Presenting the 2009 Vendy Awards Finalists!
We are delighted to present the 2009 Vendy Award finalists, with their locations and testimonials from their nomination forms. Thanks to everyone who nominated their favorite vendor! (Special thanks to our friends at Good Eye Video for making all of us drool on our keyboards.)
Biryani Cart - Meru Sikder
Traditional Indian
46th and 6th, Midtown Manhattan
2008 Vendy Awards People’s Taste winner
“Biryani cart is the best vendor food in NYC, hands down. My American friends are addicted to it. I’ll put his spicy chicken biryani or spicy buradi rolls up against anything you can get in a restaurant, and Meru & his team will take the prize.”
The King of Falafel - Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies
Middle Eastern
30th Street and Broadway, Astoria
2007 Vendy Awards Finalist
“His food is out of this world. We call his chicken “crack chicken” because you can’t help yourself from coming back… Watching them work is like watching a ballet, except instead of nutcrackers there are falafels. They move in synchronized magic, preparing your order in mere seconds, while simultaneously taking scores of orders from the ever-present line of people at their stand. Do these fine men deserve attention? NO! THEY DESERVE GODSHIP! THEY ARE THE FALAFEL PROPHETS!”
Rickshaw Dumpling - Kenny Lao
Dumplings
For locations, check their Twitter or Website.
First Vendy Awards appearance
“Their dumplings are the best I’ve ever had - by far. I will travel far and wide to eat their delicious dumplings - I dream about the Thai chicken ones! I check their Twitter daily to see if they’re nearby - and if they’re even remotely close to where I am, I’ll find them!”
Jamaican Dutchy - O’Neill Reid
Jamaican
51st Street & 7th Avenue, Midtown
First Vendy Awards appearance
“Jamaican Dutchy’s food is soooooo delicious, they have a TV playing reggae videos, and they serve up the phenomenal food with a smile. Seriously, the jerk chicken is the best chicken dish in Manhattan. Thank you, Jamaican Dutchy, for bringing authentic Jamaican food to Midtown streets and for being the most entertaining vendor in town!”
Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck- Fernando & Jolanda Martinez
Traditional Mexican/Puebla
Red Hook Ball Fields (Clinton and Bay), weekends 9am-9pm & Brooklyn Flea (Lafayette and Vanderbilt), Saturdays 11am-5pm
First Vendy Awards appearance
“Every winter I dream of their huaraches and summer afternoons at the Red Hook ball fields. You watch the huaraches get made – pressing and cooking the tortillas, layering meat and cheese and all the other fillings and sauces – and when you are handed this unbelievable huge plate of deliciousness, you wonder how you are ever going to finish it. Next thing you know, it’s gone and you are already planning your next trip to Red Hook for another one.”
Presenting the 2009 Vendy Awards Dessert Finalists
Please meet the 2009 Dessert Finalists, with their locations and testimonials from their nomination forms. Thanks to everyone who nominated their favorite vendor! Note: 2008 finalist Dessert Truck was also nominated, but is unable to participate this year.
Big Gay Ice Cream Truck - Doug Quint (with Bryan Petroff)
Soft Serve Ice Cream
Location: Varies, check their Twitter (@biggayicecream) and website (biggayicecreamtruck.com).
“Doug’s soft serve is anything but vanilla. Big Gay Ice Cream Truck has a unique and always-changing menu of toppings like curried coconut, wasabi pea dust, trix, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil. And really all I can say is Choinkwich: Yummy caramelized bacon, soft serve chocolate ice cream between two cartwheel cookies. Best ice cream sandwich ever.”
Wafels & Dinges - Thomas DeGeest
Waffles
Location: Varies, check their Twitter (@waffletruck) and website (waflesanddinges.com)
“The waffles have an absolutely fantastic flavor, just like the ones in Belgium! Their add-ons - nutella and pulled pork! - are great, although I don’t always get them because the waffles are delicious by themselves. I’m nominating Wafels & Dinges for SO many reasons - but, mostly because they’re educating Americans one ‘wafel’ at a time’.”
Cupcake Stop - Lev Ekster
Cupcakes
Location: Varies, check their Twitter (@cupcakestop) and website (cupcakestop.com).
“As a Southerner I speak with authority when I say this Yankee vendor consistently produces top-notch Red Velvet. It’s like finding creamy grits north of the Mason Dixon line!! The constant introduction and rotation of cupcake flavors creates not just a product to be sold but an experience - every morning I check to see what new surprises have been baked overnight. Thank you for making my work life bearable, and giving me a reason to sneak away from my desk for 20 minutes of sunlight and sugar.”
Presenting the 2009 Vendy Awards Rookie Finalists
Meet the finalists in our 2009 exhibition category, Rookie Vendor of the Year. Thanks to our team of blogger friends (Serious Eats, Fork in the Road, Porkchop Express, Eating in Translation, and Slashfood) for nominating our Rookie finalists! Testimonials from their nominations will follow shortly! In addition to the three finalists below, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck was also nominated, making it the first vendor ever to be nominated in TWO categories: Dessert and Rookie Vendor!
NYC Cravings - Thomas Yang, Diana Yang, Eric Yu
Taiwanese food
Location: Varies, check their Twitter (@nyccravings) and website (nyccravings.com).
“I chose Cravings because it’s proper street food. Meat and rice — exactly what you want when you’ve been pounding the pavement and you come upon a vehicle that dispenses hot food. Plus, the pork sauce over rice could be a meal on its own.”
Schnitzel & Things - Oleg Voss and Jared Greenhouse
Austrian cuisine, Schnitzel
Location: Varies, check their Twitter (@schnitzeltruck) and website (schnitzelandthings.com).
“The golden shell is the first sign that the fry man knows his business, and the delicate crunch as you slice into your schnitzel is the second. But beneath that thin, crisp breading is what truly distinguishes Schnitzel and Things: pork, chicken, or the ethereal cod, a flaky white wonder.”
Picnick Smoked - Kevin Pomplun and Will Goldfarb
Good for You BBQ
Location: Mannahatta park, in front of 120 Wall Street fountain (Wall Street between Front and South Streets)
