Voting is over and the District’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs announced Friday the 20 food carts/trucks voted into the 1st annual D.C. Curbside Cookoff. More than 4800 votes were cast in online voting, picking the finalists from more than 500 registered street food vendors in the D.C.-area. The 20 favorites will gather October 7-8 at the CityCenterDC, formerly known as the Old Washington Convention Center.
After the jump, the list of 20.
Undoubtedly, the quirkiness and kitsch of traveling kitchens serving higher-than-pedestrian dishes are reflected in the list. 15 out of the 20 vendors are mobile trucks, few if any selling anything resembling a tube of meat — the product of choice for the majority of the 500+ food carts across the city.
There are a few other surprises revealed from the list. The lunchtime crowd must love Korean food, with the Yellow Cart, Yellow Truck and Takorean taking spots on the list. Apparently garlicky breath is not a problem in the office. When it comes to brick and mortar establishments, sushi, chow mein and pad thai seem to dominate, while Korean and other Southeast Asian cuisines lag far behind. The ubiquitous food truck may be the answer to fill in some gaping holes.
Also, the appearance of Fry Captain, Lobster Truck and Takorean may raise a few eyebrows. These trucks have been open for only a few weeks; how can they be so popular whereas restaurants usually take months, if they’re lucky, to garner a following? Maybe the fact that a glut of articles, blog posts and salivating online fanatics have started these trucks off on the right foot. Like any other traditional business, it’s all about the hype, and we’ll be sure to see a ravenous flurry at any hint of a new truck.
Lastly, Food Chain DC sticks out from the group, since it isn’t a singular entity. Rather the business has partnered with nine existing vendors to raise the level of food served. Although Food Chain DC doesn’t have the flair of the other trucks, it may be doing the most change the vendor landscape.
