Power to the Miami Food Trucks!
Miami is considered the land of excess and cutting edge trends. Along with the new “exotic fusion” food craze, the Miami Food Trucks have been becoming steadily popular since 2009.
This is nothing new under the sun. Major metropolitan cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have been indulging in these delicacies for years. We’ve come a long way from buying a hamburger or burrito that has a questionable shade of gray, made by a disgruntled cook that looks like Barth from the 1980’s Canadian (In the states, we saw it re-aired on Nickelodeon) television show, You Can’t Do That on Television.
Today, food trucks don’t just roll from one office building parking lot or construction site to the next. They no longer just offer hamburgers, burritos and everyone’s favorite funnel cake, but the creators of these mobile kitchens have become creative and stepped their game up. Themes such as old bakeries and utilizing social media networks like Twitter and Facebook keep patrons intrigued and in touch, allowing them to follow religiously.
When I lived in New York and worked on 55th street, I would venture over to Columbus Circle and buy breakfast at the Wafels & Dinges truck. Their Belgian waffles made the morning hustle of pedestrian traffic easy going. The flakey, golden goodness was big enough to ease the morning hunger and still pass for a decent lunch.
Once I moved to L.A., the trucks were even trendier. Cupcakes A GoGo could be found in front of Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), selling miniature frosted delights in pink and white boutique-styled Chinese food cartons. The famed crown jewel of the city was that Kogi truck that is known for rolling out the best Mexican/Korean inspired burritos to crave those late night bar hopping munchies. These trucks could be found virtually anywhere in the city, downtown, college campuses and the Fairfax District near art gallery openings.
In 2009, these grease spitting munchie machines hit Miami. Business was better than ever, popping up at events and gatherings all over Miami-Dade County. It’s been like Woodstock for food! People came and celebrated, listening to music and ferociously devouring food that will only cause regret the next day when the step on the scale.
Hey, you only live once! Everyone indulges; foodies, parents, kids, young couples, late night partygoers, penny pinchers attempting to save a buck like Dave Chappelle in Half Baked , even the police. All was good in the 305, or at least it seemed that way….
The Miami New Times recently released a report about the Miami Food Trucks being slammed with zoning laws and being charged the trucks $700 per event. In a recent publishing of the paper, Kevin Gleizes, organizer of the Tamiami Truckers Food Court and owner of Caza Crepes stated, “I would pay the city $135, not $700.”
Is this the new cost of doing business?
These charges are all thanks to the Miami-Dade County Department of Zoning and Planning, stating that these gatherings or roundups violate city ordnance in which they “obstruct” public walk-ways. In addition, several permits must be presented, including one for short-term use of the private property of businesses.
In retrospect, it’s six one way and half a dozen another. The food trucks need permission and permits from the city in order to use public areas, at the same time they need a different set of permits to be near or on private property.
Several questions come to mind, “Is it that they don’t like the idea of copious amounts of people gathering at given location at once?” Or is it just another way for “the man” to nitpick and stick it to the people and rain on our parade? You be the judge.
To show support, visit the Miami Food Truck website and attend the next mobile food court roundup at www.miamifoodtrucks.com or at www.facebook.com/miamifoodtrucks.
* Read the full-story at the Miami New Times blog: http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/shortorder/2011/03/miami-dade_zoning_says_food_tr_1.php.
The Wynwood Art Walk is one of the most popular emerging events in Miami. Staged in the heart of the Wynwood and Design District neighborhoods, on the second Saturday of every month, over 70 galleries open their doors to the public. Art going patrons drink, network, dress to be seen, while absorbing the exhibits from some of Miami’s top and emerging pop and multi-media enthused artists.
