- 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/

(Photo: Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau)

TRAVERSE CITY – Long known for its scenic beauty and recreational bounty, this Lake Michigan resort community has also been attracting attention as one of America’s most unique culinary destinations, thanks to fans like celebrity chef Maro Batali, and was named one of the country’s Top Five Foodie Towns by Bon Appetit..

But for all its restaurants, wine bars and brewpubs, the town has lacked one key ingredient of a vibrant urban food scene: good, cheap street food.

Until now.

After months of heated debate, local officials agreed this spring to make it easier and less expensive for mobile food vendors to operate in the city. Almost immediately, a half-dozen food truck operators announced that they were setting up shop in Traverse City’s shady downtown district — and a pair of transplanted New York restaurateurs has even opened a bar whose parking lot serves as a base for the trucks and their customers.

The community’s first food truck, Roaming Harvest, is operated by Simon Joesph, a passionate advocate for locally-grown cuisine and street food. Like a farm-to-table restaurant, its menu changes daily and features local breads, meats, dairy, fruits, vegetables and jams. Bouyed by the city’s new acceptance of what he calls “mobile restaurants,” Simon has bought a second vehicle, named Little Yella, that will offer lighter items — simple sandwiches, salads and curries — than its older brother.

Other pioneer food trucks include King Wubbz Pita Dubz, the brainchild of local foodie Brian Welburn and Curbie, a 1946 Ford drafted into service in 2012 by Sam Porter, organizer of the Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival and several other food-themed events. (The brightly painted truck is operated by a staff of student interns, serving locally made sodas, ice cream and dishes from whitefish tacos to paella, at special events and downtown festivals.)

Food trucks outside the State StreEt post office.

Those early arrivals operated in uncertain waters, never sure if they were about to be regulated or taxed out of business, until city officials hammered out an agreement this spring that gave them more permanent status. The new regulations established regular hours of operation, delineated zones where the trucks can operate, and reduced permit fees from $100 a day to as little as $725 annually.

The new policy wasn’t embraced by everyone in the city’s culinary establishment. Owners of some downtown restaurants complained that the mobile eateries had an unfair competitive advantage, since they were exempt from high property taxes and could simply shut down when cold weather thins out the pool of customers.

But even before the policy was hammered out, Gary and Allison Jonas – who created the popular Brooklyn eateries Sycamore and The Farm on Adderly before moving to Traverse City, announced that they were turning a former party store into The Little Fleet, a full-service bar whose food service is being largely provided by the food trucks they’ve invited to open up shop in their parking lot.

The Jonas’s customers will be able to buy meals outside – from trucks or from nearby restaurants – and either bring them indoors to the bar or enjoy them in an outdoor patio. With heat lamps and other amenities, the couple is even hoping to keep the street food scene chugging along through Traverse City’s sometimes harsh winter months.

“We think it’s going to bring a lot of spirit to our city,” they said.

Anchor Station, outside the Little Fleet on Front Street

Almost all the new food trucks involved the venture are owned or operated by existing Traverse City restaurateurs. They include:

Anchor Station from Michael Peterson, owner of Siren Hall and Lulu’s Bistro, which has already made a few festival appearances. The new truck will pair some festival favorites with dishes including blackened fish, burgers, falafel and french fries tossed with smoked pork belly, Asiago cheese, scallions and herbs.)

The Dragon Wagon, an Asian-flavored entry from Dan Marsh, owner of Red Ginger, with dishes like duck confit quesadillas, sushi, bao buns and gourmet “sliders” featuring crab cakes and seared tuna.

EZ Cheesy, a Jonas-owned truck operated by Kim Ryan, formerly of The Cooks’ House and the Om Café that will specialize in upscale grilled cheese sandwiches (featuring locally sourced cheeses and breads) as well as unique sides and rotating specials.

Pigs Eatin’ Ribs, from chef Adam Kline, who pioneered the street food scene in neighboring Charlevoix. Kline intends to present a revolving menu centered around favorites like St. Louis spare ribs, pulled pork, brisket and probably a chicken item of some kind.

