Portland Food Carts

Location: SW 3rd and Oak, SW 5th and Oak, SW 9th and Alder and a small pushcart hot dog stand in front of the County Courthouse on SW 5th.
Description: Hot dogs, sausages and hamburgers. A couple of subs and a bowl of chili. The end. Um, oh yeah, they also sells chips and soft drinks. Carries a nice selection of Beaver brand mustards along with relish and kraut. Pretty straight forward stuff, but sometimes straightforward is just the thing. Plus, am I the only one who thinks it is pretty funny that the only food cart outside the County Courthouse is named Matlock’s? Is that a coincidence?

Sample Menu:
All Beef Hot Dogs: Small ($2.00), Medium ($2.75), Large Kosher ($3.50)

Corn dog ($1.75)

Sausages ($3.00 - $3.50) - polish, kielbasa, Louisiana Red Hot, German Smoked or Bratwurst

Hamburgers including a Boca Burger option ($3.00-3.50)

Turkey or Ham Subs ($3.00)
Bowl of Chili ($1.75)

Hours: Mon-Fri Lunchtime

Phone: Unknown

Website: Unkown

***New***

Location: SW 9th between Alder and Washington

Description: Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice that’s what good pastry carts are made of. Much anticipated, and already comes equipped with a legion of fans. And I’m happy to report the Sugar Cube cart is worth the hype. Pastry chef Kir Jenson is the real deal folks with some pretty impressive credentials including working at the Ritz Carlton, Genoa, Blue Hour and Clark Lewis. Kir is whipping up some sophisitcated yet comforting food at her new cart including sweet treats, savory nibbles and meals, and serving excellent Spella coffee and a few other liquid things like smoothies and a refreshing vanilla bean lemonade.

Specialties include a variety of moist cupcakes that put most other cupcakes to shame with flavors such as the My Goodness My Guinness featuring a ginger Guinness beer stout cake with maple cream cheese frosting, or the the Lovely-Lady-lump which is a lemon teacake cupcake with a lemon curd center, lemon cream cheese frosting and a fresh raspberry on top. They even have my favorite cake - the Harvey Wallbanger, in cupcake form. whoa.

Other sweet treats include excellent seasonal fruit coffee cakes, textbook scones (other Portland bakeries take note), biscuits n’ jam, and very very good cookies.

Savory dishes include a savory cheese and veggie strata, panini sandwiches, and a rotation of soups that could include tomato curry, dill potato, vegetable dumpling, creamy shitake mushroom or a vegetarian chili served with buttermilk cornbread.

Smoothies feature our favorite yogurt brand Nancy’s in either Strawberry Peach or Banana Flax, all sweetened with honey and made with milk or soymilk. Healthy, and delicious! I know what I’m eating for breakfast this week.

Thank you, Kir for opening your little white Sugar Cube and for making Portland, and Portland’s cart scene that much sweeter.

Sample Menu: Coming Soon!

Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-3PM

Phone: 503-890-2825

Website: TheSugarCube

A giant car sized hot dog from Phish

No Fooling. It really is National Hot Dog Month.
(But I’m also including all kinds of sausages)

Although a big juicy dog is fine any old time of year, there is just something about summer that screams out thick Polish or kielbasa versions, aromatic Italian sausages with grilled peppers, Chicago style, beer wursts, smoky red hots, brats of all kinds (brown mustard and kraut with mine please), long curvy Coney island dogs served with all the fixings, and the list goes on and on. If you are lucky you’ll even be able to find Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai or Lao versions; the latter highly seasoned with things like garlic, ginger and/or lemon grass. I also enjoy a good corn dog or two every summer at specialty carts found at fairs and festivals. Vegans and vegetarians can even find some pretty good meatless varieties.

Of course hot dogs and food carts go hand n’ hand, and Portland has a good selection scattered about from the fancy Altengartz, to the no-nonsense Matlock’s empire, to the more BBQ focused Smokin Pig, to the Jamison Park Staple of NW Hotdog. There’s even a new hot dog cart or two in Portland’s ever burgeoning cart scene.

So relax, put on those bermuda shorts, flip flop sandals and wayfayer sunglasses and get yourself a dog, but don’t forget the sun screen. Summer is here. Finally.

