Kim's Food to Go - SW 2nd Ave between Stark and Oak - Beef flank and brisket

With a shiny new white paint job, a new tenant has moved in to the formerly green cart between Thai Tea and A Taste of Greek

* Kim's Food to Go - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup. *

With soups coming in at $6, and Banh Mi with various fillings at $3, you certainly get your money's worth. I ordered the Beef Flank and Brisket soup. It comes in a large bowl, with a side baggie of sprouts, jalapeno, and lime to add as you please.


As you can see, it's served in a large bowl, instead of those thin, tall to-go containers that are difficult to eat out of. It may be a small detail, but for me, that's a big deal when it comes to ordering Pho and the like - usually the containers they are served in are difficult to eat out of.
In addition to the soups and sandwiches, two large spring rolls with shrimp, pork or beef and combinations thereof are $3.

This is good soup, for sure, and I'm curious to try the sandwiches on my next visit.

Pulehu Pizza - SW 3rd and Stark - Bacon Cheddar Chix

A shiny new cart has appeared on the North side of the pod on SW 3rd and Stark, apparently coming to us all the way from Hawaii.
Pulehu Pizza
They feature 8" and 12" thin-crust pizzas with your basic standards such as Cheese or Pepperoni, and then some special combinations of their own - I had the Bacon Cheddar Chix, which is ... bacon, cheddar, and chicken... with fresh sour cream dollops on top. This was a welcome and interesting ingredient one normally doesn't expect on a pizza. Very tasty.

Of note, "Featuring Artisanal Sausages from Tails & Trotters and Gourmet Cheeses from the Cheese Bar"

Now, how can you go wrong with that?

They offer a steak pizza, margherita, truffle oil mushroom, and an Alasatian style that has a sour cream base topped by shaved onions, bacon & St Necataire Cheese. Caesar salad is also offered.
Prices range from $4 for an 8" cheese, $7-$8 for many others, and the steak pizza ringing in at $9 (Higher for the 12" models, of course)
It was ready in six minutes, and gone just about as fast - I really enjoyed this and will certainly be back to try some of their other offerings.

Hog Time - SW 2nd and Washington - NEW MENU!

One of my favorite and frequent carts, Hog Time, has recently revamped their menu to appeal to more than just those with an undying love of pork. (See my prior blog on Hog Time HERE)

In addition to the wonderful pork dishes they serve, (Sandwiches and hot dogs, often topped with pulled pork) - Burgers have been added to the menu - Something this particular pod had been missing since Happy Grillmore moved to Seattle - and these burgers are generously portioned.

Offerings include Mushroom & Swiss, Jalapeno, your standard Cheeseburger, etc.

In addition, they've taken my personal favorite, the "Pig Pen," which is fries topped with cheese and pulled pork and some special sauces, and created a healthier alternative, the "Pork and Greens" -- pulled pork over lettuce and tomato with cheese and special sauces - lighter, healthier, and every bit as tasty as the Pig Pen.
I will mention, though, that the fries here are excellent...

Now, being I'm a lover of spicy things, I had to try the Jalapeno burger first. It was AWESOME. Somewhat messy, but well worth it. The veggies are grilled and generously applied to the humongous burger patty.
Make sure you have plenty of napkins when you enjoy one of these... it gets all over, but it's worth it.

Steak Jaffle - Jaffles and Wraps at SW 2nd and Stark

A cart that has apparently been around for a while has moved into my Carthood, at SW 2nd and Stark - Jaffles and Wraps.
Apparently, these are an Australian thing, very much like the product of those handy sandwich press machines you see on late night TV, but made with a "Jaffle Iron"- Take two pieces of buttered bread, put your choice of savory and/or sweet stuff in the middle, iron together, and voila -- a Jaffle.
The prices are quite reasonable, my steak and grilled veggies Jaffle was $5. As I walked up to order, the guy behind the counter was just putting one in the package and it was exactly what I'd ordered - so I had my Jaffle in hand within 30 seconds of looking at the menu.

There's the finished product.

There are breakfast style egg and cheese Jaffles, artichoke and chicken, BBQ chicken, grilled cheese with tomato -- as well as sweeter concoctions like PB&J, Peanut Butter and Banana, or fruit-filled Jaffles.

There it is busted open, a decently stuffed concoction.

