What happened to the food truck boom?

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat:

Craig LaBan: Good afternoon, and welcome back – to your favorite Philly food chat. I know it's been a few weeks, but I've been working on a big project that I'm excited about, and I hope you will be, too, when it appears at the end of this month. I hope to be able to tell you more as we get closer to the pub date. But I can give you one piece of advice: Subscribe to the Inquirer now! (You will see what I mean.)

Where have you all been eating since we last spoke? Any new places or dishes or drinks?

Reader: For a while, Penn and Drexel had a nice food-truck scene, lots of unique options and regular staples. However, it seems some of the big guns (Spot, Mac Mart, etc.) have moved to brick and mortar and some in the city are preventing food trucks from thriving here like they do in other places (Austin). Are things going to stay the way they are or will we ever see more encouragement?

C.L.: I'm sorry to hear this once-burgeoning trend has continued to move in the wrong direction. The food-truck movement that blossomed around 33rd and Market at Drexel was certainly one of the more exciting to bubble up about five years ago. But that happened in part because it was sort of unregulated (unlike Penn's more locked-down, assigned food-truck slots) and it was destined to change or at least evolve. Unfortunately, the powers that be in West Philly have not been exceptionally receptive and have been listening to complaints from brick-and-mortar businesses, which may explain the increasing difficulties new truckers have encountered. But it's also a joy to see some of the early movers find enough success to finally land their own real restaurants - SpOt burger, Mac Mart are definitely two of note, as is Honest Tom's (the grandpa of the current truck wave.) The Foo Truck is the latest, (just opened Tuesday) at 13th and Vine. I like the Asian meatballs and curried quinoa vegan burrito.

Reader: Anybody try out Mac Mart yet? The store looks promising but haven't made it over.

C.L.: Was very crowded when it opened, so I'm planning a fall visit. The base mac isn't life-changing, albeit very solid. This place is more about toppings than anything else.

Reader: Speaking of truck to brick and mortar, I just stopped into the new Foo Kitchen at 13th and Vine for lunch. They have the same foo-wiches, some rice bowls, and breakfast, too. It's a 40-seater, a little bigger than I expected, but hope it finds some customers on what doesn't seem like a highly trafficked stretch.

C.L.: That is a tricky corner. I wish they'd been there when the paper was still at Broad and Callowhill. But it can draw from Hahnemann, as well as the growing residential crowd still settling into the Eraserhood/Loft District. I'll be sure to visit soon.

Reader: Have you make it to Royal Izakaya yet?

C.L.: There are few restaurant openings this year I've been looking forward to as much as Royal Izakaya, the collaboration between the Itos, the former owners of Haddonfield's Fuji and the Khyber Pass/Royal Tavern team. But it took so darn long (years, really) that I can wait a few months until opening jittters are over. I'm eager to hear early reports myself.