“Street food” is a vague term — after all, anything can technically be classified as street food if itap cooked or consumed on a street. For some, true street food can only come from a streetside vendor, but in the brick-and-mortar restaurant world, itap really more of an ethos, and one that pops up with .
At LoHi food hall Avanti Food and Beverage, a new food stand opening Friday wants to dig into street food with varying influences, from Chinese bao to Korean barbecue to al pastor tacos and falafel. Street Feud, a new concept from chef-owner Merlin Verrier, opens Aug. 9 in the formerBorraCho Taco space with a tight but wildly global menu.
Like most street fare, much of Street Feud’s menu is hand-held. You’ll find al pastor tacos ($4.50 each) and crispy pork belly bao ($4.50 each). But you’ll also find options like charred kale quinoa bowls ($9) and braised lamb flatbread ($11.95), all of it listed with suggested beer and wine pairings that play beautifully off each dish.
“A lot of it goes back to the roots of what I grew up eating,” Verrier said of the menu.
Some of the recipes come from Verrier’s own family. The chicken satay bao ($4.24), with its rich peanut sauce and spicy shoestring potatoes, is indulgent and snacky, and it feels like its own little party when paired with a riesling that cuts through the richness of the peanut sauce.
“I grew up eating it — Mom made it all the time,” Verrier said of the satay. “To be able to put that food on the menu is really special to me.”
There are several vegan options on the menu, and you’re not giving anything up by going meat-free at Street Feud. The crispy mushroom taco ($4.95 each) could almost fool you into thinking you’re eating meat. By cooking off the moisture of the mushrooms before frying them — then tossing them in coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest — Verrier gives the fungi a chicharron vibe, and the base of huitlacoche beans gives the taco a beautiful earthiness.
“It really just ends up tasting like something hearty,” Verrier said. “To me, I think itap the best vegan taco I’ve had.”
In typical Avanti fashion, Street Feud is a limited engagement, though no official end date has been set. Verrier is already hunting for brick-and-mortar locations in order to give the concept a more permanent home. Verrier, who said he suffers from his own addiction and mental health issues, plans to give employees a “mental health day” once a quarter, giving employees a three-day weekend every three months and encouraging them to use that time to unplug and spend time with their loved ones. He also plans to send executive chefs on annual trips to international street food meccas like Hong Kong and Mexico City in order to pick up new cooking techniques.
“Ultimately, I would love for this concept to turn into a lifestyle brand,” Verrier said.
Avanti Food and Beverage,3200 N. Pecos St. (LoHi). Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday.
