AlwaysPartying: 2009 Vendy Awards

The Hungry Goat — September 28, 2009

New York City’s love affair with street vendors was on full display at Saturday’s 2009 Vendy Awards. A crowd of over 1,000 hungry New Yorkers—a record high for the event—filed into historic Corona Park to sample and support the eleven contenders by way of an hours-long eat and repeat marathon.

Highlights included: Biryani Cart’s kick-ass Kati Roll, the chorizo huaraches by Vendy’s winner, Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck’s Caramelized Bacon Ice Cream Sandwich, and “Freddy” The King of Falafel’s unforgettable performance with two lovely belly dancers.

Top, Country Boys/Martinez Taco Trucks’ Chorizo Huaraches. Bottom left, Chicken Tacos.

2009 VENDY CUP WINNER
Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck – Fernando & Jolanda Martinez
Served: Fernando said he selected his clients’ favorites, Huaraches, Quesadillas or Tacos with a choice of chicken, beef, or vegetarian filling.
AlwaysHungry For: Anything with seafood.
AHNY Notes: Fernando said his favorite restaurants are El Viejo Yayo, and Barzola.

Top, Biryani Cart’s Platter w/Bombay Spicy Chicken Biryani, Chicken Tikka, Pan-seared Chapli Kabab, Vegetarian Biryani and Kati Roll. Bottom left, owner, Meru Sikder.

GREY POUPON PEOPLE’S TASTE AWARD
Biryani Cart – Meru Sikder
Served: Platter with Bombay Spicy Chicken Biryani, Spiced Glazed Chicken Tikka, Pan-seared Chapli Kabab, Vegetaria Biryani, and Kati Roll.
AlwaysHungry For: His own chicken and rice.
AHNY Notes: Meru was very eager to take 2009’s crown after winning 2008’s People’s Choice Award.

Top, King of Falafel’s Chicken and Rice Platter. Left, Owner, Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies. Middle right, Chicken Shawarma. Bottom left, Falafel with hot suace. Bottom right, Falafel Sandwich.

The King of Falafel – Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies (view site)
Served: Chicken and Rice Platter, Chicken Shawarma Sandwich, Falafel Sandwich.
AlwaysHungry For: “My own Chicken and Rice.”
AHNY Notes: Freddy said, “the Falafel is the shine of my food out here.”

Top, Schnitzel & Things’ Chicken, Schnitzel Trio w/Potato Salad, Sauerkraut, Cucumber Salad, and Beets with Feta. Bottom left, Oleg Voss and Jared Greenhouse.

ROOKIE VENDOR OF THE YEAR
Schnitzel & Things – Oleg Voss and Jared Greenhouse (view site)
Served: Cucumber Salad, Roasted Beets & Feta, Austrian Potato Salad, Sauerkraut, and Chicken, Pork & Eggplant Schnitzels. Condiments: Pesto Mayo, Spicy Sriracha, & Kalamata Olive Sauce.
AlwaysHungry For: Bulgogi.
AHNY Notes: Oleg said he was a big fan of CupcakeStop, NYC Cravings, and the Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck. His favorite restaurant is Woo Lae Oak.

Top, NYC Craving’s Fried Chicken, Fried Pork Chop, Fish Cake, Tea Egg and Dumplings. Bottom left, Diana and Thomas Yang.

NYC Cravings – Thomas Yang, Diana Yang, Eric Yu (view site)
Served: Chicken, Pork Chop and Fish Cake, all fried Taiwanese-style, Tea Egg, and Pork and Vegan Dumplings.
AlwaysHungry For: Thomas said for him it’s Mashed Potatoes.
AHNY Notes: Of all the vendors present at the event, Thomas liked Schnitzel & Things best. He said his favorite restaurant is Chipotle.

Left, Picnick Smoked’s Pulled Pork Sandwich, Coleslaw, Chocolate Chip Cookie and Arnold Palmer. Right, Will Goldfarb.

