Portland Food Carts

No Fooling. It really is National Hot Dog Month.
(But I’m also including all kinds of sausages)

Although a big juicy dog is fine any old time of year, there is just something about summer that screams out thick Polish or kielbasa versions, aromatic Italian sausages with grilled peppers, Chicago style, beer wursts, smoky red hots, brats of all kinds (brown mustard and kraut with mine please), long curvy Coney island dogs served with all the fixings, and the list goes on and on. If you are lucky you’ll even be able to find Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai or Lao versions; the latter highly seasoned with things like garlic, ginger and/or lemon grass. I also enjoy a good corn dog or two every summer at specialty carts found at fairs and festivals. Vegans and vegetarians can even find some pretty good meatless varieties.

Of course hot dogs and food carts go hand n’ hand, and Portland has a good selection scattered about from the fancy Altengartz, to the no-nonsense Matlock’s empire, to the more BBQ focused Smokin Pig, to the Jamison Park Staple of NW Hotdog. There’s even a new hot dog cart or two in Portland’s ever burgeoning cart scene.

So relax, put on those bermuda shorts, flip flop sandals and wayfayer sunglasses and get yourself a dog, but don’t forget the sun screen. Summer is here. Finally.

Note: The above photo is a car-sized Hot Dog stage prop used by the band Weezer Phish and displayed at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Price of admission was a whopping $17.00. And that’s all I’m gonna say about it. I did have an excellent bratwurst though at the Cleveland Westside Public Market at this venerable stand. Man, I wish Portland had brats like that one. Best bratwurst ever.

Oh, and will someone please tell me where I can get Stadium Mustard in Portland? I love that stuff.

It’s Official – the City of Portland Food Cart Study has arrived.

Some things in the report are no brainers, there were a few surprises (people don’t really seem to care about the design of the carts for example) while other issues, such as neighborhood complaints and tensions over the carts remain unresolved.

I’ve been writing about this study for a while now, and finally two weeks ago the City of Portland posted the final version on their website.

Here’s a bit of background: The Portland Bureau of Planning teamed up with a group of urban planning master’s degree students to look at the state of food carts in Portland including the land use, economic, environmental and social impacts. This study was in response to a few issues including Portland’s rapidly expanding food cart scene, business and neighborhood complaints and issues against the carts, and questions on whether the City should focus some efforts in protecting the carts and/or if they are a good way to focus economic development resources towards potential future grants, loans and other funding. Despite the misguided reporting over at the Mercury, this study is not a policy document, nor was it meant to address specific complaints or issues over specific carts. The study will neither start a city sponsored food cart program nor increase regulations for the carts. It was simply meant as a baseline study to help the City better understand the growing trend of food carts in Portland and to potentially guide future decisions regarding the carts and better help address land use and neighborhood complaints in the future.

As paraphrased from the study itself, The study looked these basic questions:

• Neighborhood Livability: What effects do food carts have on street vitality and neighborhood life? What are the positive and negative impacts of food carts on the community?
• Community Economic Development: To what extent do food carts serve as an entry-point into long-term business ownership? Do carts provide beneficial economic opportunities for residents of Portland?

With the following findings:

1. Food carts have positive impacts on street vitality and neighborhood life in lower density residential neighborhoods as well as in the high density downtown area.
2. When a cluster of carts is located on a private site, the heightened intensity of use can negatively impact the surrounding community, primarily from the lack of trash cans.
3. A cart’s exterior appearance does not affect social interactions or the public’s overall opinion of the carts; seating availability is more important for promoting social interaction than the appearance of the cart’s exterior. development.
4. The presence of food carts on a site does not appear to hinder its development.
5. Food carts represent beneficial employment opportunities because they provide an improved quality of life and promote social interactions between owners and customers.
6. Despite the beneficial opportunities that food carts can provide, there are numerous challenges to owning a food cart.
7. While many food cart owners want to open a storefront business, there is a financial leap from a food cart operation to opening a storefront.
8. Food cart owners do not frequently access small business development resources available to them, such as bank loans and other forms of assistance.

The study also provides the following recommendations:
1. Identify additional locations for food carts.
2. Increase awareness of informational resources for stakeholders in the food cart industry by connecting them with existing programs.
3. Promote innovative urban design elements that support food carts.

And that folks, is it for now. Whew, reading and recapping that study made me hungry. May a I suggest an ice-cold gelato or affogato from Spella Caffe?

Location: SW 9th and Alder Parking Lot

Description: Did you know Peru is thought of as having a distinctive, well regarded and of course delicious street food culture? I had no idea until I ate at Choza’s and tried it myself.