Note: The above photo is a car-sized Hot Dog stage prop used by the band Weezer Phish and displayed at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Price of admission was a whopping $17.00. And that’s all I’m gonna say about it. I did have an excellent bratwurst though at the Cleveland Westside Public Market at this venerable stand. Man, I wish Portland had brats like that one. Best bratwurst ever.

Oh, and will someone please tell me where I can get Stadium Mustard in Portland? I love that stuff.

It’s Official – the City of Portland Food Cart Study has arrived.

Some things in the report are no brainers, there were a few surprises (people don’t really seem to care about the design of the carts for example) while other issues, such as neighborhood complaints and tensions over the carts remain unresolved.

I’ve been writing about this study for a while now, and finally two weeks ago the City of Portland posted the final version on their website.

Here’s a bit of background: The Portland Bureau of Planning teamed up with a group of urban planning master’s degree students to look at the state of food carts in Portland including the land use, economic, environmental and social impacts. This study was in response to a few issues including Portland’s rapidly expanding food cart scene, business and neighborhood complaints and issues against the carts, and questions on whether the City should focus some efforts in protecting the carts and/or if they are a good way to focus economic development resources towards potential future grants, loans and other funding. Despite the misguided reporting over at the Mercury, this study is not a policy document, nor was it meant to address specific complaints or issues over specific carts. The study will neither start a city sponsored food cart program nor increase regulations for the carts. It was simply meant as a baseline study to help the City better understand the growing trend of food carts in Portland and to potentially guide future decisions regarding the carts and better help address land use and neighborhood complaints in the future.

As paraphrased from the study itself, The study looked these basic questions:

• Neighborhood Livability: What effects do food carts have on street vitality and neighborhood life? What are the positive and negative impacts of food carts on the community?
• Community Economic Development: To what extent do food carts serve as an entry-point into long-term business ownership? Do carts provide beneficial economic opportunities for residents of Portland?

With the following findings:

1. Food carts have positive impacts on street vitality and neighborhood life in lower density residential neighborhoods as well as in the high density downtown area.
2. When a cluster of carts is located on a private site, the heightened intensity of use can negatively impact the surrounding community, primarily from the lack of trash cans.
3. A cart’s exterior appearance does not affect social interactions or the public’s overall opinion of the carts; seating availability is more important for promoting social interaction than the appearance of the cart’s exterior. development.
4. The presence of food carts on a site does not appear to hinder its development.
5. Food carts represent beneficial employment opportunities because they provide an improved quality of life and promote social interactions between owners and customers.
6. Despite the beneficial opportunities that food carts can provide, there are numerous challenges to owning a food cart.
7. While many food cart owners want to open a storefront business, there is a financial leap from a food cart operation to opening a storefront.
8. Food cart owners do not frequently access small business development resources available to them, such as bank loans and other forms of assistance.

The study also provides the following recommendations:
1. Identify additional locations for food carts.
2. Increase awareness of informational resources for stakeholders in the food cart industry by connecting them with existing programs.
3. Promote innovative urban design elements that support food carts.

And that folks, is it for now. Whew, reading and recapping that study made me hungry. May a I suggest an ice-cold gelato or affogato from Spella Caffe?

Location: SW 9th and Alder Parking Lot

Description: Did you know Peru is thought of as having a distinctive, well regarded and of course delicious street food culture? I had no idea until I ate at Choza’s and tried it myself.

Choza’s makes wonderful rice and noodle plates with distinctive Peruvian tastes and techniques. And, as per Peruvian street food tradition, most entrees include French fries mixed in the other ingredients and served with the addition of a tangy, creamy, slightly spicy Choza sauce. That sauce is addictive!

Lonely Planet calls Peruvian street food some of the Best Food You’ve Never Heard Of. Wikipedia even has a short blurb on Peru in their Street Food entry page, although they do say, “Cuy, a species of Guinea Pig is served as a delicacy on religious holidays.” Yikes.

You won’t find Guinea pig at Choza’s. Just rib sticking food of good quality at a good price, different than any other street food in Portland. Choza’s is a popular cart for a reason.

Sample Menu:
Lomo Saltado (beef or chicken). Sauted meat, vegetables. Served with French fries and rice - $6.00

Lomo Vegetarian. Same as above, sans meat - more veggies - $6.00

Tallarin Saltado (beef or chicken). Sauted meat, vegetables. Served with spaghetti noodles - $6.00

Tallarin Vegetarian. Same as above, sans meat - more veggies - $6.00

Chaufa. Peruvian fried rice. meat or vegetarian. - $5.00

Hours: (Warning! This cart’s hours seem to be anyone’s guess). Usually open Mon-Friday, Sometimes on Saturdays during lunch hours.

