What Does Quesadilla Vendor's Win at L.A.'s Vendy Awards Mean?

Vendy Awards

Nina Garcia (she's the one with the trophy).

​L.A. witnessed its first Vendy Awards over the weekend. Vendys are street-food vendor awards ― New York City has hosted them for the past five years. The scope of L.A.'s six finalists had a familiar shape for anyone who's ever trolled the Mission on a Friday night. It ranged from nouveau foodista (Grilled Cheese Truck, India Jones Chow Truck) to Twitter-less traditional (Tacos el Galuzo, Hot Dog Kings). The winner? Nina's Food, grilled quesadillas from Mexico City-born Nina Garcia (no, not that Nina Garcia) ― it was old-time authenticity over new-style shimmer.

California Taco Trucks blogger Cyrus Farivar put the win in context: "I'm really glad to see old school trucks and street vendors getting some play over the newer flashier variety. I love the Twittering gourmet trucks, but dudes, there's been a whole phalanx of trucks running around the City of Angels long before Twitter." What does a Nina's win mean for us up north? Nothing, really ― except to reinforce the notion that street food here, like its L.A. primo, comes in all provenances.