Sol Pops

July 29, 2009 by 5 Comments

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Location: [Dec 2009, Sol Pops can be found at N Williams at Shaver] Various farmers markets and other locations; also available in certain retail locations.

Description: Let’s face it, it’s hot outside. So the craving for frozen juice treats on sticks is a natural. Yet outside of the wonderful Mexican Paletas found at many Hispanic markets, most popsicles found around town are mainly fake flavored water with food coloring that’s been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Yuck.

Sol Pops: Sustainable. Organic. Local.

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Describing themselves as, “handmade gourmet and wellness pops,” Sol Pops makes creative fruit, vegetable and herbal frozen treats sweetened with things like cane sugar, agave and fruit ciders. Using local and organic ingredients when possible, these are pops that are highly ethical and fortunately, highly flavorful as well.

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In the Paletas tradition, Sol Pops combines things such as cucumber-lime jalapeno; a lemon basil, raspberry coconut milk; and strawberry lemonade to make quality, refreshing treats that are not too sugary, not too heavy, and super refreshing.

Found at several farmers markets around town in the spring and summer, Sol Pops can also be picked up at stores such as Hot Lips Pizza, the People’s Food Co-op, and New Seasons Markets.

Stay Cool!

Locations: (See Sol Pops Website for Updates). Locations include Eastbank, Portland, King, Hollywood, and Montavilla Farmers Markets.

Hours: Varies
Phone: 503-975-9362
Website: www.solpops.com
Twitter: @SolPops Facebook: www.facebook.com/solpops

Filed Under: On the Move, Popcicles, Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options, Weekends Tagged With:

Lickity Split

July 27, 2009 by 19 Comments

Lickety Split 1

CLOSED
Location: NW 10th and Hoyt

Description:

Beyond buying local, what can a person actually do on the food security issue? Well, how about start a food cart? That’s what Lickity-Split, which appeared July 20th on the corner of NW 10th and Hoyt St. in the Pearl, did. Once profits start rolling in, their LLC will donate everything beyond cost and two livable wages to improving the area’s supply of locally grown food. What specifically that will be is up in the air while they go through the early stages of the venture, which for now focus on feeding customers well and breaking even, but moving the idea from “local, seasonal and fresh” to “local, canned/preserved and year round” is one goal. One benefit of stopping at Lickity Split is that you can multitask while you wait to place your order by engaging the owners in lively conversation on food security.

I stumbled upon the cart on its third day of operation along with a few other curious onlookers, and from the aroma was instantly disappointed that I’d already eaten my lunch of leftovers. I wasted no time getting there the day after. Shelly O’ Grady, who some of you may know from her days at Whole Bowl in the Pearl, and Daniel Drumright hook up their serving cart to a tiny all-electric GEM ES series shiny black car and under a ladybug-motif umbrella serve two kinds of meatballs daily, one vegan and one pork, with a choice of peppery marinara or spicy green chili sauce and either Tillamook Cheddar or vegan cheese topping. You can get all this in a panino for $3.95 or on heirloom, sundried tomato polenta for $4.50. I tried the moist, light pork meatballs in the peppery marinara on the creamy polenta with the Tillamook. This meal tastes of home-kitchen freshness! And why wouldn’t it? All the produce is from their garden, and the pork from Sweet Briar Farms in Eugene.

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Yes the choices are limited, but I’ll bet there will be little waste and lots of satisfied bellies with this model. Whole Bowl has done well with a one-dish approach, as has Nong’s Khao Man Gai as two cases in point.

During the summer Lickity Split will also be serving a cucumber-basil lemonade for $2.50. A cool weather drink will be offered after September, most likely a hot chai. Hot Lips soda for $2.50 is always a fall back. Kettle Chips are $1.25.

Shelly and Daniel’s venture is a welcome addition to the Pearl, where food carts are known by their scarcity. I hope their arrival augers well for the “cartrepreneurs” in this neighborhood where a good, inexpensive lunch can be a difficult at worst or repetitive at best experience.

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Sample Menu: See above description…

Hours: Monday through Friday, 11am to 2pm.

Phone: 503-449-6862

Email: newalb@hotmail.com

Twitter and website coming soon…

Filed Under: CLOSED CARTS

FoodCarts Showcased in MIX Mag

July 21, 2009 by 5 Comments

The Oregonian has started to publish a new magazine that focuses on food, drink and entertainment in Portland. Our own Cuisine Bonne Femme wrote a great article on Nuevo Mexico called How to Open and Run you own Food Cart. It is such a great article on the trials and tribulations of opening a new cart and how Jesse Sandoval succeeded. For all of you intersted in becoming a cartrepreneur, you should read this article. Great writing CBF.