Choza’s makes wonderful rice and noodle plates with distinctive Peruvian tastes and techniques. And, as per Peruvian street food tradition, most entrees include French fries mixed in the other ingredients and served with the addition of a tangy, creamy, slightly spicy Choza sauce. That sauce is addictive!

Lonely Planet calls Peruvian street food some of the Best Food You’ve Never Heard Of. Wikipedia even has a short blurb on Peru in their Street Food entry page, although they do say, “Cuy, a species of Guinea Pig is served as a delicacy on religious holidays.” Yikes.

You won’t find Guinea pig at Choza’s. Just rib sticking food of good quality at a good price, different than any other street food in Portland. Choza’s is a popular cart for a reason.

Sample Menu:
Lomo Saltado (beef or chicken). Sauted meat, vegetables. Served with French fries and rice - $6.00

Lomo Vegetarian. Same as above, sans meat - more veggies - $6.00

Tallarin Saltado (beef or chicken). Sauted meat, vegetables. Served with spaghetti noodles - $6.00

Tallarin Vegetarian. Same as above, sans meat - more veggies - $6.00

Chaufa. Peruvian fried rice. meat or vegetarian. - $5.00

Hours: (Warning! This cart’s hours seem to be anyone’s guess). Usually open Mon-Friday, Sometimes on Saturdays during lunch hours.

Phone: Unknown

Any Guess What This Might Be?

Spotted on SW 9th between Alder and Washington. Fresh pastries made by a very talented pastry chef and baker. More information forthcoming as soon as I’m done licking the buttercream chocolate frosting off my face.

Did you notice? Did you? Did you notice my new “hairdo”?

Gracious thanks to one Mr. Guilty Carnivore, for supplying me with the above photo montage. Additional thanks to mmm-Yoso!!! for letting us steal, er I mean BORROW, some images.

Location: SW 9th and Alder Parking Lot (located on the corner of SW 9th and Washington)

***Readers Favorite***

Thanks to reader Derrek Wayne for providing me with the menu and photos and for pointing out how good this cart is.

Description: Ok, confession time. I work within spitting distance of this cart. In fact, I work right across the street. However, and to my shame, I never paid that much attention to it until a couple of alert fans wrote in to tell me how it is one one of the best Thai carts in Portland. For some reason I was skeptical. Could it really be that good? Why was the food a dollar more than the other carts?

Shame on me for taking so long. I should have known better. This is pretty authentic Thai food like you get in Thailand with one of my favorite Pad Thais out of any of the carts in Portland - and the portions are HUGE (which explains the slightly higher price than other carts). I think I got three meals out of the Pad Kee Mao noodles the last time I ate there, and trust me kids, this girl likes to eat. Plus the owner is just a gem, so very friendly. Menu features all the regular Thai standards, but includes loads of vegetables. Caution though - UNLESS YOU HAVE ASBESTOS TASTE BUDS DO NOT ORDER YOUR FOOD SPICY. Really. You’ve been warned. In my office we now call it the Spicy Thai Cart and we have become fans and regular customers. Give it a try yourselves.

Sample Menu: (all entrees in the $6-$8 range and come with rice, unless they are noodle dishes)

APPETIZER

1. Salad Rolls (2) … $3
Fresh lettuce, carrot, cucumber, tofu, rice noodles, basil wrapped in
rice paper with peanut sauce

SOUP

2. Tom Yum Soup (hot sour soup)
Fresh galanga root, lemon grass, shallots, tomatoes, green onions,
cilantro, straw mushrooms

3. Tom Kha (coconut milk soup)
Fresh galanga root, lemon grass, kaffir leaves, spring onion,
cilantro, straw mushrooms

NOODLES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

4. Pad Thai
Medium size noodles stir fried, egg, bean sprouts, onions and ground peanuts.

5. Pad Kee Mao
Fresh wide rice noodles stir fried, egg, basil leaves, bell peppers,
ground chilies, onion, tomatoes.

6. Pad See Ewe
Fresh wide rice noodles stir fried, egg, Chinese broccoli, carrot in soy sauce.

7. Pad Thai Kee Mao
Medium size noodles stir fried, egg, basil leaves, bell peppers,
ground chilies, onion and tomatoes.

8. Pad Thai Sen Yai
Fresh wide noodles stir fried, egg, bean sprouts, onions and ground peanuts.

ENTREES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

9. Pad Cashew
Stir fried cashews, onions, bell peppers and water chest nuts.

10. Pad Basil
Stir fried basil leaves, onion and bell peppers

11. Pad Phet
Stir fried bamboo, bell peppers and basil.

12. Pad Ginger
Stir fried fresh ginger, onion, celery and bell peppers

13. Pad Prik Khing
Stir fried green beans in spicy sauce

14. Nam Mah Hoi Beef
Stir fried Beef with onion, mushrooms in oyster sauce

CURRIES
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu

15. Pineapple Curry
Red curry, bell peppers, peas, carrots and basil

16. Green Curry
Bell peppers, bamboo, eggplant and basil

17. Mussamun Curry
Potatoes, carrots, onions and peanuts

18. Yellow Curry
Potatoes, onions and carrots

19. Panang Curry
Panang curry with green beans

RICE
with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.