Phone: Unknown

Any Guess What This Might Be?

Spotted on SW 9th between Alder and Washington. Fresh pastries made by a very talented pastry chef and baker. More information forthcoming as soon as I’m done licking the buttercream chocolate frosting off my face.

Did you notice? Did you? Did you notice my new “hairdo”?

Gracious thanks to one Mr. Guilty Carnivore, for supplying me with the above photo montage. Additional thanks to mmm-Yoso!!! for letting us steal, er I mean BORROW, some images.

Location: SW 9th and Alder Parking Lot (located on the corner of SW 9th and Washington)

***Readers Favorite***

Thanks to reader Derrek Wayne for providing me with the menu and photos and for pointing out how good this cart is.

Description: Ok, confession time. I work within spitting distance of this cart. In fact, I work right across the street. However, and to my shame, I never paid that much attention to it until a couple of alert fans wrote in to tell me how it is one one of the best Thai carts in Portland. For some reason I was skeptical. Could it really be that good? Why was the food a dollar more than the other carts?

Thai Express Phad Thai

Shame on me for taking so long. I should have known better. This is pretty authentic Thai food like you get in Thailand with one of my favorite Pad Thais out of any of the carts in Portland - and the portions are HUGE (which explains the slightly higher price than other carts). I think I got three meals out of the Pad Kee Mao noodles the last time I ate there, and trust me kids, this girl likes to eat. Plus the owner is just a gem, so very friendly. Menu features all the regular Thai standards, but includes loads of vegetables. Caution though - UNLESS YOU HAVE ASBESTOS TASTE BUDS DO NOT ORDER YOUR FOOD SPICY. Really. You’ve been warned. In my office we now call it the Spicy Thai Cart and we have become fans and regular customers. Give it a try yourselves.

Thai Express Curry

Sample Menu: (all entrees in the $6-$8 range and come with rice, unless they are noodle dishes)

APPETIZER

1. Salad Rolls (2) … $3
Fresh lettuce, carrot, cucumber, tofu, rice noodles, basil wrapped in
rice paper with peanut sauce

SOUP

2. Tom Yum Soup (hot sour soup)
Fresh galanga root, lemon grass, shallots, tomatoes, green onions,
cilantro, straw mushrooms

3. Tom Kha (coconut milk soup)
Fresh galanga root, lemon grass, kaffir leaves, spring onion,
cilantro, straw mushrooms

NOODLES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

4. Pad Thai
Medium size noodles stir fried, egg, bean sprouts, onions and ground peanuts.

5. Pad Kee Mao
Fresh wide rice noodles stir fried, egg, basil leaves, bell peppers,
ground chilies, onion, tomatoes.

6. Pad See Ewe
Fresh wide rice noodles stir fried, egg, Chinese broccoli, carrot in soy sauce.

7. Pad Thai Kee Mao
Medium size noodles stir fried, egg, basil leaves, bell peppers,
ground chilies, onion and tomatoes.

8. Pad Thai Sen Yai
Fresh wide noodles stir fried, egg, bean sprouts, onions and ground peanuts.

ENTREES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

9. Pad Cashew
Stir fried cashews, onions, bell peppers and water chest nuts.

10. Pad Basil
Stir fried basil leaves, onion and bell peppers

11. Pad Phet
Stir fried bamboo, bell peppers and basil.

12. Pad Ginger
Stir fried fresh ginger, onion, celery and bell peppers

13. Pad Prik Khing
Stir fried green beans in spicy sauce

14. Nam Mah Hoi Beef
Stir fried Beef with onion, mushrooms in oyster sauce

CURRIES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu

15. Pineapple Curry
Red curry, bell peppers, peas, carrots and basil

16. Green Curry
Bell peppers, bamboo, eggplant and basil

17. Mussamun Curry
Potatoes, carrots, onions and peanuts

18. Yellow Curry
Potatoes, onions and carrots

19. Panang Curry
Panang curry with green beans

RICE
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

20. Pineapple Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with pineapple, peas, raisins, onions and carrots

21. Thai Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with peas, onions and tomatoes

22. Curry Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with yellow curry, onions, peas, carrots and tomatoes

Hours: Mon-Fri 11-2

Phone: 503 412 9308