Once of my favorite cuisines by far is Thai. They’re masters at balancing sweet, spice, and savory – and Sawasee Thai in Portland, OR was one of the best I’ve had! Focusing on traditional combinations of classic ingredients, Sunny and her team put out some of the best curries I’ve had to date.

Next time you’re in downtown PDX, be sure to visit them!

Learn more on Food Carts Portland

One thing about LA – you can’t escape the sun. Everywhere you look people are tanning, swimming, and running. So, a mobile ice cream vendor is often the perfect fix to beat the heat. Enter Locali, a bicycle powered ice pop shop that focuses on serving local, organic, and sustainable ice cream products all over Los Angeles.

We caught up with them in Los Feliz and had a blast driving around, capturing footage of the bike in motion and chilling out on frozen treats.

Learn more at localiyours.com

Once a week VendrTV profiles a fan of the show and street food in a section called Cartivores. This week’s Cartivore is Dothan, a New York city based actor and musician. Enjoy!

Name: My name is Dothan Negrin. I could go on for 15 sentences about my name, but thats not important.

Age: 23

Location? What’s street food like there? New York City, SOHO. The closest street food I had here was the Calexico Cart.

Occupation: Musician (kinda), Actor.

Favorite type of food: My favorite type of food has evolved throughout the years. Japanese has always been a favorite of my family since day one. However, right now i think my favorite would be Thai food. I like the interesting mixes of curry and fruit. Bittersweet mixes and unique flavors. To go backwards, I am also a HUGE fan of mexican food! Burrito’s, rice, beans, and grilled chicken have always been a favorite.

Least favorite type of food: Anything that is very greasy and beefy. I recently stopped eating beef because of how bad it is for you (from what I heard).

Craziest thing you’ve eaten? The craziest thing I’ve eaten was goat brain at some Turkish restaurant with my parents when I was about 10 years old. Yeah. THAT’S not happening again! From what I remember, it was mushy, bitter, and not very appealing. I think if i didnt know what it was before eating it, I probably would have dove right in.

Is there anything you won’t try? There is nothing that I wont try as I am always into experiments and exploration of areas i know nothing about. Food, flavors, and cultures are something we all should explore to understand the stomachs of different people.

If you were to open a street food cart, where would it be and what would you serve? I have some awesome ideas for street carts or small food eateries. I do not wish to give out my ideas. I would probably own a desert truck, trying to innovate the way deserts are eaten and experienced. I would be located in the East Village.

Any interesting street food stories? This one time I ate Halal and I almost nearly puked with the amount of meat I ate. I am always suspisious of the meat from food carts. However, another food cart that I love very much is in Chinatown. Its one of those small round cake biscuits. They are sweet and fluffly, like cupcakes without the icing. One of my favorite places to go. Its also cool to see how its made.

When did you first have street food? I think almost everyone has had that moment when they were a child and got a pretzel from a vendor on the street, or even a hot dog. Those will always be known as the classic street vendor. What would be interesting to do a segment on is the HISTORY of street vendors: where it all began, why, and how its expanded into new innovative territories.

Got any street food tips? When it comes to street food it is always important to examine the quality and cleanliness. A food cart that makes an initial investment to looking clean and professional are always the more successful. No one wants to eat food from some guy who looks like hes been living on the street for the past year. So I guess, always be weary of who you buy your street food from.

Is there anything you’d like to ask your fellow Cartivores? I think Dan Delaney needs a sidekick or anchor…maybe some more comedic elements. IDK I’m always down for brainstorming. What do you think?

As the food world converges on Miami for the ninth annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival this week, Latin Burger & Taco Truck is just loosening its training wheels.  But this converted DHL delivery truck is a quick study, and a pioneer in its own right as one of Miami’s first gourmet street food vendors.  Last night iconic chefs Daniel Boulud and Masaharu Morimoto even stepped aboard as a guest servers for a Haiti relief fundraiser, one of the SoBe festival’s kick-off events.

Roger is waiting to take your order!

The menu is compact and packs a punch, featuring classic American fast food and south of the border favorites.  Each item is thoughtfully composed of a few simple, fresh ingredients that when combined explode with flavor.  Take the Latin Macho Burger, stacking two chorizo, angus, and chuck blend patties, a soft and sweet nest of caramelized onions, melting Oaxaca cheese, and red pepper mayo.  The result it a mega rich and melt-in-your-mouth delicious burger, at a more than reasonable $5.75.  This is George Clooney kind of macho.  With class.

