Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings - The Sausage Shack, SW 3rd and Stark

A cold, rainy day in Portland (imagine that) had me wanting to stay close to work for lunch. A cart I've passed just about every day but never bothered to stop at - The Sausage Shack - was open earlier than usual, so I figured I'd see what they had going on.

They have a large flatscreen in a window displaying various menu items, such as burgers, corn dogs, sausages, and the like - and proudly displayed in their window was a trophy claiming them winners of the "2011 Bacon Cup."

The screen faded in and out of various offerings, then, two of my favorite things in one dish: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings.

Now, how awesome could that be? I ordered half a dozen. They took about 10 minutes to cook, the sauce choices were "spicy, BBQ, or BBQ spicy" -- I went for the spicy, as I have a preference for savory over sweet.

This gave me ample time to stand watching the flatscreen display all the sinful, heart-attack inducing cuisine they have to offer.

Fries, curly fries, cheese fries, chili-cheese fries, bacon wrapped corndogs, and burgers of various configurations including their "Paul BrOnion Burger" - which features a full pound of meat (beef and bratwurst) - chili dogs, chili burgers... it's quite an extensive menu.

The wings wrapped in bacon were, indeed, a lovely combination. I personally prefer my spicy wings be hot enough to make my scalp sweat. These weren't that spicy, but still quite enjoyable (and I realize not everyone likes their wings as hot as I do) - The breading was subtle, which is always good, and wrapping it in bacon - truly inspired. Mmm. Very nice.

I'm sure I'll be back to try the chili dog or chili burger in the near future, other guilty pleasures I indulge in on occasion... though this seems to be more of a 'late' cart, in that they often aren't open when I go to lunch, but appear to be open in the evenings and late into night and early morning hours - unlike many carts in this pod.

Festive Reindeer Sausage from Beez Kneez on SW 3rd & Stark

Hey, what better way to celebrate the festive holiday season, than having authentic Alaskan Reindeer Sausage? I'd never stopped by this particular sausage cart, though they are well-reputed. Getting back into the swing of the cartivore lifestyle, I wanted to try something different today, and there it was.

$5 for a Reindeer Sausage on a toasted bun, with carmelized onions. There are traditional sausages, Louisiana hot links, as well as a few exotics on occasion. Reindeer is a mainstay for this cart. They are split on the grill while cooking, which was a nice touch.

There were a variety of toppings and sauces and mustards available, and I'm again finding myself wondering why it took so long to check this cart out, given how often I've passed by.

This sausage is DELICOUS. Not gamey at all, it comes in a spicy and regular variety. I chose the spicy, of course. Add to it a bit of stone ground mustard and some creamy spicy mustard blend sauce the guy recommended, and -- I'm quite pleased with this meal.

Two thumbs up for festive Rudolph sausage. Sorry, kids, if your presents are a bit late this year...

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.