Picnick Smoked – Kevin Pomplun and Will Goldfarb (view site)
Served: Pulled Pork Sandwich, Coleslaw, Chocolate Chip Cookie and Arnold Palmer.
AlwaysHungry For: Will cited Vanilla Ice Cream, Caviar, and “Anything Robbie Richter is cooking. He’s the real King of BBQ.”
AHNY Notes: Will said he gets his BBQ inspiration from Texas, New York and North Carolina. Then he joked, “Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is the new BBQ capital of the world.” It just happens to be where his partner, Kevin Pomplun, is from.

Top, Jamaican Dutchy’s Mustard Chicken Platter. Bottom right, Escovitch Chicken platter.

Jamaican Dutchy – O’Neill Reid
Served: Mustard Chicken, Curry Chicken, Escovitch Chicken, Stewed Chicken, Jerk Chicken and Minced Beef. Dessert: Carrot bread and squash bread.
AlwaysHungry For: His Escovitch Chicken with rice and beans
AHNY Notes: O’Neill said he devised the recipe for mustard chicken the morning of the event, having never cooked with yellow mustard before. He was very pleased with the outcome.

Left, Rickshaw Dumplings Chicken & Thai Basil and Edamame Steamed Dumplings, and Chili Sesame Noodle Salad. Right, Kenny Lao and Anita Lo at the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck.

Rickshaw Dumplings – Kenny Lao and Anita Lo (view site)
Served: Chicken and Thai Basil Dumplings with Spicy Peanut Dip, Vegetarian Edamame Dumplings with Lemon Sansho Dip, and Chili Sesame Noodle Salad.
AlwaysHungry For: Kenny Lao said dumplings.

Top, Liege Wafel with Chocolate Sauce and Whipped Cream. Bottom left, Liege Wafel with Dulce de Leche. Right, Thomas DeGees and Wafels & Dinges Truck.

BEST DESSERT VENDOR
Wafels & Dinges – Thomas DeGees (view site)
Served: Entire regular menu.
AlwaysHungry For: Belgian blood sausage with apple sauce, “simple Belgian farmers’ food.”
AHNY Notes: It was personally significant for Thomas to be at the Vendy’s in the shadow of the Unisphere because the Belgian/Brussels waffle craze in the States started at the 1964 World’s Fair. Besides his own, he thinks the waffles at Le Petit Belge, Petite Abeille and Waffle Mania (San Francisco) are the best in the country.

Top, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck’s Caramelized Bacon Ice Cream Sandwich. Bottom left, Doug Quint. Right, The Gobbler and Affogayto Mexicano Sundaes.

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck – Doug Quint with Bryan Petroff (view site)
Served: Regular menu with two specials: The Gobbler (“Our Thanksgiving Sundae,” vanilla ice cream, pumpkin butter, crushed graham crackers and whipped cream) and Affogayto Mexicano (Mexican hot chocolate w/cinnamon, honey and spice blend served over your choice of ice cream).
AlwaysHungry For: Mussels with White wine and Garlic.
AHNY Notes: Doug, a professional bassoonist, said Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go’s wrote him a theme song which he plans to set to ice cream truck bells and play it when he’s on the go.

Top right, Elvis Cupcake with Bacon. Left, Caramel Apple Cupcake. Bottom left, Selection of cupcakes. Right, Lev Ekster.

CupcakeStop – Lev Ekster (view site)
Served: Entire regular menu.
AlwaysHungry For: Lasagna
AHNY Notes: Lev grew up in Brooklyn eating Di Fara’s pizza, which he said has always been his favorite, way before the crazy lines and the price spike. His favorite restaurant is Areo in Bay Ridge.

Top left, 2009 Winners Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck celebrate with announcer Ed Levine. Right, People’s Taste Award Winners Biryani Cart. Bottom left, Best Dessert Winner Wafels & Dinges’s Thomas DeGees. Bottom right, Rookie Vendor of the Year winners Schnitzel & Things.