From its pasture of regular customers, you’d think Latin Burger has been around the block a few more times than its mere three months on the road, Tweeting its roving location to hungry followers. Maybe because Food Network chef (and Miami resident) Ingrid Hoffmann, star of Simply Delicioso, is behind the project.

This Latina’s spunky personality shines through in signature sauces, no less addictive than the main dishes, like “avocadolicious,” a cooling dip of avocado and sour cream, and “guachup,” a sweet, guava-infused ketchup.

If you’re not in the mood for a burger, the 3 Amigos await — a sampler of the truck’s three soft taco varieties for $6.95, including pulled pork, chicken mole, and chicken tomatillo (they’re also available a la carte for $2.50 each.)  Fries come “plain Jane” or dusted in Cajun spices.

There goes the avocadolicious on the chicken tomatillo soft taco.

Avocadolicious on the side, por favor.

Like glitzy Miami’s increasingly self-confident and maturing food scene, Latin Burger & Taco Truck backs up with genuine purpose, the showbiz reputation that proceeds it.  Hoffmann and partner Jim Heins are serving the streets in more ways than one by teaming with Frank Kelly’s Project Vacant Streets.  Two Johnson and Wales students man the line, while rehabilitated homeless like Roger (pictured above) manage customers.  It’s a combination that’s hard to beat.  The operation is efficient and professional — and darn tasty, too.

Salomon, one of the truck's two Johnson & Wales interns mans the flat top grill, while Roger packs some fries up for a to go order.

The truck pulled up to one of its favorite locations down south on Dixie Highway, just outside of the Coconut Grove neighborhood.

To catch up with the truck and its whereabouts, follow Jim’s Tweets on Twitter @latinburger or visit its website. For my interview with Ingrid for the Miami New Times, click here.

Jackie Sayet is a Miami native and blogs at Kitchen Interviews and the Miami New Times’ Short Order food blog.  She is the assistant to James Beard Award-nominated chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink and regularly posts restaurant updates on its blog The Genuine Kitchen.

One of my favorite shoots to date was this one, at Bet’s Fish Fry in Boothbay Harbor. This hardly talked about street food delight is owned and operated by one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. Besides being loved by the locals, Bet dishes out some mean fried haddock and fries. Next summer be sure to plan a road trip around Bet’s Fish Fry.

This Wednesday I’ll be a guest on Martha Stewart Radio talking about VendrTV and changes in the street food scene over the past year.

Tune into Sirius Satellite Radio Station 112 at 8AM EST on Wednesday.

Don’t have Sirius? You can sign up for a free 7 day trial online at www.sirius.com/freetrial/register

Let me know if you’re going to listen! Leave a comment below.

-Dan

Some of the most refreshing flavors are those from the Mediterranean, so our visit to Aybla was the perfect thing after our long drive from Seattle, WA.

Located on SW 9th and Alder, Aybla Grill delivers homestyle cooking from the Greek isles at affordable prices! They were so pleased we’d come they they couldn’t help but wanting us to try everything! By the time I left, I could barely move. So much food, but all extremely delicious.

Check them out online at ayblagrill.com

Question of the Week!

What’s your favorite Mediterranean dish?

It’s hard to believe that just one year ago today I pushed the publish button on The Treats Truck episode of VendrTV. Little did I know that this side project (Then called VendyTV) would grow as it has, affording my crew and I to travel throughout the country, meeting amazing folks along the way. Today, I’d like to take a moment to thank a few people who’ve been instrumental in the creation and sustainability of VendrTV, and also share with you our future plans and endeavors.

Thanks

First and foremost, a big Thank You has to go to my family who’ve provided me with all types of support and encouragement to keep going on this journey. They’re love and dedication is endless and rarely seen.

My good friend Florian Dirringer jumped on the project when we were in a pinch for cash and had dreams of visiting the West Coast. He helped us with some backing, and even jumped on as the sound guy for our shoots. I’ve known the guy since kindergarten, and am so fortunate to have such a true blue best friend. Love you man.

Andy Buckmaster, our current camera man and producer has worked hours and hours on the project, getting me out of jams, and always standing as a reliable sounding board for the weekly nervous breakdown this project comes with. He’s a great, trustworthy friend, and I’m beyond elated to call him a my right hand man.

