Streetfood

[Sakkarin Profile]

Just posting this article here for discussion, haven't read it yet, but flipping through it looks like it might stir up a bit of contraversy.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... l-portions

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I more or less agree with the article, except that he appears to think most of the stalls are situated in halls or courts with picnic areas
Would that it were so
I often go down to South Bank and there’s an outdoor street food market there, no picnic area, puts me off using it

I also think that where the street food stalls work well is as pop ups at festivals etc

I do sometimes wonder about the authenticity of food served by a couple of lads who picked up th idea on a gap year

[smitch Profile]

I go to the places mentioned in Manchester quite a bit. Hatch is near my office and Grub used to be round the corner- I’ve not been since they relocated to the other side of town.

I’ve eaten some fab food at both places. Grub in particular has a real community feel, the couple who run it used to be food traders themselves. They run beer and cider festivals, a market and also have workshops for people wanting to get into the business. Whilst a visit isn’t particularly cheap, I’ve never felt ripped off.

On the other hand, nearby Stockport has a market hall set up. When it first opened, it claimed to be independent businesses but they were actually all ‘brands’ of the owner, one of which ripped off the name of an established trader. Whilst there are now some independents in there, I’ve never been tempted to go, especially since the beer prices are outrageous.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I cannot comment on Foodie Markets in the UK, because I´ve never been to one and I don´t live there.
However, I might be able to add some insight from Venezuela, Cincinnati, Lisbon and Mexico City.
There are no Foodie Markets (of the type mentioned in the article) in Venezuela; only things called "Ferias". These "Ferias" are fast food enclaves in Shopping Malls, replete with Pizza Hut, McDonald´s, Burger King, Sushi Express, Pasta Rápido, Panda Express (Chinese), etc. Ghastly places. Only soft drinks, and mostly Coke,Pepsi, 7-up, etc.
If you want street food, you stop at a hot dog stand (usually packed), a place that sells arepas, a "pepito bar" (fried steak sandwiches) or maybe, if you´re lucky enough to find one, a stand which sells roast pork sandwiches.
The latest trend is food trucks - burgers, arepas, pulled pork, pizza - all way over the top on pricing and offering miserable portions .There was one close by the other day; an 8" pizza for $8.
Cincinnati does not have "street food" as such - municipal regulations - but there are lots of events in the summer months where you can get burgers, hot dogs, German sausages, Indian food, pizza, pasta, Tacos, Korean BBQ, pulled pork sandwiches - the offerings are endless, and the prices are not that different from sitting in a small restaurant. During last year´s OktoberFest (the second largest in the world apart from Munich), I had some great food and, in typical American style, great portions.Local and craft beers were readily available.
I was in Lisbon for barely 36 hours, but had the opportunity to eat at the "Mercado" - a huge place with hundreds of seats at trestle tables. The food stands were unbelievable; young chefs selling their specialities. I ate a delicious (and generous) lump of cod cooked in butter, with roasted baby potatoes and fresh broccoli rabe - and a local brew. Divine and not inordinately expensive.
Mexico City is huge and it seems the Mexicans can eat all day long. Even in the posh areas of the city, there are Taco stands on many corners. You can eat tacos filled with "cochinito pibil" (pork marinated in achiote & orange juice), "al pastor" ( more or less the same thing, but with chicken or beef), burritos (wheat flour tortillas),flautas, tostadas, tortas (burger buns filled with grilled meat and smothered in salsa), along with a mind-blowing array of hot salsas, guacamoles, salads etc. You see workers from the construction sites and execs in business suits, all snaffling down the same stuff. Cheap as hell - but on a modern sanitary basis, a bit dodgy!
Then there are "up-market" "Mercados" - Foodie Markets. Trendy, but still the basic trestle tables & benches to sit on. Mercado Roma, Mercado Medellin, Mercado San Angel were three I went to. Tacos filled with grilled shrimp,cochinito pibil, arrachera, barbacoa ( BBQ), deep-fried burritos fillled with spicy "marlin" ( swordfish), artesan chocolates, fine ice cream - it´s all there, it´s all prepared in front of you, it´s all good & tasty. Local brews, tequila, mexcal , wines and spirits - they´re all available, and I NEVER saw anyone drunk or obnoxious. Yes, a bit more expensive, but not out of order. They´re great places to go to when you have a group with varied tastes. My kids love BBQ; I´m not a great fan but love some spicy shrimp; my wife would choose anything Italian at any time; my DIL doesn´t really enjoy chiles. All catered for.
I read the article once, but my distinct impression is that the journalist is looking for a political angle: "gentrification" (written with a sneer), "middle class", plus his disgust at "big" business landlords making hefty profits.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Wow that's a bit of an opus, KK!

I'll give you that it has certainly improved here from the bad old days, but ultimately by and large my home towners prefer burgers, pizzas and pasta to any more exotic fare

We do have a "street food" area but it is not particiularly exciting, and you have to spend at least a fiver for most offerings. It has a long way to go to match Camden Market thirty years ago, or Oriental City 10 years ago.

