SFist: Cops Put the Kibosh on Harrison/19th Street Taco Truck

gogobooty

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:45:04 -0800

back @ jacobe: i posted a frothy rant about just that (DPT + GGMC = TLA) some time back in response to another story...when i drove my commute down 7th st to the freeway entrance, it made my blood boil daily. the less i drive, the happier i am. (happier meaning the vein in my forehead throbs less visibly and the murderous impulses are less frequent. whew.) anyway, i agree, the whole arrangement is very sopranos. metermaids on meat hooks and such. ~~~gogo

what

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:33:56 -0800

Truck was in business this morning. Deliciously so.

jacobe

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:24:58 -0800

@gogobooty: Funny thing about Golden Gate Meats on 7th is that it's directly across from the DPT offices!! I smell an inside job...

eastbaysig

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:06:04 -0800

I wonder if it had anything to do with the shooting a few weeks ago?

reyka666

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:49:01 -0800

is NOTHING sacred anymore? who would complain about one of the city's TREASURES!?!

Akit

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:48:52 -0800

Mmmm... I can go for a taco right now. Those mobile food trucks are always so good, especially the ones that goes around to county and state fairs. I was down at the San Mateo County Fair and I had the best funnel cake in a long time.

gogobooty

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:22:17 -0800

folks may well have been complaining about the trash glut around the truck...but the real irritation (when i used to commute daily by bike down harrison street) was that the assole customers of the truck would double park in the bike lane AND the traffic lane, causing cyclists to veer way to the left to pass. this, along with 7th street between bryant and brannon where the golden gate meat company blocks multiple lanes, are two locations where the DPT could make a ton of money ticketing double parking lame asses. fines should be triple for blocking bike lanes, too. nice (fish) tacos at 22nd/bryant @ el metate. dunno about the tacos made of meat. ~~~cheers gogo

Joel

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:09:16 -0800

inappropriate slur I've never heard it used as anything but a term of affection.

the_absentee

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:03:06 -0800

undeniable proof that sfpd is worthless. I guarantee there was a murder happening somewhere near 6th street while they shut down / scarfed tacos here.

zippy_monster

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:20:48 -0800

skinny: non-hot dog carts have been illegal in the LA area for ages. It's only recently that they've started increasing the penalties to absurd levels. Five days in jail for operating a roach coach? Thank god I don't live there.

gttim

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:34:41 -0800

Maybe if they added a few donuts to the menu, the police would not be shutting them down?

icbalaam

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:33:06 -0800

Burrito taco taco! Burrito taco, taco taco! Don't think that just because I gotta lot a money, I'll give you taco-flavored kisses, honey; To fill all your wishes with my taco-flavored kisses! Taco taco, burrito burrito, taco taco!

halli

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:44:57 -0800

NOOOOO!!!!! Not El Tonayense! All else have crap al pastor, and the man is shutting it down! Maybe it's because this one is right behind the technical high school?

Belgand

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:01:13 -0800

Seriously. People who complain about street food must also complain about the Tamale Lady and that's just not allowed. Face it people, street food is some of the best, cheapest food you'll eat anywhere in the world. The fact that SF has such a lack of proper street food is truly upsetting. Where are our noodle carts? Our pizza slices? Our Chicago-style hot dogs? Cheesesteaks? Soft pretzels? Churro carts? Donner kabob? Currywurst? And all the other delicious street food we need. The best we can usually hope for is the occasional over-priced and unpleasant chain cart that'll sell you a mediocre hot dog, pretzel, or churro all of which are tough and cold from sitting there forever. If you don't love street food you probably need to watch a lot more No Reservations at the very least. That's what food is all about: paying a couple bucks and eating something delicious with your hands that was just made in front of you.

travin

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:05:33 -0800

I've figured out the conspiracy in all this. The cops are trying to close down El Tonayense to make room for the Tamale Lady's new trucks. See! It's not all bad. Can you just imagine the huge grin on virginia's face driving up to Zeitgeist with the horn blaring la cucaracha? Priceless. =0D

what

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:58:26 -0800

"The police decided to stop the problem at the source." The source of the trash is people littering. Eliminate the people... genius! Hence the unsolved homicides-- all part of the official "people reduction plan".

SergDun

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:16:16 -0800

the complaints are probably coming from the people who live in those shitty condo's across the street. They usually have to go to the truck to find someone who is blocking their driveway. Also I'm under the impression that Tonayense has a license to park there during certain hours.

jacobe

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:43:46 -0800

The El Tonayense truck in front of the Best Buy has a 'Congrats' letter from some official in the city on the cleanliness and prosperity of the El Tonayense trucks... I vote to have the truck back, I eat there often!