Filed Under: CART CULTURE, NEWS Tagged With: ,

News: FoodCart Delivery and Coupons

July 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Over the past year, the growth in the number of foodcarts has spawned a different cottage industry – delivery service. While I know some of the foodcarts have worked with Delivered Dish in the past, these new services are offering to bring you your favorite food by bike.

Portland Pedal Power: This overall delivery service by bike is now partnering with many foodcarts downtown to offer delivery service. Next time you have a corporate lunch needing catering, pick a cart and call Pedal Power to bring it to you. Pedal Power can be contacted at 503-764-1415 or info@portlandpedalpower.com

SoupCycle:  Self proclaimed Soupetarians, Jed and Shauna launched this venture out of love for soup and bicycling. Combine the two and you get fresh organic soup delivered to your door. You can also flag them down and buy it right from the bike. They offer up both non-vegetarian and vegetarian soups – $9-10/quart. It may not be soup time here in the heat of summer, but when autumn rolls around, they’re going to the top of my Twitter.  SoupCycle can be contacted at (503) 320-9610 or Yesplease@soupcycle.com.

ForkFly: While this service isn’t specific to foodcarts, they are partnering with some to offer up special deals for their supporters.  ForkFly is a service and Iphone application that allows businesses to offer up coupons on the fly. Instead of carrying around paper coupons or spending Sunday morning clipping, you can just download their application and show the merchant the coupon on your phone. Currently, there are three foodcarts on ForkFly – Rick’s Wild Seafood, Whiffies and Brunchbox.

Have a great week and remember to tell them FoodCartsPortland sent ya.

Filed Under: CART CULTURE, NEWS Tagged With:

Portland Soup Company

July 17, 2009 by 7 Comments

PortlandSoupComp

Location: SW 4th and College

Description:

I was waxing poetic about another cart the other week on Twitter when one of our followers asked if I had tried the Portland Soup Company. I hadn’t, so we set a date. Thank you @sarahsthreads for introducing me to such a great cart. Upon arriving, I knew from the craftsmanship of the cart itself, the food had to be great.

The Portland Soup Company offers up soup obviously, but also sandwiches and salads. The day we arrived, I was drawn immediately to the slow smoked pork butt sandwich and almost ordered it with a yell, but then I saw the Cajun andoullie and chicken gumbo. The choices. Oh, and an arugula salad. What is a boy to get? I inquired about a soup and sandwich combo and they offer $1 off either one if you do that, so I got a 1/2 sandwich and a cup of soup. While they were prepping our food, I inquired about the cart since it was beyond what normal carts do – cedar siding, trimmed windows, scroll work on the cart name. One of the gentleman inside stated they built it from the ground up on a flatbed. Looking inside, you could probably make a home out of it it was so roomy.

The gumbo was just perfect. When I popped the top, I was greeted with large chuncks of okra, one of my favorite vegetables. I realized I didn’t get a spoon and only had a fork, but that gumbo was so chunky, I didn’t need one. The gumbo was fabulous. Half way through my rather large “cup” of soup, I remembered I had this 1/2 sandwich to explore. The slow smoked pork butt sandwich is served with a slaw made up of thinly sliced apples and red cabbage. I ordered it on ciabatta, but couldn’t pick it up and bite in due to the shear size of the sandwich. Mind you, this was a half order. I slowly ate the slaw by itself until I could manage the sandwich. That first bite of slaw, ciabatta and pork butt was worth the wait. The pork was moist with that hint of slow roasting. These guys know what they are doing.

Portland Soup Company has joined the numerous carts now filling up the lot down at 4th and College by Portland State University. When you head down there, take your food across 4th ave behind the city buildings to the nice hidden park. It offers shade and quiet from the usual downtown bustle. If you visit Portland Soup Company, tell them FoodCarts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Roast tomato w/ Argentine Regiano soup – cup $4; bowl $6
  • Cajun andouille and chicken gumbo – cup $4; bowl $6
  • Slow smoked pork butt sandwich w/ purple cabbage apple slaw – 1/2 $4; whole $6
  • Hand made mozzarella w/ basil, tomato, balsamic syrup and olive oil – 1/2 $4; whole $6
  • Organic greens w/ roast tomatoes, garlic croutons, wildflower honey vinaigrette – sm $4; lg $6
  • Arugula w/ mozzarella, grape tomatoes, bacon and creamy chive vinaigrette – sm $4; lg $6

Hours: 11am-3pm, daily

Phone: (541) 968-1230

Website: www.PortlandSoupCo.com

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Filed Under: Downtown, Lunch, Salads, Sandwiches, Soups, SW 4th and College, Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options Tagged With: ,
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