Opening week at Da Schnitzel King storefront!

After months of renovating our storefront location at 308 W 33rd street, we were finally ready to open our doors to Chicago on June 3rd. Many natives of Bridgeport will recognize the location as the home of the former Parkside Cafe, or more recent location of Pat's Italian Beef. 

Just a few short blocks north of Sox park, game day goers and Bridgeport residents can enjoy freshly fried schnitzel and grilled meats daily. One of the renovations the King did was updating the existing charcoal grill and installing an Argentinian grill (shown below). With the help of the Schnitzel Queen's family, who've been in the meat business for over 60 years, Da King hand selects the best cuts of meat from the meat market daily. He then hand trims each cut of meat and grills it to perfection.

This week's off-da-grill special was the beef tri tip sandwich, served on fresh Turano long loaf bread and topped with our homemade beef stock/au jus, adding sautéed sweet peppers & onions as requested. 

Devoted schnitzel fans can always find their favorite schnitzels on the menu daily, ranging from the Chicago schnitzel, saucy schnitzel, and holstein schnitzel with your choice of pork or chicken. For our vegetarian friends we still carry the eggplant schnitzel and serve it up saucy with our homemade Czech red sauce & Pecorino Romano cheese. We've added schnitzel fingers to the menu for our littlest schnitzel fans, as well as handcut onion rings and handcut french fries. We carry Filbert's root beer in da keg- local to Bridgeport!- and offer it with our vanilla soft serve and whip cream for the best root beer float on the southside. 

If you're in the neighborhood stop on by, or make an afternoon of schnitzeling and let us do the cooking for you! Feel free to give us a call before hand if you want a quick pick up 312.225.7250. We'll be adding delivery to the menu soon too!

Royally Yours,

SK

Fighting for our right to Schnitzel!

It’s no secret that we've been opposed to specific, unfair & unconstitutional regulations in the new Chicago food truck ordinance. We believe that food trucks should be able to vend wherever you, the consumer, want us to; not have the government tell us where we can and can’t conduct our business based on some arbitrary reason. As many of you are aware, food trucks are currently banned to park within 200 feet of a “brick and mortar establishment”, making it almost impossible to legally park in the downtown loop. Additionally, the mandatory GPS unit that the city says we have to install at our own cost makes us feel like criminals wearing an ankle bracelet. And when the city officials who monitor the GPS see a food truck parked within 200 feet of a restaurant (regardless of whether or not the GPS unit is “accurate”) the tickets now faced are between $1,000-$2,000. Interestingly, the parking violation for parking in front of a fire hydrant is only $100, whereas when a food truck parks in front of a restaurant the fine is $2,000…. making us wonder: Is public health and safety truly the reason behind these unfair regulations? We think not.

Today, The Chicago Schnitzel King joined forces with our fellow food truckers Cupcakes for Courage and the Institute for Justice and filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago. We are hopeful that the city will recognize the need to stop playing favorites and let the best food and/or business model win, especially since other national cities such as Los Angeles haven’t had a proximity restriction since the 1980s. Since food trucks are a vibrant symbol of the American dream, we are also hopeful that the city will realize that paving the way for big business to win only jeopardizes this American Dream. 

“Schnitzel King, what will you do if you lose?” asked a reporter today. Mayo Clinic trip, perhaps? In all seriousness, we plan to keep on fighting for our right to schnitzel in the loop, and get this ordinance changed. Chicago is our home, and we want to be able to successfully operate our small business in our hometown, while helping to foster an innovative food truck community Chicago. What would you do?

Royally Yours,

Greg & Kristin

Where are the Food Truck Stands?

I still feel betrayed by the city I love.

I always thought hard work, perseverance, and dedication were the key to being successful at starting a small business. Taking this work ethic with us, my business partner & I started the Chicago Schnitzel King. Over the past year, our experience has proven that starting a small business in Chicago requires the work ethic previously listed.  Unfortunately, that work ethic can only carry food truck owners so far before the black cloud of Chicago’s political clout stops us in our tracks.

