Phở from Thien Nghi's on SW 3rd and Stark

Yes, I know, I visited this cart last week.
I couldn't get the Phở off my mind, though, so I found myself there again today.

I gained 15lbs from the time I left on my work trip to North Dakota, and this festive holiday season... so Phở seemed like a good way to start out the year, full of nutrients but not necessarily a carbfest of epic proportions - I'm trying to get rid of the festive holiday pounds, after all.

The thing that drew me to their Phở was the photos on the outside of the cart, tastefully displayed in plates, large chunks of meat... Naturally, you get your Phở in a round cardboard jug, since this is a cart, but the photos were, indeed, indicative of what to expect within.

This was the most meaty Phở I've had from a cart. This is a good thing. Sometimes, I've ordered it and they've left me channeling Clara Peller from the old 80's era Wendy's commercials.
(For those of you born in the 80's and beyond, this was Wendy's once very famous series of ads, featuring an old lady asking,"Where's The Beef?" when checking out competitors' burgers)

Where the real treat was, however, came when I added some of the hot sauce and plum sauce they provided to add to the mix.

WOW, this is GREAT plum sauce - probably the best I've tasted. MMm...

Here's to eating a more healthy cart-food diet while I recover from the excesses of the season. Stay tuned...

... and, hey, check out Thien Nghi's - so far, nothing but compliments on their offerings.

Green Vietnamese cart on SW 2nd between Oak and Stark

Today, I wanted short and simple - the little green Vietnamese cart on SW 2nd between Oak and Stark was open (which is a plus, the 11-11:30 lunchtime crowd is often too early for some of the carts) - and the BBQ pork dish looked like a quick and easy way to get my lunch.

It was, indeed, quick and easy - less than a minute after stepping up to the window, I had my food in hand.

It was decent. There was enough rice for three meals. The vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, tomato) were fresh, and served on the side, as was the pork itself, next to the humongous pile of rice. It is the uncannily pink variety of BBQ pork, which was, disappointingly, not served with hot mustard.

$5. Not bad. I'm still hungry, which would probably be resolved by eating the rest of the rice, but there's nothing to mix it with but soy sauce.

This cart, which doesn't appear to have a name at the moment, has gone through many iterations. My first recollection of it was as a tamale cart, and a few different owners and cuisines have made this their home over the past few years.
They're about smack in the middle of the lot, next to the Greek cart and "Thai Tea Clean Food Good Taste," the most awkwardly named of the food carts I've encountered. No signs on this cart other than the menus on the front.

They offer Banh Mi for $3, most other meals (chicken, pork, shrimp based of various concoctions) all for $5 each.

To those who have mentioned before that all my reviews seem skewed toward praise of the carts, this is an example of a place that doesn't really stand out, but is there if you want a quick, inexpensive meal. For what it was (and I probably chose one of the least exciting dishes on the menu) - it was OK.

See, not every food cart is a mecca of culinary excellence, I've just had some pretty good luck so far.