May 10, 2006
What We're Missing: Good Food Carts
In an extremely occasional series, DCist likes to bitch and moan about what other cities have that we don't. Previously, we've whined about how much we miss Wawa and a how hard it is to get lubed up in a hurry. If you've got something else you think D.C. is missing and deserves to be scrutinized by a large group of bitter, paranoid, unpaid bloggers, please leave your suggestions in the comments.
We live in a city. It's a bona fide city too. Where people walk more than they drive, pay too much for tiny apartments, and get upset when tourists start to infringe on their personal space. So it should be no surprise that sometimes, especially on days when we're walking briskly through a crowd of be-fanny-packed families and feeling strapped for cash after forking over our entire paychecks to a blood-sucking landlord, we'd really like to be able to make a quick pit stop at a conveniently located food cart and actually be able to get something to eat that doesn't make us feel dirty. You know what we mean?
Sure, there are food carts on the streets of D.C. It's not like we don't have any -- or even any halfway decent ones. Several DCists can often be found lunching at Pedro & Vinny's burrito cart at 15th and K Streets NW, where the service always comes with a smile and the veggie burritos are generally above average.
What we're missing, though, is some friggin' variety. The Post ran a brief story on the issue back in November, and although it points to a few "veterans still going strong," the bottom line is pretty apparent: the District's 1998 moratorium on new food cart licenses has removed any incentive for competition, quashed any hope of improved quality and variety, and -- worst of all -- led to a uniform tide of guys selling inferior hot dogs, egg rolls, pizza, and Mr. Pretzels. Wherefore art thou, Korean BBQ? Would a little falafel, or perhaps a knish be too much to ask? Dare we dream of a curry cart? New York and Philadelphia, unencumbered by license restrictions such ours, have these options and more in spades.
All this talk has made us hungry, but it's also made us wonder whether it isn't time for the D.C. Council to lift the food cart moratorium and open up the streets to competition. If the concern is space issues on the sidewalks, we could always pattern ourselves after Philly or Portland, Ore., and set aside separate space for food trucks during specific hours. Readers, are you with us? Would you be willing to give up a bit more open space to make room for tasty kebabs and crepes?
DCist Food Editor Michael Mugmon contributed to this post.
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Honestly, if we could get a crepe stand or two, I would never leave the District again. I simply cannot bring myself to frequent the overpriced (although more than decent) Cafe Bonaparte. And what I wouldn't give for a ham, egg, and cheese crepe on the go.
I vote for yummy Jamaican Meat pies!
I blame some kind of monopolistic tactics going on within the city. Read this as, mafiaistic strongarming maybe? Why does every hot dog cart and vender have the same stickers and same items and same cart? You'd think there would be a little diversity in things here? But noooo, why is that?
i'm glad that i missed the wawa rants back in march. wawa sucks, and i don't know why anyone in the world would want them around here - they are overpriced, and they ALWAYS get my orders wrong, regardless of which wawa i'm at. and yes, i'm from philly, and yes, i've eaten my fair share from wawa, and yes, i know the ongoings at this chain because my ex used to work there. yuck.
You should post a comment under the wawa post if you've got something to say, sachi. This post is about something else, despite the mention of wawa.
Oh! And imagine this!
Adams Morgan on a Saturday night! Florida Ave. and 18th Street blocked off, the entire 18th Street filled with food and other vendors. Proper police presence, a little Mardi Gras esque, a little Key West Duval Street feel. That woudl be so cool! Why not?
Speaking of Portland utopia, it has the best thrift stores, breakfast joints, and bike lanes - which are all seriously lacking in the District. And I agree about the food carts; you're making me crave curry right now.
The WSJ had an article on the 15th and K cart about 8 years ago. At the time, and I don't know if the policy has changed, food vendors are prohibited by the board of health regulations from offering many of the items people are suggesting and are generally restricted to the stuff they are tossing at us now i.e. dirty water dogs aka street meat.
I'd like to see a story about the sad state of bagels in this city. Or pastrami.
The WSJ had an article on the 15th and K cart about 8 years ago. At the time, and I don't know if the policy has changed, food vendors are prohibited by the board of health regulations from offering many of the items people are suggesting and are generally restricted to the stuff they are tossing at us now i.e. dirty water dogs aka street meat.
One of the few good things about downtown Richmond is that at lunchtime local restaurants will set up a pushcart downtown with their offerings; I only tried two different carts but it was outstanding both times. Wish they would do that here:(
I'm with dental floss tycoon. They're gonna need to close 18th Street in Adams Morgan to vehicular traffic once the smoking ban kicks in. Even now, there's no room to walk on the sidewalks on Friday and Saturday nights. Just imagine what it'll be like when all the smokers are forced to the sidewalk.
So why not replace some of the cars with food carts. Anything to break the Jumbo Slice monopoly would be great.
I've read the regs and I believe anyone who interprets them as "banning" most items is interpretting them incorrectly.