For larger appetites, wraps are available, same ingredients, but in a tortilla instead.
The Steak and Veggies Jaffle was delicious, had some nice kick (thanks to the pineapple and habanero sauce inside) - I might go for the wrap next time -- this is a meal, but I think I could have eaten a little bit more... or maybe I should have paired it with a PB&J Jaffle, which rings in at $2.

La Sangucheria - 108 SW 3rd Ave - Peruvian Sandwiches

Today, for the third or fourth time, I went to La Sangucheria - a Peruvian sandwich cart that is in the former location of the world-famous Big Ass Sandwiches, who have relocated to another cart pod across the river.


I must say, this is a fine replacement. The portions are huge, and the food is delicious.
I have been repeatedly ordering the Chicharron (Chee-char-own) - an absurdly tasty sandwich of deep fried pork shoulder chunks, topped with sauteed onions, honey-glazed sweet potato slices (like chips, but not crispy) and spicy mustard. It is served sort of 'open-faced' (you won't be able to fold this in half to eat, just treat it like a big, fat hot dog)



It is sinfully delicious. My intent is to try some other items on the menu, but I've been so impressed with this particular sandwich that I keep ordering it time and time again.

Other offerings include the Saltado, which is a beef tenderloin sandwich with fries (similar to the style Big Ass Sandwiches does things, adding fries into the sandwich) - The Pachamama - a heart-attack inducing combination of smoked ham, grilled chicken, bacon, mushrooms, cheese sauce -- and fries. There is a breakfast sandwich that includes scrambled eggs, bacon, smoked ham, and fries.
They're open late, and on weekends, and this is probably perfect food to absorb copious amounts of alcohol after being out on the town...
Give them a try, you won't regret it.
Prices - $7-$8 per sandwich.

Winter update, and a 1-year anniversary for Wagsy's

It's been a while since I've blogged. Winters are rough times for the food cart world, and many depend on the success of the warm months to carry them through the winter.

Unfortunately, not everyone makes it.
The last cart I posted about, the Indian Fry Bread cart, has already shut down.

Recent incidents with 'street kids' and an altercation between them and some cart owners have shuttered a few carts in the pod on SW 3rd and Stark, including Persian Plate and Thien Ngi's. These carts will be sorely missed.

The Cuban cart "Havana Heaven" ended up being a short-lived stint on SW Stark and 5th, now replaced with what appears to be a hot dog stand with some mediterranean dishes.

On a positive note, I stopped by Wagsy's Beef Sands today, on SW 5th and Oak, where they delighted me with their weekly special of tri-tip steak, zucchini, a baked potato, and a roll for $6.

*****
They'll be celebrating their 1-year anniversary next Tuesday (January 15th) with $1 Italian subs. Surely not something to be missed.

Not many carts open up in the winter months, which is partially why there haven't been many updates to my blogs... many close for some of the colder times.

If you're downtown in Portland in the winter time, and need some food, sometimes it's worth it to brave the elements for a tasty meal - good stuff, and you're supporting local businesses.

Red Skinz - Indian Fry Bread - SW 3rd and Washington

A new cart ermerged from the now-defunct Burrito Box at SW 3rd and Washington.

Red Skinz Indian Fry Bread. This is their first week in operation, and today is a nice, sunny day in Portland.

Currently, the only menu items are Soda ($1), Fry Bread ($3), and, most importantly --
Fry Bread Taco ($7) - which is the fry bread, covered with chili, lettuce, cheese, and onions (and a generous helping of hot sauce on the side)

They provide a plentiful selection of sauces and such for those who go with the simple Fry Bread dish, to dress it up a little.

Having grown up mostly in Utah, this was known to me as "Navajo Tacos" - a dish I remember fondly and haven't encountered since moving away, until now.

The owner was very friendly, and explained he'd be working on some additional items based on customer suggestions and such as time goes on, including donuts
(in UtahSpeak, these fry breads were covered in cinnamon and sugar and referred to as 'scones,' I later learned that others refer to these as 'elephant ears' and that scones are a much, much different treat)

Coincidentally, he says everyone who says they've had these before are from Utah... Hmm.

I practically inhaled this thing when I got back to the office. Very tasty.
In our discussion, the guy mentioned he'd be working on getting rid of the styrofoam containers, as people complained... and he may be well served to offer a meatless chili option for the tacos, this *is* Portland, after all...

Good food, I know I'll be back to have this taco dish again, and see what else they have cooking.