Todd Hubler
It’s not your imagination: there are fewer food carts than there used to be. This was evident from the city of Madison’s annual food cart review, which took place Sept. 9-Oct. 5. Results were released Nov. 1, and for the first time, 3-year-old cart Braisin’ Hussies emerged with the highest score.
The number of carts participating in the annual review (a requirement for those wishing to vend on the Capitol Square or Library Mall), is down again this year. Last year, 53 carts applied with 49 completing the review. This year 51 carts applied, with 43 completing the process. This is down from a high of 63 completing the review in 2017.
The number of new carts is up, though, from last year’s low of two. Five new carts completed the review this year: Pete’s Pops, Fancy Roll, Cedar Road Meats, Latino Express and Sabor Regio. (The city hit a high of 19 new carts in 2016.)
Carts are ultimately ranked by their reviewer score plus seniority points. That final ranking determines the order in which they choose their spots for the next vending season (the main purpose of the review). The 32 reviewers are volunteers from the community.
This year’s top 10 carts are:
1. Braisin’ Hussies
2. Surco Peruvian 1
3. Taquitos Marimar
4. Common Pasta
5. Luang Prabang Lao Thai Food
6. Banzo 2
7. Caracas Empanadas
8. Good Food 2
9. Curd Girl
10. (Tie) Bulgogi Korean Burrito and Banzo 1
The top 10 carts from reviewer scores only (not including seniority), are:
1. Braisin’ Hussies
2. Common Pasta
3. Surco Peruvian 2
4. Caracas Arepas
5. Surco Peruvian 1
6. Taquitos Marimar
7. Luang Prabang Lao Thai Food
8. Banzo 2
9. Caracas Empanadas
10. Good Food 2
Braisin’ Hussies is run by Michael Sollinger, who serves slow-cooked pork shoulder, pork belly, pot roast or sweet potato, in tacos or as bowls (rice, mixed grain or noodle). “It’s a nice little shot in the pride arm,” says Sollinger. “There’s a lot of excellent competition. Every year I’ve made a little tweak, a little change. I feel I’m cooking the food I do better than I did the year before, and the year before that.”
Sollinger says he’ll be vending for a few more weeks this fall, from his spot near the corner of East Main Street and South Carroll, unless it’s icy: “As long as I can drive the car, I’ll be there.”
Because there are 45 Mall-Concourse vending spaces and 43 carts that finished the review, there will be no wait list.
Many of the new carts vying for spots next year already have some background in food service. Pete’s Pops is a gourmet popsicle business in Milwaukee that has been doing pop-ups (so to speak) in Madison this year. Fancy Roll is an ice cream/cake roll kiosk that has been vending in West Towne Mall and is operated by Maggie Jingga, who also runs the Jakarta Café cart. Cedar Road Meats is a new venture from a meat processing plant in Iron Ridge.
Latino Express would ultimately like to do late night vending downtown, says owner Abel Hernandez. Right now (and, Hernandez hopes, through the winter), the cart is serving in front of Access Community Health, 2202 S. Park St.,on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am-3 pm.
Sabor Regio has been vending this fall at spots outside of Madison, at Ski-Hi Fruit Farm near Devil’s Lake and McFarlane’s in Sauk City. The cart uses homemade tortillas and offers several Mexican dishes not often found out of carts, including stuffed peppers, gringas, piratas and buñuelos, as well as tacos and burritos.