Even if the incorrect interpretation is upheld, is it really that hard to change the reg? No. Not one bit.
jp: DCist has written before about the lack of quality bagels around here. Check it out:
http://www.dcist.com/archives/2005/06/24/what_were_missi.php
Oh the Utopia of Portland, Oregon. How I miss it so. It really might be the most perfect city ever.
The taco truck on Columbia b/t 16th and Mozart Pl. is good. There's also the lady with mangos and tabasco on mt. pleasant street. Come to think of it, there's tamale and mango vendors all over the Mt. Pleasant / 16th / 14th st. area on the weekend.
meat pies can be found from a street vendor in foggoy bottom. like 24th and N st. i think. it's in that area.
I'm from Pittsburgh, and I've definitely had the same thought. I miss food trucks.
Also, Wawa really isn't that great, especially when you compare it to Sheetz. Sheetz puts Wawa to shame.
the "yummy Jamaican meat pies" are called patties, guys.
I think we're also missing newstands. I want to buy some nudie magazines for my friend who is a soldier in Iraq. I have no idea where to purchase them. All of my magazines come from grocery stores or CVS. Maybe there is a nudie section at Books-A-Million that I'm missing somewhere.
Food stands are my *favorite* part of visiting New York City.
I've been saying this for YEARS. Who do I have to pay to get a good falafel cart around here? Tell me a falafel cart wouldn't mop up at, say, 37th and O right outside of Georgetown's campus, or anywhere in Foggy Bottom for that matter.
There are a few newspaper stand stores, heavy emphasis on the "few". I think there's one on K across from Farragut Park. I think there's another on like 11th and G or so.
Obviously there are more, but not that much more. I can't think of any NY style newsstands on the sidewalk. I wonder if the same foodstand ban has limited newsstands too.
BTW what's the deal with pasta mia? how do they make money by only being opened three hours a night? why is there a FULL BAR in the back but they don't servce liquor on their menu? WHAT IS GOING ON with that place? tell me please.
Food carts like they have in other cities (even in little Ogden, Utah had a great taco cart when I was there) would be a vast improvement to the District.
And how quickly you all seem to forget. There used to be a food cart on 18th St. on Friday and Saturday nights--allbeit selling pizza from a shop located where the upstairs of Asylum is now.
Thanks for the tip Ryan!
DC has plenty of decent newstands. The best by far is the Newsroom in Dupont (way better than your average, crappy NY style shack). But for your friend in Iraq you should check out Tony's (which is acually a large, NY style shack) at 20th and I in Foggy Bottom -- and, if you like to browse, no shrink wrap. If that doesn't work, most large downtown buildings have newstands in or near their main lobbies (far too many to mention or count). Oh and I can't believe I didn't mention B and K on 18th Street in Adams Morgan...
DC has plenty of decent newstands. The best by far is the Newsroom in Dupont (way better than your average, crappy NY style shack). But for your friend in Iraq you should check out Tony's (which is acually a large, NY style shack) at 20th and I in Foggy Bottom -- and, if you like to browse, no shrink wrap. If that doesn't work, most large downtown buildings have newstands in or near their main lobbies (far too many to mention or count). Oh and I can't believe I didn't mention B and K on 18th Street in Adams Morgan...
Dupont Circle already has spaces that would be good for food carts/kiosks: the abandoned trolley entrances.
Wouldn't it be great to have Kors Bros Frozen Custard, or a greasey pizza joints... or gelato or coffee or smoothies or crepes or pretzels etc etc?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77945684@N00/search/tags:kiosks/
aziz,
In the past, Amsterdam Falafelshop in Adams Morgan, makers of one mean falafel, have been looking for franchisees. I'm sure they could do up a fine cart, if given the opportunity.
And where are the coffee carts?! There is nothing nicer that being able to grab that quick cup of coffee in the morning as you walk from the Metro to the office.
I just assumed that the reason there are no food or coffee carts in DC is because of the food rule on the metro. In NYC you can't go a block without at least 3 places to get (good-ish, at least) coffee-- and there is always a coffee cart right outside a subway stop-- but here you can go 9 blocks without even a crappy cup of coffee. It's got to be because you get arrested for eating and drinking on the subway. Or maybe it's that there aren't a whole lot of people here.
BURITTO CART!!!!!!!!!
right outside faragut north metro on k!!!! this guy is so nice and makes the best flippin burittos!!!
How can anyone not mention Menoush on GW's campus? He's a Foggy Bottom institution.
We could really use some do-it-yourself CARWASH places. they are all over in the south but here we have none. either you drive through someplace or have to pay someone to do it for you. with so many apartment residents who are resticted from using the water to wash cars, this option would be so nice.
For an excellent (ridiculously cheap) coffee cart experience, try Sammy's on Virginia and 22nd. It puts Starbucks lattes to shame. Shame I tell you!
Fxxk Portland...DC forever.
Liverpool - City of Culture and Champions of Europe (for one more week).
DC - You'll Never Walk Alone.
