Design a Better Boston Food Truck Park
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statler
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Dewey Square has a fairly active food truck presence. How is the Portland space different and could the Dewey Sq space be augmented enough to fill the gap?
Dewey Square has a fairly active food truck presence. How is the Portland space different and could the Dewey Sq space be augmented enough to fill the gap?
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Fairly? Dewey is the food truck destination in Boston during the day.
Edit: I suppose the Fenway would see night traffic with Fenway, the bars & colleges as well, which could one-up Dewey.
Fairly? Dewey is the food truck destination in Boston during the day.
Edit: I suppose the Fenway would see night traffic with Fenway, the bars & colleges as well, which could one-up Dewey.
Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Kind of like SoMa StrEat Food Park in San Francisco. Rainey Street Food Court in Austin is similar as well.
Dewey Square is Boston's closest cousin, but it's still pretty different. The appealing thing about SoMa is that it's specifically oriented toward food trucks. There's one entrance, and the trucks ring a central square of covered and uncovered community tables. You can also buy and consume alcohol there. Dewey has tables, but it doesn't have the same atmosphere which is that the space is specifically for those dining and drinking at the food trucks.
I don't know if there's enough space at Dewey to replicate that. It would work at City Hall Plaza though. It could be even better than Rainey or SoMa as it's very centrally located (the others are off the beaten path a bit). You'd kill it with the lunch crowd being right on the edge of the Financial District, and if alcohol was allowed, you'd do a great dinner rush as well.
Kind of like SoMa StrEat Food Park in San Francisco. Rainey Street Food Court in Austin is similar as well.
Dewey Square is Boston's closest cousin, but it's still pretty different. The appealing thing about SoMa is that it's specifically oriented toward food trucks. There's one entrance, and the trucks ring a central square of covered and uncovered community tables. You can also buy and consume alcohol there. Dewey has tables, but it doesn't have the same atmosphere which is that the space is specifically for those dining and drinking at the food trucks.
I don't know if there's enough space at Dewey to replicate that. It would work at City Hall Plaza though. It could be even better than Rainey or SoMa as it's very centrally located (the others are off the beaten path a bit). You'd kill it with the lunch crowd being right on the edge of the Financial District, and if alcohol was allowed, you'd do a great dinner rush as well.
cca
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Yup. Portland is similar. I square block ringed by food trucks. It puts tons of activity on the street. Internally there is seating, and when I was there, there was live music. Just fantastic.
By the way. The reason the urbanism in this picture works is the same reason Newbury Street works ... and Kendall Square/Seaport does not.
Yup. Portland is similar. I square block ringed by food trucks. It puts tons of activity on the street. Internally there is seating, and when I was there, there was live music. Just fantastic.
By the way. The reason the urbanism in this picture works is the same reason Newbury Street works ... and Kendall Square/Seaport does not.
Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
As a former Portland resident, I can attest that Portland actually has several large food truck pods like that. The number of food trucks in the city has got to be more than 200. There's one a few blocks from where you took that picture, cca, that's even larger, and probably has at least 30 - 40 trucks by itself. It is, as you say, an entire city block (parking lot) ringed by trucks.
As a former Portland resident, I can attest that Portland actually has several large food truck pods like that. The number of food trucks in the city has got to be more than 200. There's one a few blocks from where you took that picture, cca, that's even larger, and probably has at least 30 - 40 trucks by itself. It is, as you say, an entire city block (parking lot) ringed by trucks.
Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Not to derail this thread - but I never understood my generation's fascination with food trucks. What makes them so popular? I don't get it. Why is it a "scene" nowadays?
Not to derail this thread - but I never understood my generation's fascination with food trucks. What makes them so popular? I don't get it. Why is it a "scene" nowadays?
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
I think what's also notable about that picture is that the food trucks there aren't pristine and polished, serving expensive specialty niche food. This is something that has bothered me about Dewey for years. It's just so sterile there. All the trucks are so specialized and pricey. They all try to be a mobile restaurant serving artisan menu items. You can't just go there and get a basic street taco of your choosing.
Edit: This food truck convo is a good one that probably should be split off.
I think what's also notable about that picture is that the food trucks there aren't pristine and polished, serving expensive specialty niche food. This is something that has bothered me about Dewey for years. It's just so sterile there. All the trucks are so specialized and pricey. They all try to be a mobile restaurant serving artisan menu items. You can't just go there and get a basic street taco of your choosing.
