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.

Lower East Side Deli - SW 3rd and Stark, South Side -- Buffalo Chicken Wrap

A new sandwich shop has popped up in the former Hog Time cart, "Lower East Side Deli," featuring New York style Italian sandwiches of various sorts, and a collection of chicken wraps.
I walked by to take a peek at the menu, and saw they had a Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wrap, and I was in the mood for something spicy.. so I headed to the ATM to obtain funds and wandered back.

I ordered my wrap, then perused the menu, and started looking at the photos of all the different sandwich offerings. I began to wonder if I'd ordered the wrong thing, as every sandwich photo looked amazing...

I do believe I'll need to revisit this cart and order a sandwich next time instead of a wrap.

Now, mind you, this wrap is pretty tasty.

Fairly simple in ingredients, breaded white chicken breast with Buffalo sauce, bleu cheese dressing, lettuce and tomato, wrapped in a tortilla, cut in half and wrapped in foil. Very tasty. It was a little messy, but delicious.

I'll include a photo of the menu, which looks promising...
(Click to embiggen)

Yeah, I think I'll have to come back and check out some of the other sandwich offerings over the next few weeks...

Deutschland Curry - SW 5th and Stark

Spring is in the air in Portland, and after the cold, harsh winter claimed a few carts, as it usually does - it's time for the next wave of carts to hit the scene.

Today's lunch was courtesy of "Deutschland Curry" - certainly not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think Deutschland, but, hey...

They proudly brand themselves "Portland's Wurst Food Cart" - offering sausages and fries, and a selection of toppings - curry, fondue, lentils, and a combination of peppers and onions I can't quite remember the name of. (I'll come back and edit this part later)
It's located next to the legendary "Schnitzelwich" cart, Tabor, which - sadly, hasn't been open for a few weeks now... (and I fear what that implies.)

Moving along... the helpful people inside the cart offered me a 'world tour,' which was a small sample of each of their standard configurations of sausages and sauces.

As I walked back to the office with my haul, I couldn't resist dipping a few fries into the sauces and trying them out. Each one of them is great. I couldn't wait to sit down and really dig in.

The sausage is tender and juicy, the fondue is creamy and tasty (and goes well with the dark-brown fries) - the curry had just enough kick, and complimented the sausage quite well. I could easily pick any of their offerings and enjoy it thoroughly, though I will say my favorite, by far, is the curry... Nice work!
I'll be back for that by itself, for sure.

Prices are decent, especially for the haul of food. Expect to pay about $6.50-$8.50 depending on your options.

Mama Chow's Kitchen - SW 2nd and Stark - Wings! Glorious Wings!

An attractive new cart has shown up midway between Oak and Stark on SW 2nd Ave, with all wood siding -- "Mama Chow's Kitchen"

The menu features Wonton soup, honey glazed chicken wings, and BBQ spare ribs.
(The ribs and wings can be served over rice, with steamed baby bok choy)

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to have a decent place serving chicken wings so close by. There haven't been many food carts serving wings.

The wings were described as 'lollipop wings' - I had to inquire, as this was a new term to me - and it was explained that one of the two bones is pulled out (and used for making the stock for the soup) and the wings are marinated overnight in a garlic infused marinade, then they're deep fried on the spot and given a honey glaze.

He fried up a wing for me to try, minus the glaze - and it was delicious... so I went ahead and ordered the wings with rice and baby bok choy. (Wings can be had by themselves for $6, with the add-ons, $7)

Wow, these things are awesome. Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy (and with garlic!) on the inside. The glaze isn't too sweet and it has a slight kick to it, just right. The rice and bok choy were excellent accompaniments, and made for a very filling meal.

I'm really looking forward to trying their whole menu, and glad to see this cart come to town.

** Follow up **
I went back for the Wonton soup today, and got the Pork and Shrimp Wontons. (Mama's recipe, he tells me)
WOW - it was absolutely delicious. Served with baby bok choy, and using the sauce he recommended.. what a treat. Savory and tender and a generous serving. Next, I'll have to try the BBQ Pork riblets.

You MUST try the Wontons!

Chez Dodo - SW 5th and Stark - Indian, Chinese, French, and Creole

Today, I got a free cold shower on my way out to get lunch... made a run to an ATM, and stopped at a new cart, "Chez Dodo," which occupies the former Give Pizza a Chance cart.

"Mauritian food" is the term for the blend of Indian, Chinese, French, and Creole food represented.

They had a warmly inviting overhang out front, under which I was able to escape the torrential downpour. I was greeted with a big smile from everyone inside, and promptly ordered what caught my eye in the first place -- the lamb curry, served with pan-fried noodles.

I was informed they also had venison available, and I was given a very generous sample in a small container to try, while I waited for mine to be prepared.

WOW. It was fantastic. Just the right spiciness, it wasn't greasy at all. Noodles, peas, lima beans, carrots, and ground venison that was moist and delicious.

The lamb of the same ilk, my main meal, did not disappoint. Now I'm very curious to try out their other offerings.
LOOK AT THIS THING.

Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and carnivore options are available. Dholl Puri flat bread, pan fried noodles, curry sauce, check out their page on Facebook: Chez Dodo


I seriously was given enough food for 2-3 meals, making it quite worth the asking price when I consider that I'll be having this again for lunch tomorrow and there still might be some left.
Check out Chez Dodo!