Interview with Pete McGough-Pose of the Everything Apple Food Truck, Which Can Run on Electricity

One of my pet peeves is a loud food truck. I love public space, sidewalks, parks, eating on benches, and street life, so I also love food trucks. That's why it's so frustrating when you are near one with a loud generator, where the guttural cranking sound of a diesel motor drowns out everything within a 50' radius and turns the food truck-proximate sidewalks, parks, or patios into a setting that resembles a metal stamping factory. 

Years ago, visiting Portland, Oregon, I was struck by the food truck plazas that seemed to have grown like moss in every parking lot. They were quiet havens, places where you could whisper and enjoy the sounds of birds, small pop-up plazas where the food trucks seemed at home. It was wonderfully organic and made for great public space.

[Pete McGough-Pose.]

And yet, even now in Minnesota, it's rare to see a food truck using electricity. That's why when I saw one the other day at Saint Paul's Bang Brewing, I had to stop and chat with the purveyor. The truck was called Everything Apple, and here's their story.

Pete: My. Name is Pete McGough-Pose, and me and my brother Keegan, we own this food truck. Everything Apple. 

We currently now... it was started by my brother and our grandfather. He unfortunately just passed away about a month ago. In that time a couple months ago, we’ve been refurbishing it getting it out to tap rooms and things like that. Polishing it up, getting the equipment up to date. It’s been going really well so far. 

Right now we’re at Bang [Brewing], like I was saying, we are all electric, so we are able to just plug into these guys through a couple of cords and run it nice and quiet. 

Normally we’ve got a couple of real new Honda generators. 

Keegan: A Honda EU 7000 and a Honda EU 3000 

Pete: Yeah those are really nice generators they’re pretty much brand new, and they’ve got a nice eco drive and everything. They can run us pretty efficiently and nice like that, but it’s pretty nice to just be able to plug in here. 

Twin City Sidewalks: It’s pretty quiet! That's one of the things that I care about. 

Pete: That’s what really nice about the really new Hondas that we have, they’re incredibly quiet. We even had a couple customers come up to us while we were serving and they asked us if our generators were running. And I took a second to just check and make sure that yeah they are. So that’s nice.  

Twin City Sidewalks: I was in Portland almost ten years ago, and saw lots of food truck parks with the plug-ins. It's nice because you can sit around with the tables and you can hear each other and enjoy being in the city while you hang out. 

Pete: I think that would be really cool too. I was talking to the owners [Sandy and Jay, of Bang Brewing] and they had mentioned how they were thinking that they were going to put in a plug-in right down here [by the curb] so that when we pull in, they can just plug in right there. 

Right now we have it worked out well where its low voltage what we’ve got going on. We don’t have  a fryer in here right now so we’ve been able to work our way around  

Twin City Sidewalks: How do you get the brats to taste so good? 

Pete: We hand case them. We grind them fresh. We have our grandfather’s spice recipe, and we mix them with small chunks of Granny Smith apple. Then we hand case them, and cook them in our professional kitchen and get them nice and fresh for you here. 

Twin City Sidewalks: Is there anything else folks need to know about Everything Apple? 

Pete: I guess we’re really new to this, I’m really new to this, so I’m not really too sure what I should put out there but I really appreciate the interest.

According to Sandy Boss Febbo, the co-owner of Bang, she prefers food trucks that can run on electricity and makes a point to book trucks that can do this.

A Honda EU 7000 runs about $4,000, which is a lot of money, so there's an equity aspect to quiet food trucks. That's exactly why I really want to see more electric options, which would be easier for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to use.

Anyway, I hope plug-ins for food trucks catch on. It might seem petty to complain about generator noise, but as is often the case with good urbanism, the devil is in the details. Sometimes, as with Bang Brewing and Everything Apple, the little things like noise, texture, seating, shade, and street design come together to great a perfect urban experience.

Oh, and the apple brat is really good too.

Red River Kitchen: the New Almost-Winner of the Beer by the River Test

[Mission accomplished.]

A while back, I wrote about the mysterious lack of riverfront cafés in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the almost complete dearth of spots where one could sit in a chair, drinking a beer, and watching the river flow by. Unimaginatively, this was the "Beer-By-The-River" (BBTR) test.

Drinking a beer by the river should be a commonplace activity in the Twin Cities, which were, after all, built around having access to the 33 miles of Mississippi Riverfront. Such a pleasing activity, one would think, would easily become a regional pastime, especially during the warmer months.

But it’s not. The list of BBTR contenders is sadly short, and in all the Minneapolis and Saint Paul riverfront area, there is only one place that offers a genuine unadulterated riverside café experience: Psycho Suzi’s in Northeast. The rest of the list pales in comparison, and Saint Paul, in particular, has almost nothing to offer.

That is, until now.

[The City House elevator. at the Upper Landing.]

Just this week, Saint Paul has catapulted up to the very almost-top of the BBTR rankings with the opening of the new Red River Kitchen in the City House elevator at the Upper Landing.

For helpful Saint Paul reference: The Upper Landing is the early 2000s residential development along the riverfront between the high bridge and the science museum, a row of 5-story buildings that for some reason had lacked any mixed-use features except for a coffee shop. The City House is an historic 1930s grain elevator right on the river that was partially restored and turned into an “event center” owned by the city’s Parks Department. The City House has a unique history, and was originally intended to be some sort of restaurant, but the potential for flooding in the space meant that no “permanent” structures could be built there.

I’d long thought that, of all the riverfront spots on Saint Paul’s East (downtown) Bank, this was the spot that had the most potential to activate the riverfront and bring people closer to the Mississippi. Unlike the rest of the riverfront, this slice of land is separated from pedestrian-unfriendly (and overbuilt) Shepard Road, and is a very pleasant place to spend time, if you can figure out how to get there. Which is why it was so strange that it sat empty for so many years…

But kudos to Saint Paul for acting quickly. We only approved this new pop-up food-truck-style restaurant concept a few weeks ago at the Planning Commission. And it’s already open, from 11am to 9pm. According to the guy who owns Republic, who is one of the organizers, it was pretty easy to park a mobile kitchen next door and hook up some tap lines. They brought in some picnic tables, and are serving food and beer in the City House as I write this.

[From left to right: a beer, barges, a rowing team.]

[The patio, with downtown in the background.]

[The biergarten-like interior.]

[The menu, with new employees learning how to work the register.]

[The mobile food kitchen.]

So how does it rank?

When I complied them last year, I pointed out that the BBTR rankings were not evenly distributed. Psycho Suzi’s was a clear #1, then there was a big gap, then you had the Saint Anthony Main cafés, and then below them, a handful of riverfront pretenders.

I’m happy to say that Red River Kitchen is the only BBTR experience that can give Psycho Suzi’s a run for its money. The only downside is that the “patio” which offers the best riverfront view, only has a few benches. The picnic tables inside are nice enough but a bit removed from the amazing riverfront-plus-beer concept that continues to haunt my dreams. So, compared to the riverside tables at Suzi’s, Saint Paul still falls a bit short.

On the other hand, this particular riverfront location is an absolute A+ when it comes to urban visual interest. At Suzi’s, the river is pretty quiet. There’s not much traffic, and the view of facing riverbank is dominated by a metal scrapyard. Sure it’s honest and gritty, but it’s hardly riveting.

[The High Bridge in the background.]

But the Mississippi at Red River Kitchen is the absolute heart of the urban riverfront. Facing the kitchen patio is Harriet Island, with the Padelford boats docking and loading all through the evening. Just turning your head, you see the entire panorama of downtown Saint Paul curving along the river bluffs, the downtown bridges weaving their way over the water as boats of all kinds make their way up and downstream. In an hour, 8- and 4-person rowing teams in skiffs, douches on jet skis, recreational boats, and a tourist “riverboat” pushed by a barge all passed by. Houseboats are docked at the marina across the water, and you can watch the bridges and bluffs and people in the parks walk around the riverfront. Here the river is alive.

And then there are the barges! City House is still used as a parking berth for barges, and if you lean over the railing, you can look directly into these massive floating steel containers. It’s a sublime experience, a bit like gazing into a canyon. On Monday, they were filled with some sort of cement gravel, but the barges are constantly being shuffled around, and who knows what will be docked there when you visit. It’s cool to be confronted with the materiality of our industrial society, and it’s even cooler to drink an IPA while doing so.

In conclusion, I’m very impressed by the new Red River Kitchen. They exceeded my expectations, particularly in the short timeline. Go down there and drink a beer by the river. The view is unmatched anywhere in town.

Ranking:

Solid #2, right behind Psycho Suzi’s. (With better patio furnishings, they would be #1.)

[Currently, the Red River Kitchen closes at 9pm, though given the nigh views, that is rather silly.]

Reading the Highland Villager #88

[A Villager waits for a table.]

[Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. That's why I'm reading the Highland Villager so that you don't have to. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free.]


Headline: State takes over St. Paul health inspections; City employees accused of making 'critical' mistakes
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version:  The city hasn't been inspecting restaurants or grocery stores very well or often. After many threats, the state Departments of Agriculture and Health has started doing it instead, pissing off folks down at City Hall. 15 "inspectors" could lose their jobs. Nouns mentioned include: rodent droppings, "serious errors," backlogs, "hostile takeover."


Headline: New formula levels field for district councils; City revises funding to reflect population of its 17 districts
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: 10 years ago, the city approved a "revised funding formula" to account for shifts in population across the city, mainly shifting money from neighborhoods losing population to neighborhoods with stable populations. It was never implemented [presumably because it's politically unpopular]. The shift had been postponed a few years ago. Losers include: Summit-University, Lex-Ham, Ramsey Hill, Downtown. Winners: two on the East Side, Highland Park, West 7th, Mac-Groveland.

Headline: Redevelopment would transform Snelling-Selby ["Transform" might be a bit of an exagguration?]
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A surface parking lot and an old one-story commercial building are to become a large mixed-use development. The Getten Credit building [long one of my favorite perhaps inadvertent pun names] is the first to go. Neighbors are worried about traffic. They'd like money for a study. [A study would be useless unless it had a definitive plan for Ayd Mill Road.] There will be a grocery store! [I'm going to guess a Lund's? Also, for some reason the article includes picture of someone riding a bike on the small sidewalk in front of the Snelling Starbucks.]


Headline: Plan targets Snelling-Selby parking crunch; Shared parking lots, new parking meters and permit parking are all in the offing
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Neighbors and business people listened to the city talk about how to make sure people can park their cars at Snelling and Selby. One plan is to build a shared commercial lot. Also, the city is interested in looking at a parking improvement district. [Shoup 101, something I wanted to see in Lowertown, too!] Money from meter revenue would go to pay for "free customer parking lots." [Well, that's sort of the idea, except that parking revenue in theory doesn't go to pay for free parking elsewhere. That seems paradoxical somehow? People paying more to park to subsidize free parking in the same corner? Not sure that supply-demand thing is gonna work.] Some residents don't like parking meters. One business owner "questioned whether customers would be willing to walk a block or more." [If they're not, there's something deeply wrong with Saint Paul.] Article includes choice quote: "Everyone knows where free parking is. It's kind of amazing."


Headline: Commission launches 'fish and fowl' zoning study; City to address growing public interest in raising, processing their own food
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Saint Paul people desiring to farm and/or butcher fish or fowl may be able to do so in the future [anything without hooves, really. Apparently this group includes hippie organic folks and hmong].


Headline: Local historic status sought to save crumbling Island Station
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The City Council had a public hearing about whether to grant historic designation for the old [almost always obsolete] abandoned power plant in the river valley. The property owner wants to demolish it, and cited a long list of vandalism-type activity as one reason. Local architecture and preservationist types want to keep it, and have dreams for what it might become. The National Park Service had once offered to buy it, but for a paltry sum. [Update: the City Council decided yesterday not to grant historic designation, and now a property owner will be able to demolish it if they want. And they will want.]


Headline: Beacon group assembles financing for new shelter for homeless youth
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A group is going to build a 44-unit building for homeless youth at University and Prior.


Headline: Khaliq sworn in as Ward 1's rep
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: That's Nathaniel Kaliq.


