support Supervisor Wiener in opposing AB1678

to save mobile food!

 In yesterday morning’s press conference, Supervisor Scott Wiener addressed the press as well as a crowd of mobile food vendors and enthusiasts with a resolution opposing bill AB1678. AB1678 seeks to ban mobile food vending within 1500 feet of elementary and secondary schools and would not maintain an exemption for parks or private property (as current legislation does). Supervisor Wiener’s resolution proposes the buffer area within schools be 1 block, instead of 1500 feet. He presented a map of San Francisco that displayed just how much of the city would be off limits to mobile food- evidently, it’s just about everywhere. He also pointed out that if AB1678 passes, brick and mortars in the very limited areas where food trucks would be allowed to serve would be hit even harder than they allegedly are now. Supervisor Wiener, along with several other members of the mobile food community, stressed the importance of food trucks in enriching San Francisco’s communities with a diversity of healthy and delicious food options. AB1678 would not only hurt mobile food vending, but the city and the community as a whole. We ask that you show your support for Supervisor Wiener and mobile food by writing to your local supervisor. To find your local supervisor, visit http://www.sfbos.org/. Also, don’t forget to sign this online petition! Mobile food needs your help now!

“Don’t Worry, Eat Curry!” was organized as a tribute to that idea, and also as a showcase of the variety of cultural curries we have access to in this melting pot of a city. I spoke briefly with each truck chef/owner to hear about the inspiration behind the dishes they had especially stewed up for the event.

Jay from JapaCurry concocted a “California Roll” Curry, as inspired by the most popular sushi roll of all time. Familiar ingredients of said roll became the topping for this curry – crab stick, avocado, and tobiko – but the substance came from the real crab and shrimp stewed in the curry sauce. Although seafood in curry is untraditional by Japanese standards, the ubiquity of California roll and seafood here made this a unique and palatable fusion of cuisines.

Danny and Thomas from TomKat put together a Chinese Chicken Curry Noodle, which is a spin-off of one of Danny’s childhood favorites. His uncle would make it for him once a week, chicken curry over rice, and he decided to bring it back, except with egg noodles as a street food twist. The dish is still simple, garnished with carrot and celery, onions and potatoes – the same ingredients just as before.

Anamika from Kasa Indian Truck created a Goan Fish Curry. Although she herself hails from the north part of India, where there is little to no seafood, she blended the spices of her home region with fish curry from another region, and topped the dish with familiar ingredients such as fried okra, dried pomegranate seeds and bits of coconut. Intracultural fusion, as it were.

Shu from Sanguchon brought Bolitas de yucca, or fried yucca (similar to potato) balls stuffed with feta cheese and pork, with an accompanying huacaína (spicy cheese) sauce. Although the dish had Peruvian roots, in the form of Papa a la Huancaína (potatoes with spicy cheese sauce), the stuffed bolitas were spinned-off little balls of delight, and curry came mixed in with huacaína – truly imaginative.

Amir from Curry Up Now dished up a Halal Bone-in Goat Curry, which has been a special since the truck’s inception, brought back every so often due to popular demand. The reason it’s not a regular item is because it takes a lot of effort to cook – although delivered by truck and seemingly fast, it’s really slow food, stewed for many many hours. And you can taste it – the meat falls off the bone, all tenderness and spice. Get it when you see it, trust me.

Sun from Hiyaaa served up Stewed Asian Chicken Fusion Curry, a curry she serves to her children and representative of their Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean household. The recipe she had found so many years ago was for an Indian curry, but she made it simpler, less spice and more vegetables, suitable on a roll or over rice. I took it on a roll, and ate it all the way home.

Hopefully you yourself have had a chance to taste some or all of these curries, and to have noted your own reactions on the comment cards that circulated the event. In any case, we are glad to have brought all of these thoughtful, intercultural dishes to you – on or Off the Grid – and we hope to see you again soon. Happy eating!

