Cartography

Chaac Mool Launches in Dolores Park, But Caves to Pressure and Will Move to Curb Edge of Park

Leftovers from the
Leftovers from the “puke-in.” Photo: Nilanjan Nag/Mission Local

Saturday marked the launch of La Cocina’s trailer concession in Dolores Park, featuring the Yucatecan cuisine of Chaac Mool. The launch brought with it the planned “puke-in” protest by “Chicken” John Rinaldi — who perhaps has a thing against tacos in general because the cilantro has a tendency of getting snagged in that mustache of his. But despite the fact that the evidence left of the protest appears to be (via Mission Local) a few packages of fake, joke-store barf and some Post-Its, La Cocina has already decided that “being part of a community means listening to the community,” and they’ve agreed to a compromise which would put the trailer down at the curb cut-in where 19th Street runs into the park.

Uptown Almanac reprints part of the press release from La Cocina’s Caleb Zigas, who says that the move to the perimeter space could take six months (perhaps because they haven’t created said curb cut-in?), but “we are committed to a compromise that works for everyone… [and] we would still honor our contracts and payment agreement to Rec and Parks, ideally generating at least some positive economic impact for them while serving the neighbors and community of Dolores Park to the extent possible.”

As we’ve discussed earlier, we thought this debate was inane from the start; whether it’s the asphalt path that runs through the park or the asphalt at the street edge of the park, what’s the difference? Nor do we see a difference between two immigrants with the backing of a community non-profit, trying to make a few bucks selling tacos, and the guy who roams the park angrily selling “cold beer, cold water” at a mark-up, except that he doesn’t have the blessing of the City. We also don’t see anyone protesting the many hot dog and ice cream trucks along the asphalt lanes that wind through Golden Gate Park, or comparing them to Enron (!) — but that is because Golden Gate Park is not a sacred space for those in the fervently anti-profit camp.

Anyway, go get a taco, and let’s all just assume that this hubbub will blow over. And see Mission Local’s somewhat biased narrated slideshow, below.


Dolores Park’s First Food Truck Rolls In
[Mission Local]
La Cocina to Look Into Moving Out of Dolores Park [Uptown Almanac]
Puke and Privatization in Dolores Park (Op-Ed by Chicken John) [SFBG]
Earlier: Dolores Park Standoff Coming Next Weekend As La Cocina Sets Launch Date [Grub Street]
‘Puke-In’ Planned This Weekend to Protest Charming Taco Stand in Dolores Park [Grub Street]
Chaac Mool Concession to Launch in Dolores Park Within a Month Or So, Protest or No [Grub Street]

Chaac Mool Launches in Dolores Park, But Caves to Pressure and Will Move to Curb