Headline: Neighbors raise a stink over opening of new Wild Wings
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The new Buffalo Wild Wings smells like fried food, surprising neighbors. Best quote: "The smell was absolutely horrendous... it was a heavy, greasy smell." Also: "I laid down to sleep and the sheets on the bed smelled like grease." Article includes possible solutions, a vent and/or a closed-loop system. There is some debate about an existing curb cut. BWW promised to get rid of it, but MNDOT says they need to keep it because of [traffic traffic Snelling traffic blah blah].


Headline: Blue Ox envisions 36-hole minigolf course at old Schmidt Brewery site; But West 7th Federation questions whether 18 holes might be enough
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, your new "death match" super-heated local Saint Paul issue!] The mini-golf developer wants to build a 36-hole course because it would be "more profitable." Neighborhood group president says it would be problematic, because they need some of the potential golf space for 50 parking spaces. [Look, I like mini-golf way more than the next guy, but 36 holes is a lot of holes. Hell, Big Stone only has 13... But wait, I have another idea. Maybe we combine them. Mini-golf holes SLASH parking lot. People park their cars to create obstacles, parking on the greens. Holes are located in between SUVs filled with kids. No Wait! Beer patio SLASH parking lot SLASH mini-golf course SLASH Como Zoo extension, so you have a drink in one hand, a putter in the other, and are chasing a monkey who has your golf ball through a pissed-off bumper car course of Costanzas... Just a thought.]


Headline: Expenses outpacing revenues by close to $1M at city's golf courses
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Saint Paul's golf courses continue to lose money. [Why can't we privatizes crap like this?, or find something else to do with the space? E.g. cross country skiing in the wintertime! Yay! Maybe use one of the courses for mountain biking or, you know, something that's actually popular and stuff. Frolf. Lacrosse. Lawn darts. 36-hole mini-golf courses.]


Headline: Council sets building height limits on west end of Grand
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The city passed the proposed zoning changes [see here] on Grand Avenue by Saint Thomas.


Headline: Wild Onion is finally allowed to serve liquor on its patio
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [At long last, dreams can come true!]  There are 11 "conditions." [For example, patio-goers must keep their their collars flipped up at all times.]

Headline: Council fines pedal pub for operating without a license
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [Look out, Saint Paul. There's a rogue pedal pub out there! Nobody is safe.] A pedal pub company with the [horrible] name "Three Buckaroos" did not have the appropriate license, approvals, or signage. Also, apparently this company was letting people drink whiskey, which is verboten.


Headline: Armadillo band will have fest jumpin'
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [I'm just gonna let your imagination run with that one.]

Pulling Apart Patios

[Some Minneapolis patio details. From top to bottom: Common Roots Cafe, Loring Pasta Bar, Mac's Industrial Bar.]

In many parts of the world, sidewalk dining is the classic urban experience. Here in the US, though, it tends to be a bit uncommon. In New York, for example, it's very difficult to find anything resembling a sidewalk patio. The streets are choked with traffic, and the inevitable sight of garbage on the sidewalk is a bit unappetizing. (I still remember bringing 4 Bulgarian friends to New York for the first time and all of them saying how uniformly ugly the city was.)

While the summer still has legs, I'm kicking off a series about patio dining in the Twin Cities. We seem to have had a patio renaissance in the past 5 years, and sidewalk dining has become more and more common. These days, and during this cool summer, you can see why its so popular.

But not all patios are made equal. You will find patios that are laughable attempts to place tables on skinny, traffic-addled sidewalks. You will find patios that are luxurious, spatious, pleasant places to sit and enjoy the people'd streets.

So, what makes a good patio?

Here are some possible ideas:

• A sense of separation between auto traffic and tables with food
• A sense of separation between people traffic and tables with food
• Nice buildings to look at
• Nice people to look at (i.e. people watching)
  
• A view of some sort of landscape
• Comfy chairs / tables / awnings
• Lots of room
• Quiet-ness

What do you think? Which of these things are the most important? Are we living in the golden age of the Twin Cities' patio?

[The legendary patio at Sally's in Stadium Village.]