VOA标准英语2011--Curbside Cuisine Takes Street Food to Ne

Curbside Cuisine¹ Takes Street Food to New Level

In recent years, the success of food trucks has been on the rise in big cities across the United States. Mobile kitchens offer gourmet² and ethnic³ food to customers they might not otherwise have reached. Some say social media outlets⁴ may be the major contributing factor to the success of the food truck.
Stephan Boillon is making his signature sandwiches with his sous-chef in this small kitchen in a truck. Lunch-time customers have formed a line outside it, in downtown Washington D.C., waiting to purchase a $7 sandwich.
“This is my favorite truck," says Jean Fundakowski, who works nearby. "It is Cuban sandwiches, so it's really spicy⁵ and they are not too expensive and they are really fast.”
Boillon, a restaurant chef for more than 20 years, tried to open his own traditional restaurant first.
“It was right around the time the banks crashed and the economy went down," he says. "So there was just no money. This is something I could open on my own.”
His food truck, El Floridano, hit the street less than two years ago.
Back then, there were about a half dozen food trucks in the area, Boillon says. Now he counts more than 70 and the number keeps growing. Most of the operators are aspiring⁶ entrepreneurs drawn⁷ to the business, like Boillon, for the low startup cost.
But Naceur Megra, who owns a Middle Eastern restaurant, jumped into the mobile business about two months ago for a different reason.
“It's a new trend in the city," says Megra. "So we are keeping up with things. So we have to keep up with stuff.”
Many food trucks are distinctively⁸ decorated and easily spotted⁹ in locations where office buildings crowd together. They try to please Washingtonian palates with simple but well-made ethnic foods.
“I tried the Thai truck. It's really authentic¹⁰," says customer Katy Ricalde. "The barbeque is from South Carolina. I like southern barbeque. It is really authentic. I like that each one brings its own taste, something new. The flavors are really delicious.”
For customer Grant Collins, the ethnic food is the attraction. “I certainly think it is better value, particularly there is no service charge et cetera involved. I think the quality and the taste is as good if not better than is available in regular food outlets.”
The popularity of the food trucks is a concern for nearby restaurants, like Loeb's New York Deli.
“I do not wish ill on anybody, but it certainly makes it a little bit harder for everybody when you have that many food trucks in that park over there,” says deli owner Marlene Loeb.
The food trucks are also impacting traditional street vendors¹¹ like Kasa Tehga, who has operated a hotdog cart at this corner for 18 years.
“Business is too slow now, very slow now," Tehga says. "Yes, food trucks and everything now. Nothing is like before.”
According to Boillon, food trucks have their own challenges, like the weather and frequent health inspections¹².
Jeff Kelly, who franchised¹³ his Eat Wonky food truck, is one of the founders¹⁴ of the Food Truck Association.
“Trucks at a minimum are required to be inspected twice a year in accordance with the D.C. Department of Health Regulations," says Kelly. "You have a health certificate posted from the Department of Health. In addition, on the street, the Metropolitan¹⁵ Police Department is quite frequently inspecting trucks.”
Since food trucks are always on the move, Kelly says staying in touch with customers through Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets is critical.
“We communicate with our customers about where we are going to be on a given day, and how we are going to serve on a given day, and we get feedback from them on a continual basis."
Kelly says food trucks bring a vibrancy¹⁶ and an exciting new menu of dining options to the city.

1 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

2 gourmet   

n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的

参考例句：

• What does a gourmet writer do? 美食评论家做什么？
• A gourmet like him always eats in expensive restaurants.像他这样的美食家总是到豪华的餐馆用餐。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

6 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 distinctively   

adv.特殊地，区别地

参考例句：

• "Public risks" is a recent term for distinctively high-tech hazards. “公共风险”是个特殊的高技术危害个人的一个最新术语。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• His language was natural, unaffected, distinctively vivid, humorous and strongly charming. 语言既朴实无华，又鲜明生动，幽默而富有艺术魅力。

9 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

10 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

11 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 franchised   

v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is starting the first school himself,but subsequent ones will be franchised to use the Fujita method. 他已经自己开办了第一所学校，但是以后的学校将被特许使用富士达方法。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Driving tests for franchised bus are held on request by bus companies. 专营巴士的驾驶考试只在巴士公司要求下才举行。 来自互联网

14 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

15 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

16 vibrancy   

n.活跃；震动

参考例句：

• I like the vibrancy of her character.我喜欢她的活泼性格。
• Tom felt himself being drawn towards her vibrant personality. 汤姆感觉自己被她充满朝气的个性所吸引。