How Covid-19 is Saving Street Food

[liuzhou]

According to this article (and my own observances) street food is returning after being almost completely banished from China's cities. This article relates to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, but the same is happening all over. I see  it here in my city.

Now I'm wondering, is the same true elsewhere?

[FauxPas]

Here we are seeing more food trucks and an expansion of existing restaurants' patio spaces. Several restaurants have been able to apply for temporary seating areas in what used to be street parking for cars. Many restaurants have made their existing patios more weatherproof, with heaters, roofs and even outdoor dining pods (made from plastics?). It's not necessarily cold here compared to other parts of Canada, but it can be wet and windy on some winter days. There are many restrictions on operating food businesses here and I don't think the local governments would open things up to more competition for existing restaurants. 

Edited March 3, 2021 by FauxPas (log)

[FauxPas]

Also wanted to say that I want a Cocktail Bus here! 😃

 

And also meant to say that take-out options here have really been expanded, even at higher-end restaurants that probably rarely were asked for that option in previous years! But it's mostly for take-home, not a street food thing. Cities like Vancouver and Victoria did expand their street-food options a few years back, but the winters and the lack of tourism over this last year have hit those areas hard. 

[heidih]

In Los Angeles our street food culture is mixed up with tradition and health regulations even before CV19. Food trucks (hi Roy Choi) have embedded themselves here and for a take-away car culture have blossomed for years. Everyone is doing what they are able to survive. Back yard secret spots, major take away pop-ups. Creativity and innovation were here -  this has just expanded the possibilities. Example  vhttps://lbpost.com/hi-lo/food/famed-chef-roy-choi-to-host-free-drive-up-food-giveaway-this-weekend-in-long-beach

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, FauxPas said:

Also wanted to say that I want a Cocktail Bus here! 😃

 

I want a "Raging Teenager — a mix of vodka, ginger beer, lime juice, and Sichuan peppercorn". Could have done with one when I had a couple of human raging teenagers!

[FauxPas]

16 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

I want a "Raging Teenager — a mix of vodka, ginger beer, lime juice, and Sichuan peppercorn". Could have done with one when I had a couple of human raging teenagers!

Yes! I also thought that one sounded interesting!

[ElsieD]

https://nextfood.ca/vietnam-home/

 

This is what one of our enterprising chef's has come up with.  He runs a high-end restaurant.  As you can see, he features different countries and so far, hasn't repeated any.

 

As far as street food goes, in our cold and wintry city there isn't any at the moment but then in the winter there never is.  An exception is a wood-fired pizza food truck that is mainly open only on Fridays.  I don't know what was open last summer as we were never "oot and aboot".

[Anna N]

18 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Now I'm wondering, is the same true elsewhere?

I don’t think we’ve ever had much of a street food tradition here in Ontario. Hot dog/Polish sausage carts and at one time there used to be roasted chestnut vendors but I think they all disappeared. As someone else noted, Food trucks began appearing just before shut down or perhaps longer than that. 

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