While it’ll likely be a while yet before we see food vendors on downtown street corners selling anything besides hot dogs and sausages, the city moved one step closer to having better and healthier street eats today with the announcement of the Toronto Street Treats Fair.

In a lunchtime press conference at Nathan Philips Square, Councillor John Filion and brothers Guy and Michael Rubino from Rain Restaurant announced that the Fair will take place in the Square on Friday, July 13th from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM. Along with the Rubinos, a slew of Toronto’s top chefs will be on hand to dish up some street-friendly fare, including Chris McDonald (Cava), Claudio Aprile (Colborne Lane), Didier Leroy (Didier), Irene Morales (Jumbo Empanada), Pat Riley (Perigee), Amanda Bent (Kali’s Crepes), Carole Ferrari (Local Cafe), and more to be announced.

Filion also announced that Toronto’s Board of Health have asked Ontario’s Ministry of Health to amend the food regulations that currently limit street vendors to selling “precooked meat products in the form of wieners or similar sausage products to be served on a bun”, and allow a larger variety of food be become available from the city’s street carts. There has been no official response from the Province, but an invitation has been extended to all Provincial party leaders, the Minister of Health, and opposition Health critics to attend the Fair.

In order to give an idea of what sort of food will be available at the Fair, the Rubinos served up samples of Frogs’ Legs Porridge, a Chinese rice dish with a savoury, spicy sauce and tasty, tender legs. Aside from the fact that the tiny bones made it a bit awkward to eat, it was a great example of the healthy and flavourful food that we could all be enjoying on Toronto’s streets if the current regulation can be changed. Let’s hope that the Toronto Street Treats Fair helps to convince the powers-that-be that it’s time to dump the road dogs and get some better food options onto the streets and into our bellies.

Photo by C.o.F…2 from the Taste T.O. Flickr pool