Duma wasn't kidding about Angel Cruz, mostly Lao and Cambo but a few Hmong too

[theking]

It was 101 degree but they are hopping making money. I saw a couple of Hmong sellers in the sea of Cambodian and Laotian sellers and don't think most of them are licensed so eat at your own risk.. :




Cars lined up on both sides of the street and as I get closer to the epic center, I can smell the delicious food via the smoke:


























Some sellers sell raw stuff too like this Hmong guy selling "Hmong sausage":




I ended up getting some larb and it was pretty good IMO  :

[ProudLao]

I'll pass lol does not look clean 

[DuMa]

Well at first, they be selling it inside the park like by the picnic table to mask it like a picnic which then makes it legal.  Then now, they are lining it along the side of the sidewalk which makes it obvious.  They are not just selling food, they are starting to sell other things too like lemon grass trees and other kinds of trees too. 

The city is getting lazy busting this types of activities.  When you see lesser vendors, it is an indicator of a recent bust.  They haven't bust this in like years so it has time to develop into what it is today. 

I grew up with this park.  Learned how to play baseball (almost hit a homerun) and basketball here at this park.  Saw my first drive by here too.  Freaking crazy, was playing football with friends and saw a guy ran across the park while chasing his target and pop pop pop.  So scary. 

Have not been on this park's ground for years. 

The hmong that vendors here are the north side hmongs.   The true hmong park is southside between downey and 8th street right next to I-5.  This is where my friend's hmong dad be going there daily to call his gf from thailand.  His wife knows but can not do anything to stop him.  Hmong og culture where the men are kings of their high courts. 

[Cali Guy]

Do they have a time schedule or just whenever? I wouldn’t mind stopping by, eating out is a risk anywhere.

[DuMa]

Do they have a time schedule or just whenever? I wouldn’t mind stopping by, eating out is a risk anywhere.

I saw them putting stuff out earlier and earlier due to competition in getting the best spots.  I say about 4pm start and goes till sunset but some vendors close shop even earlier than that. 

Eat at your own risk

[Yebleng]

This is why America hate you immigrants

I have some in-laws from Stockton and when we last visited, they insist that we stop and eat there. Sure, eating outside at the park is cool and all but turning a beautiful city park into a flea market is a no no for me. Its ghetto. I'm all about conserving my city and my neighborhoods.

[Mr_Mechanic]

laab looks good.  making me hungry.

[DuMa]

They got their own review page on yelp too.

Guess the best papaya is coming from a lady named Poe.  Sounds like cambo cuz I have a cambo friend poe but he's a guy. 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/angel-cruz-park-papaya-stockton

[DuMa]

I think this may be a myth but a cambo friend of mine told me how the cambo people be making some bomb azz mud looking sauce that goes into your papaya.  The reason why it tasted different and good is the fermented part.   You see cambo people be fishing for small fish for a reason.  They would put these small and raw fish into a jar and put in mud sauce and puts it out in the sun to get fermented. 

So it tasted good but yall don't know what yall be eating.  As long as they get their money, they don't care about your health. 

I know that is how fish sauce in Vietnam are made but the distillation process is triple filtered and everything is sanitized due to their large volume and sizes of their company and operations.  With mama papa set up shots, there might not even be a quarantine process. 

Eat at your own risk. 

[theking]

Eat at your own risk

Yes

[theking]

laab looks good.  making me hungry.

Tasted pretty good too..

[theking]

They got their own review page on yelp too.

Guess the best papaya is coming from a lady named Poe.  Sounds like cambo cuz I have a cambo friend poe but he's a guy. 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/angel-cruz-park-papaya-stockton

Good to know...

[Tajo]

OMG it looks like a street food area.  I was there a decade ago with my sister.   

[lexicon]

Question.

It's obvious vendors and consumers want this to happen. Is there not a local daily/weekly market? I guess I've gotten spoiled having access to the local farmer's markets here in MN/WI.

Someone explain this phenomenon to me. I understand it's at a park and that's about as much as I know. 

[DuMa]

Question.

It's obvious vendors and consumers want this to happen. Is there not a local daily/weekly market? I guess I've gotten spoiled having access to the local farmer's markets here in MN/WI.

Someone explain this phenomenon to me. I understand it's at a park and that's about as much as I know.

Yes they do have flea markets and this farmer's market but it is only on Saturday.   This is like how they are doing it in the motherland.  Set shop and sell.  No pay for spots, no tax and no bullchit, all profit. 

Totally illegal in all sorts of ways.  Fines in all sorts of ways if convicted.