New Orleans Bans Portable Latino Taco Trucks

[matcom]

<snip>

NEW ORLEANS -- In the parking lot of a drive-up daiquiri bar that sells frozen White Russians to go in plastic cups, Fidel Sanchez is running an illegal enterprise that is too unwholesome to be tolerated, according to politicians in suburban Jefferson Parish.

Sanchez is selling tacos out of a truck -- and judging from the lunch-hour line outside Taqueria Sanchez el Sabrosito, many Louisianans have become fast fans of his flavorful carne al pastor and spicy pork chicharrones.

But not everyone is enamored of the latest fad in cheap eats. Jefferson Parish politicians, who have long turned a blind eye to whites and blacks peddling shrimp out of pickup trucks and snow cones on the street, recently outlawed the rolling Mexican kitchens, calling them an unwelcome reminder of what Hurricane Katrina brought.

Soon, Sanchez will be run out of business. "What they're doing is just mean," the Texas native, 49, said in Spanish, noting that he had secured permits before officials changed the rules last month. "I do think they want the Mexicans out. I don't see any other explanation."

Nearly two years after Katrina brought thousands of Hispanic immigrants to New Orleans in search of reconstruction work, the new arrivals are having a cultural influence that reaches beyond repairing homes and businesses -- and that is making some people uncomfortable.

Authentic Mexican food is now widely available at taco trucks and storefront taquerias, adding a contemporary Latin component to a famously mixed-up culinary scene that has always managed to preserve its unique Cajun and Creole flavor, even as much of America has become homogenized.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/07/16/t...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. There's a great diaper joke in here somewhere.

But I'm not going to go there.

[Aristus]

2. We've got a couple of taqueria busses up here and I think they're terrific.

Great food!

[idgiehkt]

3. wow

"...calling them an unwelcome reminder of what Hurricane Katrina brought."

Are there any New Orleanians around here who want to comment on that? Do they really resent the hispanic influence down there? Isn't Jefferson Parish the one that has the repuke guy running it that is a jerk or whatever? I don't see how they can discriminate on the basis of race like this and be so open that that is what they are doing. Strange.

[Fire Walk With Me]

17. Yeah, that's just baseless demonization.

It has nothing to do with the truth.

[BOSSHOG]

4. ITS NOT NEW ORLEANS DOING IT

ITS JEFFERSON PARRISH AND NEW ORLEANS IS NOT IN JEFFERSON PARRISH. New Orleans wants the displaced trucks to head to New Orleans Parrish.

[KitchenWitch]

6. Thanks for the clarification!

[BOSSHOG]

7. Jefferson Parish to Orleans Parish

is free republic to democratic underground.

[KitchenWitch]

29. Gotcha!

[musette_sf]

18. not before they empty their holding tanks

in the parking lot of the House Of Lee.

i know, i know, HOL isn't there any more, but it's the thought that counts...

[KitchenWitch]

5. Oh noes...not the Taco Trucks

That is just Unmerrikan!

[Shakespeare]

8. Why do they hate America? Taco trucks are one of the great things about LA.

Los Angeles, not Louisiana.

An asset to the community, they are.

[DBoon]

26. Yes. Some even get rave restaurant reviews

taco trucks are great

[XemaSab]

32. If you're ever in Planada, California....

[pitohui]

9. jefferson parish is STILL not new orleans

jeebus people how many times do people have to post false and misleading subject lines?

[matcom]

10. Take it up with the Boston Globe

Headline: Taco trucks in New Orleans hit by legislative crunch

don't click the link? don't bitch

[pitohui]

11. no i'm taking up w. the posters here as this SAME story has been posted multiple times

don't read late breaking news, don't read general discussion? don't bitch

it's clear you knew nothing about the story or its accuracy, yet you chose to publish a story about new orleans from the boston globe instead of the same story with a different headline from the new orleans newspaper (nola.com)

you pick the same story, word for word, with a wrong and false title, and then go after me? hello? seriously, dude, what's the problem here?

this was a big mistake on your part, an apology would be nice, esp. we've discussed this issue multiple times in the weeks since the story was published

ignorance is no excuse after this much time has passed, sheesh

[Shakespeare]

14. *yawn* Except that Jefferson Parish IS in the metro New Orleans area.

