- Monroe News photo by TOM HAWLEY Dog Pound traveling standMonroe News photo by TOM HAWLEY Cheri Sicuso owner of The Dog Pound, a traveling vendor, and her brother Scott Smith sell a couple of hotdogs to Steve Sontag down at Loranger Square Thursday afternoon.

After a four-year battle that she did not relish, Cheri Sicuso began selling hot dogs Thursday from a cart in downtown Monroe.

The Dog Pound opened in Loranger Square just before noon, representing a truce, of sorts, between the Monroe woman and city officials, who had maintained that city ordinances would not permit her business.

It led to a long court battle that, technically, remains in progress at the federal appeals court level, but resulted in the city changing its peddlers and hawkers law.

“I am so excited, I can’t stand it,” Mrs. Sicuso said shortly after staffing the booth with her brother, Scott Smith. “This is what I wanted for downtown Monroe.”

The little portable food-vending business had intended to start in 2009, but its plan failed to cut the muster with city laws that defined a restricted area where such businesses could not operate.

“The main impediment is that they had the restricted area in the ordinance, which mainly said all the downtown streets were the restricted area,” said Erik G. Chappell, the Dog Pound’s attorney. “That was the most offending part of the ordinance. In the middle of the case, while they were litigating it, they amended the ordinance to take out the restricted area language.”

Mrs. Sicuso applied for her license a week ago and it was issued Monday. She began selling kielbasa, hot dogs, chicken dogs, chips, pop and water and expects to do so from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. most weekdays, changing the menu periodically based on customer feedback.

A stream of people began visiting the booth as the noon hour approached.

Stephen A. Sonntag, a computer technician and owner of Comp-U-Net Solutions, was among the first customers after hearing about the stand at a morning business meeting he was attending.

“I don’t come downtown all that often,” he said, while seated at a picnic table to feast on two hot dogs. He decided to swing by to see if it was true the stand had opened.

Under the law, the cart technically will have to move every 10 minutes. Mrs. Sicuso said she intends to comply but is not sure how it would be enforced because it is not clear how far or how much she would have to move the cart.

“I don’t know what official position is going to be,” Mr. Chappell said. “I’m hoping that does not become an issue.”

Mrs. Sicuso acknowledged she will have to sell a lot of hot dogs to catch up on the legal and attorney costs she incurred to get the business going. Court documents indicated she spent nearly $4,000 for the vending cart.

The court case remains pending with both sides still at odds over court costs and damages.

Mrs. Sicuso said she did not give up and go somewhere else because Monroe’s her home.

“We live here. My husband has got a building and he pays the city $10,000 in taxes for it. I’ve worked down here. Monroe just needs something like this,” she said.

“I hope that everyone realizes that at the end of the day, it’s not so bad,” Mr. Chappell added. “It’s not unattractive and it creates some energy.”

“It’s good. It’s good stuff,” Mr. Sonntag said. “Send more business their way. They’ve struggled long enough. Let’s give them some business.”

http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/jun/16/hot-dog-cart-opens-downtown-monroe/

Mike Pitton
Cathie Coward,The Hamilton Spectator
Mike Pitton of Southern Smoke Truck

Name: Mike Pitton

Age: 38

Position: Owner & Pit Master, Southern Smoke Truck

Job description: I own and operate Southern Smoke Truck, a mobile food truck specializing in Southern Style BBQ in Hamilton and the surrounding areas. My job involves slow smoking all the meats on apple and pear hardwood, scratch-making our signature sauces and dry rubs, daily prep for service, running the order window, and occasionally running the grill. I also custom build food trucks, provide truck storage, do consulting and all things food truck related. I am a licensed mechanic, so I also use my skills to do repairs on fellow truckers’ food trucks and trailers.

Is this the job you thought you’d be doing? Not at all. Although I have always had a love of cooking, it was not a career that I ever thought I would be in. I have spent the better part of 20 years in the automotive industry, and started off as a licensed mechanic. From there it evolved to owning and operating a successful automotive repair garage, teaching, and then lastly a corporate job. It was during this last job, that my love for all things BBQ grew to the point that I needed to find an outlet, which lead to opening a mobile food truck.

Advice to others on launching a career: Stay focused and work hard. Long-term goals are just as important as the short term ones. Ask yourself, will this career allow me to achieve my goals? I truly believe you have to love what you do. The career you choose now, might not be the one that’s right for you in 10 years. Don’t ever be afraid of change.

Roots: Born, raised, work, live and play in Hamilton, and wouldn’t want it any other way.

Facebook Status: Great day #hamont @FTAlleyHamilton with @ontfoodtrucks @SouthernSmokeTk @TonysCorner @CravingsCrazy for lunch, great eats in the city!

