Native food cart in Manhattan

Parks Department issues request for Native American food cart downtown

By James Fanelli and Kathleen LucadamoThe city is trying to get back to its culinary roots.

The Parks Department is searching for cooks who specialize in American Indian fare--think frybread, bison and beans--to run a food cart in Bowling Green.

"People still love the hot dogs and pretzels but they want other options," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

Since the lower Manhattan park houses a branch of the National Museum of the American Indian, officials thought it was fitting to serve indigenous food nearby.

The winning vendor can serve native fare from North or South America.

That means relying on "squash, potatoes, pumpkins, avocados, yucca, bison, venison," and whipping up "frybread, ceviche, arepa, tamales and pupusas," a request for proposals shows.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Salishan Catering Serves Native Cuisine and Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook.