Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Memory Lane?
Can you remember the first time you came out for street food with the Magic Curry Kart? Please tell us your story and if you have photos, then post them!!!
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I remember my first meeting of the Magic Curry Man and my introduction to the food cart scene quite well.
It was early May and I was in the process of moving from West Sonoma County to Denver for the summer. I spent the week before leaving with my dear friend Kristin in the Mission. On my last night with her we were trying to decide what to do for dinner when she remembered this underground street food thing that she thought I would love. She said that there were these two brothers that had built food carts and were selling fresh made Curry (a la the Magic Curry Kart) and Creme Brulee (a la Creme Brulee Cart). The brothers announce when and where (secret location) they will be selling their delectables sans proper permits or any of that stuff via Twitter.
There was something so alluring about an 'underground' scene, about breaking the rules (illegal food tastes better I assure you) and about the spontaneous gathering of random folks with only one thread that brings them together-> this subversive, affordable and hopefully delicious find. I was in love with the idea before we even got there!
We arrived early as Kristin was a veteran of the scene and said we should get our names high on the list, both to avoid the wait, but more importantly so they didn't run out! A few folks were already gathered in the alley, but the carts were just arriving when we did. Ooh, I can't even tell you I was jittery with anticipation!
It was fun to be out and about among the buzz of the people gathering around the cart vendors who were just setting up. Strangers began to make eye contact, smile, ask one another if they'd ever eaten from the carts before, how they heard about the carts and where they were coming from. In that moment I felt a connection to all those hungry people lined up in the alley. It was definitely a community of sorts.
I remember wanting to talk to the Magic Curry Man to find out more about how he ended up starting this whole project. I was a little nervous to start up small talk with the chef, but it was all too fun to pass up. I had just found out that I had a connection to him, we were friends with a mutual friend. So I stepped up and introduced myself. Complimented him on creating such a fabulous scene and let him know I was really looking forward to tasting his food. The man behind the cart was charming and warm and just added to the excitement that I had been feeling. I remember walking away thinking... I like that Magic Curry Man!
The rest of the experience did not disappoint. We ate something from each of the carts. My curry was delicious and a reporter from the Chronicle interviewed my friends and I.
Kristin was so inspired that she had her husband build her a cart and the very next weekend she joined those foodie folks with her Sexy Soup Cart- bringing local, seasonal and organic foods into the streets! I sadly had to leave SF and all this street food fun.
Now I'm back and, lucky me, able to plug into the still thriving and now much larger scene.
Thank you Magic Curry Man, I love you.
I first went to the Magic Curry Kart on a warm May night. I was walking with my roommate up the alley on Linda. I began to see a crowd forming. We quickened our pace and made sure we put our names down on the list.
As I waited for my food I watched the magic man cook up his curry. I loved that I could chit chat with him about his techniques and generally shoot the breeze with someone who was making my food. Soon, I was standing in an alley talking to perfect strangers about food, the city, life, or whatever came into our minds. For a moment we all stopped the rat race to just simply eat.
Today it is easy to forget that food is prepared by an actual human. We are so used to having food handed to us from behind a wall or through a door. It's starting to feel like our food just pops up out of a trap door like the Jetsons.
The Magic Curry Kart has inspired me and many others to start our own carts. He has created a positive community of people who love to make and eat fresh food. It's a community that puts the humanity back into the food experience. We share our culture and history with our fellow man with each bowl or plate we serve.
Thanks for being a trail blazer.
Evil Jerk Cart
Jamaican Street Food
www.twitter.com/eviljerkcart
www.facebook.com/eviljerkcart
http://www.thechaicart.com/2010/02/new-life-new-world/
I had just moved to San Francisco from Denver. I had been living in the 'burbs, working all the time, and I wanted the move to help me feel more connected to a community. I found the curry kart on twitter, and my first weekend in town...it rained! But I saw on the twitter account that the cart was still out, so I went searching. I didn't know the area at all, but eventually found the magic curry kart, along with chai cart, gumbo, and sexy soup cart, in a garage at the end of a block. I had green pumpkin curry (and black bean soup). SF is everything I had hoped, I ride my bike to work, fly my kite on the weekends, and most of all the food carts remind how much more connected to people here. Thanks for doing what you do!
From the internet (http://blog.schmootography.com/2009/07/magic.html)...
July 25 2009
Magic
Last night, I went out for some curry.
and found myself in an alley
surrounded by color and
the smells of piss and beer
Following music into a shed
where a line of people
and one scrappy dog
waited behind the garage
She offered me blue jello shots
while curry simmered on a camping stove
"I'm a therapist" said our chef and
David's shoes winked in the headlamp light
Up on the roof we ate
and talked with strangers
I don't know these people at all but
at the end of the meal
I left my pen behind.
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