One of my best friends and roommate, Frank LaRocca has poured tireless unpaid hours into building the VendrTV site and tweaking it numerous times to refine it and make it easier for all you Cartivores to navigate. Thanks Frank.

Our newest team member and editor, Jess Gonzalez, is already doing a bang up job with her first three episodes out of the gate. I’m pumped to work with her for the future of the show, and am sure she’ll bring a huge amount to the show.

There are also a huge number of crew members that aren’t with us anymore but were instrumental to the growth of the show. Noah Schwartz & John de Menil our former camera men who helped shape much of the look and feel of the show, and Ryan Miller who helped out as our PA and sound guy from day one. Plus the help from friends like Maggie Ammons, Gwen Pryor, Karen Yung, Kiersten Bogush, and Angela Coronel from everything from research to party planning has proven invaluable.

Of course, the show wouldn’t exist at all if it wasn’t Chris Garvin, Neil Kleinman, and Adam Carrigan at The University of the Arts‘ College of Media and Communication and their willingness to lend me the equipment we needed to start the show up for gratis. The whole team down there is so supportive and deserve huge thanks.

One of the biggest breaks VendrTV got was the ability to partner with the world’s leading online video network, The Next New Networks as they developed their newest content channel Hungry Nation. Big thanks to Kathleen Grace, Ryan Nugent, Justin Johnson, Michael Glenn, Tim Shea, Lance Podell, Michelle DeForest, Rob Czar, and the rest of the NNN Family to taking us under your wing and providing not only the sustainability VendrTV needed, but a sense of community and companionship, which, as an independent content producer, was lacking until then.

Naturally, support from the food community is a vital part of the show. Notably, Zach Brooks of MidtownLunch.com, Brett Burmeister of FoodCartsPortland.com, Robyn Lee and Adam Kuban of SeriousEats.com, Caleb Bacon of Laist.com, Joe DiStefano of Edible Queens, and Eric Rochow of Gardenfork.tv have all provided amazing support and encouragement from day one.

My friends and mentors Dave Morin and Gary Vaynerchuk, who gave VendrTV heaps of support and the initial push that helped accelerate the growth of the show, and gave me the ability to meet so many amazing folks in the tech scene that have now grown to be some of my dearest friends.

A big thank you to Ze Frank who’s year long project The Show with Ze Frank was undoubtedly one of the driving inspirations for VendrTV. Though it ended nearly three years ago, I still perceive it to be the benchmark for community development, interaction, content creation, and innovation in the web video space.

Finally, of course, is you. For without you reading this post now and watching the show on a weekly basis, I wouldn’t be able to be making my dreams and goals a reality. So thanks for watching, reaching out, and telling your friends. You all rock, and I love you very much.

Onward

One year, 50 episodes, 13 states, 467 hours of footage… however you want to count it, VendrTV is a year out, but is still just getting started. In May, our goal is to head back out on the road filming everything we missed between the two coasts. We’re super pumped for this massive road trip, which we hope to get your help in planning. More details to come soon.

Though it’s rarely been mentioned, and most details can’t be provided, we have both book and television deals in the works. What may happen with them is largely unknown, but stay tuned. Some exciting stuff should be coming your way soon.

Also, we’ll soon be opening up a small online shop with t-shirts, wallets, and a bunch of other goodies. Stay tuned. Should be some pretty sweet stuff.

Well that’s it for now. Again, a big thanks to all of you Cartivores for watching and supporting the show. If we haven’t met, I’d love you to reach out and introduce yourself to me on Twitter or via email. Also, please support the show by becoming a fan on Facebook and sharing it with all your friends.

From everyone here on the VendrTV team, thank you for the birthday wishes, support, and community.

Love and street food,
Dan

Right in downtown Burlington sits The Skinny Pancake, a mobile creperie focusing on seasonal, organic ingredients. Started by a few friends, The Skinny Pancake quickly grew into a popular destination for all. In fact, it became so popular they were able to open up a brick and mortar restaurant nearby.

While there I feasted on there locavor, fall harvest, and lemon sugar crepes.

Learn more about them online at SkinnyPancake.com

Question of the Week!

What should their crazy crepe creation be?

In this episode of VendrTV we checked out San Francisco’s own RoliRoti, a mobile artisan rotisserie that serves roasted chickens and porchetta at Farmer’s Markets throughout the city. Before heading to the market, I met with owner Thomas Odermatt at the RoliRoti commissary where he taught me to prepare his signature porchetta.

Learn more about RoliRoti online at roliroti.com