Green Curry with Duck and Avocado - Bangkok Duck and Chicken - SW 10th & Alder

I went for a walk today at lunch, up to the cart pods on SW 9th and 10th off of Alder. This is by far the most populous encampment of Portland food carts, and is home to some of the most successful of the bunch.

Imagine my surprise when I came across Bangkok Duck and Chicken.
If you have duck on the menu, I'm interested. This stopped me dead in my tracks as I looked over the menu of what appears to be a fairly standard Thai/Curry setup -- only, with duck. - Curry *and* duck... and this dish, #6 on the menu, the Green Curry with Duck and Avocado. No need to look any further, folks. This was where I was getting lunch today.

Served with a VERY generous portion of rice, the curry and other ingredients were placed in a separate container. Definitely enough for two meals.

While waiting on the food, I chatted with the owner a bit, who didn't hesitate to tell me this was the best curry around. I asked how long he'd been there, and, much to my surprise -- the answer was "two years" - and that he had, in fact, changed the appearance of the cart a tad recently.

At least 100 times, I must have walked right by this cart and never noticed. I reviewed the cart right next to it as one of my first posts to this blog. Yet, here I was, waiting on my food from what I thought was a relatively new cart... WITH DUCK. How could I have missed it?

My love affair with duck has only occurred over the last year or two -- before then, I'd never had it, to my knowledge. Now, if there's duck on the menu, I'll often order it, as I'm enjoying all the duck dishes.

This curry is no exception - this is AWESOME. The curry is, indeed, delicious - and may be one of the best curries in Portland, as the owner claims. A *lot* of duck meat, alongside crisp bell peppers, avocado chunks, and cashews. As much as I want to eat the whole thing, this is really enough food for two and there's no way I will finish it all at the moment, despite that urge that good spicy Thai food gives me to just keep shoveling it in until there's nothing left.

Bangkok Duck and Chicken, SW 10th and Alder.

Crispy Basil Tilapia - Thai Tea Clean Food Good Taste, SW 2nd and Oak

Definitely one of the lengthiest names for a food cart downtown, Thai Tea Clean Food Good Taste is located on SW 2nd Ave between Oak and Stark. This cart has been in this location a while now, and today I had a craving for their signature dish, the Crispy Basil Tilapia.

There are plenty of Thai carts in Portland, and you can expect your standard stir fry and curry dishes at just about any of them. It helps to have something to stand out, and this dish certainly qualifies.

The Tilapia is lightly breaded and pan fried while you wait, then served in a Thai sauce with onions, crispy basil leaves, green and red bell peppers, mushroom, and some rice on the side. Simply delicious, and has that extra "hey, this is good for me" feel to it. Not the first time I've had this dish, and each time it was excellent, the fish was cooked 'just right' and I ate every bite.

As for the rest of the menu, hey offer all your standard Thai favorites, along with potstickers, coconut shrimp, Thai iced tea, etc. Chicken, beef, shrimp and tofu can be selected with any dish.

It's good food, clean food, and tastes good - so the lengthy name is appropriate.
Mmmm..

Ploy Thai - SW 5th and Oak - (I'm BAAAACK!)

If anyone noticed a lack of Portland Cartivore blogs for a while - I've been away, in culinary hell.

That hell is known as Minot, North Dakota. I was sent there for a work assignment, 30 days straight of 12 hour workdays with no days off, living in various hotels, and working in a windowless warehouse type building with a metal roof.

The food choices there are mostly limited to standard Midwestern chain and fast food joints. I gained 13 pounds, as I couldn't eat very well, given my choices. (Though I could certainly fill myself up...)

With that said, I was SERIOUSLY craving Thai food getting back to work downtown, with a new found appreciation for just how awesome it is to live in this town in regards to available food choices.

The smells coming from Ploy Thai drew me in as I walked up. I'd eaten here once before, when they first opened -- but it was before I'd started this blog. Excellent opportunity to satisfy my Thai craving and get my blog going again.

Ploy Thai is authentic Thai street food, brought to you by someone who sold food in the streets of Nakhonsawan, Thailand.... and it shows. This is AWESOME. Maybe I'm a little biased because I've just spent a month away from such wonderful choices, but I stand behind my assessment.

I had the Pad Ka Pao (ground meat stir fried with chili, basil, green beans, and serrano chili) with chicken, "hot" -- and I'm dripping with sweat eating this fantastic dish (and over brown rice, something that was seemingly unheard of in North Dakota)

While I waited, they offered me a spring roll with peanut sauce, and some tea to keep me warm. Can't argue with that.

Oh, how I've missed the fine food of Portland and the carts down here.

If you like Thai food, I strongly encourage you to check out Ploy Thai. It's the real deal, and my first cart meal since returning back home.

Friday is Thai-Day! Gin Northern Thai.

Today, I felt the urge for Thai food. It's become one of my favorite types of cuisine since I moved to the Pacific Northwest. There are MANY places for Thai food in Portland, brick-and-mortar restaurants and carts alike. You're guaranteed to find at least one, if not four, Thai carts in any reasonably sized cart pod in Portland.

The one that stands out to me the most, and in my humble opinion, hands-down, the BEST Thai food I've had in Portland is from Gin Thai, a cart on SW 3rd between Stark and Washington. ("Gin" means 'eat,' and is pronounced with the 'g' more like the word "go" instead of a 'j' sound)

Their menu is not the standard fare you'll find at most Thai carts, as the Northern Thai style they offer differs in many ways. They have many noodle based dishes, as well as stir-fry options. The meat they use is much more tender than you get in most places, and the vegetables and seasonings are incredible. One particular dish, Shan Noodle, is unlike anything I've ever had from a Thai place before - typically I avoid noodle based Thai food, but every single time they've recommended one and I've tried it, it's been amazing.

When you ask for it "HOT" - you better mean it. They don't screw around. Within 1-2 bites of a "hot" dish from Gin Thai, expect tears to be rolling down your face and sweat forming on your brow. Just like I like it... and my current state writing this blog entry.

The people who run the cart are very friendly, and love to talk about their offerings and give you suggestions if you let them know your tastes... the almost intimidatingly pretty Amika, and the exceptionally skilled chef, Nok - They greet me by name when I show up at their window, another reason I love coming back here outside of the outstanding food and service.

Today, I had the spicy cashew stir fry with chicken.... certainly not the most exciting offering on their menu, but... cashews sounded really good today. They use carrots, onions, bell and jalapeno peppers, crushed red pepper flakes - and the sauce is phenomenal.

**Highly Recommended! If you like Thai food, this is a must-visit cart.