The new ordinance passed at the end of July allows for food trucks to cook on board, but why are food trucks still operating as they did before the ordinance passed? For starters, the new ordinance now requires mobile food trucks to be inspected by the fire department, which has a completely different set of regulations than the city. Yes, there is unarguably more time needed in order to build or buy a newly outfitted mobile food truck, but this alone shouldn’t prohibit new business from starting up around the city. Other aspects, such as the mandatory GPS requirement which went into effect yesterday, the 200 ft rule between food trucks and brick & mortar establishments, the absence of food truck stands, and the fines of up to $2,000 for breaking any of these rules, are the reason.

At the last city council meeting on July 25th, Alderman Reilly promised food truck owners that he would work with us to establish and set up food truck stands in high foot traffic areas in the loop, yet we have not heard high nor hare from him after the new ordinance passed. Moreover, on July 30th Alderman Reilly posted on his website that food trucks are now allowed to park at designated Food Truck Stands across the city. 

As a food truck owner, I am concerned that there are no food truck stands established yet, especially since they are promised to us in the new ordinance. The food truck stands were to be set up all around the city in places that prohibit food trucks to park due to their proximity to establishments that sell food (7-11 & Quick Marts included), which allows food trucks to have a presence in the downtown loop. So I ask the alderman of my city & hometown: Why the delay in giving food trucks what you promised, especially now that the GPS requirement is in effect? 

Yesterday, October 1^st, is when food truck owners were expected to have a GPS unit installed on their vehicles. This data needs to be made available for the city to track. The fine for violating this new mandatory rule is up to $2,000, an amount that would put many food truck owners out of business. Now it feels like I need to wear an ankle bracelet just to conduct my small business operation. 

Happy Chicago Food Truck Day!

As we are prepping da schnitzel to hit the road later for the King's midday feast, take a moment to check out what this day is all about! We hope to see you at 11am on Dearborn & Monroe, but if you are looking for a food truck near you check out Food Truck Freak or Chicago Food Truck Finder to locate other Chicago Food Trucks. Remember, the first 19 customers receive FREE FOOD tomorrow!! Make sure to get to the jeep early to lock in your FREE JULY HAM from Da King (while supplies last we'll give it away all day!).

Currently, Chicago is the only national city that does not allow cooking on board a mobile food vendor. The new ordinance the city proposed would allow us to cook & operate for 24 hours, however the 200ft distance rule between brick & mortars and food trucks would still apply, leaving little legal spots for the amount of trucks in the city. Additionally, the GPS surveillance and hefty fines ($1000-$2000) unfairly limit our freedom and have nothing to do with protecting the public. Check out the map below to view the current legal spots food trucks can park in the loop- the orange spots are illegal according to current & proposed legislation.

Chicago Vending Release 8-17-11

With a little help from our friend Food Truck Freak, the Chicago Food Trucks helped organized a petition to amend the current legislation and eliminate the food truck distance ban from brick and mortar restaurants. Consumers deserve the right to choose where we buy our food or when we dine out. Interestingly, in Los Angeles County where there is a thriving food truck community, the only restriction on food truck entails getting written permission from a facility with a public washroom if you stay in a certain spot for a particular amount of time. In 2009, LA Country tried to pass a one-hour duration restriction after restaurants complained about taco trucks eating into their business but the law was later struck down in state court (LA food trucks). If LA can have a thriving food truck community (thousands of trucks!) & restaurants harmoniously operating side by side, why can't Chicago?

Are you ready to take action? If you've already signed the petition then you're half way there! Visit the Institute for Justice's website & start emailing, tweeting, & calling your local alderman. Tell the City Council that they should treat all Chicagoans with business dreams equally, and allow Chicago’s creative chefs to start small and grow big!

Remember, we couldn't do this without you, so thanks for all that you do!! Now go n' get your food truck on!

Royally yours,

SK