Brunchbox - SW 5th and Oak/Stark - Trial by Fire!

Brunchbox is a cart that's been around a good while and has quite a following (and a recent feature on Eat Street) - Offering ridiculously compiled sandwich goodness in all sorts of varieties. As indicated by the word "Brunch," this cart serves breakfast sandwiches (all day) and lunch.

They're also apparently quite tech-savvy, having a rather impressive website, Facebook, and Twitter presence... no need for me to tell you about their menu when you can see it in all its glory here:
http://brunchboxpdx.com

Naturally, they have a Big Kahuna burger. "That is a tasty burger!"

They offer many sandwiches with "Texas Toast" instead of a standard bun, and you can request it on the standard bun sandwiches, as well.

Speaking of Texas Toast, they do a grilled PB&J with Oregon blackberry jam - which I'm sure many people will find quite intriguing. Another thing of note, this is probably one of the most "kid-friendly" carts there are in Portland -- aside from the PB&J, the "Cheezasaurus Rex" -- A grilled cheese sandwich shaped like a dinosaur, also available as a PB&J.

Probably a good pick for parents bringing their kids out to try out cart food.

Since I love spicy stuff, the Trial by Fire was my pick for today - this thing is LOADED with beef, bacon, lettuce, onions, ketchup, mayo, and - best of all - Secret Aardvark sauce (a habanero based hot sauce local to Oregon)

I sat at my desk dripping this thing off my hands and chin voraciously and had it down in all of about five minutes - putting the sandwich down only twice during the experience -- the Aardvark sauce has that addictive quality of many spicy foods that keeps you craving more and more until there's nothing left.

Now, off to wash my hands and get this sauce out of my facial hair...

BBQ Fusion on SW 10th and Alder - Beef Brisket

I went to lunch with a friend today, who also works downtown. The pods on Alder are closer to his place of business, and we were both intrigued by the smell of BBQ coming out of BBQ Fusion.

I'd never been to this cart, though I've passed by many times. The standards are there - brisket, pulled pork, ribs... beans, cole slaw. We both opted for the Beef Brisket Sandwich ($7) which came with cole slaw and baked beans.

The owner suggested using the Alabama White Sauce when he handed us our food... I was reluctant, but put some on -- good choice. VERY tasty, a good zing. The brisket was chunky and delicious.

The cole slaw was crisp, though a little bland compared to the other items. The beans had a nice smokey flavor to them... but WOW, was the brisket good.

I'm feeling weird that most of my cart food postings are very positive, but... I guess Portland's the food cart capital of the country for a reason.

The Swamp Shack on SW 5th and Stark - Jambalaya

The Swamp Shack has been around a while in this location, and apparently fairly successful. Today was the first time I ordered food.

The first time I tried, I stood behind a couple, thinking I was in line, for a good 10 minutes - only to find out they'd just been standing there gabbing, and weren't waiting on an order -- yet no effort had been made by the person inside to see what I wanted... so I'd had an attitude about this place and purposefully stayed away.

The reviews online for this place are almost all very good, and even comment on the cordial service. OK, so I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time the first time around.

One of the things I noticed was different about this cart today was the proclamation of "Portland's Best Fried Chicken" - even on the business cards.

This is going to have to wait for another day, as today, the alligator sausage and chicken
Jambalaya seemed to be calling out for me. Indeed, the service was cordial, and fast.

When I got back to my desk, the smell of this was amazing, prompting coworkers to ask what I was having, though some people didn't seem too thrilled about the alligator sausage.

It's DELICIOUS!!!
Spicy, filling, and the alligator sausage was definitely the best-prepared alligator I've ever had (Much like calamari, many places tend to cook it to an unpleasant rubbery finish - not here)

Now, I am going to have to come back to this cart and try the crawfish pies, Portland's reputed best fried chicken, and maybe even the crow I'm eating for avoiding this place for so long.
Oops.

Emame's Ethiopian Cuisine- SW 9th and Washington

Today, I visited the only Ethiopian cart I'm aware of - Emame's.