To learn more about other summer events, festivals and activities in Traverse City, contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at http://www.traversecity.com. For more information about The Little Fleet and Traverse City’s food truck scene, go to http://www.thelittlefleet.com.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/06/12/food-trucks-roar-into-traverse-citys-culinary-scene/

Jason Muffett orders lunch from Jeannie Tucker at the Eat at State On-The-Go Food Truck outside the MSU Auditorium on campus Thursday 5/30/2013. The truck has a wide menu variety, featuring foods from MSU.
-Rod Sanford | Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING — The Eat at State On-The-Go food truck was born as a a kind of conciliatory gesture.

The cafeteria at Michigan State University’s Shaw Hall was closed last fall for renovations. The university isn’t exactly short on dining halls but the people in culinary services nonetheless wanted students living in Shaw to have another option at their doorstep.

They rented a food truck, gave it an unwieldy name and had it parked outside by the third week of September.

The truck turned out to be something more than a temporary fix. Untethered from Shaw since the dormitory’s dining hall reopened in January, it now moves between locations in the center of campus.

Jason Muffett finishes lunch as others wait in line at the Eat at State On-The-Go Food Truck outside the MSU Auditorium on campus Thursday. / Rod Sanford | Lansing State Journal

Eat at State also has developed its own following. Most particularly, its cheeseburger has developed a following.

The beef in the smoked cheddar cheeseburger comes from MSU’s herds, either on campus or in the Upper Peninsula. The smoked cheddar and sharp cheddar (the official name leaves out the latter) come at least partly from MSU dairy cows and entirely from the MSU Dairy Store. The greens come from the university’s Student Organic Farm.

Last month, the burger won top honors in the National Association of College and University Food Services’ best local foods recipe contest.

“We wanted (the menu) to be something comfort-food related, kind of grab-and-go pub food,” said Kurt Kwiatkowski, corporate chef for culinary services unit, which runs food service operations in campus dining halls, coffee shops and convenience stores. But he and his staff also wanted to tap into the rising demand for local, organic food – food with a discernible place of origin.

“We’re an ag college,” he said. “We have it right here.”

And so the grilled cheese sandwich has MSU Gruyère and pesto made with spinach from the Student Organic Farm. The greens in the salad and the chicken sandwich are from the organic farm, as well. The desserts are from MSU Bakers.

The strategy has inspired others. A second university-owned food truck, dubbed Food for Thought, hit the campus streets and parking lots in March. It is run by the Spartan Hospitality Group, which also runs the State Room in the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

The menu veers toward the international. The sourcing is largely local.

“The organic farms raises seven to 10 pigs for us each year that are harvested in the fall, so thus far all the pork we’ve served out of this truck has been from the organic farm,” said Matt Wilson, the sous chef in charge of the Food for Thought truck. The truck uses herb grown in a hoop house next to Bailey Hall, cheese and ice cream from the MSU Dairy, bread from MSU’s bakery.

In one sense, the Food for Thought truck is “an extension of the brand of food we do,” Wilson said. The Spartan Hospitality Group does catering on campus and beyond and giving the general public another chance to sample its wares seemed to make sense.

“But one of the main reasons we did it is because it’s fun,” said Mike Clyne, the Spartan Hospitality Group’s senior executive chef.

The people running the Eat at State On-The-Go food truck learned quickly that weather is not incidental to the success of a venue that asks its customers to wait outside. The truck served an average of 115 people a day during the school year. On warm and sunny days, the average was closer to 200.

And so summer, despite the smaller numbers of students, is in some ways a prime season. On a recent Thursday, parked in a shady spot in front of the MSU Auditorium, the truck was doing a brisk lunchtime business, mostly in cheeseburgers.

“When you’re eating our food,” said chef manager Kari Magee, “you’re tasting MSU.”

