Street Carts

[bigdaddy3k]

Anyone ever hit them? Tonight on the way home, I pulled a U turn to get Elote (Mexican style corn) from a street cart. I think that its the only way to truely appreciate it. (no not corn in general, this particular style of corn)

Lets hear your favorite street card food. Anyone?

 

[Andy M.]

Living in the suburbs, I don't see food vendors on the street. That's one aspect of big city living that could be a real treat!

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Actually, this was in a suburb! Bensenville is a suburb of Chicago. It's west of O'Hare airport.

 

[Andy M.]

If that's the case, Chicago suburbs are very different from Boston's.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Oh yeah. Chicago suburbs are very culturally diverse. Often it is too expensive to live in the city and most of the jobs are out that way anyway. Most of the places i have listed in other posts as places for great ethnic groceries are in the suburbs around here. I am a suburb dweller myself.

 

[JamesS]

When I lived in DC, occasionally, I'd grab a lemonade or a pretzel from a street vendor. I don't remember ever getting anything more substantial.

Out here in the country, we have our own version. Certain seasons, you'll find guys with bushels of crabs and oysters for sale at busy highway corners. Don't think I'd ever buy seafood from someone selling out of the back of a pickup truck that's older than I am.

 

[kadesma]

Here it's usually corner selling of fresh fruit by the box, or farmers stands for veggies you cook yourself. The other thing are vendors selling Mexican foods, tacos, burritos, that sort of thing. Anything else not so much.
kades
We have farmers markets but because we live on 8 acres we don't go very often. I have a large garden now thanks to my s-i-l who loves to garden and helps me. We have apples 2 trees, a peach tree,nectarice, white peach, tangerine, orange tree, plus basil,oregano,marjoram, radishes,carrots,lettuce,cubanelle peppers,bells, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet onions, sage,parsley,tarragon, chives, will be putting in some corn this weekend.Things are looking so beautiful.

 

[yourstrulyewalani]

We have a couple farmers markets in my area during the warmer months and we are seeing a few more street vendors popping up. I have had some very good luck with the ones we stop at and have found some good treats especially during the fair season. Vendors selling fresh farm produce (such as the corn) have a very good flavor and I like supporting local farmers for sure.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

Being from NYC originally i'd have to say dirty water hotdogs...

God I miss them...

 

[GB]

Of all the foods I do not have access to, street cart food is the number one thing I wish I could get.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

GB... Take a ride on the reading railroad if you pass go collect your $200.00 and get off at Penn Station NYC.. Go from street corner to street corner and spend that $200 on some of the best street food ever!!!

You're not that far!!!:

 

[mexican mama]

Anyone ever hit them? Tonight on the way home, I pulled a U turn to get Elote (Mexican style corn) from a street cart. I think that its the only way to truely appreciate it. (no not corn in general, this particular style of corn)

Lets hear your favorite street card food. Anyone?

I love elote..used to see them a lot when I was in Mexico...

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I just love elote!!! I also love the hot tamales sold by guys going frombar to bar with them in a little insulated cooler. Chicken, cheese or pork, red and green sauce. I am salivating right now!

 

[PcbChef]

My memory of buying Hot Tamales from a push cart in Birmingham Alabama still gets my juices flowing. They always had a lantern hanging on them so you spot them at night. Yum! Yum!

 

[LPBeier]

We have street carts in Vancouver, but my best memory of them is Toronto. I I don't know if this is still true, but the couple of times I travelled there, downtown has one on literally every corner. And they have the best grilled polish sausage on a bun I have ever tasted!

 

[PcbChef]

I was in Vancouver for a Shrine Convention several years ago and went to two differant fresh markets and they were some of the best I have ever seen. You are very lucky to have all those choices.

 

[babetoo]

no carts. there used to be a mexican couple that sold tamales from their car still warm and just wonderful.

 

[buckytom]

the best around my building in nyc, imo, are middle eastern cuisine street carts.

there's 3 guys with a block or so of each other who all sell griddled marinated chicken or beef over yellow rice with a little salad, topped by tastsiki sauce. each one has a slightly different marinade consisting of turmeric, garlic, clove and other spices, my favourite being the jordanian guy on 56th and 11th. or the guy in front of the 5's (555 west 57th street), or the guy in front of john jay college on 58th and 10th who adds a bit of cinnamon that you can just barely discern. lol, i can't ever decide.

i'm surprised to see the smaller carts still selling $1 hot dogs and pretzels scattered around town, in between the bigger halal carts. i mean, anywhere else and they're $2 and up.

around christmas time, what can beat charcoal roasted chestnuts. mmmm. there's something special shopping in midtown when the snow is falling, and you get a whiff of chestnuts on the coals.

mimiz, do you know how to tell it's the first day of fall in nyc? the hot dog vendors get to change the water...

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I have tried it when I go on a vacation in Asia, gosh! It really great!
Most of the street cart food there is exotic but they are all good.

 

[Fabiabi]

Being from NYC originally i'd have to say dirty water hotdogs...

God I miss them...

Hilarious!!!