ottawa foodies

In case you needed yet another reason to aim for total replacement of city council in this October's municipal election: www.ottawacitizen.com

ref: Forum - food trucks
ref: Forum - Street Food in Ottawa

I am with you on this one. Was in Toronto last week and had a lovely
"curry bunnie" basically a naan wrap with chicken curry from a street vendor $5.00 came with a can of pop or bottled water, not bad value for a quick on the go lunch.

I'm on board with that!

This is a shame. I find there is an appeal to buying from a street vendor.
When I went to T.O. last year, my buddies and I ordered from a street vendor. He was very friendly, outgoing and says "hi" to his regulars. Can't get that kind of service in some restaurants.

I love street food--and don't necessarily love poutine and pogos. I for one am going to inform my city councillor I would like to see this bylaw changed. I love the street food on Gerrard Street in Toronto-check out "Little India" on a summer evening!

Bureaucratic nightmares aside, I have a naïve question. From the article:

"People will say that I should try the specialty Japanese hot dogs they sell in Vancouver," says Lay, who loves nothing better than buying a banana pancake or spring roll on the streets of Thailand. "But this isn't Vancouver. And it's not New York, or a city in Asia with millions of people."

This is a common refrain among the vendors. Ottawans like their fries and dogs and sausages, but they aren't about to shell out more than a few dollars for something more adventurous.

Is it absolutely necessary for something more adventurous to cost more than a few dollars anyway? I'd have thought that it would be pretty easy to compete on price with the sausage-and-fries people, and therefore it would be pretty easy to be very successful in this space.

(See, my question is naïve because I have absolutely no idea how much it would cost to run a taco truck. Or a sausage cart, for that matter.)

I wonder what the standing time of a truck would be before bi-law wienies would show up and ticket? Taco trucks are outlawed in LA but the are everywhere and move on consistent basis - there are web sites to track them. God bless our parochial city!

I've often thought of setting something up at the front of my driveway on busy market days. Not sure what though - maybe smoked chicken drumsticks? What would be a fair price for that?

I should email my councilor and ask how to get a permit for this :-)

I wonder if people have to apply for a special permit for the Landsdowne Farmer's market? They definitely serve food there that isn't your typical chip truck fare.

I agree, very good story in the Citizen ... In general, restos don't like street vendors because they take away business but, hey, I think street vendors (licenced and inspected for health) add vibrancy to the cityscape. One interesting footnote, however: Last summer in Chicago I noted no street food carts. None downtown, anyway. Odd.

Taco/Burrito truck I think I would follow it around the city if we had one here.

Kind of off topic, but relates to Ken V's "following the taco truck". You know the Tim Horton's mini stores beside the actual store while they do renos? I, and a radio dj, have wondered what if they made it mobile. Could you imagine ordering a Timmies while driving (safely) on the 417? Yes, it's far-fetched, but possible in the distant future.

And I would also follow an authentic Mexican vendor around town. I guess these vendors would be like an ice cream truck, but with food. I believe a guy had or has a mobile cookie truck in Ottawa? Gotta find that article.

I think this is the cookie truck guy: B. Goods

I would follow the Indian food vendor around town... Chicken curry with rice... possibly a piece of naan bread. Yum.

Yup, FF is right, but I think Brad's doing more business through wholesale (Herb & Spice, Byward Fruit Market and Bytowne Theatre, come to mind) than through truck sales.

Ron - Chicago has outlawed street vendors. The notable exception would be the amazing mexican food served at the Maxwell street Market on Sundays. There is however an underground/non-licensed food scene, including guys doing taco's out of their garage - just not too mobile.