Curry lovers everywhere rejoice: This weekend at Off the Grid: McCoppin Hub from 5-9 “Don’t Worry, Eat Curry!” will be satisfying your every curry urge! Taste curries from all over the world from our line-up of six vendors! Fret no more about the differences between Indian and Japanese curry. Experience Peruvian fish curry with a side of Chinese Chicken Curry. Get your masala on this Saturday night at Off the Grid McCoppin Hub!

Date/time: Saturday, August 6th, 5-9pm
Location: McCoppin Hub, corner of McCoppin and Valencia
Vendors: Curry Up Now, Kasa Kati Roller, JapaCurry, Hiyaaa, TomKat and Sanguchon

Taste a small portion from each vendor and vote on your favorite dish for a chance to win a classic black Off the Grid t-shirt!

These are the dishes you have to look forward to:

TomKat
Chinese Curry Chicken: egg noodles, chicken, celery, carrots, pickled
red onions, potatoes, curry

Sanguchon
1) Pollo al Curry: Free range chicken thigh braised with Peruvian aji
amarillo curry sauce with coconut milk & Thai basil served with
saffron rice
2) Bolita de Yucca: Japanese panko crusted stuffed yucca balls with
feta cheese and huacaina-curry sauce
3) Pork Estofado: Pork short rib stew in curry mint sauce with
Peruvian beer, tomato, carrots and olives served with coconut rice

Kasa Indian Truck
1) Goan Fish Curry: tangy, spicy braised fish with coconut, tamarind
and chilis in a thin broth, served over rice
2) Kati Rolls: flaky, buttery roti, lime marinated onions and cilantro
chutney rolled up with either: Lamb Curry (tender cubes of grass fed
lamb, stewed with potatoes in Indian spices) or Chicken Tikka Masala
(chargrilled chicken in a spicy, creamy tomato sauce)

JapaCurry
“California Roll” Curry with shrimp, crab and avocado

Hiyaaa
Stewed Asian Fusion Chicken Curry

Curry Up Now
Goat Curry-Bone in Halal Goat Curry Over Methi Pulao (Turmeric + Fenugreek Basmati Rice)

More information on our facebook event page!

Key Details-
Off the Grid: St. Mary’s Square
Soft Launch Date: Monday July 25, 2011
Official Opening: Monday August 1, 2011
Times: 11am-2pm Weekly
Number of Trucks: 4 Weekly
Location: Parking available immediately below the park in the Saint Mary’s Square Parking Garage off California Street.

Participating Vendors Include:
Hapa SF
3 Sum Eats
The Rib Whip
Senor Sisig
Toasty Melts
Fins on the Hoof
… and more.

Up to Date Event Information Available At:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OffTheGridSF
Twitter: @sfcarts

(San Francisco—Tuesday July 19, 2011)
Off the Grid: San Francisco is proud to announce the launch of “Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square,” located in San Francisco’s Financial District in the beautiful Saint Mary’s Square Park. Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square will feature vendors from all over the Bay Area (4 each week) serving Mondays from 11am-2pm.

Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square is a project created in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. The market continues Off the Grid’s commitment to bring value priced, local, artisanal food experiences to people-oriented public spaces where locals and visitors love to live, work, and play. Off the Grid is proud of its experience with creating excitement around, and opportunities for, local economies and small businesses and is thrilled to be able to locate in Saint Mary’s Square. Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square marks Off the Grid: San Francisco’s first location in San Francisco’s Financial District.

Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square will feature a rotating list of the Bay Area’s best traditional and nouveau Street Food vendors, including:

- 3-Sum Eats
- The Rib Whip
- Toasty Melts
- Fins on the Hoof
- Brass Knuckle
… and More.