To anybody outside the area, they wouldn't have a clue where Jefferson Parish is, so the newspaper is acting in the interest of informing people by using the headline they did (and the OP is not out of line AT ALL by using the ACTUAL NEWSPAPER HEADLINE). The story itself denotes which Parish, but it's still the greater New Orleans area, as much as it may pain some of those who live in New Orleans proper.

The OP made no mistake, and certainly owes you no apology.

[RandiFan1290]

22. Jefferson Parish = Gretna

Maybe the police will force them over the bridge at gun point?

[Shakespeare]

27. Yes, I know exactly where Jefferson Parish is.

It used to be New Orleans proper, and many years ago was split off into several parishes. It's still metro New Orleans, so the newspaper headline is in no way inaccurate.

[RandiFan1290]

39. I agree

I was just putting it out there for some of the readers that might not know.

Maybe the sheriff will start targeting people with "Mexican" hairstyles.

[matcom]

15. ok. i'm sorry my local paper got it wrong and I published it in the lounge as a MatcomNews reporter

which by now you HAVE to know means that I was focusing on the "Taco" part of it which makes it bullshit from the start.

but if YOU want to get bent about it I suggest you take it up with the GLOBE as you HAVE to know by now I post bullshit "news" stories as a fucking HOBBY.

so go get bent somewhere else as I have No Time for "real" indignation.

[XemaSab]

33. When a man can't buy tacos off the street any more...

[Blue-Jay]

23. You're always "taking it up" about something stupid, aren't you?

[Midlodemocrat]

28. Seems like you

owe the OP an apology for the rude post.

[Blue-Jay]

30. Yeah, THAT'S gonna happen!

[Midlodemocrat]

31. Worth a shot.

[Goblinmonger]

38. It's in the metro area.

Come on, people do it all the time. Did you ever make a comment about the Muslim taxi drivers in Minneapolis that won't pick up people at the airport with liquor packages? Guess what? The airport ain't in Minneapolis. More like St. Paul. Or Bloomington. I have seen countless articles about "Milwaukee" that are actually about the burbs. How many people talk about coming up to Green Bay to watch the Packers play? Too bad, they don't play in Green Bay. Except I don't go around bitching about this.

Get over yourself.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Portable taco sellers make some damn tasty tacos!

They're an institution around these parts.

Come on Jefferson Parish, get with the program!

[AlCzervik]

13. good here as well in Sacramento, unfortunately the home builders are done in my direct area

so i don't see the trucks anymore. the ones when i lived in Texas were fing epic, some of the best mexican food i've ever had.

[Writer]

16. Aye, muchacho, soy tan caliente!

Mis tacos sabren mejor que tu mama, pachuco!

Yum yum!

[otherlander]

19. A drive-thru bar...

What could possible go wrong?

[Adsos Letter]

20. FOOLS!

...in our area (SF Bay Area) those trucks sell the best real Mexican food around...the ones that don't, don't last long.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

21. Matcom, this is a terrible story

I was doing very well this morning, until I read this post.

Now I'm starvin'. Mmmm, breakfast burritos!

So much for today's episode of the ongoing diet.

[XemaSab]

34. You're obviously not a Texan.

Breakfast tacos are a WAY OF LIFE there.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

35. Nope, not a Texan

But had some great huevos rancheros in San Antonio. Some pretty good tex-mex during my stay at Ft Bliss near El Paso. Some strange food across the way in Ciudad Juarez.

Some Mexican food is available even in the frozen North.
http://www.mexicantown.com/home.htm

[El Fuego]

24. Yo quiero Taco Truck.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

36. This thread is useless without Chihuahuas ...

[DS1]

25. This sounds like an excellent opportunity for a mobile portapotty business

Just pull up 30 feet away from the taco truck

[WritingIsMyReligion]

37. There are taco trucks in the world?

My state is too goddamned white.