Oh change is in the air, let me tell you! Sad, for the gloried days of the Hot Beef are over. But do not fret, for in its ashes will rise the succulent, rare, Fried Chicken Sammie! With wondrous jalapeno and dill slaw and hot sauce on our classic challah bun, the Fried Chicken Sammie will fulfill all your southern dreams in the comfort of the Bay Area. Come sample it in Emeryville tomorrow for the first time! But come fast, there are limited quantities!

Its been a while since Bill Monning (D-Carmel)  introduced AB 1678, a bill that prohibits food trucks from vending anywhere within 1,500 feet from an elementary, middle, or high school during the hours of 6am to 6pm. But the debates are still raging.  Also my post got deleted so… better late than never. 

As a review, the proposed bill is an extension of previous legislation. But this extension is far-reaching. So far, in fact, there will be next to no place to serve as one can see in this incredibly pink map (prohibited areas in pink):

There are two important distinctions between the previous bill and AB 1678. Firstly, the previous bill included just Middle and High Schools not Elementary Schools, despite the fact that neither Middle nor Elementary schoolers can leave for their lunch period. Secondly, AB 1678 bans all serving within 1,500 feet even on private property leaving formerly permitted events like Off the Grid out of luck if it happens to be three blocks from an elementary school. All the while, liquor stores need only be 600 feet from a school and countless fast food chains are within a crawl-able distance from all schools.

Bill Monning introduced this because of a concern about the increase in preventable disease in youth. Food trucks supposedly undermine food programs that have been placed within schools. Monning claims that food trucks are “magnets” pushing “sodas and snacks” onto children (Inside Scoop SF). 

Do not get me wrong, childhood obesity is a terrible consequence of our broken food system. And, I agree that teaching children about nutrition through school lunches is a valuable thing. However, AB 1678 halts the mobile food industry in San Francisco for everyone not just children. Well established trucks already have a difficult time finding potential locations. Including elementary schools and private property into the bill is an unnecessary addition and is far more detrimental to the food trucks than it is beneficial for children’s health. These 1st graders can’t even leave the school’s premises at lunch time and it means you can’t get your burger!  

Also, I’m not convinced that Doc’s all organic burgers are any less healthy than what a kid gets in their cafeteria. Just sayin’.

I was thinking about what makes Doc’s great for me: getting to know and becoming a part of new neighborhoods, honking around town in old iron-sides, and the staff and customers alike. Though, all of that is rooted in one unifying factor, the food. We don’t just spout a bunch of hoo-haw about the quality of our products. We take our food extremely seriously. Every condiment you see on your sandwiches, we made it. Those black bean burgers didn’t come from a freezer aisle at a food supply store. Our Kitchen Manager, Teh, spent hours sifting through black beans for rocks and put it all together from scratch. Don’t think for a second that high-fructose corn syrup has even TOUCHED the truck. It hasn’t. It would forever sully my immaculate idea of Doc’s. On the rare occasion that we don’t make something from scratch, we support other local small businesses like Matt at Firebrand Artisan Breads or Rishi and Adam at Green Hollow Preserves. 

Thus, I decided that I would take the time to profile some of our products. I’m selfishly starting with my favorite ingredient in any of our sandwiches, the Green Hollow Slicer Pickle. I can honestly say that this is the best and most flavorful pickle that I have ever consumed. This is coming from a girl who at age 7, instead of the “Best Artist” or “Strongest Swimmer” award, was given the “Most Likely to Turn into a Pickle” award at summer camp. Not only that, I grew up in the “diner capital of the world” where pickles come with nearly every meal regardless food type (sometimes I think New Jersey has it right). I felt pretty confident that I knew the gamut of pickle offerings. 

Rishi proved me so very wrong. This slicer pickle comes only from local cucumbers, so the look may change depending on the season, but the taste is always phenomenal. Rishi pickles the cucumbers in garlic, dill, horseradish, and even mint to create a product with multiple layers of tanginess and just a touch of sweet flavor. The texture is always impeccably crunchy and compliments perfectly with our burger. This flavor was enough to sell us, but in addition Green Hollow is committed to organic and seasonal ingredients and reviving community involvement in food.  

So, next time you order our classic burger, think twice before saying “no pickles.” And when you bite into the juicy beef, savor a little longer the crunch around it. That crunch you’re tasting is a work of art in its own right.

Doc’s of the Bay is not shy about its love for Oakland. The organization is entirely comprised of Oakland residents. Our kitchen is located in nearby Emeryville. Our fantastic bread is from Oakland’s only brick-oven bakery, Firebrand Artisan Breads. So, when food pods were proposed in Oakland at the end of 2011, we were ecstatic and quick to join in on the process. And now, by the end of this week, we will have our applications in for two locations in Oakland: Snow Park and North Oakland!