I was excited to see this open up, as there really aren't any Ethiopian restaurants downtown at all. (Portland does have a good number of Ethiopian restaurants, they're just outside of the downtown area)

If you've never had Ethiopian food, I highly recommend it - it's very flavorful, and served with Injera, which is a pancake-like spongy flat bread you use to pick up your food and stuff into your mouth. It can get messy, but it's very tasty.

The smells coming from this cart are amazing, and you see people slow down and take it in as they walk by.

I had the Siga Watt, which is a spicy beef stew with Berbere sauce, garlic, onions, and ginger. It's served over injera, and they roll up some more to be sure you have enough to eat the whole thing with... it's served with sauteed cabbage and a tangy cheese topping. Since it's all cooked in crock pots, they're also very quick to get you your meal, which is a nice perk. I think if you had to stand there smelling this stuff for too long without your food you'd probably go insane.

They offer Dora Watt, which is the Ethiopian 'National Dish,' spicy chicken simmered in Berbere sauce, and Miser Kay Watt, which is a lentil-based dish for the vegetarians.

Although the menu seems 'small,' the food is incredibly tasty and well worth the $6 price - the food is very filling, but I bet you'll lick your plate clean finishing it up... or is it just me who does that?

T & P's Chinese Cuisine - SW 5th and Oak, North Side

Today, I had a conference call to attend, right at lunchtime, on short notice - so I had to run and grab something fast. Since I've spent most of this week eating from carts on the North side of the pod on SW 5th, I figured - why not continue the pattern?

This is the one cart on the North side on Oak I have yet to try, located next to Sin Wagon, which I wrote about yesterday.

I also haven't eaten Chinese food in almost 5 years. Partially because the last time wasn't very impressive, and also because I tend to favor Thai food, of which there is plenty to be had from carts in Portland.

My former measure of the worth of a Chinese restaurant was always based on their Kung Pao Chicken, so that's what I ordered.

T&P's is a fairly new cart, maybe two weeks or so. They offer a pretty standard set of Chinese dishes, with beef, chicken, tofu, or fish. No pork on the menu. There were some salt and pepper fish dishes, and a beef and shrimp teriyaki that looked interesting. Proudly displayed is a sign stating "No MSG."

The food is prepped on the fly with woks, and they'll spice it to your liking. They offer fried or white rice with the rice based dishes, and the non-crispy type of Chow Mein noodles.

Also, most of their dishes are under $5 each, which is below average these days.

Now, as for the Kung Pao Chicken -- delicious. The vegetables are crispy, it's got a good kick to it, the sauce is how I like it, savory, not sweet. One of the reasons I've avoided Chinese food is the sweetness in a lot of the sauces. Not the case here.... and I have missed Kung Pao.

Western versions of this dish lack the peppercorn variety used in China, partially due to a rather lengthy ban on their import due to a tree disease they could carry. The ban was lifted in 2005, and now I think I'd like to see if I can find a place that uses those instead - as, apparently, the flavor is quite distinct, and I would like to know how the 'true' version of my favorite Chinese dish tastes.

Thanks, T&P Chinese Cuisine, for re-awakening my desire for Chinese food. :)

Sin Wagon "American Food" - SW 5th and Oak, North Side

Yesterday, I mentioned Sin Wagon, which is a new cart that was just preparing to open for their first day of business - next to Spaghetti al Ragu. I decided to give them a try today.

They boast 'all natural' chicken and beef, and you'll soon learn, looking over the menu, how appropriately named this cart is. Most of their items are battered and deep fried, and served with a side of ranch or blue cheese for dipping.

"Fingers," breaded chicken or beef, are offered as a basket with fries or tots, or, for additional funds - Mac and Cheese Balls, or Bacon and Bleu stuffed Jalapenos.
These are also available as sandwiches.

A burger is available with a butter grilled bun, as well as a wrap featuring the same deep fried chicken or beef, and a BLT wrap.

The "Whaddup Dog" is an all-beef dog that can be served with chili and cheese for another $1, then the "Batter Up!" - a hand dipped honey corndog. Despite there being several hot dog carts, this is the first I've seen that offers the standard "chili dog" on the menu.

They do offer salads, with or without meat on top, in case you want to fool yourself into thinking you're getting something health-conscious here.

