Savvy J’s

Location: Q19 Food Pod – NW 19th and Quimby [Updated 10/2011]

The Story:

Catfish po’boy. Need I say more? North NW Portland for me has always been a place to find good southern style food. Now, with the opening of North Station Q19, we have Saucy’s doing up some amazing BBQ ribs and now Savvy J’s which is serving up southern and Cajun cuisine, including kick-ass catfish po’boys.

The po’boy is a southern staple and has been around since the streetcar strikes in New Orleans in 1929. According to the New Orleans Po’boy Preservation Festival, the original “Poor Boy” sandwiches were offered free to striking workers who were supported by the community at large at that time. What made them unique was their size – 15″ or 20″ – rather large for the depression era. These days, a standard po’boy here in Portland isn’t more than a 10″ long. Can you imagine? If you were a paying customer, the price would have been 10c in the ’30′s.

Savvy J’s po’boy was a great sandwich. I ordered the catfish so I could share with a non meat eater and it was huge. The loaf itself wasn’t any larger han a normal 8″ sandwich, but it was overflowing with chopped lettuce, some tomato, pickles, tarter sauce and the perfectly lightly breaded and fried catfish pieces. I picked at it first, nibbling on pieces of catfish before I dove in and wrapped my paws around the entire sandwich in order to eat it. The catfish with the sharp pickles was a wonderful match and since the fish was lightly breaded, you were able to taste it instead of breading. My non meat eater love it also proclaiming that it may be the best catfish po’boy she’d ever eaten.

Savvy J’s offers po’boys with chicken, fish, shrimp and even oyster from that great truck. You can also get different sandwiches and even jamabalaya. The prices are reasonalble and when I was there, a nice young man took my order and even brought me my food instead of passing it through the window. Nice! Head on up to the latest pod to grace the city and visit Savvy J’s along with the other carts and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

[Update 10/2011 - Savvy J's has moved to NW 19th and Quimby]

Sample Menu:

• Po’boy: lettuce, pickles, tomato, creole mayor or tartar sauce – chicken or fish – $6; shrimp or oyster – $7
• Bubba’s southern style pulled pork sandwich – $6
• Tuna melt – $5
• Grilled cheese – $3
• PB & J – $3
• Southern style chicken wing basket with fries – $6
• Frito Pie $3

Hours:

Lunch- Monday through Saturday: 11am-2pm
Dinner: Monday through Thursday: 4-9pm; Friday/Saturday 4pm-12am

Phone: 503 887 1260