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20130607/NEWS06/306070043/?nclick_check=1

courtesy of last year Dearborn Food Truck Festival via google

DEARBORN — Mobile food trucks will roll in for much of the outdoor recreation season at events hosted by the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, as well as at the city’s Homecoming festival.

Food trucks are mobile restaurants serving “street food” — ranging from hamburgers, hot dogs and tacos to gourmet sandwiches and specialty dishes.

Pending City Council approval, expected Tuesday, the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority will host six Dearborn food truck rallies in 2013.

The events will take place at various locations in west downtown Dearborn from 5 to 9 p.m. on the following Fridays: May 17, June 7, July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 20 and Oct. 11.

The June 7 Food Truck Rally will be part of the West Dearborn Block Party. The block party, a celebration of local business and live music, will take place June 7 and 8.

The July 12 and Aug. 9 rallies will take place alongside concerts as part of the West Dearborn Concert Series, held behind the Bryant Library.

Additionally, the popular food trucks will be part of the offerings at the Dearborn Homecoming Festival this summer. For the first time, food truck vendors will pair with local nonprofits to join in efforts to raise funds for good causes, as well as to feed hungry festival-goers.

The Homecoming festival will take place Aug. 2, 3 and 4 in Ford Field Park.

http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2013/05/10/news/doc518d0deaca492721349311.txt?viewmode=fullstory

via facebook

TRAVERSE CITY, MI — When nobody is completely happy, that means you have a good compromise.

That’s how food truck owner Simon Joseph is looking at the recent 5-2 decision by Traverse City commissioners to allow the mobile kitchens to set up in the northern Michigan city’s downtown area starting Thursday, May 16.

“I think it’s the right step and a good direction for Traverse City,” said Joseph, owner of the Roaming Harvest Food Truck and an outspoken advocate during the past year for eased restrictions and lower fees for mobile food vendors in town.

Despite some opposition by downtown restaurant owners, commissioners at their regular meeting on Monday, May 6 agreed to allow food trucks to operate on city property in select areas following a year of study and debate over the issue.

Related: Food truck revolution hits northern Michigan

The Roaming Harvest Food Truck operated by Simon Joseph of Lake Ann. Joseph as been vocal in the debate about food trucks in Traverse City.

The new “trial basis” ordinance allows up to two mobile food vendors to operate on city property from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. in four different city parking lots.

Areas given the green light for food trucks include city lots near the volleyball courts on West Bay, near the Union Street dam, the downtown post office and the site of the farmer’s market — although not while the market is operating on Saturday mornings.

Other areas were approved for food trucks near the Northwestern Michigan College and Traverse City Central High school campuses, the Grand Traverse County Civic Center, Munson Medical Center and city parks outside of the downtown district.

Until now, food trucks have been restricted to private property and were charged up to $100 per day to operate in some cases.

Vendors will now pay about $1,225 per year — $725 for an annual permit to park on private property, and $500 to park on public property.

While that’s “substantially higher” than some cities, Joseph told MLive it “does mitigate the argument that we’re using public land for nothing.”

Not everyone was thrilled at the compromise.

”All I’ve been fighting for is my employees because it’s just not that lucrative of a business,” Nick McAllister, owner of the House of Doggs on Union Street told the Traverse City Record Eagle. “It’s a lot of rent and taxes and everything just to be in these prime locations downtown.”

McAllister’s business is located next to several bars and caters to a late night crowd. Joseph said his only real bone of contention with the city’s decision was that “the hours are a bit arbitrary.”

He’d like to be able to score some of that late night business, he said, but could only do so until 11 p.m.

Joseph’s food truck will soon have some company in northern Michigan. Five new food trucks are expected to operate at a new downtown bar that’s opening on East Front Street, according to The Ticker news site.

New trucks include The Dragon Wagon, EZ Cheesy, Pigs Eatin’ Ribs and Anchor Station, as well as a second vehicle for Joseph called Little Yella.

