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Vendy Awards Finalists Announced
Sumant Pardal and his India Jones Chow Truck (Zach Behrens/LAist)
For the first time, the Vendy Awards are honoring Los Angeles' street food culture, and today they announced the 6 finalists who will be competing for the title of Best Street Food Chef in the city. Battling it out are the India Jones Chow Truck (LAist story), Hot Dog Kings, Big Mista’s BBQ, Nina’s Food, Grilled Cheese Truck (LAist story), and Tacos el Galuzo. The list represents a mix of LA's more traditional and long-running taco trucks and the new-wave of more gourmet-oriented specialty cuisine trucks.
The 2010 LA Vendy Awards will take place on May 15th at MacArthur Park, and the ultimate choice for top street food vendor will come down to a panel of judges culled from the local food scene. Tickets are $50; those bucks, however, are a tax-deductible contribution to non-profit organizations working on behalf of vendors in LA.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