Virgo79inSF

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:00:20 -0800

As long as they aren't hurting anyone, why not let them earn a living the best way they can. They've been there as long as I can remember... after the bars one night I purchased a hot dog with onions from a street vendor and a friend shouted "ewww, street food"... I've never been sick from "street food".

nickh

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:00:07 -0800

The truck isn't the problem. If you walk down harrison towards 20th there is a bunch of trash piled up against the wall of the school. I'll bet people got annoyed walking through a sidewalk dumpster to get to the truck or school. The police decided to stop the problem at the source.

binky

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:51:04 -0800

I drove by at 5:30 today and they were open for business.

the skinny

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:27:15 -0800

How long will it take before they become illegal like in Los Angeles' new laws?

Plug1

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:26:02 -0800

other tacos from other trucks (and taquerias), aqui.

Belgand

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:19:41 -0800

Checking online I could only find one health inspection where any El Tonayense had less than a 90+ and that was an 86 for the 24th St. location. Most had a 100. I think the complaint here, however, was about them being in the same location and not moving. I can't imagine what asshole would complain about that though.

what

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:04:06 -0800

They posted their health inspection score on the window. I think it was in the 90's.

HHumbert

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:59:21 -0800

Another name is a "Gut Truck".

Belgand

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:59:10 -0800

I've hated the term "roach coach" and felt that it was an inappropriate slur against the perceived negative food quality and sanitation of taco trucks. When El Tonayense was reviewed on "Check Please! Bay Area" all of the other reviewers were incredibly wary and seemed to feel like they were going to get sick. One guy claimed he went into the Best Buy and asked some people to be certain it was safe. I can't possibly imagine where they find people like that in SF (unfortunately, I can actually). Are there people out here who are somehow burrito-phobic or something? Are they just afraid to visit a place where you're not paying $20 an entree and getting a chance to blow plenty more on alcohol? What's next worrying about whether the Chinese place is serving you stray cats or do we only get one demeaning, borderline racist comment per episode? "Roach coach" really just ends up sounding like an antiquated expression that would be used by the sort of person who would balk at getting a bacon-wrapped hot dog from some guy on the street and who probably also thinks he's above it. As for the truck, while it's completely terrible there are also plenty of other locations. Two stores (24th/Shotwell and 22nd/Harrison) plus two other trucks IIRC. Very good. Not my personal favorite, but definitely a top-notch burrito and deserving of their fame and success.

bluecanary

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:52:10 -0800

The idea of roaches makes me sick, so I've just always called them taco trucks. and seriously, don't these cops have some, oh I don't know, murders to solve? or at least murders to declare suicides?

fizzandpop

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:42:35 -0800

Cops closing down a food vehicle? Doesn't that go against their PRIMARY DIRECTIVE.

timmay

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:34:27 -0800

clearly, crime in the mission has been eradicated ... and these cops have nothing better to do.

zig

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:30:53 -0800

In LA established Mexican places have been working to get the taco trucks closed down for no permits because they claim they have an unfair advantage Lots of locals are pissed because down there, even more than SF, taco trucks are like an institution Wonder if this is similar

Sivart13

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:22:24 -0800

So was it just the one? There's usually something like three Tonayenses between Best Buy and Cesar Chavez.

RobInSF

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:17:33 -0800

BLASPHEMY!!!

cowsaysmeow

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:06:12 -0800

Yeah, something's weird, this roach coach (term used in the most loving and appreciative way possible) is excellent and hasn't moved before from what I know...why pick on them as opposed to the many other ones I can think of that are just as stationary? Something's fishy here and it's not a fish taco...

what

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:55:53 -0800

Yes, "roach coach" is perfectly defensible. But we're getting away from the real issue. I'm hungry, and that truck had some tasty tacos. Where am I going to go for tasty tacos now?

Jas

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:51:45 -0800

They're called "roach coaches" because when they drive into a parking lot or up to a jobsite, they blow their horn, which, without fail, is to the tune of "la cucaracha" Buh-buh-buh-baaah-Beeeh!

OrangeDrink

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:42:35 -0800

A clarification, as I see it - the guy driving the taco truck isn't being called a roach. It's called a roach coach because they're full of roaches.

Generic

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:38:22 -0800

The complaints might even come from other coaches.

periqueblend

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:33:51 -0800

The taco truck downtown across from the Gap is hands down the best mexican food in the FD. I bet those "complaints" came from other cops.

hudu

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:28:51 -0800

Wait, since when are we not supposed to use roach coach? I don't even know what else to call them.

Oznog

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:24:00 -0800

"Roach Coach" is a common term for catering trucks (of all styles/nationalities/creeds) that's been used for many many years. While it's not the nicest nickname, it's also not a particularly damning insult.

what

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:15:32 -0800

Wow. I've tried to stand up for the SFPD in the past, but El Tonayense is where I draw the fucking line.