While some readers have suggested that cities the size of Grand Rapids cannot support more than one or two food trucks following news that The Silver Spork owner Molly Clauhs was parking her vehicle for good, Joseph believes Traverse City (and Grand Rapids) could support more vehicles — at least during the summer months.

“I think in the middle of winter there’s certainly limitations,” he said. “It’s all about what the market will bear out. We’re going to find that out. I think Traverse City did a good job balancing the public and private element and opening up the market.”

Commissioners plan to review the ordinance in October.

http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/05/traverse_city_food_truck_owner.html

/Steph Harding

Two years ago – nearly to the day – I moved to Grand Rapids with my boyfriend Joel, cat, personal possessions and newly purchased food truck. A year prior, I graduated from college and moved away from my friends, family, Joel, beloved alma mater and routine to a tiny town in upstate New York called Pine Plains where I worked as an innkeeper. The post college stint just didn’t resonate with me and when Joel relocated to Michigan, I decided to tag along. I also decided to chop off 14 inches of hair and buy a food truck. I was looking for a new chapter, a challenging entrepreneurial experience and a risk that made life feel exciting.

I didn’t change my life’s course to fulfill a dream of owning a food truck; I did it for adventure. And now, two years later, as I reflect on the Silver Spork experience, I am content to announce that I’ve decided to move on. Businesses open and close all the time. This story is not remarkable. But before I close this chapter and explore new paths, I want to share what I learned with you because this food truck gig truly was a community effort.

I learned that entrepreneurship adds meaning to life but is difficult and, at times, scary. Like when you’re merging onto the highway for the first time, driving solo in a commercial truck, praying your blind spots are clear.

/Steph Harding

I realized school is a really comfortable, inspiring place to be, but I learned significantly more in the back of my food truck than during my undergrad years at Cornell University. The business was my professor and every day I was working in a classroom, in my case a kitchen on wheels. A business has life and personality and the open-minded entrepreneur is in a position to experience profound personal and professional growth.

I learned that if you want to get to know a city and its residents, you should operate a small business… in particular, a mobile one. Through the food truck, I met dozens of amazing people. Together they sustained, guided and supported The Silver Spork and myself. From folks who followed the truck around town, to farmers who grew the vegetables, to professionals who graciously gave me advice, it was wonderful to get to know my new home and those who form the community better and better each day.

I grew up in a family of cooks, so I was more than comfortable in the kitchen, but cooking for a small restaurant is an entirely different animal. I really learned to cook thanks to a constantly changing menu and a diverse set of clientele.

I learned no one will ever care about my business as much as me because the employee does not have skin in the game like the owner. However, watching the business operate sans moi was beyond fulfilling. I learned that a sell-out 16-hour day is tiring, but sore feet are nothing compared to the feeling of accomplishment and contentment from a day filled with serving food we were proud of and energizing teamwork.

I moved to Grand Rapids because I’d heard good things from my uncle who lives in Rockford. I liked the cobblestone streets and the breakfast at Gaia during a weekend visit. Joel and I agreed we’d like the rivers, beer and low cost of living. I’d heard about ArtPrize, too, which sounded like a pretty cool event. It seemed like a city that had room for growth and entrepreneurship; in other words, everything wasn’t figured out. Now, two years later, our intuition was correct. We love the canoeing, hanging out at breweries and could even afford to purchase a home. What I didn’t intuit was how gracious and accepting the city would be to a small little food business like mine. Whether you’re senior at a large corporate organization or running a food truck business out of your driveway, we’re all on the same team here and it’s never more evident than when I’m feeding a line of hungry, happy folks.

Something else I learned, perhaps the most important lesson, is that it’s okay to not have it all figured out. My life’s work is so important to me – even though I don’t yet know where I’ll end up. I’m thrilled I had the experience to own and operate a food truck. Walking away from something wonderful isn’t easy, but I’m ready to take the next step in pursuit of finding my raison d’etre.

I’m currently working for the Downtown Market coordinating the leasing effort and connecting food entrepreneurs with spaces in which to start or grow their business. I’m also in the initial stages of launching a guided travel business as well as teaching cooking classes.

