Kingsland Kitchen - SW Oak and 5th - Jamaican Jerk!

I've taken a while to get around to stopping and trying out the well-reviewed Kingsland Kitchen cart, which is on the North side of the pod on SW 5th and Oak.

This is a British-themed (but European influenced from a variety of locales) sandwich cart, open for breakfast and lunch, which also offers a full English breakfast for $10, if you feel so inclined.

Sandwiches come on tasty French rolls. This cart has been in operation a while now, and today, I finally got to give it a try.

Originally lured by the prospect of a Guinness-braised beef sandwich, I looked over the extremely tempting menu and decided to go with the Jamaican Jerk Chicken offering.

I must say, I am very happy with my choice, and very much looking forward to trying some of their other offerings. The chicken had just the right amount of kick, the pineapple was cooked just right, and not too sweet.

Ingredients are touted to be locally sourced and organic. Some of their other offerings include organic pork meatballs, Mumbai Spice Chicken, desserts such as cupcakes and short bread.

I will have to come back to this cart on numerous occasions to try the variety of options available, judging by how awesome this Jerk Chicken sandwich was. Give them a try, I have a feeling you won't be disappointed.

Mimi's Ethiopian Kitchen - SW Oak between 2nd and 3rd

It's been a long, long time since I've blogged about a food cart... (and the last two I wrote about have come and gone, I sincerely hope this isn't a pattern) -- Here we go!

Quietly appearing in the former Cheesesteak Factory cart, Mimi's Ethiopian Kitchen has arrived to bring some variety to the pod on SW 3rd between Stark and Oak. (A welcome change from the 5+ Mediterranean carts that occupy this particular pod)- It's located right next to Pulehu Pizza, just West of Mother's Bistro.

Featuring both meat and vegetarian Ethiopian dishes, there is bound to be something you'll enjoy on their menu.

I had the Kay Sega Wat, which is cubes of beef in a spicy sauce, served alongside some stewed cabbage and greens, over a generous bed of injera. There is also a piece of injera served to the side (which is a spongy, somewhat sour, fermented pancake-like bread you tear off pieces of to pick up and eat the other bits of food with) - They sell injera on its own on the side, and even offer gluten-free options.

Just behold the beauty of this dish! Plenty of food, and you won't want to leave a single bit behind.

The generous serving of injera was enough to combine some with every single bite, which is delightful.

You'll find the traditional Doro Wat, the Ethopian "national dish" of simmered spicy barbeque chicken over injera.
They have spicy and non-spicy versions available, and also offer lamb as an option on some of the beef-based dishes.

For those who prefer not to eat meat, Kay Miser Wat is a spicy split lentil dish, or try the Gomen Wat, a cabbage-based dish.
There is also the option of a simple rice and chicken offering, or a variety plate with your choice of a combination of all above.
Prices are in the $6-$8 range for most dishes, and the food is delicious. Even if you've never had Ethiopian before, you should give this cart a try.

Authentic Cuban Food! SE 3rd and Washington - Shredded Beef and Plantains

A new Cuban cart has popped up next to Mama Mia's Trattoria on SW Washington, between 2nd and 3rd Ave.

The banner across the top says "Authentic Cuban Food" - I'm assuming that's the name of the place.

I'm a fan of Cuban food, and there were a few menu items mentioning plantains - which got my attention.

I ordered the Shredded Beef and Plaintains dish ($7.50) - which comes with -- Shredded beef, some fried plantains, rice, and a salad.

The menu was a little hard to read, and I didn't realize they had pork offerings at first. A couple of guys in line in front of me had ordered a pork dish, and the guy running the cart handed them some small samples while they waited -- which, according to their reaction, was incredible. This was their second visit to the cart since it opened, and they seemed pleased.

Unfortunately, I accidentally took a VIDEO of the menu instead of a photograph, so I apologize for the terrible quality of this:

They offer a Cubano sandwich, a Jalapeno Beef sandwich (which I was tempted to order - $5.50) - some pizza like offerings topped with a couple meat or veggie choices ($5), along with some pork and beef and plantain dishes that run $6-$8.

As for my Shredded Beef and Plantains meal, here it is:

The beef contains some carrots, lima beans, and peas - very nice flavor, quite tasty. The tomatoes were slightly salted and peppered just right.
The plantains were fried, a little on the sweet side (I prefer "tostones," the savory twice-fried green plantains, but these were still good)

I ate EVERY SINGLE BIT of what was served to me - this was delicious. I am anxious to try their pork next time, then maybe the Jalapeno Beef sandwich after that. Good stuff! Try it out.

Whole Time Chicken, SW Washington & 3rd - Fried Chicken and Rice

Today, I thought I'd try the new fried chicken cart that has occupied the former space of "Thick," the Chicago pizza cart that has now relocated to the 'big' cart pod on 9th. It's right across from Killer Burger, in a black cart with yellow trim.

In what seems like record time, Thick moved on to bigger things, and soon after - Whole Time Chicken has appeared. They do chicken and rice, and chicken/rice/salad combos. You can have your chicken fried, with breading - or seared, and there are a variety of standard sauces available (BBQ, Honey Mustard, Ranch, Hot Sauce)

As I stood looking at the menu, I could smell the fried chicken being cooked, and it smelled delicious... which cemented the choice I was going with, I was going to have the fried stuff.