20. Pineapple Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with pineapple, peas, raisins, onions and carrots

21. Thai Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with peas, onions and tomatoes

22. Curry Fried Rice
Stir fried jasmine rice with yellow curry, onions, peas, carrots and tomatoes

Hours: Mon-Fri 11-2

Phone: 503 412 9308

Location: SW 5th and Stark

Description: I’m impressed and surprised. You never know the quality of food from a specific cart if you have never eaten there before but this pizza was very good. In my humble opinion, better than most actual sit down pizza restaurants in Portland. Made with a half whole wheat and half white flour crust, the crust was neither too thin nor too thick and cooked to perfection. A perfect balance of crunch with softness. The fresh vegetables were standouts.

New on the cart scene, this single man operation around the corner from the food cart row on SW 5th and Stark/Oak features pizzas artisan pizzas, available by the slice or as whole pies. Toppings include basic cheese or pepperoni, and revolving specials like roasted red peppers or roasted eggplant with garlic and Parmesan. Calzones are also available, as well as a bread sticks and a lone salad of the Greek variety.

One of my favorite things about this cart though, are the housemade natural soft drinks, such as the black cherry, a nice sweet but not too tart light lemon-lime and a very refreshing but not over powering gingerale that is sure to become one of my summertime staples. Plus, these drinks are a bargain at $1.75 for a big 16oz biodegradable plastic cup, or only $0.75 if you bring your own cup.

Sample Menu:

Pizza- Slices ($2 to $3, Whole Pies Start at $10.00)

Calzones - $6 to $7

Salads - $3.00

House Made Soft Drinks - $1.75 (or $0.75 if you bring your own cup)

Hours: Lunchtime Hours M-F

Phone: Unknown at this time

Website: Unkown at this time

Location: SW Stark near 5th Ave.

Description: In a shiny black and silver industrial cart with one serious looking smoker on the back, this cart is not only fitting of its somewhat industrial working class neighborhood, LeRoy’s looks primed to make some serious ‘Q.

But don’t overlook the other menu items. LeRoy’s offers 6 different kinds of Po Boys and enough vegetarian sides (potato salad, collard greens, Black eyed peas and coleslaw) to well, make even a vegetarian happy.

Brought to you by the former owner and chef of the Delta Cafe on SE Woodstock, LeRoy’s is a no nonsense BBQ joint like one might find scattered all over the Southeastern U.S. I grew up on real BBQ (North Carolina style), and although I haven’t tried LeRoy’s yet, driving miles out of the way to some dusty parking lot near train tracks for good food was such a part of my childhood that visiting the far reaches of St. Johns for pulled pork seems normal. Hell, my family would drive 3 hours out of the way for good BBQ. So give LeRoy’s a try and let me know what you think. I’ll try to visit soon enough.

Sample Menu: The menu is basic, as any true BBQ joint should be, with a major emphasis on pork, pork and more pork. Although, all the sides are vegetarian.

Pork Spareribs - 3 bones with 1 side $6.50, or 2 sides $8.00. 6 bones with 1 side $10.50, or 2 sides $12.00

BBQ Chicken - 1/4 chicken with 1 side $5.50, with 2 sides $7.00. 1/2 chicken with 1 side $9.00 or 2 sides $10.50

Pulled Pork served w/ texas toast - With 1 side $6.50. With 2 sides $8.00

BBQ Combo Plate - Choose 2 meats, with 1 side $11.00. With 2 sides $12.50

Po Boys (half or whole) in the $6.50 to $7.00 for a half. Whole $11.00 - $12.00
Choices include Fried Oyster, Fried Shrimp, BBQ Shrimp, Fried Catfish, Pulled Pork

Queen’s Favorite Po Boy - w/ brie, roasted garlic, mushroom and tomato

Sides (all vegetarian) include Potato Salad, Collard Greens, Black Eye Peas, Coleslaw (small $3.00 each, large $5.00). Side combo platter (choose 3 sides) for $6.00

Hours: Mon-Fri 12-7. Saturday 1-6PM

Phone: 503-442-7421

Website: None

Location: 6965 N Fessenden (on Fessenden and N. Midway in St. Johns)