Sides are fries, tots, onion rings, and the previously mentioned Bacon & Bleu Jalapeno and Mac and Cheese Balls.

Elephant ears and chocolate chip cookies are available for those who don't die of a heart attack eating the main entrees.

I chose the steak finger basket, substituting the fries for the B&B Jalapenos.
(pictured are the B&B Jalapenos and a steak finger, with bleu cheese dipping sauce)

The steak fingers had a nice kick to them (I ordered them spicy) - the breading was subtle and flakey. I think they could have been pulled out of the fryer a bit sooner, but they were tasty, nonetheless.

The B&B Jalapenos, though -- MMMMmmmmmm, these are good. Crispy on the outside, soft, spicy, and bursting with bacon and bleu cheese goodness on the inside. Just enough to make your scalp start sweating. I may stop by this cart just for these once in a while.

"Welcome to the neighborhood."

Spaghetti al Ragu: Pizza...

Today, I left a little earlier than usual for lunch. Many of the carts weren't open yet, as can happen if you show up before 11:30 or so.

I stopped by Spaghetti al Ragu, just off SW 5th and Oak.

This cart's been around a while, first starting out in the ill-fated attempt at a pod in the parking lot on SW 3rd between Oak and Pine. None of the carts that have set up there have lasted long, and the owner had to move to a pod with more traffic to try to keep things afloat.

When at the prior location, I enjoyed the spaghetti and tasty bread served with it, and as time went by, the menu was expanded to include sandwiches and calzones and pizza.

The noodles are rolled out and cut right in front of you, fresh as can be. The sauce is full of flavor, and comes in meat or non-meat varieties.

Pizzas are 10" personal size (PLENTY of food) and are offered with regular or Black Butte Porter crusts, $5 for up to three toppings.

Unfortunately, today, there was no Black Butte Porter crust, no chicken, none of the 'special of the day' offerings (such as Ravioli) - and the owner commented that he probably will be closing down the cart soon.

Despite it being one of the few places to get any kind of Italian food from a cart, and having some delicious dishes with huge portions, it appears this cart may suffer the fate of many of the carts that have come and gone in the last couple years, and even a location change to a more populous pod may not be able to save it.

So while it lasts, head on down to Spaghetti al Ragu and try some delicious stuff before it's too late. In the few weeks I've been trying to blog my meals, that's potentially the 2nd cart I've reviewed disappearing.

I noticed a new cart right next door, about to open for their first day, "Sin Wagon," in a spot that was occupied by a Cuban food cart for all of three weeks or so earlier, after having been converted from a Thai cart prior to that. This seems to be the pattern with that particular corner of an otherwise rather busy cart pod - the ones on the North end of the lot change out frequently.

Hog Time - The Hog Dog

Today, I was going to try to go somewhere and not get pork, as it's been a recurring theme in my relatively new practice of blogging my cart meals.

Somehow, I lost that argument with myself when I wandered down Washington between SW 2nd and 3rd, and there was Hog Time, open and ready for business... I've eaten here before and loved it each time. I've not gotten through the full menu yet, but I'm getting there.

It's Friday, Payday, and I was hungry. The "Hog Dog," I decided, was to be today's gluttonous celebration of money in the bank and no work tomorrow. This is actually their 'smallest' meal item.

Now, imagine, if you will -- a large, juicy sausage (1/4lb, beef)... topped with a generous heaping of pulled pork, onions, and hot sauce, wrapped in a house-made toasted pita, hot dog style, then wrapped in paper and foil so you don't get any on you.

I may feel like I'm going to explode after eating it, along with an order of tasty, crispy fresh french fries - but it's SO worth it.

I chatted with Dave, the purveyor of this tasty pork, while he was preparing the food - he makes a point to get to know his customers and remember their names when they're regulars... and watching him work is impressive, this guy has his craft down. The fries were fried up, strained, and tossed in a bowl with salt, all came out crisp and salted just right.

He has a variety of sauces available to top his foods off with, from mild to spicy (Hoganero sauce is my personal favorite) so you can tweak your food a bit to fit your fancy.

