Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011

Food trucks set sights on Raleigh

Three weeks after the new policy took effect, the city has granted six permits.

It was a menu you might expect to find in the United Nations cafeteria.

Within the span of a downtown city block, visitors could sample Chinese-style dumplings, Korean barbecue and lentil burgers, courtesy of some of the 13 food trucks that came to City Plaza last week for an outdoor concert and fundraiser.

Triangle food lovers hope this is the start of a new era on the Raleigh dining scene, now that the city has agreed to let food trucks set up on a regular basis in approved spots around town.

Judging by the turnout, there's plenty of interest from hungry patrons. More than 3,000 people visited during the three-hour Food Truck King event, put on by Raleigh Downtowner Magazine and local firm Hurricane PR to benefit Meals on Wheels of Wake County.

The lines weaved through the street as customers waited to order. "People were still standing in line at 10 o'clock," said organizer Crash Gregg, publisher of the Downtowner. "A lot of the food trucks told us it was the best night they'd ever had."

But serving big crowds at a special event is different from committing to regular business hours.

Since Raleigh's long-awaited guidelines took effect Oct. 3, the city has issued permits to only six vendors, city officials said. Two property owners also have filed paperwork to host food trucks.

The slow response isn't surprising, said Nate Adams, co-owner of the Chirba Chirba Dumpling truck, which won top honors in the Food Truck King contest by a three-vote margin over Klausie's Pizza.

"Like any new law, it takes a little while to figure out what needs to be done," said Adams, one of four owners of the Durham-based truck.

Durham fosters a vibrant food-truck culture, in part because the city does not have strict rules on hours and location.

Some operators have talked about splitting their time between the Bull City and Raleigh.

"It's a little bit of a commute, especially when you're driving one of these," Adams said, kicking the side of his bright yellow truck, a former package delivery vehicle. "I wouldn't worry about a lack of food trucks. There will be more."

The rules require vendors to meet several conditions before they can start serving. Among the key limits: Food trucks can't park on public streets or within 100 feet of the main entrance or outdoor dining area of a restaurant.

Trucks parked near residential areas must close by 10 p.m., while others can stay open until 3 a.m.

Violators can be fined up to $300 or kicked out of town after the third offense.

The list of requirements can seem daunting, said Mike Stenke, owner of Klausie's Pizza. On top of everything else, food trucks must find a property owner willing to host them in a suitable location.

Stenke said he'll soon bring his truck to a downtown lot near Lenoir and Blount streets one or two days per week.

"I knew there wouldn't be a rush to get (permits)," Stenke said.

"Since most of the trucks got pushed off to Durham, they haven't been hanging out here. They don't have the contacts. Or they don't have the time because they've moved away."

With their low prices and creative dishes, food trucks have become a popular meal option - especially among young people.

Jenny So, co-owner of the Bulkogi Korean BBQ truck, said she's getting calls from customers eager for expanded hours in Raleigh. Once she finds a suitable spot and sorts through the paperwork, she'll be happy to oblige.

"We really want to come to Raleigh as soon as we can," So said.