Edit: This food truck convo is a good one that probably should be split off.
bigeman312
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A portion of City Hall Plaza would be perfect.
statler
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
These don't look like trucks, so much as semi-permanent trailers?
Yup. Portland is similar. I square block ringed by food trucks. It puts tons of activity on the street. Internally there is seating, and when I was there, there was live music. Just fantastic.
By the way. The reason the urbanism in this picture works is the same reason Newbury Street works ... and Kendall Square/Seaport does not.
These don't look like trucks, so much as semi-permanent trailers?
Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Many of them are basically immobile, and have been parked in the same spot for years. There have been a few dust-ups in Portland about "trucks" needing to actually be mobile, but there's not much enforcement.
In fact, a few years ago there were a couple trucks that got so comfy they started to construct patios that they appended to their "trucks," but one of the city councilors went on a crusade about that being a bridge too far.
Many of them are basically immobile, and have been parked in the same spot for years. There have been a few dust-ups in Portland about "trucks" needing to actually be mobile, but there's not much enforcement.
In fact, a few years ago there were a couple trucks that got so comfy they started to construct patios that they appended to their "trucks," but one of the city councilors went on a crusade about that being a bridge too far.
In other cities, food trucks serve to lower the barrier to entry for a food business. Typically you'll find a much more diverse scene: Louisiana style cooking, trashy porn-burger style trucks, downhome southern food, comfort food with a twist with some lesser known ethnic foods thrown in for good measure.
Boston's food truck scene is pretty weird in that we've fostered what has essentially become a bunch of chains. There are what, a bajillion Bon Me's, 20 clovers and a smattering of Chicken and Rice trucks.
Boston's food truck scene is really pretty boring. Wouldn't be surprised if the city's rather heavy handed approach is part of the reason.
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
I love food trucks because they are fast and GOOD and they give a wider variety of cuisine than is usually available in a particular area. They are much better than a lot of the mediocre sandwich shops around my office at lunch time, for example.
I love food trucks because they are fast and GOOD and they give a wider variety of cuisine than is usually available in a particular area. They are much better than a lot of the mediocre sandwich shops around my office at lunch time, for example.
Actually, this year I have seen a lot of new trucks. Chili, Mango and Lime is my new favorite. I do wish Momogoose would pack it in though. They have so many trucks and their food is always very mediocre.
I was in Springfield a few weeks ago, and apparently when the first food truck showed up there earlier this year or last year the cops kept ticketing it and the residents got pissed about the truck taking up space. There now appear to be two successful trucks operating in Springfield, however.
In any event, yes, Boston is way too heavy-handed about trucks, and it does indeed serve as a huge point-of-entry into the food/restaurant business. The best Vietnamese restaurant in Portland was a food truck at first.
In any event, yes, Boston is way too heavy-handed about trucks, and it does indeed serve as a huge point-of-entry into the food/restaurant business. The best Vietnamese restaurant in Portland was a food truck at first.
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Re: Skanska Fenway Project (Burger King) | 1350 Boylston Street | Fenway
Oh God. I was in Portland on a business trip in '09 just as the Taste of Portland was happening right across the street from my hotel. For those not familiar, it's basically an annual carnival showcase of every food truck worth trucking over to for food in the whole metro area. I was in heaven. Just seeing the words "Pork on a Stick" on a big sign at the entrance made me think "If I ever die from meat poisoning, I would never be so blessed than if it happened here tonight." Plus microbrew tasting tent on the right side, winery tasting tent on the left side. I spent a couple hours on the right side.
Oh God. I was in Portland on a business trip in '09 just as the Taste of Portland was happening right across the street from my hotel. For those not familiar, it's basically an annual carnival showcase of every food truck worth trucking over to for food in the whole metro area. I was in heaven. Just seeing the words "Pork on a Stick" on a big sign at the entrance made me think "If I ever die from meat poisoning, I would never be so blessed than if it happened here tonight." Plus microbrew tasting tent on the right side, winery tasting tent on the left side. I spent a couple hours on the right side.
CantabAmager
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I don't know how it fits into the food truck discussion, but I think there's a broad point to be made: people like to be outside. At the very least, they like the option. That's why "artisanal" food trucks seem, to me, to be missing the forest for the trees. I'm sure you're 100% organic-casing, farm-raised veal sausage on rye with my choice of lavender honey from Provence or specially-made Silesian mustard is fucking delicious - but I (and hey I could way off the communal opinion this), would eat at a food truck because it's simple and I want to sit outside. Not because I need to quench a Baluchistani meatball fix.