Perhaps The Silver Spork will find a new owner and pop up again around Grand Rapids, but for now, it’s farewell. I am ever grateful for the incredible experience received through The Silver Spork and the Grand Rapids community.

http://therapidian.org/dear-silver-spork-its-not-you-its-me

GRAND TRAVERSE CO. – Food trucks may soon be rolling into downtown Traverse City.

A vote allowing food trucks on city property is expected at Monday’s city commission meeting.

The ordinance would allow up to two mobile food vendors to operate on city property from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. in four different city parking lots. The proposed areas would be downtown and on State Street between Pine and Union.

Currently, food trucks are allowed on private property in Traverse City, where the rates are very expensive. Under the new ordinance, food trucks will be allowed on city property like parking lots downtown. Vendors would pay a fee of $1,225 per year to park on city property.

The ordinance would also open streets in near Northwestern Michigan College, the Civic Center, Munson Medical Center and several of Traverse City’s larger parks.

Some brick-and-mortar businesses downtown are not in favor of the food truck ordinance, saying it will devalue some of the current restaurants downtown.

Mike Busley, Owner of Grand Traverse Pie Company, is not against the idea of food trucks but would like to see the current policy stay in place. The current policy only allows food vendor trucks to operate on private property. Busley says, “it’s allocating what I consider very limited resources, our parking. During the prime summer months, we’ll be allocating parking for food trucks rather than our guests. There’s a lot of growth, a lot of food businesses downtown that operate on a very fair and competitive basis. We’re all paying rent, we’re all making serious investments…all I’m saying is let’s keep the playing field fair.”

But food truck vendors say they don’t believe they have a distinct advantage over downtown brick-and-mortar businesses. “I’m a weather dependent business for one, if it rains my dining room is soaked and people don’t show up. I have year-round lease, I have payments, this isn’t cheap. Just because someone may have invested more in a brick -and-mortar restaurant, I’m not sure that just because you own a restaurant and have downtown property taxes that you would get the right to all the business there,” says Simon Joseph, Owner of Roaming Harvest Food Truck.

The vote is expected to place at Monday’s city commission meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Governmental Center. Also scheduled is a public hearing on the $30 million operating budget proposal.

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=894114#.UYhPKKJmiSo

A new food truck in the works from Winchester owner Paul Lee.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A West Michigan food truck owner is doubling down on mobile eats.

Paul Lee, owner of The Winchester bar on Wealthy Street SE, recently bought a 1956 Chevy Kurb-Side delivery truck and is having it retrofitted as a companion to his What The Truck food truck.

The new truck, a 3-speed manual transmission, is smaller, about 14-foot long versus the 22-foot What The Truck. Lee bought it an estate sale in California, where it was used as a bakery delivery truck, and had it shipped back to Michigan.

Due to its smaller size, which makes it difficult to cram-in too much cooking equipment, Lee said the new truck may sell cold items like deli sandwiches.

The idea is to have “a couple trucks so when we travel, we can bring along a couple and create a little truck lot wherever we go,” he said. Lots with multiple food trucks are a common sight in larger cities like Austin, Tex.

Lee hasn’t landed on a name for the truck yet, but “it won’t be ‘What The Truck 2’.”

The new truck could possibly be on the road later this summer.

Also in the works from Lee is a new taquiera bar at 665 Wealthy Street across the street from The Winchester.

The new concept restaurant is working its way through the construction permitting process, but Lee said it is still planning to open this year.

What The Truck already has a busy summer lined-up.

“Every weekend in June, July and getting into August is already booked,” he said. “Right now, we’re trying to find places for it during the week.”

The truck, which serves tacos, hit events around West Michigan as well as taking road trips to Traverse City and the Electric Forest Festival at Rothbury last summer.

“Most likely, we’ll probably do breakfast, maybe on Wealthy Street,” he said. “We may try to get into the farmers market and I have an application to get into the new Downtown Market.”