It's served on a generous bed of seasoned rice, four strips of boneless chicken. I tried it by itself first, and the seasoning is quite tasty - has a little bit of zing to it, but it isn't overly 'spicy' - The chicken itself was tender and juicy, and the crunchy crust was very enjoyable on its own.
I opted for the hot sauce, as I like spicy food - and it was GOOD hot sauce. Combined with the chicken and rice, I was very satisfied with my meal.
$6 got me the chicken and rice combo, you can also add salad, bringing the total to $7.50. Pretty decent deal if you ask me.
Looks like they're keeping the menu simple, which can be a very good thing. I'll have to go back and try the seared chicken soon, to see how it compares.

Rikoson - Venezuelan - SW 3rd and Ash St. -- JUMBO Chili Dog...

Today was one of those days where I just wasn't sure what I was in the mood for, so I hit up an ATM and just walked around a few of the cart pods, hoping something would 'jump out at me' as inspiration for lunch.

I decided on Mexican after a bit, as it's been a while since I went to a Mexican food cart... so I headed to one of my standard Mexican stops -- turned the corner, and... they weren't open today. Oops.
(insert sad trombone sound here)

So much for that idea - off I headed a little further North than usual, toward Ash street. As I turned on to Ash, the cart in the former home of La Sangucheria (where I used to love the award-winning Chicharrons) was Rikoson, a Venezuelan cart. I'd walked by at a distance a few times, and from the photos of the menu items, I had assumed this was a hot dog/burger cart. Not so, I realized, as I got closer and was able to read the descriptions of the items in question.

Funny thing, though - for some reason, I saw the "Jumbo Chili Dog" on the menu - Ah HA! I never see chili dogs at food carts... and hey, it sounded kinda good today... So, I stepped up and ordered my chili dog - then started noticing... they had a board out advertising Arepas and Tostones, which weren't listed on their standard menu board. Oops. I love both of those things, I guess I'm going to have to come back and try the 'real' Venezuelan food after this.

My chili dog was quickly presented, and it was MASSIVE. It's a sausage inside, a good sized one, and the bread is the same as they use for their sandwiches.

A good helping of chili was inside, along with fries that are pretty much almost as thin as potato chips, nice and crispy, which add a nice touch to the whole package.
This was way more food than I was expecting to get. Sure, it said "Jumbo Chili Dog" on the menu, but figured that was just because it used sausage instead of an Oscar Meyer Wiener. The bread was fantastic, and didn't come apart when exposed to the chili. This is a big plus.

This thing hit the spot, and then some - I am stuffed to the gills at the moment, and I think I need a nap... and a wet-nap, as well, I managed to get a good amount of this on my hands and face.

So, my first try of this Venezuelan gem (5-star reviews all around on Yelp) and I have a chili dog, but hey, I'll be back to check out their less American themed offerings soon, because if they can do a chili dog this awesome, I'm certain their other foods are going to be amazing.

Haggis!! The Frying Scotsman - SW 9th and Alder

Today, I decided to go try out what has now become a full-time, regular menu item at The Frying Scotsman - the Haggis Supper.

This is a long-standing, and very much loved Fish and Chips cart run by a real Scotsman. He would do Haggis on special occasions, but has now added it to his regular rotation of offerings.

Located about halfway between Alder and Washington on SW 9th, featuring several varieties of Fish and Chips - Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Red Snapper and Mahi Mahi - plus add-ons: mushy peas, curry sauce... and a deep fried Mars Bar.

Now, on to the Haggis...

If you're not familiar, Haggis is traditionally made of sheep's liver, heart, and lungs - mixed with spices and onion and oatmeal and suet and such, encased in an animal stomach. (Sounds delicious, I know...)

This presentation is deep fried.

It comes with a container of tartar sauce, some very tasty cole slaw, and a generous helping of very tasty chips. The cart offers ketchup, malt vinegar, and HP sauce to help customize to your tastes. I opted for a small bit of malt vinegar for the Haggis, and HP sauce for my chips (a weakness of mine).
The Haggis went very well with both the tartar sauce and the HP sauce. By itself, it's a coarse and rich 'pudding' and the breading it's fried in a very crisp and tasty.

Good stuff. Give it a try if you're adventurous, or just like this kind of thing - I know it's not for everyone... but I can speak from experience, if you don't like the idea of Haggis, give them a try for the fantastic Fish and Chips offerings.

Asian Station - SW 2nd and Oak

Greetings! For today's lunch, I visited Asian Station - which has become a standard for me over the last couple of months they've been in operation.

This is located on the same stretch of SW 2nd Ave as Mama Chow's Kitchen, El Pijon, etc. I'm surprised I've not blogged it yet, as my punchcard toward a free meal is already at 9 out of 20, and... it's right by where I work.

The food here is well-portioned, reasonably priced, and most importantly - very fresh and tasty. It hasn't taken them long to gain a very loyal following - crowds are common, especially between noon and 1pm.

Offering salad rolls, fish rolls, fried tofu, your standard Thai rice dish combinations, some noodle dishes -- including Yakisoba -- and fantastic curry bowls you just have to try... everything I've had here has been top-notch.

Today, I had the Spicy Basil with Chicken, 'extra spicy' - it took them a week or three for me and a fellow coworker to chide them about the spice levels to where we were satisfied with the dripping-with-sweat results we wanted by ordering "extra spicy," - but they've got that formula down now. Don't worry, for those sane people out there, they do all levels from mild on up with no problem.

This particular dish uses ground chicken. Many of their chicken meals feature breaded chicken breast atop the meal, which is also amazing. Another thing I enjoy is that they use a single fried egg whenever a dish is listed with egg on it, so you can incorporate the egg into the dish however you see fit, or just eat it all at once if you prefer.
Nice to have the choice.
$6.00!!This is easily two meals worth of food, but it's so good I'll eat it all in one sitting, anyway.

The mother-daughter team working this cart are very friendly, and I can't stress enough how this is one of the best Thai carts in Portland.