Friday is Thai-Day! Gin Northern Thai.

Today, I felt the urge for Thai food. It's become one of my favorite types of cuisine since I moved to the Pacific Northwest. There are MANY places for Thai food in Portland, brick-and-mortar restaurants and carts alike. You're guaranteed to find at least one, if not four, Thai carts in any reasonably sized cart pod in Portland.

The one that stands out to me the most, and in my humble opinion, hands-down, the BEST Thai food I've had in Portland is from Gin Thai, a cart on SW 3rd between Stark and Washington. ("Gin" means 'eat,' and is pronounced with the 'g' more like the word "go" instead of a 'j' sound)

Their menu is not the standard fare you'll find at most Thai carts, as the Northern Thai style they offer differs in many ways. They have many noodle based dishes, as well as stir-fry options. The meat they use is much more tender than you get in most places, and the vegetables and seasonings are incredible. One particular dish, Shan Noodle, is unlike anything I've ever had from a Thai place before - typically I avoid noodle based Thai food, but every single time they've recommended one and I've tried it, it's been amazing.

When you ask for it "HOT" - you better mean it. They don't screw around. Within 1-2 bites of a "hot" dish from Gin Thai, expect tears to be rolling down your face and sweat forming on your brow. Just like I like it... and my current state writing this blog entry.

The people who run the cart are very friendly, and love to talk about their offerings and give you suggestions if you let them know your tastes... the almost intimidatingly pretty Amika, and the exceptionally skilled chef, Nok - They greet me by name when I show up at their window, another reason I love coming back here outside of the outstanding food and service.

Today, I had the spicy cashew stir fry with chicken.... certainly not the most exciting offering on their menu, but... cashews sounded really good today. They use carrots, onions, bell and jalapeno peppers, crushed red pepper flakes - and the sauce is phenomenal.

**Highly Recommended! If you like Thai food, this is a must-visit cart.

Thursday: Bro-Dogs "Dude!!"

As part of my new efforts to blog about my food cart experiences, I'm also trying carts I may have bypassed most of the time.

Today, walking along SW 5th between Oak and Stark, I decided to try the very appropriately named "Dude!!" (exclamation points are part of the name) from Bro-Dogs, a hot dog 'stand' among the carts that line this pod.

"Dude!!" is exactly what goes through your mind when he hands you this tasty, filling, and somewhat over the top meal. It's sausage, applewood-smoked bacon, onions, garlic, and mushrooms, along with three cheeses and two different BBQ sauces. The bun is their own creation, also - a flat, square bread that he toasts on the grill as he's cooking the rest of the ingredients, eliminating that nasty 'breaking hot dog bun' phenomenon.

The guy slinging the spatula is very friendly and talkative, keeping the customers engaged as they watch him create his masterpieces. Today, we were treated to a performance by a gravelly voiced busker with a Yamaha keyboard directly behind us as we waited. Of what I could catch, he was performing original tunes, mostly about drinking and the consequences thereof.

I'm extremely stuffed after eating the entire thing, which is larger than many meals I tend to eat. This place has been here a while and is quite successful, and rightfully so. Normally, I avoid hot dog carts like the plague, but I'm glad I gave this one a try.

There are even vegetarian options on the menu, various combinations of cheese, vegetables, and meats or tofu. "Dude!!" was the most expensive item offered, at $7. The standard Bro-Dog goes for $4.

Today, Pulled Pork from Touchdown BBQ

I decided to wander up to the pods on SW 9th/10th between Alder and Washington today to look around. As I walked down 10th, a lovely and smiling lady offered me a sample of pulled pork, and extolled the virtues of their 'made fresh, right here' baked beans, coleslaw, and corn bread. SOLD. I guess wandering around the whole pod to decide what I wanted will have to wait another day. It was wonderful.

They were running a special on the pulled pork and two sides, $7.95.

Offerings include many standard Southern dishes, ribs, chicken, etc.
The pulled pork was delicious, tender, not too sweet, not too spicy. The coleslaw was tangy and crisp, and the baked beans were some of the best I've experienced in quite some time.
I could sense they were delighted to serve up their food, and after the sampling I had, I can see why. I'm anxious to try their cornbread and ribs on my next visit.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/touchdowns-portland

Introduction

Greetings. For a few years now, I've worked downtown, and have watched the Portland food cart phenomenon go from a few carts here and there to various bustling pods of tasty goodness. I usually post photos and descriptions of my lunches on Facebook for people to see, and plug the carts I think are worth checking out.

Some friends have been suggesting I blog about these culinary cart adventures in more detail, so I set this up and will try to keep frequent postings of the food, folks, and fun I encounter as I wander out for lunch every day.