Food Carts Portland

Location: Dreamer’s Marketplace, NE MLK and Graham
Hours: Tues-Sun, 11am-7pm

The Story:

When I first heard of Wet Hot Beef, I thought it was a sandwich name and not the actual name of the cart. I chuckled and then full belly laughed to learn that it was the cart name. Ingenious! Catchy! Memorable. One of the first carts to open at the new Dreamer’s Marketplace Pod on NE MLK, Wet Hot Beef is mimicking the success model of serving up a single item done right – roast beef sandwiches.

Shane Hendren, the man behind the beef, set out to create a signature roast beef sandwich, doing beef research to find high quality meat that would satisfy his “beeftooth.” The Piedmontese beef Shane chose is known to be one of the most tender and leanest stocks available. Sourced from Montana but processed in Oregon, Shane wanted to find the best and he did. Along with the roast beef, Wet Hot Beef also offers house made potato chips with flavors tarragon vinegar or curry chocolate. Roast beef and a side of chips – a great combo.

Wet Hot Beef offers their signature sandwich in three different preparations – Naked, Dressed and Indecent. A Naked is simply sliced Piedmontese beef with au Jus on a French roll. Upgrade to the dressed with house made pickled vegetables and caramelized onions or top it all off by throwing some Swiss Béchamel sauce over everything for the Indecent. I not a fan of the au jus dipping sauce traditional to roast beef sandwiches, but Shane doesn’t do a dipping sauce. He takes the au jus and spreads it on the French roll then places the beef and other ingredients atop. He then wraps the sandwich and places it in a 12oz cup so as you eat, the juices drip down into the cup and not on your shirt or pants. A wonderful presentation and ingenious idea. I enjoyed the Dressed and was particularly impressed by the house made pickled beets and red onions. They added a nuance to the buttery roast beef that I really enjoyed. The beef was tender as described with little musculature, so you didn’t have to bite your way through the sandwich pulling to much beef out on every bite. These are large sandwiches, so be prepared. Pair it with the house made chips and sodas and you have a winner.

As stated, Wet Hot Beef is now open as one of the first carts at Dreamer’s Marketplace, a new pod on NE MLK. Situated in the parking lot of an old NE Portland bank, the building on the site is being remodeled to house a music venue and pub. Another great re-use of existing empty land and structures. Head on over to the lot to try one of these signature sandwiches and let Shane know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Naked: sliced Piedmontese beef with au jus on French roll – $6.25
• Dressed: sliced Piedmontese beef with au jus, house made pickled vegetables, caramelized onions on a French roll – $6.75
• Indecent: a Dressed with double au jus and cheese sauce – $7.50
• House Made Potato Chips – $1.25

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-7pm
Phone: 360 609 9008
Facebook: Wet Hot Beef