If I could charge $8 for my pizzas I'd be a wealthy man!

But then I suppose we have the Global Buffet which was discussed a few months back and was featured in a 1 hour documentary, which I guess you could call a food hall, although it's a set price for as much as you want, and how the food tastes and how authentic it is is dictated by the management. I'd rather have Thai food served by a Thai person on a market stall than by a trained chef in a branded chain restaurant.

Aweay from the street food, we even have a couple of "Mexican restaurants" here, but they are chain brands, which don't really tempt me.

If I had the wherewithal, I'm only 15 miles from Central London, which has everything you could possibly want foodie wise, I do miss the days when I worked in the middle of it all, and could afford to indulge myself! It's a sobering thought that there were only 14 Michelin star restaurants in the whole country back then in the mid 80s. At the last count I think there were over 100 in my old stomping grounds in Central London area now. I'll double check that and edit this later.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I walked through a street food area in Coventry last week, and it was very smart, the food looked good, and people were buying lunches to take back to their workplaces (not eating outside weather of course)
Similar area in Walsall near the market

[dennispc Profile]

And should we include, selling from private houses? Scary news piece yesterday on BBC. Dial a number and collect from private house - one seller didn't know what an allergen was. No registration, no hygiene certificates, no regulation - a bit scary.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Not a million miles from the exposure on TV recently of the Deliveroo(?) trick of traders working from containers on an impromptu catering trading estate. Potential death knell for small independents.

[Renee Profile]

That's really scary Petronius, but they'll soon wake up when they get sued for causing food poisoning.

Don't food producing premises have to be inspected before they're allowed to start a business?

[Sakkarin Profile]

I don't remember the finer points, but IIRC the programme suggested they had a way to circumvent the normal rules. Haven't read this, just spotted it...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ity-london

[Pampy Profile]

There's been talk on the news today about trying to get Facebook to stop people advertising/selling food on Marketplace, unless they have the necessary accreditation.

[dennispc Profile]

Don't food producing premises have to be inspected before they're allowed to start a business?

That's my understanding as well, but I doubt whether any of the back street providers do so, and there's few inspectors to enforce it. I think I'm right in saying two Authorities have no food inspectors at all.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

But then I suppose we have the Global Buffet which was discussed a few months back and was featured in a 1 hour documentary, which I guess you could call a food hall, although it's a set price for as much as you want, and how the food tastes and how authentic it is is dictated by the management. I'd rather have Thai food served by a Thai person on a market stall than by a trained chef in a branded chain restaurant.

I was going to ask if that was still open as I heard it has swiftly closed after the tv programme ... fake news ?

[Sakkarin Profile]

You may be right - I was there earlier today, but there's not really anything to see from outside, just the occasional doorman, so if it is closed I would not have noticed!

EDIT: It's still on their website...
https://www.jrc-globalbuffet.com/restaurant/watford/

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

My limited experience of street food is it doesn't travel very well outside the country of origin.

If you have it in France at market days or fairs, it's terrific. Or converted markets on the Continent.
Try the same stuff at the Cheltenham food fayre every other friday, and it's mediocre.

We have several festivals here, cheese, wine, food. In their first years they were excellent. I used to get a year's supply of fresh salmon from the Shetland stand. Took an afternoon to clean & fillet for the freezer.
I used to hunt out a Spanish stand to get my stash of olive oils too.
But now the professionals have gotten hold of these events, it's a booze and food marquee, with frozen yoghurts, and dippy cheap flavoured olive oils.

Thai stands, Indian, Oyster bars, Exotic Burgers (I don't want to eat a burger). Rather tasteless.
There's not even an aroma in the air.

We never go to them now.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Here´s another question for you all.
Why is it that there is such a surfeit of "Gourmet Burger" places? (At least, there is over here)
After all, a burger is simply a slab of minced meat stuck between two bits of bread; in other words, it´s a sandwich!
So why should I have to pay through the nose for a meat sandwich, just because it´s got some "Bleu" cheese and a bit of "Moutarde de Meaux" on it?
Stack the thing 6 inches high, and you can charge double!
( Being provocative

[Sakkarin Profile]

Ha! "Gourmet Burgers". Almost an oxymoron.

Maybe it's because you can feel you've had a meal out without having to decide what to eat, and with trimmings that make you feel comfortable.

And don't have to worry about the service charge, or being polite to the waiter, or having to decipher what the menu means. I suppose for families, there are no surprises for kids who eat burgers and chips and pizza and turkey twizzlers at school anyway.

Maybe some people feel intimidated by cuisines they don't know, or by places that look up market.

I remember chatting to the owner of a local sports shop a few years back, and he told me that one of the biggest selling item in the shop was table tennis balls. Maybe there's some equivalent in burger places and the likes of Nandos about what the average person orders that would surprise us (or maybe he was winding me up...). It's since closed down, so maybe he was telling the truth.

EDIT: Or maybe it's just...