David (from Boulder, CO, I think) wonders about the variety of New York street carts:
I have pictured NYC as the land of hot dogs and pretzels. I had no idea shishkebab was easily had from vendors. I wonder what else I'm missing. Are there souffle carts? Prime rib stands?
I haven't found a prime rib stand yet, but you can get a pretty good steak and cheese sandwich at any number of carts. For a sampling, check out the Vendy Awards, which celebrate the best of street food. Recent finalists included Indian, Middle Eastern, Jamaican and Belgian food.
I actually think the dirty water hot dog people associate with New York is one of the most overrated foods in town. I'll take a Mideast or Latin food cart any day over those flimsy tubes. On another topic, is it fair to compare a food truck with a food cart in the same contest? A truck has major advantages in terms of kitchen size, storage space, power and mobility versus a cart. I think trucks should compete in a separate category from true carts. Or at least carts should get their score multiplied by an Olympic-style degree of difficulty. Running a high-volume kitchen is hard already. Cart pushers deserve extra credit for cooking good food fast, all while standing out in the elements with an improvised kitchen. By the way, if there's anyone else in Boulder with a taste for street meat, David says you should keep an eye on Comida, a taco truck in the making. /mg
(Photo: Flickr Creative Commons / laram777)
