Food & Drink Feb 22, 2009 at 1:18 pm

From Skillet: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Bethany Jean Clement
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Comments

1
This is a great idea.
on February 22, 2009 at 1:23 PM Report this
2
Not Capitol Hill. Anywhere but.
on February 22, 2009 at 1:23 PM Report this
3
What a great idea! Now all we have to do is educate all the stuffy white liberal freaks that inhabit this town that street food wont kill them.

And yes, fuck Capitol Hill. It should go in the Central district so people stop shooting each other. Or better yet: downtown Seattle. Downtown needs some Anti-Mallification forces about it...
on February 22, 2009 at 1:28 PM Report this
4
Great idea. It could even be permanent like Singapore's hawker stalls
on February 22, 2009 at 1:34 PM Report this
5
I vote for the U District. There's aready enough cool cheap-student-food restaurants there that finding vendors to participate shouldn't be a problem. And the unused swamp across the street from Schmitz Hall, on the north end of The Ave, seems like a good a location as any. Either that or the parking lot on University Way and 50th, whenever the farmer's market isn't using it, i.e., Sundays.
on February 22, 2009 at 1:36 PM Report this
6
Along the Fremont canal would be perfect.

Best food truck in Seattle is FLAIR TACO in Fremont!!!
on February 22, 2009 at 1:44 PM Report this
7
What is stopping them from becoming part of our existing network of weekend markets? Not wanting to pay fees? Wanting to collect fees for themselves? I don't get it.
on February 22, 2009 at 1:47 PM Report this
8
The parking lot at 45th and I-5 across from the Blue Moon. It's big enough and centrally located.
on February 22, 2009 at 2:07 PM Report this
9
U district. the coked out hipsters on Crapitol Hill don't even get up until 3pm on weekends
on February 22, 2009 at 2:13 PM Report this
10
Definitely. I love seeing these when I visit Portland. The ex-Bimbo's/Cha-Cha lot is a perfect location. This would be great during weekend nights.
on February 22, 2009 at 2:26 PM Report this
11
The two residents of this house just ended up shouting excited across the apartment to each other about this, culminating and louder and gradually higher-pitched calls of "Yes! Yes, this!"

Please do it. I'm in Capitol Hill, so that sounds rad to me, but if you establish it, I will eat.

And since when do college students get up that much earlier than coked-up hipsters? Try again.
on February 22, 2009 at 2:30 PM Report this
12
Jefferson Park in Beacon Hill. I spit on your Cha-Cha!
on February 22, 2009 at 3:04 PM Report this
13
This is an another great idea from the Skillet peole, who seem to me like they should be in the running for a Genius Award. Personally I'd never go if it was on fuckitol hill, but somewhere else I'd definitely try it out.
on February 22, 2009 at 3:49 PM Report this
14
east lake union -- there is a parking lot on the north end at roanoke and faireview in front of blue ribbon cooking school that is actually a city street (free!)
on February 22, 2009 at 3:51 PM Report this
15
South Lake Union Park - easy access from Fremont, Easlake, CapHill, B-town Q.A. Wallingford, & SLU. Essentially the nexus of the central core.
on February 22, 2009 at 4:05 PM Report this
16
I vote for the U-District over the Hill, or maybe they could work with one of the local Farmer's Markets - the food they make on-site always tastes like ass.
on February 22, 2009 at 4:24 PM Report this
17
Why make it temporary? It should be permanent. Do you know how many of those little trucks they have in Portland? It must be a hundred. We have NOTHING like that, except what shows up at the various weekly markets.

Speaking of which, REAL tacos al pastor (and huaraches!) at the Fremont Sunday Market! With the meat cooking on the vertical spit and everything!
on February 22, 2009 at 4:26 PM Report this
18
I'm sure the falafel guy that was forced out of Georgetown would be interested.
on February 22, 2009 at 5:28 PM Report this
19
yeah, the u-district with all their cheap eats is a great place why? either south lake union or cap hill would be the better locations. fremont and ballard already have big weekend events featuring food; why have a competing event?

personally, i live on cap hill and would like it there. besides, what street food are people eating much before noon anyways? so what does it matter if the coke heads don't get up until 3pm? and for those that won't come to capitol hill, good, please don't - ever.
on February 22, 2009 at 7:20 PM Report this
20
I love street food!