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2013/04/new_grand_rapids_food_truck_in.html

With one food truck already roaming campus offering traditional meals, the Spartan Hospitality Group decided to add a second food truck to the mix this week.

The green and white Food for Thought truck is covered with illustrations of continents and quotes about food. The chefs plan to serve some international meals, although specific menu options have not been decided yet.

The decision for the menu theme was based off of MSU’s high international student population and the popularity of that food among all students. one of the chefs for the truck, Matt Wilson, said.

“(We) wanted to get that out there to the students and give them all a chance to try this sort of thing,” Wilson said.

The truck will be in action through the rest of the semester and into the summer, with current plans of running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Catering and attending weekend events aren’t out of the question either, Director of the Spartan Hospitality Group Joel Heberlein said.

The Food for Thought food truck pictured on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, in front of Kellogg Center. This was the truck’s second day of serving food. Katie Stiefel/The State News

Heberlein believes Food for Thought will be different from traditional food trucks because of the many options and constantly changing menu the truck offers.

Tuesday, the truck served tomato soup, grilled cheese, caesar salad and pork wraps.
“Some trucks are known as barbecue trucks — we’re not that.” Heberlein said. “We might do it for a week or something, but I don’t know yet. It allows us to experiment and allows us more flexibility.”

Like its ever-evolving menu, the food truck was stationed outside Kellogg Center the past few days and will remain there for the rest of the week, but will set up in a different part of campus regularly, Wilson said.

Wilson said the new menu items and locations of the truck will be posted on the organization’s Twitter @MSUfoodtruck.

Special education junior Kenzie Gatewood and some of her coworkers from Kellogg were intrigued to test out the new truck yesterday for lunch.

“(I got a) grilled cheese and tomato soup because it has Dairy Store cheese on it, and I really like that,” Gatewood said.

“We got an email that there was going to be a discount today for people who work in the Kellogg Center, so we thought we would try it out.”

Heberlein is hoping the new food truck also will serve as a resource for faculty and staff to get lunch on campus.

“The ultimate goal is to add value to the Spartan experience by providing access to mobile food,” he said.

“It’s got to be self-sufficient financially, but just by providing a service that currently isn’t there we might find a niche.”

http://statenews.com/article/2013/03/new-msu-food-truck-debuts-on-campus_0326_0326

via facebook.com

From the Paris of the Midwest to the New Orleans of the North: Detroit is getting a taste of the Bayou with Beignets.

After many years of travelling to the Big Easy and enjoying late-night beignets with chicory coffee at the famous Café du Monde, Michele Pearson and her partner Mark Hausner launched Beignets to bring the dense French doughnut to Detroit. “We just loved the fact that when people were together eating beignets all hours of the night, listening to zydeco, they were happy,” says Pearson. “We figured with the French influence in Detroit, why doesn’t Detroit have something like this?”

They started introducing Beignets to Detroit with a food truck currently operating Saturdays at Eastern Market and at various food truck meet-ups. “From the warm welcome we’ve been getting from the beignet truck, the opportunity presented itself (to open a store) in Hamtramck, where both myself and (Hausner) have roots,” says Pearson, who is also an interior designer and owns the Yoga Suite in Hamtramck. “We want to do what we can to bring business to Hamtramck.”

Beignets will be located on Joseph Campau next to the soon-to-open Flavor Restaurant. The two businesses are open to each other through their shared wall, and will also share a kitchen.

Beignets will serve the namesake pastry as well as chicory coffee (another New Orleans specialty) and regular coffee. The café will be open both early morning and late evening hours to capture some of the nightlife crowd. It will seat 30-40 people with free WiFi, and also has an outdoor patio out back where there will be more café seating and live music during the spring and summer.

Renovations are underway inside and Beignets will open by early summer. The truck will continue to operate at local events and farmers markets.

Source: Michele Pearson, co-owner of Beignets

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/beignetsopeninginhamtramck.aspx