Some other offerings:

Hogzilla, a very generous heaping of pulled pork stuffed into his tasty, soft pita bread
Pig Pen, freshly fried fries, topped with delicious pulled pork, cheese, and sauces.
Boss Hog: HUGE pulled pork sandwich, again with a variety of tasty toppings and sauces
Pulled Pork Tacos - the same great pork, in delicious pita bread, you get the point. :)

Quick, efficient, tasty, generous portions, this cart really has it together.

Now, if only I could take a nap for the rest of my work day...

Bulkogi Fusion: Udon

Today as I wandered the pod on SW 5th between Oak and Stark, I decided to stop by "Bulkogi Fusion" - which is right on the corner at Stark.

This cart's been there a while, and I tried it out when they first opened, as it looked interesting. Their main attractions are the Korean Tacos/Burritos - pretty much a delicious way to deliver Korean food from a cart.

The "fusion" theme continues through some of their other dishes, where they tend to mix Japanese and Chinese dishes in with the more Korean-tinged ingredients for their own twist.
Teriyaki, potstickers, salad rolls, ramen, etc.

Their tacos and burritos are amazing, bursting with flavor, and everything is cooked for you right there after you order. They don't use oils or fat of any sort, it's just plain good stuff.

I decided to branch out and try to Udon today... never had it before.... and yes, I know it's a Japanese dish. ;)

Udon noodles with seaweed, mushrooms, 'fishcakes,' carrots, etc. The noodles were thick, and still had a bit of an 'al dente' texture to them. My only comparison would be to Pho, but without any meat, and much thicker noodles. Also, this is VERY spicy. The broth itself has quite a bit of zing to it.

As I'm eating it, it's pretty decent, but I think the next time I visit this cart, I'm going back to the delicious burritos or the kimchi quesadilla. Those are excellent.

The People's Pig: Milk braised Pork sandwich with carmelized onions

OK, let me get this out of the way -- The People's Pig is AWESOME.
This cart opened up in the parking lot across from my work quite a while back, and I became a regular almost instantly. Cliff, the owner, has a passion for pork and making the most deliciously mouth-watering pork sandwiches this town has to offer.
Unfortunately for me, but not for The People's Pig, they've moved to the much more populated pod at SW 9th and Alder, and scored a prime spot right on the corner.
I was walking around the pod looking to see what might be new to try, and passed by to see that today, they were offering a MILK BRAISED PORK SANDWICH !!!
Needless to say, I decided to stop my search for lunch right then and there.

Another special today: Batches of 'grandma's recipe' donuts... as much as I'd love to try them, I knew the sandwich was already going to be difficult to get down in one sitting.

Regularly offered is the Pancetta sandwich, which is awesome - and often, a Pork Cheesesteak sandwich - which was the one most often ordered by me in the days when it was within viewing distance of my office. Cliff mixes up the sandwiches from day to day, usually offering about 2-3 standards and a special of the day which always satisfies.

This cart is a *must* if you eat pork. The portions are generous, the food is fresh and delicious, prepared by a true artist and purveyor of pork. Just grab several napkins, you'll need them.

This milk braised pork is so good I almost feel like I'm doing something naughty eating it... and the carmelized onions really send it over the edge. MMMMmmmmmmm. I'm going to stop writing my blog and finish this incredible sandwich.

Friday - Filipino Food!

A new cart has emerged right by the corner of NW 9th and Alder, serving Filipino food. I've never really had Filipino food before, and asked a friend of mine for some pointers (She's half Filipino) and headed over to try it out.

Noah's Filipino Food

I stood staring at the menu for a while, wondering why the dishes my friend had mentioned weren't there, then I realized - they were all desserts, I was looking at their dessert menu (of which they have SIX desserts listed, which all looked very tasty)

Once I found the proper menu, I was pleased to find all three of the items my friend had mentioned, saying "If they don't have these, they shouldn't call themselves a Filipino cart."

Today, I tried the Lumpia (eggrolls), Pancit (thin noodles with some veggies) and Pork Adobo, which looked and smelled extremely appealing from where I was standing.

The eggrolls were a bit heartier than I was expecting, and I started filling up before I'd even gotten around to the pork, which was served in large chunks in a surprisingly savory sauce... they practically melted when a fork was stuck into them, and WOW, was it good. I have a feeling I'll be back for this dish a lot in the future.