They used to rotate three spots between ~10 vendors in a parking lot by my old university on weekdays. Fabulous!
on February 22, 2009 at 8:05 PM Report this
21
It's oh-so-trendy to lament the lack of street food in seattle, but spare a thought for the people who actually run a real food business in this city, of which i am one. We employ people, we provide jobs for garbage men, hood cleaners, electricians, repairmen, etc., we pay a shitload of taxes that keeps this city and state going. Now all of a sudden we have to worry about some a-hole who doesn't have any of our expenses driving up and parking in front of our businesses and undercutting us. Fuck that. Support businesses that actually support this city.
on February 22, 2009 at 8:43 PM Report this
22
flair taco? are you f*ckin kidding? lame douchebag hipster selling overpriced, banal and uninspiring taco truck fare? place sucks. waits are too long... there are several taco trucks that are much better.

and while we're talking about skillet, i think it's a great idea. pit them up against 5 real street truck vendors that are budget friendly AND delicious. and watch them quiver and shake.
on February 22, 2009 at 8:52 PM Report this
23
Couple suggestions: UDist parking lot at 50th & Univ Way (where the farmers market operates). S Lake Union wooden boat center on Mercer (poor foot access). Parking lot behind Chipotle on the Ave. Assuming city bribes are paid up: Denny Park (6th & Denny), or Myrtle Edwards/south grassy end of sculpture park.

bb: Do you think street food is exempt from sales or B&O tax? 'Fraid not. The fact that they have lower overhead than you is obvious: no range hood, no range hood cleaning. If you like their model, do it, just get ready for a heck of a marketing challenge once your restaurant has no seating.
on February 22, 2009 at 8:55 PM Report this
24
bb;
Thank you for being the sole source of tax revenue in Washington state. We couldn't do it with you!! You are awesome!! Thanks so much for all the vital services, education, roads etc.! YAY FOR KING BB!!!!!
on February 22, 2009 at 9:35 PM Report this
25
#23 I don't see much in the way of time clocks or cash registers at these taco trucks or hot dog stands which leads me to believe it must be something of a voluntary reporting system. You think they're declaring their full sales when it's so easy to underreport? I strongly doubt it. It is an uneven playing field.

#24 You're welcome.

on February 22, 2009 at 10:21 PM Report this
26
Pike/Pine somewhere on the hill would be fantastic! Also they'd actually get some serious foot traffic, unlike a few of the other neighborhoods mentioned.
on February 22, 2009 at 10:54 PM Report this
27
Great idea, I'm in!
on February 22, 2009 at 11:02 PM Report this
28
Great idea. Gotta admit putting a street meat fair atop the ashes of the Kincora is a sweet idea, but how about some love for the Southend? Rainier valley baby. We already got the best taco truck in the city.

@21 there's room for everybody. Don't be a pill.
on February 23, 2009 at 7:20 AM Report this
29
bb -your concerns are legit perhaps you could use your facilities to prepare food for cart or carts to sell and promote your full fare restaurant - that's just an idea not a criticism of your beef.

the original site for bite of seattle was just to the east of the swimming pool across from what is now starbucks - saturdays there would be good.

it is a little surprising how excited people are about a gathering of street food - really go south mexico, ecuador, colombia
on February 23, 2009 at 8:14 AM Report this
30
See TASTE OF CHICAGO for assembly directions.
on February 23, 2009 at 8:41 AM Report this
31
My vote is for Rainier Valley. There are a ton of competing cheap foods in the Udist as well as Capital Hill, lots of traffic in Rainier Valley, and diversity. Make the cheap, good food accessible to those who want it, as well as those who need it.
on February 23, 2009 at 8:59 AM Report this
32
What's with the Hill hate?
on February 23, 2009 at 9:20 AM Report this
33
@32 some people have a hard time making friends. They see young people having a great time bouncing around on the hill, and it makes them feel lonely. Soon the loneliness turns to bitterness, and all those fun outgoing people are now seen as a homogeneous mass of cocaine sniffing asshole hipsters.
on February 23, 2009 at 9:40 AM Report this
34
@7 the farmers markets networks are strictly who-you-know. i've been trying to get a spot for a year. i've been told "as soon as a spot becomes available" and then watch subpar bbq sauce vendor after crappy cookie-maker set up shop.
on February 23, 2009 at 11:13 AM Report this
35
The key to all of this is working to revise Seattle-King County health code. As it stands, it is very difficult to operate a mobile food operation because of the requirements (i.e. sinks for washing, rinsing, sterlizing, etc.) making it tough to (legally) sell hot prepared food.
on February 23, 2009 at 1:18 PM Report this
36
BB is just jealous. Poor thing. We just need Skillet to start frying up the freaking FOIE GRAS OH YES.
on February 23, 2009 at 3:21 PM Report this
37
Beacon Hill Beacon Hill Beacon Hill. Seriously. We have a few restaurants, but not exactly competition, and no farmers' markets or anything like that -- we NEED something like this. And people will be able to take the train there, starting July 3! My suggestion? El Centro de la Raza south lot, across from the train station. (Currently it's a staging area for construction.)
on February 23, 2009 at 8:23 PM Report this
38
This would be a great opportunity to diversify! Just invite all the taco wagons (predominantly Hispanic/Mexican owned and operated) from the East side of the state (I prefer Taco Loco on 9th street in Walla Walla).
on February 24, 2009 at 8:48 AM Report this
39
Of course, Dept of Health mandates employee restrooms and three bucket sinks to prevent such things from happening. Portland can get away with it, but not the nanny state.
http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/20…
on February 25, 2009 at 8:05 AM Report this

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