For more details on Off the Grid: Saint Mary’s Square please follow us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/offthegridsf.
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ABOUT OFF THE GRID: SAN FRANCISCO:
Off the Grid: San Francisco is an event management company whose goal is the establishment of gourmet mobile food markets throughout the Bay Area. Off the Grid runs the successful “Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center,” “Off the Grid: Upper Haight,” and “Off the Grid: Civic Center” Street Food markets, and actively works with non-profits, small entrepreneurs, and municipal governments to support increased street vending in urban areas. Each Off the Grid market seeks to serve delicious food, and assist in formalizing spaces for mobile entrepreneurs to operate legally and safely in order to be able to positively contribute to the communities they serve.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Matthew Cohen-
Founder, Off the Grid: San Francisco
415-425-8444, matt@offthegridsf.com

Connie Chan-
Deputy Director of Public Affairs,
San Francisco Recreation and Park
Phone: 415.831.2796
Connie.Chan@sfgov.org

Key Details-
Off the Grid: Downtown San Mateo
Soft Launch Date: Monday July 11, 2011
Official Opening: Monday June 18, 2011
Times: 5-9pm
Location: Parking Area between First Avenue and Baldwin Avenue at the west side of the Downtown San Mateo Caltrain Station.

Participating Vendors Include:
Hapa SF
3-Sum Eats
Chairman Bao
Curry Up Now
Whisk on Wheels
Pacific Puffs
… and many more.

Up to Date Event Information Available At:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OffTheGridSF
Twitter: @sfcarts

(SAN MATEO—Friday July 8, 2011)
Off the Grid: San Francisco is proud to announce the launch of “Off the Grid: San Mateo,” nestled in Downtown San Mateo’s historic commercial district. Off the Grid: San Mateo will feature vendors from all over the Bay Area (8 each week) serving Mondays from 5-9pm.

Off the Grid: San Mateo is a project created in partnership with the Downtown San Mateo Association to transform a community streetscape into a weekly gathering place. The market continues Off the Grid’s commitment to bring value priced, local, artisanal food experiences to people-oriented public spaces where locals and visitors love to live, work, and play.  Off the Grid is proud of its experience with creating excitement around, and opportunities for, local economies and small businesses.

Off the Grid: San Mateo will feature a rotating list of the Bay Area’s best traditional and nouveau Street Food vendors from a variety of cultural backgrounds, including:
- Hapa SF
- 3-Sum Eats
- Chairman Bao
- Curry Up Now
- Whisk on Wheels
- Pacific Puffs
- and many more.

“Downtown San Mateo is the geographic center of the Peninsula, and an authentic urban experience. We are public transit accessible and walkable. We chose to partner with Off the Grid in creating an innovative community space because of their forward-thinking track record in engaging with merchants on these projects. We are looking forward to bringing even more activity to the Downtown.” said Downtown San Mateo Association Executive Director Rob Edwards.

Jaime Turri: “They were overjoyed because many reside here yet travel to San Francisco to attend this event. The fact is, the food trucks are coming to the Peninsula and San Mateo will be at the top of this nationwide trend. For once, the leaders in our community saw the opportunity and jumped at it. Instead of passing us by for San Carlos or Redwood City, it is landing here — and we are on top. ”

For more details on Off the Grid: San Mateo please follow us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/offthegridsf.
####

ABOUT OFF THE GRID: SAN FRANCISCO:
Off the Grid: San Francisco is an event management company whose goal is the establishment of gourmet mobile food markets throughout the Bay Area. Off the Grid runs the successful “Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center,” “Off the Grid: Upper Haight,” and “Off the Grid: Civic Center” Street Food markets, and actively works with non-profits, small entrepreneurs, and municipal governments to support increased street vending in urban areas. Each Off the Grid market seeks to serve delicious food, and assist in formalizing spaces for mobile entrepreneurs to operate legally and safely in order to be able to positively contribute to the communities they serve.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Matthew Cohen-
Founder, Off the Grid: San Francisco
415-425-8444, matt@offthegridsf.com

Rob Edwards, Executive Director
Downtown San Mateo Association
805-616-9339

Jamie Turri
Owner/Buyer
J’me Boutique
60 East Third Avenue, Suite 108
San Mateo, CA 94401
650.685.2038 p