Chilling out and about is the overarching reason behind food trucks success - that and good food, granted. I'm on the tail-end of sometime up in Scandinavia - the absolute, no questions asked hardest adjustment to make coming back is that I can't grab a road beer and walk to a friend's house. Ok, well I do do that, but I want to do it legally. No there's no chance of that happening - not the least of which is the issue of how to deal with trash*, but man there's just something so.....tempting about bringing a six pack to the waterfront or Cambridge Common.
There was a point in the Kendall thread (if I recall correctly), that brought up the point about how green space is comparatively underutilized - and that's a point that I've been thinking about over here as summer rolls around. The parks and canals ringing the old city (really any open space in the city) are packed to the gills, and not with tourists or their ilk. It's just full with people, more often than not sitting down having a beer. Simple stuff. The heavily trafficked parks are old, they aren't designed to be inviting (the biggest one actually has a two meter high fence around with only a few gateways as it's the former grounds of the Royal Palace). I'd venture that people respond to these open spaces in greater parts to what they're allowed to do there, not how they're designed. I think that's what's underpinning the food truck mania - offers a whole new way to enjoy Boston without having to lug a lunch around all day or fight for a patio seat at a cafe.
* so there's an interesting way that Copenhagen deals with the inevitable open-carry trash, cans have a redemption value of 1dkk, about 15-20 cents. That's just enough money whereby people can scavenge cans and make a semi-decent, tax-free profit. This informal system is so well developed that's it's started to actually draw ire from human rights groups in Denmark as there, let's just say shady, groups that control various 'picking' turfs around the city. The Roma have the interior canals, the Senegalese have a few parks, the Chinese have the major tourist canal - a lot of the pickers are probably trafficked to Denmark, and very likely exploited so it's not a system I'd suggest we emulate. But it is interesting that there's informal process that developed organically responding to this certain need. To be honest, the reason people put up with it is...well it keeps the city clean. You'll see kids playing a game where they throw a can on to the ground and bet on how long it takes to be picked - first time I tried, I thought 5 minutes, can was gone in 20 seconds. It's sorta remarkable, if sordid. Anyways, nothing to do with Boston, but I thought an interesting urban/sociological system
Chilling out and about is the overarching reason behind food trucks success - that and good food, granted. I'm on the tail-end of sometime up in Scandinavia - the absolute, no questions asked hardest adjustment to make coming back is that I can't grab a road beer and walk to a friend's house. Ok, well I do do that, but I want to do it legally. No there's no chance of that happening - not the least of which is the issue of how to deal with trash*, but man there's just something so.....tempting about bringing a six pack to the waterfront or Cambridge Common.
There was a point in the Kendall thread (if I recall correctly), that brought up the point about how green space is comparatively underutilized - and that's a point that I've been thinking about over here as summer rolls around. The parks and canals ringing the old city (really any open space in the city) are packed to the gills, and not with tourists or their ilk. It's just full with people, more often than not sitting down having a beer. Simple stuff. The heavily trafficked parks are old, they aren't designed to be inviting (the biggest one actually has a two meter high fence around with only a few gateways as it's the former grounds of the Royal Palace). I'd venture that people respond to these open spaces in greater parts to what they're allowed to do there, not how they're designed. I think that's what's underpinning the food truck mania - offers a whole new way to enjoy Boston without having to lug a lunch around all day or fight for a patio seat at a cafe.
* so there's an interesting way that Copenhagen deals with the inevitable open-carry trash, cans have a redemption value of 1dkk, about 15-20 cents. That's just enough money whereby people can scavenge cans and make a semi-decent, tax-free profit. This informal system is so well developed that's it's started to actually draw ire from human rights groups in Denmark as there, let's just say shady, groups that control various 'picking' turfs around the city. The Roma have the interior canals, the Senegalese have a few parks, the Chinese have the major tourist canal - a lot of the pickers are probably trafficked to Denmark, and very likely exploited so it's not a system I'd suggest we emulate. But it is interesting that there's informal process that developed organically responding to this certain need. To be honest, the reason people put up with it is...well it keeps the city clean. You'll see kids playing a game where they throw a can on to the ground and bet on how long it takes to be picked - first time I tried, I thought 5 minutes, can was gone in 20 seconds. It's sorta remarkable, if sordid. Anyways, nothing to do with Boston, but I thought an interesting urban/sociological system
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