As much as I wanted to try the desserts, I knew I wouldn't have enough room for them. I may be able to make a meal out of a couple Lumpia (I hope that's the proper plural) and leave room for dessert next time.

I'm so stuffed now, I think I need a nap. This was my first Filipino food experience, and it was a good one.

El Cubo de Cuba

Today is "Occupy Portland" day, and I wanted to avoid any potential crowds that might be gathering and headed out shortly after 11. We'd been warned, at work, to be careful of protestors, hide our building entry badges, etc. "For our safety" - Wasn't this supposed to be a peaceful protest?

The carts were just slightly less busy than usual, and I was drawn to lively Cuban music coming from El Cubo de Cuba, located on SW 5th between Oak and Stark. They have another location on SW 10th between Washington and Alder, as well - which was their original location.... there are a few carts starting to appear with multiple locations around town.

This is the cart that turned me on to "Tostones," savory twice-fried green plantains. I was so impressed with these, I insisted we try making them at home later... leading us on a journey to figure out where in Portland to get green plantains. Seems most grocery stores only carry them occasionally. Ours were alright, but not as good as the ones served up from this cart.

The cart offers 'cubes' - boxes of your choice of marinated chicken breast or marinated shredded pork, black beans, rice, and your choice of sweet or savory plantains. I do like sweet plantains(Maduros), but now that I've had their Tostones, they're certainly the preferred style. Sweet potato fries are also an option. Sandwiches are offered, as well - though I've not tried those, as I tend to enjoy the boxes with the plantains - excellent to dip into your food with. I can never finish the whole thing.

I ordered the pork, and they served it up pretty quickly - then came back to my office and proceeded to practically inhale the Tostones, topping them with the delicious, tender, lime-tinged pork until they were all gone. I managed to get a few bites of beans and rice in before having to admit defeat.

The protesters are gathering along the waterfront, apparently they're hanging out down there for two and a half hours before intentionally taking to the streets on the way to Pioneer Courthouse Square, along the transit mall, to disrupt in order to make a statement about corporate greed and taxes... or something.

Hopefully this will bring some unexpected business to the carts that sit along that stretch.

Happy Grillmore - Portland's Best Food Cart Burger

A rainy Portland day has arrived, so I wanted to stick close to my office for today's meal.

I headed up to SW 3rd between Stark and Washington, and Kryse's smiling face at Happy Grillmore landed me there, where I ordered what has been voted as Portland's Best Food Cart Burger.. "the Chubs."

I know burgers might not sound as 'exotic' as some of the other things I've blogged about so far -- but hear me out....

Their burgers are served on multigrain Ciabatta buns, which themselves are quite tasty, and sturdy -- something you can't say about a standard burger bun, and one of this caliber would certainly destroy a standard burger bun in a most unpleasant fashion.

The meat (Angus beef) is tender and has a great blend of spices and onions - it has some kick, and comes cooked how you want (I ordered mine medium-rare, an option I love having available) topped with mustard, your choice of cheese (I always go with Pepperjack, mmmm!) arugula, and fresh spinach leaves.

Disclaimer: I am a regular at this cart.

They frequently feature awesome daily specials (Kalua Pig, Duck Breast, Pulled Pork, Soups, to name a few) and their standard menu is mostly sandwiches, featuring turkey and bacon, (a heavenly combination), bacon and fried egg (again.. how can you go wrong?) - sausage, and more... add pineapple or avocado to any of these and it's always a treat.

The people who run the cart (Darren and Kryse) are very friendly and usually playing great music as they serve up their tasty meals. Sometimes you can even catch Kryse singing along... (she has a lovely voice). They're good about posting daily specials on Facebook for those who follow them, usually early on so you're aware before you head out to lunch. Their daily specials are ALWAYS amazing, from my experience.

Two thumbs up from this guy, I've always been impressed with anything I've ordered. Check out their website for a full menu and descriptions of all their great food.

Happy Grillmore

Portland's own Eurotrash food cart....

