Just some odds and ends....
Bud's Reopens:
Just in case you missed "GoBears" comment, Bud's Louisiana has reopened. The newest incarnation is located in Tierrasanta, right behind the Round Table Pizza:
They are currently only open for lunch, from Monday through Saturday 11am to 3pm.
10425 Tierrasanta Blvd, #105
San Diego, CA 92124
Have I mentioned it before? I love Filipino Parties:
The Missus is the Godmother of a friends son, and a few months ago the Christening took place. You know that the party was going to be good.
This was a big one....a 2 lechon party!
That first roasted pig was gone really quick.
But man does not live on Lechon alone:
It was some spread, along with the usual Pancit and Lumpia, there was Kaldereta, Pinacbet, and tons more:
And being one of the Godmothers had its benefits...a whole plate of lechon from Pig#2, the Missus got to eat with the Aunts and Cousins in the "back room", and Frankie got a "cabeza"! Guess what the Missus was the most happy with?
More save our taco trucks!
Bandini has posted about saving LA's Taco Trucks from extinction. You can find updates at saveourtacotrucks.org. I received word from yumtacos.com, that Sacramento is attempting to do the same thing:
"Here in Sacramento, we have lots of terrific, and some very authentic, Mexican food - places that specialize in all sorts of regional dishes, from various types of ceviche and shellfish to birria and plenty more.
But some of the best, cheapest and most straightforward is served at our many taco trucks, which are - incidentally - the only place that many second and third shift workers can go to eat. Late at night in the industrial zones and elsewhere, you will often see lines of cops, firefighters, hospital workers, warehouse staff and janitorial workers lined up at the trucks.
The trucks don't park outside of open restaurants, nor do they usually park on public streets; almost all are at regular, scheduled locations, sometimes a single location all night; these are always parking lots, private property that they've received permission (or pay rent) to use.
Our city council, at the behest of restaurant owners, has enacted new regulations that effectively criminalize these trucks without consulting truck owners or customers. For example, the new 30 minute per location time limit - when truck owners take 20 minutes to set up, lock down their propane systems and heat up the grill, and 15 minutes to clean up - will mean they'll have to drastically cut down on safety and/or cleanliness just to serve a single customer. And not being able to do business after dark means that the vast majority of their business - night shift workers - will have nowhere to eat except for drive-through hamburgers. The city council claimed there was a public health nuisance attached to the trucks, although ours are all inspected regularly by the county and not a single truck has ever had a complaint filed against it or failed an inspection, unlike many of the restaurants who fear the competition of the trucks. One city council person claimed police reports linked violence to the trucks, a charge the Sacramento Police department disputes, showing clearly that there is no such causality.
We'd very much like your help and the help of your readers. We've set up a petition, where we'd like get several thousand signatures of locals and visitors; even non-Sacramentans are invited to sign, to dispute the Council's claim that tourists find the trucks a blight on our city.
I really enjoy the Taco Trucks here in San Diego, and other places I've been. You know that once legistlation like this is successful; it is just a matter of time before it makes its way down to San Diego.
What does Professor Salt and the State Department have in common?
Before he starts saying his name is "Salt...Professor Salt." I'll spill the beans. The State Department sent a video team to film a short documentary on the 4-Q BBQ Team, of which Professor Salt is a member of. You won't find anything more American than BBQ; and you won't find any BBQ team that represents the amazing diversity of our Country than 4-Q. Congrats guys!
You can find the video here.
Aww that video really brought a tear to the eye. Thanks for sharing that Kirk! Thank God for animals!
That taco truck story also brought a tear to the eye. Event hough I have never eaten from one, after reading your posts, I have been determined to try them the next time I am in the US. Hopefully they will still be around! I feel sad when bits of culture like that are destroyed by greedy larger companies and establishments.
Posted by: Rachel | Saturday, 26 July 2008 at 10:18 PM
what a great video, and I hope you will be abe to keep the taco trucks around!!
Posted by: kat | Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 01:30 AM
It would really suck - taco truck is the staple of LA night light!
Posted by: nhbilly | Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 09:20 AM
Too bad about the taco trucks.
Great Lion video though.
Posted by: ed (from Yuma) | Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 01:36 PM
Hi Rachel - Taco trucks do provide a good alternative...and mant times the product they produce is better than what we get at those restaurants.
Hi Kat - Wonderful video...we really loved it.
Hi Billy - I hope taco trucks will be able to keep feeding us.
Hi Ed - Yes, we love that video....
Posted by: Kirk | Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 08:35 PM
Hi Kirk,
I fondly recall my Air Force days in Sacramento, not least because weekend evenings were often spent carousing downtown, and included late-night stops at a taco truck that always parked in the same lot near 4th and T Streets (an area then known as "Hooker Hollow").
The fellow only made carne asada tacos - chopping the meat with a huge cleaver and warming the tortilla on a sort of hot plate. If you wanted beer, he would send his 14-year-old-ish son into the bar next door for cans of icy cold Tecate. Taco and a beer, $1 each.
Imagine how exotic all this seemed to an 18-year-old-ish farm boy from Virginia. I learned to: love Mexican people, drink beer wrapped in a paper bag, banter with hookers, appreciate a bargain and crave tacos that didn't come in crunchy, unnaturally yellow taco shells.
I don't suppose my recollection would help yumtacos make their case to the City Council. But if even one boy can learn the lessons I did by visiting the trucks, then I think the City is making a mistake in curtailing the resource.
Fight the Man.
Cordially,
Posted by: Omar | Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 10:11 PM
Looked like a great Christening party! And Da Boyz scored too!
Don't get me started on the taco trucks. Poo. And I loved the video.
Posted by: Carol | Monday, 28 July 2008 at 08:41 AM
I'm sure it was just an oversight in the photos and the text ... but where are the chicken wings? It's just not a Filipino party without the wings :-)
The wings are making appearances at Chinese parties, too. The most recent party I attended had wings from Royal Mandarin. Yum!
Posted by: Sandy | Monday, 28 July 2008 at 08:44 AM
Hi Omar - So I take it that you signed the petition, right?
Hi Carol - Yes, nothing like a Filipino party!
Hi Sandy - I was being discreet, and made like I was taking photos of the people, so I only took a few photos of food. And yes, there were Chicken Wings!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 28 July 2008 at 08:09 PM
Kirk,
Nah, California politics being what they are, I strongly encouraged OTHER people to take action.
But now that you've called me out publically, sure...I'll do it.
Best,
Posted by: Omar | Tuesday, 29 July 2008 at 03:29 AM