"With City's Help, Vendors Break the Mold"

That was the jump headline in a Washington Post article about the new wave of food carts in Washington, DC. And what did the city do to help? It waived many its own onerous regulations for a 32-block zone, allowing vendors to "find a way around regulations that have choked the life out of D.C.'s street food for decades."

In other words, the city is getting credit from the Post for being less terrible than usual. Gee, thanks. Still we should be grateful for small favors: Remember the plight of our bacon-y brethren in L.A., dogged by cruel and unusual anti-food cart bias:

In light of the news, Cato's David Boaz reminds us of the wisdom of Henry David Thoreau: "This government never furthered any enterprise but by the alacrity with which it got out of the way."

More on food carts here.

Comments

[Naga Sadow]

Bacon dogs . . . truly food fit for the gods.

[Atabrat]

Plan B in Portland has the best bacon dog I have ever had. Not exactly made on the street, but you can eat it on their asphalt patio.

[shecky]

For fukssakes, Mangu-Ward, first those filthy hippies get the government off their backs, now rotten DC eases up on the regulation, and all you can manage is some bitter snark? Aren't baby steps better than no steps at all?

[The Angry Optimist]

shecky - it's really the fucking gall of the Post to say that it was "With City's Help" when it was the city's fault in the first place for being a buncha nanny-state McDouchies.

[The Extispicator]

It's like when you shove your little brother at the top of the stairs, then catch him right before he takes a tumble ... then turn around and tell him he should thank you for saving his life.

[Episiarch]

Bacon dogs . . . truly food fit for the gods.

I've never had one. But I have, in the past, gone to Nathan's on Coney Island at 11PM drunk and gotten chili dogs, and that was pretty tasty.

[R C Dean]

It waived many its own onerous regulations for a 32-block zone,

I wonder who got paid off, and how?

[J sub D]

Street vendor food in Olongapo, P.I. iwas truly a culinary adventure. Chicken feet and "barbecue" which sailors referred to as "monkey meat". It was spicy, cooked over charcoal and occasionaly originated in the trees so both terms were accurate. Never got sick from it though.

[SKR]

As a longtime LA resident, my friends, who are natives, have informed me that the dogs in questions are known as "Danger Dogs" not "Bacon Dogs", and they are delicious. I think it is more a play on "Dodger Dog" than any real threat, although the city apparently thinks otherwise.

[LarryA]

It waived many its own onerous regulations for a 32-block zone, allowing vendors to "find a way around regulations that have choked the life out of D.C.'s street food for decades."

But I lay odds the chance that the city council will learn enough from the obvious success to waive regulations elsewhere approaches zero.