Holly,
While I agree we could definitely use lots more car washing options, you should know that there is a small self-serve car wash at 11th & Rhode Island NW. It's only open on weekdays, though, which is a little annoying.
I want a roasted nut cart! They smell so good!
How can NYC have hundreds & we have none!?!
Ben's at 24th and N for coffee ...
I want a G-d breakfast taco cart! There is nothing in the morning like a breakfast taco, a little eggs, potato, cheese, maybe some chorizo... ooooh me so hungy!!!
So we've got the demand, we've certainly got the immigrants to run the stands, what now?
Can we bother the city council members to worry, act or even think about such things? What's the major malfunction here? Are we just some pseudo-intellectuals who love to complain on a message boards and that's as far as it will go? Oh well, back to my cubicle.
Hey John
I'm sure esoteric soccer references will go down easily here.. but seriously, do you think the Gunners have a chance? Are you rooting for them actually?
Lest we forget...
The Downtown BID is working with the city to change the silly rules restricting street food in the city. Yes it is taking too long; however, sometime in the not so distant future we will have plent of burrito stands, taco carts, nut roasters (DC actually has had some of these in the past but DCRA always quickly shuts them down), empanada purveyors, crepe makers (hopefully!!) and, of course, plenty of espresso stands (though I do think there are a fair number of the espresso carts now, perhaps not as many as ten years ago BUT that was before Starbucks (almost 100 in DC alone now), Carribou, Port City, Murky's, Tryst etc. took over half the storefronts in the city).
Who knows what with this pending explosion of street food, DC might soon challenge Dallas, Houston and San Antonio for the annual Fat City Award!
if there were more seats in public areas, and if we could eat on the Metro, there would be more and better food carts.
Pinaki -
I'd like to see Barca win , just because I think it's a shame they only have one Euro Cup to their name despite their standing as a huge club.
If the Arsenal do it then fair play to them, and all Wenger has to do is win it another four times and maybe he would be fit it lace up Shankley's boots...
We won it at Wemberly
We won it in Gay Paree
In 77 and '84 it was Rome
We've won it five times
We've won it five ti-i-imes
In Istanbul, we won it five times
"Blood-sucking landlord"
Now, isn't this a bit of a stereotype? Sure, I'm sure there are bad landlords out there, but there are also good ones.
Excuse me, Downtown Tim, but Chicago was named the fattest city last year, followed by LV and LA. (Men's Fitness). Let's give credit where credit is due.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=3787974
And crepes! If I could get breakfast tacos and crepes from a cart all in one day, I would die happy.
Breakfast carts. My time in NYC was always visiting relatives or travelling to conferences, so I didn't have time to get to carts. My company used to be based in Philly, which I loved. $1.50 for an egg sandwich that came from an egg I could see! Not a McDonald's egg that could have come from a carton or some chains where eggs come from a liquid mixture. Love the real eggs. Wish we had them here.
DINERS!!! There's no plethora of 24 hour restaurants in the district (okay, okay, besides the obvious "Diner" in Adams Morgan, which does have a closing time) that serves cheap, mouth watering, greasy hangover drenching food from an endless menu of anything you could possibly want at all times of the day. This is what we're missing! All we have are restaurants that serve brunch up until a certain time on weekends, and cost an arm and a leg. Bring on the diners!
Best food cart in the city:
Manouch at 21st between I and H on the GW campus. This guy is great, not only does he have his special recipe sauce, drizzle his pretzels in oil before cooking, he also will give you philosophical advice on anything that you want to know.
You should see it every weekend night thurs-sat late
I've been going by it forever and never noticeed it, but there is a little do-it-yourself car wash place at the corner of 11th & Rhode Island.
Menoush! ('nuff said)
Manouch is awesome, his philosophy is fantastic and his pretzels are oil drizzled and delicious. Too bad he's only there at 21st and H between 12 and 3AM, and the line of drunks is often too long for me.
I miss the burrito lady that used have a cart on H st. between 21st and 22nd outside gelman. Best lunch for $4 anywhere in NW. Where did she go?
FWIW, the burrito cart at 17th & K is not the same one that was at 15th & K (outside CVS) for years. That guy was a former attorney & there were newspaper stories written about him. I'm not sure if his cart is even there anymore.
Pedro & Vinny's (veggie burritos) at 17th & K also serves coffees & lattes, but mornings only. I found that out the hard way when I hankered for a cappuccino for lunch.
It's not a cart, but if you want cheap but good pupusas & (authentic Mex., not Tex-Mex) tacos downtown, visit Moses Taqueria/Pupuseria carry-out on 14th St near N. Only $2 each & so good!
I second the guy who mentioned the taco truck on 18th near Mozart, they're good.
There used to be a pasta cart and an espresso cart on GW's campus (H street outside Gelman) but they may be gone. Both the pasta and the espresso drinks were tasty. They kept me awake after many all-nighters.
name your favorite or the most unique vendors/vendor foods available in dc. i'm looking to photograph street food vendors for a school project.