Today’s post is a doozy…just like this heat. Dang!
dang! i was going to put a pic of limp celery but my camera is in hiding. so, here's a hot car, in a hot wal-mart parking lot. the judge!
Bad news. Fai Thai closed. The farmer’s market is sorely missed in Moore Square. And the City Council doesn’t want a food truck within 100 ft. of any restaurant.
Even better, all of this info is second-hand. The best for getting the gritty, ugly complaining really necessary to work out all the kinks. If I came to you with just the bare facts that wouldn’t be any fun now would it? (Though I must point out that I do know and support that the bare facts have a very relevant and real place in our collection of news and information, thank you RPR). So, let’s get to it…what are the downtowners saying?
Southeast Asia traveler/disgruntled software engineer:
It’s too bad we didn’t have a Thai restaurant downtown before, and it’s too bad we don’t have one now, again. But after all, Fai Thai wasn’t traditional Thai. It was American fusion, hey let’s take this age-old, beautifully created dish and make it “cooler”. Not possible. The food wasn’t bad, but eh, I want a Thai restaurant downtown that can be a staple.
Downtown as a second-home/owner:
It’s hot as yeah-yeah outside. Sure it is. But ya know, we really miss the farmer’s market in Moore Square. People would bring blankets, and babies, and just hang out. Try the samples or order an entire lunch. Now that it’s on Fayetteville Street, there’s this vibe…of brick and concrete…eh, I just miss it. Are we abandoning Moore Square until it gets a face-lift? Will it even matter if there aren’t trees left to give us shade? Sad.
Local foodie/general politicer:
Durham has something we don’t…that we actually want! Food Trucks. Downtown. Accessible. If only the city council didn’t feel as though we must uphold some sort of governmental mind-set because we’re the capital city. I hope this isn’t the beginning of “Durham gets to have all the fun“, while Raleigh has to sit at home and read. Though more people should read…
Downtown, keep up the food fight…er, the good fight.
1. Fai Thai – would have like to eat there but doesn’t sound like I missed much. Did they close b/c they weren’t getting enough business?
2. Moore Square – this makes me so sad. Does anyone know why they haven’t had the farmers market this year? I just read the article from the RPR, it seems like the city was trying to take measures to save the trees but they didn’t really know about the root structure restrictions that would be best to follow. And now they have a winning design that they have committed to. Sounds like there should have been more consulting with forestry “people” so that contestants in the competition would have known to design around that. The city should have known better. Ugh!
3. At least they are allowing food trucks at all. I understand that restaurants want a bit of a buffer around their site but at the same time if people have plans to eat out they are going to go to a restaurant unless the restaurant is too crowded they may go to the food truck parked across the street. I get that food trucks are a different type of competition than other restaurants because they can move around, but it’s just that – competition – deal with it. Do what you do and they do what they do.
Fai Thai will now being hosting parties and catering instead of acting as a restaurant… whatever works I suppose!
The farmer’s market is still downtown, just on Fayetteville instead of in Moore Square. Agreed about the planning. Oh, planning, how people disregard you.
But that’s the thing, they aren’t really allowing them downtown, because technically 100 feet from any restaurant is ANYwhere downtown. Big Boss had a food truck party that was awesome a few months back. And yes, competition is good and I say if Durham can do it, we need to look to them for inspiration and guidance. Don’t just say no. Also, this is what cities do. I agree there are boundaries, but saying that children need to go to school so we shouldn’t have loud streets due to food trucks is…a stretch (a councilman).
wow I hadn’t heard that comment about school kids – haha, that’s just funny that whoever said that would go there. I dont understand why Raleigh would want to keep people from opening businesses. Yes they are food trucks – it might seem a little weird but it’s a business, they make money and would probably bring MORE people into downtown. Yes, they should have rules about where they can and can’t operate (I don’t want one parked in my yard, or maybe I do…) but it’s a business, you can’t just tell them no!