck culture is really just that – a community. It’s a community of food lovers, restaurant outcasts, big dreamers and adventurous (and deal seeking) consumers.
LA is a brilliant restaurant city presenting unparalleled diversity and Food trucks play a vital role in how LA differentiates itself from other major cities.
I understand there are several reasons the police came (the breaking of innocuous parking laws for example) and that local businesses often feel threatened (see the response on the Miracle Mile of parking spot occupying tactics).But what I say to threatened restaurants is this: if your food was better or more efficiently priced or more interesting than the food truck around the corner and outside your door, customers would blaze past that truck and plop down into your spot.
You can blame the influx of food trucks on the hype, but realize the influx only helps everyone elevate their game. Not all the trucks will survive, but the good ones could become great and the trucks that cant afford it will sadly shut down (just like… a normal restaurant). Food trucks are about feeding people, expanding horizons through flavor experimentation and making ethnic food accessible.
LA should wear food trucks like a badge of honor instead of trying to brush them away in shame.
My undying love for Tacos Por Favor August 2, 2010
Posted by Eli in : Uncategorized , add a commentI’m definitely entering the 25-30 visits realm of Tacos Por Favor, which if you really think about, is a huge amount of times to frequent a restaurant.
Think about your “FAVORITE” place. Then try to really recount all the times you’ve been there. If it’s more than 15, I’d be surprised.
Tacos Por Favor is nearly perfect. It has solid Mexican food, it’s super close to my work, it has awesome pico de gallo, angle sliced carrots sitting in jalapeno juice, sliced limes (for drinks,chips and burrito squeezage!) and it’s super cheap. I mean, if you spend more than $10 at TPF you are just fat.
I’ve eaten all over LA and I’ve yet to find a more satisfying meal for less than $6 then a Carne Asada Burrito with a side of warm crispy chips, pico de gallo and spicy carrots. Hit your water cup with some limes and you’re living the CA dream. Cheap authentic fresh.
If you are in Santa Monica and go to Baja Fresh or Wahoos, may god go easy on your soul. Because you sir or madam, have absolutely no sense whatsoever.
