The 4th Annual Vendy Awards

Thiru “Dosa Man” Kumar from NY Dosas
Washington Square South and Sullivan Street
Sri-Lankan style vegan fare

“Thiru makes super fresh Indian food– mixed in with his own influences from Sri Lanka. All under the constraints and philosophy of veganism. He’s always exceptionally nice and professional. Everyone knows that if money is scarce, you can get a meal from him and pay later. He’s a great guy, humanitarian and environmentalist all while being one of the most legit chefs in the city. And his food is cheap. I essentially survive because of Thiru.”

Veronica Julien from Veronica’s Kitchen
Front Street and Pine Street
Trinidadian/Jamaican cuisine (jerk chicken, oxtail stew, etc.)

“It was an unexpected treat to find such yummy food hidden in lower Manhattan. I think it’s a mother and son who are frying up the fresh cod fish cakes, delectable jerk chicken, sumptuous macaroni and cheese and perfectly flavored rice and peas. I’ll be heading back for more as soon as I’ve worked off my first indulgence!”

Mohammed Rahman from Kwik Meal
45th Street and Sixth Avenue
Bangladeshi-spiced Middle Eastern fare (felafel, chicken, marinated lamb, shrimp)

“I walk a mile in every kind of weather to get my daily helping of Kwik Meal’s delicious food. The owner used to work in the kitchen at the Russian Tea Room and the quality and presentation of the food shows it. The lamb is the best – it’s tender, flavorful and utterly delicious! The yogurt sauce goes above and beyond the usual and has a spicy tang to it – I wish I knew what they put in it to make it so good. When they’re offering salmon, you’re also in for a treat.”

Super Taco, aka “Sobre Ruedas”
96th Street and Broadway
Tacos, tortas, tamales, quesadillas, etc.

“I’m from California, so I grew up around taquerias. Hands down, Super Taco can match up to anything I grew up with. I close my eyes and I am 10 years old again. Try the al pastor – diced pork with pineapple. Even better is watching all those Super Taco taco-makers crammed into that truck, all working together in unison to serve up tasty goodness. They even have a bicycle delivery fleet! Excellente!”

Farez (Freddy) Zeideia, the King of Falafel and Shawarma
30th Street and Broadway, Astoria
Middle-eastern style street food (falafel, shawarma, chicken)

“The best and cheapest meal in Astoria. Always consistently good food prepared with care. These guys are such characters that it adds just as much flavor to your meal as their secret hot sauce. They will feed you for a little cash and make you smile for free. During the big blackout they were the only place open because they had their own generator. They could have easily doubled their prices and made a killing, but they didn’t. Their lines reached well around the block and they served food well into the early morning. They were just happy to serve and help so many people.”

Samiul Haque Noor from “Sammy’s Halal”
73rd Street and Broadway, Queens
Halal chicken, lamb & beef over rice

“Sammy’s is the gold standard for halal food in Jackson Heights — if he is not on the corner, something is wrong. The cart is like a community center for the neighborhood’s Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani residents. Taxi drivers double park in front, youngsters drop by for a chat. Sammy oversees it all, with his calming presence. But the food is what they come for. The spices on the chicken explode in your mouth and leave you coming back for more. The red sauce will clear your sinuses – go easy on it.”

“Sammy’s chicken and rice is fabulously tasty, uniquely spiced and out of this world. Sammy and his staff are wonderfully sweet, warm, welcoming and a pleasure to chat with everyday. They’re a Jackson Heights secret that truly deserve recognition !”

Thiru “Dosa Man” Kumar
Washington Square South and Sullivan Street
Sri-Lankan style vegan fare

“Thiru’s food is some of the most exceptional vegan fare in the city and he serves it up with a friendly, quirky, conversational attitude toward each customer. If you haven’t tried them, dosas are lentil crepes, filled with potatoes (the Masala variety, my favorite) or other things. I enjoy getting mine with one of his excellent mock meat drumsticks and a Ginger Beer. Thiru for president!”

“Simply the finest and most unique of food vendors. He offers authentic Sri Lankan cuisine at two star restaurant level of quality. His service, grace and warmth are extraordinary. Even though I only go there maybe one a week he always remembers me and my favorite order. He handles large crowds with great grace. His ingredients are fresh and organic. The food has made being a vegetarian exciting!”

Piedad “the Arepa Lady” Cano
Roosevelt Avenue between 78 & 79th St, Queens
Colombian-style arepas

“The arepa lady is the sweet little grandmother of the food vendor scene. Finding her is half the fun. Take the 7 train to 82nd Street — but only late on a Friday or Saturday night. She will be down underneath the subway tracks tending a grill of corn arepas. If you speak Spanish, you will be rewarded. She is the sweetest woman you have ever met. And her arepas are succulent — crunchy on top, buttery, and oozing with cheese. A classic NYC experience!”

“I read about her on chowhound and made the pilgrimage to Queens one night. Everything I had heard was true. It was a cold night, and her arepas filled me up with warm goodness. And for $3, it hits the spot. She deserves to have a street named after her – Arepa Lady Way.”

“Calexico,” from the Vendley brothers
Wooster and Prince Streets, Soho
Tex-Mex style tacos, burritos, etc.

“Awesome new addition to the New York street food scene! These guys are passionate about what they do and their food is some of the best Mexican you can get in New York – including the fancy restaurants. The ingredients are fresh and the entire presentation is super impressive. They’re young, cool, do-it-yourselfers, and everyone down in Soho is super-psyched that they’re here. It’s things like this that makes New York City New York City!”

“Where to begin? Their signature dish, carne asada, is the best I’ve ever had. Period. Skirt steak marinated in a citrus-y, spicy sauce and grilled over an open flame – my mouth’s watering just thinking about it. The smoky and sweet pulled pork tacos are better than any pork BBQ you’ll get in North Carolina. And the shrimp tacos – yes, seafood from a street cart! – are excellent. Homemade salsas, cool music, nice people, and I appreciate that they keep the prices down. 3 bucks for a delicious, authentic taco – can’t beat that. Calexico is the total package. The neighborhood is lucky to have them.”