As a number of readers have pointed out, apparently Mission Street Carts / Bicycle Food is now controversial. Eater SF is home to a new perspective against our district’s delicious eats: “I’m not against street food, I’m just anti-novelty, anti-trend, and 100% pro delicious, cheap, convenient street food–real street food.” Hilariously enough, Bike Basket Pies called the author out in the comments insinuating that he bashed the food without even trying it. Smooth.
Agree or disagree with the piece, the comment thread is certainly interesting and ridiculous. (link)
Well that’s Eater/Curbed for ya. More interested in controversy than reporting — sort of the Billo of local news.
It’s food, and it’s sold on the street. How is it not street food, because it isn’t exactly like NYC carts? Because they sell different food?
Which is exactly why I don’t read Eater, Curbed, et al
What horrible thing has to happen to your soul to take pride in describing yourself as “anti-novelty”?
meh. i think the one thing we CAN say about SF – while we’re making sweeping generalizations based upon our own limited world view – is that SO MANY FOLKS are focused on being the smartest, hippest, most au courant fucking person in the crowd.
it’s the reason why so many people are focused on being “against” something.
god, it’s exhausting.
I have to disagree, i don’t think people are self-consciously trying to be hip or cool when eating/seeking out street food. They just like food.
The ‘hipness’ has been attributed to it by others, the press, commenter, etc… but was never (likely) inherent in the starting of ____ cart or what have you.
In general I don’t think people wake up look at themselves in the mirror and say ‘today i’m going to be on the bleeding edge of now’. Or not that many people anyway.
fair enough…i agree with you about street food. i think that’s just people doing stuff they think might be fun / tasty / profitable (on both sides of the cart). i’m all for it.
Street food has become an “event.” It’s not just about eating food. It’s about figuring out where it’s going to be, going with your friends, posting pictures of your street food experience on flicker, etc. etc. etc.
A major contingent in the Mission is all about “self-consciously trying to be hip” and to ignore this is to avoid a sad truth.
A new culture has come to this earth lol
[...] spawned a backlash of anti-street-food-fad-sentiment. yes, you know things have gotten big when the haters come out to play. but ignore them and revel in the excitement that is street food. beyond all the tastiness, [...]