The 2012 food pods will serve as a test run for future legislation in Oakland. Food pods are by no means the extensive mobile food policy that is needed for prolonged service. It fails to take into account a number of details such as vending for individual trucks. However, it’ll provide a much needed midpoint between no mobile vending and full permitting. Doc’s of the Bay is celebrating the opportunity to proffer our goods in our beloved city, and may be seeing you all as soon as March! More specific updates will be coming your way soon, so keep checking in!

Ruth Stroup, Our Farmers Insurance Agent

One of the cornerstones of Doc’s is supporting other local small businesses. By utilizing and promoting one another’s services, we can grow together, thereby enabling us to give back to the community vis-a-vis job creation, food education programs, and philanthropy.

This is the first in a series of posts highlighting the local counterparts with whom we work. This week’s local hero and business ally: Ruth Stroup. 

Ruth Stroup is our insurance agent (and also one of the most contagiously cheerful/nice people I have ever encountered) at Farmers Insurance. Ruth and her staff will tailor your insurance policies to your individual needs and provide unrivaled customer service. A couple of weekends ago, Ruth opened her new office on Grand Avenue and invited us to sell at her opening fiesta. Ruth bought a free Doc’s Box for anyone who spoke with her about insurance. Brilliant! It was a total win-win and we had a blast. Unrelatedly, Ruth also makes mind-blowing truffles; if you buy insurance from her, who knows, maybe she will give you some…

Give Ruth a call if you want to talk insurance: (510) 874-5400

http://www.farmersagent.com/rstroup

LAUREN

Yes it’s true, we have finally succumbed to another of Apple’s delights: Doc’s is the proud new owner of a spankin’ new iPad! Never more will we scramble to find someone’s smart phone for a credit card purchase. Never again will I have to tally up a large order in my head (which takes me entirely too long, my 3rd grade teacher would be ashamed). To be honest, we were slightly skeptical about the advantages of the iPad. Isn’t it just a ridiculously oversized iPhone? 

The answer is a resounding NAY. The iPad is about to change Doc’s in ways that the iPhone couldn’t even comprehend. It will revolutionize our Point of Sale system. We’re leaving the dark ages of Ye Olde Sales Formes on *gasp* paper. Hello digital age!

So next time we swipe your card, do not be alarmed about the slightly larger space for your fing-nature. It’s just the future. 

-Abby

Despite our best efforts to deny it, autumn is here. The sunlight’s slipping away, the temperatures are dropping, and the leaves are already falling down a lot faster than this. What’s there to get excited about, you ask? Allow us to suggest the new collaboration between Doc’s of the Bay and Mom’s & Son’s bakery. The latest addition to the Doc’s dessert lineup, Mom’s & Son’s will be bringing you delicious individual-sized pies to facilitate your jump into the flavors of fall. We’ll be starting things off with a classic apple, jazzed up with a bit of fresh ginger and nestled in a delicious whole-wheat buttermilk crust. Mmm mmm! Now that’s something to celebrate.

If you happen to be a loyal patron of Doc’s Emeryville stop (or a first-timer!), you’re in luck: Mom’s and Son’s will be making its lunchtime debut this Thursday at Doyle Park. Can’t wait to see you there!

Love,

Mom

First Friday is here again! That means loud, boisterous people appreciating Oakland’s finest art, music, food, clothing, and crafts. Oh, and the occasional rolling suitcase boombox playing “Return of the Mack” at full volume. Could life get better?

That’s why we lept at the opportunity to park our truck outside Uptown Body and Fender during Art Murmur. And now I look forward to First Friday for a completely different reason- to interact with the lovely and gracious co-owner Giovanna. Their auto body shop transforms into a venue for local artists, musicians, and now local foods to unabashedly and proudly display their creations. Who knew a body shop could accomplish so much? 

So a big thank you to Uptown, Giovanna, and the people that frequent Art Murmur. Come check both us and Uptown out tonight! We can’t wait to see you!  

Best,

Abby

To those who read this blog, whomever you are:

We are currently competing in the SF Eater’s Choice Awards sponsored by Chase Sapphire and we loovvvee winning things. The top-ten trucks will be invited to an event at Fort Mason on Saturday, October 15, and we want to be there. Please VOTE for us as your favorite food truck in SF! It takes less than 7 seconds and is an altruistic way to start your day. It not only benefits us by making us feel (and look) good, but it will also help feed hungry people throughout the Bay Area. Yes, that’s right folks, every vote is a $1 donation to the SF and Marin County food banks. So help us help others and vote today and every day until Oct. 5!

http://eaterschoicesf.com/VOTE.html

Hope to see you soon,

Lauren

Have a great weekend at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, everyone! (That’s where the Doc’s crew will be in case of emergency, but alas, we will not have any burgers for sale.)