Twitter Handle: @hammertownMike

iPhone, Android or BB? iPhone

Recent Tweet or FB update: 4 shoulders off and tented, brisket off in an hour #sticksmokedbbq 1 food truck fixed, 1 on the jacks #nosleepforthewicked

Networks: (Hamilton Hive, YEP Hamilton, CLiC, etc.)

Favourite restaurant in the downtown: Tony’s Corner

Best feature of life in Hamilton: I truly believe our city’s proactive approach to expanding culture & tourism, will allow the continued rejuvenation to happen. From our amazing waterfront development and the downtown revitalization, it will continue to draw people to this great city.

What would make Hamilton a better city: With big corporations closing the doors. I think it’s time Hamilton becomes known for something other than steel. I drive down the Clairmont Access daily, and the view of the city is breathtaking. Entice people to our city with things such as the Bruce Trail, Pier 4, the waterfall illuminations, which showcases to others what our city has to offer.

Contacts: (email/website etc) southernsmoketruck@gmail.com, www.southernsmoketruck.com@SouthernSmokeTk

Quote: (About being a young professional in Hamilton): You Can Do Anything in Hamilton!

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3842356-southern-smoke-a-taste-of-success-keeps-on-truckin-/

Urmila Ramakrishnan
Chef Shack co-owners Carrie Summer (L) and Lisa Carlson (R)

Twin Cities food trucks Vellee Deli andChef Shack are two of the best in the country, according to a new ranking by food website The Daily Meal.

Chef Shack, one of the Twin Cities’ pioneering food trucks, was No. 10 on the 101-truck list. Pan-Asian/Mexican-flavored Vellee Deli was ranked No. 84.

The Daily Meal considered 450 vendors from more than 40 cities, ranking them by Twitter and Facebook followings, reviews, originality and menu innovation concepts.

A New York truck, The Red Hook Lobster Pound, got the No. 1 ranking.

>Click here to see the full list

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2013/06/13/two-twin-cities-food-trucks-named-best.html

Credit Ian McNulty
Vendors and customers gather for a recent food truck event in Central City.

Since the whole food truck trend arrived a few years ago, we’ve grown accustomed to finding these mobile vendors parked individually outside of bars or maybe along some downtown block, angling for lunch traffic. More often now, though, they’re also gathering — five, eight, even a dozen at a time. They look like mini festivals or temporary food truck food courts.

Along the way, an interesting ripple has developed. The organizers of all sorts of events have discovered that food trucks can draw a crowd, and so they’ve been recruiting the trucks to essentially be portable foodie attractions, in the same way a band or celebrity might headline a different event.

For instance, the Fair Grounds Race Course has routinely used food trucks to market a nighttime outing at the horse track to a younger demographic. And if you think this is all just driven by young hipsters, well, consider that civic boosters in Jefferson Parish also organized a recent food truck rally to promote a new image for Fat City, that old entertainment district in Metairie that has seen some heavy-duty facelift work lately.

Meanwhile, a new local events company called My House has been organizing food truck events around New Orleans at a pace so rapid that, frankly, it’s hard to keep up with them all. This company’s latest venture is a whole series of related food truck gatherings called Rolling Through. This series is now underway and continues each Tuesday through the end of June. Each of these events is produced in one of four different neighborhoods and in junction with different community groups working in those neighborhoods. At least part of the idea is to showcase what’s happening in these neighborhoods to people willing to travel across town to sample the latest food truck find. You can find links to details on these events here.

This marriage of food trucks and events sure seems like a symbiotic one. Event producers want people out, after all, and the public curiosity for these hot new trucks sure gets them there. Meanwhile, food truck operators need good locations where, A) people can find them easily, and B) where they know they won’t be run off by authorities, an especially important factor given how opaque the city’s rules on street vending have proven.

Now keep in mind that big crowds and the limits of a small truck-based kitchen mean that sampling the fare of food trucks at these events can often entail quite a wait. If you’re expecting the grab-and-go efficiency of, say, a Jazz Fest food booth, well, this is a different story — something more akin to a bread line glowing with iPhone screens.

But these gatherings do showcase the wide diversity of the food truck circuit, which is growing all the time. And the atmosphere is usually pretty festive too, often with live music, little outdoor bars and plenty of socializing as people nosh the night away. The trucks may be new, but it turns out that particular combination has been a good way to get a New Orleans crowd out for a long time.

http://www.wwno.org/post/where-yeat-keep-food-trucking

Vancouver is not known for its Caribbean food. No chance. While there are some gems to be found, many other regions spring to mind when considering Vancouver’s culinary melting pot. Yet, most Vancouverites know the best place in town to get a taste of the islands is The Reef. With popular locations on Main Street and Commercial Drive, The Reef packs them in with a laid-back vibe, great tunes and johnny cakes. Now, thanks to the wonder of the food cart, the Caribbean vibe is loose on the streets of downtown Vancouver. The Reef Runner is here and just in time for summer.