Today, I strolled up to the carts on SW 9th and 10th, and wandered around both pods fully before deciding to try "Eurotrash" - Right on the corner of SW Washington and 10th Ave.

The spot, and maybe even the cart itself, were once home to "Hot Wet Beef," a cart I never stopped to try, as their business model was based on a pet peeve of mine, namely "Your sandwich should not dissolve in the au jous."

This cart's food is much different. The menu definitely stands out as unique, including "fishy fries," a serving of breaded, fried anchovies.... a prawn baguette, curried squid sandwich, and even a bacon-egg-waffle dish.

I chose the "Piri Piri Chicken" - loaded with mild horseradish coleslaw, jack cheese, and capers. It was served with a fork. I figured it was to eat the enormous amount of coleslaw on top of the sandwich, which did take me a few minutes to consume... then as I reached the more 'sandwich' portion of the dish, I realized -- this thing was not going to be consumed in typical sandwich fashion - it had to be eaten with a fork.

It was quite tasty - the coleslaw was very crunchy and fresh. The chicken and cheese melted goodness complimented the horshradish-tinged sauce from the slaw quite nicely. It was a messy dish, but I was given my fork and a set of about 5 napkins - which were necessary.

Today was what will probably be one of the last of the 'nice days' before Portland enters its fall and winter season and six months of rain, so I thought I'd stop in at the park that is to the Northeast of the cart pods, and have my meal there. (O'Bryant Square)

The park has seen a bit of an improvement due to food pod customers, but - I'd recommend sticking to the SW and SE corners in order to avoid the street cretins, who still seem to claim the NE corner of this particular park -- engaging in the standard random yelling at nobody in particular, getting into arguments, throwing things (one particular individual repeatedly came back and picked up, then threw back down, a backpack, apparently not getting the results he desired) - Either way, it would be nice if that element would disappear... everyone knows what they're up to, despite them seeming to think they're being inconspicuous grown men loitering in a park on BMX bikes and ducking behind trees in pairs for long enough to exchange some cash and tinfoil.

... but I digress, this is supposed to be a blog about food, food carts, etc.

Eurotrash was a good experience, and now that I've had some time to look over their menu more extensively, I will be interested to try some of their other offerings -- though I'm not so sure about the 'fishy fries.'

Adam's Amazing Lebanese Food

Today's adventure took me off the beaten path a little, to a smaller pod on the corner of SW 3rd and Ankeny. My intent was to try out "Big Ass Sandwiches," a cart that's been around a while, and gained lots of praise - yet somehow has eluded me. Today was not to be the day, as they had not opened yet, even though I was there 15-20 minutes into their posted operating hours.

Around the corner, I walked by Adam's Amazing Lebanese Food, a cart I had not seen before... The photo of the food looked pretty appetizing, so I stopped to give it a try.

I hesitated a tad, because, apparently, after last Friday's glowing blog post about my love for Gin Thai, they've announced they're 'going on hiatus' and will be closed until further notice.
I sincerely hope my blogging isn't shutting down food carts.

Typically, when it comes to Lebanese food, I pretty much eat Gyros and Hummus and that's about as far as I venture. In the spirit of trying something different, I opted for the Lamb Schwarma. I really wasn't sure just what I was getting myself in to...

This thing is HUGE. It's basically an oversized Gyro, but with fries and sauce (including hot sauce!) added to the mix. Hummus was an optional 50 cent ingredient. Yeah, it's kind of like a "Lebanese Poutine" in a way, when you think about it.

It looks so wrong, but tastes so right... who knew that adding fries and hot sauce to a Gyro would make such a sinfully delicious meal?

The lamb is tender and spicy, and the (pita-style) breading is toasted just right, still soft, but able to hold the massive pile of ingredients this thing was loaded with. I will be QUITE surprised if I can actually finish this, it's enough food for two people.

Adam's serves a variety of Gyros and Shwarmas with different meat options, as well as Falafel, burgers, hot dogs, and more...

While a few of us waited on our food, the owner offered some fresh fries to enjoy. Certainly a good way to drum up business and keep people interested.

So, a closed cart resulted in my trying a new dish and a new cart I wasn't aware of - Here's to hoping this one doesn't announce it's closure after I blog about it. ;)