Mount Pleasant DC Forum

RckCrk · Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 114

[/quote]

The harm comes from marginal food offerings, not from the threat of competition. The only commercial strip I can quickly walk to for a quick meal is Mt. Pleasant St. yet there are only a few businesses offering quality food in clean environments. I could easily double my use of the commercial strip with more, higher quality food offerings. Same goes for the grocery stores. They aren't selling a lot of what we eat, but the farmer's market does and we could use more.[/quote]

Exactly. As the former president of the Nats said, the team will get the attendance it deserves. The same is true of the businesses on Mt. Pleasant St. I'd definitely shop there if the offerings were of higher quality and provided in a cleaner setting. The food truck experiment would be fun. We'd head over to give it a try.

ross · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 23

I also support the idea of bringing food trucks into the city biweekly or on a weekly rotation.

I'll be curious to see what the response from the vendors is. Hopefully they embrace it. I loved when red hook used to swing by Adams Morgan and provide lobster rolls. There were 30-40 person lines just from normal foot traffic. I think it would be a real benefit to the neighborhood.

kelly5612 · Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 260

What's missing? Seriously??

gourmet burgers
Indian
Thai
pho
barbecue
Korean
bratwurst
mac n cheese
crabcakes
shawarma
crepes
Ethiopian
and
sweets, pies, pastries that don't taste like shortening and sugar

ilana-mtp · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 200

Great, great, great idea!

RckCrk · Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 114

Here's an example of a "Food Truck Court" in Richmond:

http://www2.richmond.com/entertainment/2012/mar/22/virginia-historical-society-confirms-richmonds-fir-ar-1786038/

jack · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 4399 Location: 19th & Lamont

RckCrk · Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 114

I understood this converation to be about food trucks coming to Mt. Pleasant in the evening, not lunch time. That is what the original poster proposed.

Harry · Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Posts: 119

Sorry not to chime in more but work is busy these days. I'm glad others are picking up the ball.
Yes I was originally thinking dinner service. So we wouldn't be competing with the lunch crowds downtown. Some trucks dont bother getting operating permits for night time but I am pretty sure some do. They dont typically set up downtown at night because people aren't rushed like they are at lunch and it's harder to compete with the brick and mortar places where people want to sit and relax and have a meal. MTP is short on quality brick and mortar places by contrast so I think a food truck would do very will serving dinner one night a week. The park could be spruced up and I think it would be a lot of fun. I do think that more seating and tables should be added to make sure it's a success. Im sure a rental service could be secured for that.
I'm sure there are those that don't see anything wrong with the dining in MTP but I think this thread and past threads on the topic of food showcase that many of us do not eat out in our neighborhood and that's a shame. I love the diversity here in MTP but we do need to add a couple quality restaurant so that all residents tastes are catered to.
And if people want to try for a lunch truck as well I don't see the harm. a Sunday lunch truck could work. It might get a little hot in the summer though.
For me personally it is on the weeknights that I am tired and don't have the time to cook or walk to a neighborhood with better food that I really curse the fact there isn't better food on our strip.

dsachdev · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 401

Sorry for being late to the thread as well.

I talked to Pi Truck about this a few months ago and they seemed to like the idea of coming to MtP for dinner at some point. I do have a list on my twitter of most of the DC food trucks, and of course I'm sure that the Truck-a-roo list would have any that I am missing.

I think that if we can organize it into a weekly event then it provides additional incentive to come out. There are also some food trucks that already focus on the evening hours such as the one that is often outside of the Velvet Lounge.

I think that the biggest issue will be for them to find adequate parking and not be in the way of the buses that come through the neighborhood.

Cory · Joined: 31 Mar 2010 Posts: 99 Location: 17th and Park

If food trucks express little interest in coming on a regular, weekly basis, they may be interested in coming for special events. Last year, food trucks came several weekends to serve the farmer's market crowd. Perhaps they also would be interested in coordinating with Mt P Main Street's movies in the park or similar events. I don't know if Main Street has anything planned. Just a thought. This is not to dissuade any effort for getting something like "Food Truck Thursday" in the park. That would be ideal IMHO - people could grab dinner on their way home from work.

jack · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 4399 Location: 19th & Lamont

kelly5612 · Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 260

jack · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 4399 Location: 19th & Lamont

kelly5612 · Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 260

If anyone is interested in helping out with this idea, please send me a private message. We will need help with getting the word out, so if you are a member of a listserv or a Mt P civic, social or community group, please contact me. Thanks!

jack · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 4399 Location: 19th & Lamont

Here's a pertinent City Paper report, concerning the regulations applicable to food trucks:

Rolling With the Punches: Food Truck Winners and Losers

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2012/01/25/rolling-with-the-punches-food-truck-winners-and-losers/

-- Jack