I had heard a rumour while I was on my way to visit The Reef Runner that they were serving up jerk chicken poutine. I was excited, and even more so when the rumour was found true. To me, poutine is similar to pizza – excellent in almost every incarnation. The Reef Runner’s jerk chicken poutine is definitely no exception. For $8 you get a generous portion and for $2 less you can get the poutine without the bird (unless you are meat-averse, I’d recommend the chicken). It really is superb. I’m a big fan of the spiciness of the jerk (due to scotch bonnet peppers) and how it blends with the gooey cheese curds. Not to mention the bed of crispy kennebec fries. How can you resist this?

While the poutine is enough to fill you up on its own, The Reef Runner has a bunch of other tasty options. I had a ginormous Jamaican beef patty for $4 and while it wasn’t Vancouver’s best Jamaican patty (people who frequent Arbutus Ridge know what I’m talking about), it was huge, quite tasty and perfect to eat while on the go. Between the poutine and Jamaican patty, I was stuffed. They also offered a vegetarian patty, which I believe was tofu filled. Pretty much everything on the menu has a vegetarian counterpart.

I noticed that the jerk chicken roti was popular and with some coleslaw and plantain chips on the side, what’s not to like? They also had a West Indies chicken curry that is definitely next on my Reef Runner hit list. Not that hungry? Grab some plantain chips, which are thinly-sliced, fried pieces of heaven. They make a great snack and are perfect to share. Want to get your jerk on at home? You can buy a bottle of Miss P’s jerk marinade or Miss Kitty’s hot sauce and spice up your next home-cooked meal.

All this spicy food definitly calls for some refreshment and The Reef Runner has you covered there too. For $2, treat yourself to a cup of their homemade ginger beer, a refreshing beverage that is uniquely Caribbean and as quenching as any lemonade. It even comes out of a big blue cooler, just like at the beach.

The Reef is Vancouver’s most well-known Caribbean restaurant and their foray into the Vancouver food cart scene is a welcome one. With unique offerings, heaping portions, amazing music to keep you entertained while you wait (I heard a cool Pearl Jam Jeremy remix that stumped Shazam) and both the taste and vibe of the Caribbean perfectly captured, The Reef Runner is an essential Vancouver food cart lunch destination. Especially on sunny days that have you dreaming of the beach.

The Reef Runner can be found on the corner of Thurlow and Cordova, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. To avoid the disappointment of them selling out of your favourite dish (it happens), get there between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

And don’t worry, be happy.

The Reef Runner

Location:
On the corner of Thurlow and Cordova Street
Downtown Vancouver

Hours:
Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(Check Twitter for special event times and locations)

Twitter:
@ReefMobile

Website:
www.thereefrestaurant.com

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/05/vancouver-food-carts-the-reef-runner/

Patrons enjoy the offerings at the recent Food Truck Eats event. Region staff warned politicians this week that such trucks are not subject to mandatory fire inspections in all municipalities.

If some members of the Region’s public health committee had their way, every town and city in Niagara would be knocking on the door of food trucks inside their borders, asking to inspect their fuel sources.

On Tuesday, as the committee received a staff report on annual food safety inspections of restaurants, banquet halls and variety stores in Niagara, talk turned to how all those food trucks now common at special events and festivals and along roadways and in mall parking lots fit into the inspection picture.

Regional Chair Gary Burroughs, noting restaurants who pay property taxes already resent the fact that food trucks don’t have to, said they’ll want to know that mobile operations have to meet the same safety standards as restaurants and banquet halls.

“Most of them I’ve seen are excellent,” said Burroughs, himself a former restaurateur. “I’m not complaining about them.”

Bill Hunter, manager of environmental health with the Region, said food trucks must undergo the same public health inspections as other food servers. That means having at least three inspections a year for operations considered ‘high risk’ because they serve a variety of food types, at least two inspections a year for those considered ‘medium risk’ because of the type of food they serve, and at least one inspection for ‘low risk’ establishments such as variety stores serving pre-packaged food.

The results of those inspections are also posted on the Region’s inspection website, InfoDine, the way restaurants and banquet hall results are, said Hunter

But he pointed out not all cities and towns in Niagara licence food trucks, meaning some of the trucks aren’t undergoing fire inspections that fall under the jurisdiction of local municipalities.

Port Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey said it’s not uncommon for “MacGyvering” of fuel sources such as propane used to cook food in food trucks, referring to a TV show in the 1980s and 1990s in which the lead character often jury-rigged materials to get himself out of tight spots.

Because they may not be licensed, fire inspections may not be conducted that could spot dangerous fuel setups, said Badawey.

“They can be somewhat of a fireball waiting to explode, a time bomb” he said. “Some of these can be very dangerous.”

Burroughs said the Region should be encouraging the local towns and cities, “without appearing to be Big Brother,” to ensure they’re licensing food trucks so fire safety inspections are carried out.

http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/3837905–time-bombs-may-be-slipping-past-inspections/

(Image: Lee McVittie)

Name: Common Goods (Blue Goose, Lobster Roll and Sully’s Honest Dogs)
Neighbourhood: Harbourfront
Contact Info: 235 Queen Quay West
Owners: All three restaurants are co-owned by Blue Goose Company, Jim Bailey and Michael Sullivan (Victor)
Chef: David Chrystian (Victor), for all three restaurants

The Place: Common Goods is a cluster of reclaimed shipping containers housing three separate restaurants: Blue Goose, Lobster Roll and Sully’s Honest Dogs. Tucked beside the Power Plant Art Gallery at Harbourfront Centre, the crates are designed by Montreal firm Muvbox and painted with cartoon cows and lobsters. Each fully equipped crate kitchen is solar-powered.

The Food: Organic street food including burgers, tacos and lettuce wraps from Blue Goose; clam chowder and lobster rolls from Lobster Roll; and gourmet hot dogs from Sully’s Honest Dogs.

The Drinks: Gingerale from Fresh Ginger and root beer from Henry Weinhard IPA.

The Numbers:
• 12 weeks to take the project from concept to completion
• 4 months the crates will remain open each year (from June through September)
• 3 eight-by-ten-foot custom shipping crates housing Blue Goose, Sully’s Honest Dogs and Lobster Roll
• 2–3 cooks in each mini-kitchen

http://www.torontolife.com/daily-dish/openings/2013/06/13/common-goods-toronto-restaurants/

It’s no secret that Vancouver has a thriving street food scene. It’s been featured numerous times on Eat St. and other television shows and has now been recognized as one of the top street food cities in North America. With the possible arrival of food truck pods, Vancouver’s street food scene is only going to grow.

Here is what Travel + Escape’s Shelley Seale had to say about Vancouver’s Street Food Scene

Hot dog and roasted chestnut stands have been a staple of the Vancouver streets for years, but dozens of full-fledged restaurants have sprung up in this cosmopolitan city in recent years. The city council has actively worked to expand the options for food permits, in order to provide more food truck locations as well as more diverse and nutritious choices. Interestingly, the council is looking at Portland as a possible model for expanding the food cart business.

Currently more than 100 mobile food vendors have permits to serve Vancouver’s hungry masses, mostly in the downtown core.

“The public loves them,” says city council member Heather Deal. “They absolutely adore them, and one of the great things is people are now coming downtown to go for lunch.”

Top Street Food Cities in North America

1. Portland Oregon

2. Austin, Texas

3. Vancouver, BC

4. New York City, New York

5. Toronto, Ontario

To read more about Vancouver’s great street food scene, check out our section on Food Carts.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/04/vancouver-one-of-the-top-street-food-cities-in-north-america/

The city’s fifteen new food trucks will offer everything from Belgian waffles to Filipino fusion to French crepes and pastries on Vancouver’s streets this summer. The new vendors will begin operations this month and once fully-operational, will be among the 114 stationary food trucks on Vancouver’s streets.

“Vancouver’s street food program continues to grow, showcasing some of the best culinary talent in our city,” said Mayor Robertson. “Our street food vendors are gaining international accolades, and this year’s additions are enlivening our streets with even more diverse flavours.”

This year, vendors were also invited to apply to set up in one specific location, along with other vendors. This food truck group or ‘pod’ concept benefits both the public and vendors by offering more choices in one location. Seven of the new vendors will be located along Hamilton Street outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

The City’s Street Vending Program received 29 applications for 15 new stationary permits this year. This year’s applications were reviewed by a four member selection panel with expertise in small business and the food industry, as well as the City’s Engineering Department and Vancouver Coastal Health.

The 15 successful applicants will be in a number of new locations including:

• The Olympic Village
• Abbott Street near Rogers Arena
• Victory Square, across from Vancouver Community College

The City’s street food vendors were recently ranked 3rd best in North America by Travel and Escape Digital Magazine.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/05/new-vancouvers-food-carts-and-food-cart-pods-coming-this-summer/