[Closed Jan 2011]
Location: SW 2nd and Stark
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm, Saturday lunch
The Story:
We don’t have many closures of late in the food cart scene of Portland, but many were saddened when SpudLocker and their unique military cart closed this past spring. Yet, with a closure comes change in the form of a new cart. Joslyn’s Ciao Chow has taken over the ubiquitous cart on the corner of SW 2nd and Stark with a bright new paint job you can’t miss.
Joslyn worked in restaurants for many years before leaving for corporate America, yet, in the past few years, with the changes in the economy and life, Joslyn decided she wanted to get back to the kitchen and found the SpudLocker cart on Craigslist. With a background in Sicilian cooking and having lived there for awhile, Joclyn put together a robust menu offering complex Italian pasta dishes and more. From that small kitchen, she manages to crank out 20 different dishes.
The day we visited, my lunch mates were immediately drawn to the menu and began ordering with the perfect pronunciation and accent required for Italian fare. I just stood there and read the menu, asking – “What did you just order?” Luckily, Joslyn came to the rescue to explain each dish to me with simple terms like pasta with vodka sauce or meatballs with sauteed vegetables. I stayed simple with Pasta al provero, “poor man’s pasta.” Spaghetti with a generous amount of garlic, olive oil and crushed red chili flakes was just the right amount for lunch. The noodles were al dente, but not crunchy, and the garlic and red chili gave the dish a wonderful spice that had more flavor than heat. A good portion with bread for $5. Now that I’ve had a moment to take in the entire menu, I think I would order the prosciutto wrapped melon or the sliced flank steak wrapped around scallions and Fontina cheese next time. Wow, what a menu.
Joslyn’s Ciao Chow isn’t just about pasta. She offers a secondi menu which includes seared chicken breast, thinly sliced flank steak and even fresh fish. Well made pasta is a treat and we have only a few carts in the city doing it well. I’m happy to see the former SpudLocker tank reborn as it is always fun to look at the strange control panel inside the cart. Wander on down to SW 2nd and Stark and give Joslyn a try. Let her know Food Carts Portland sent ya.
Sample Menu:
Antipasti
- Bruschetta classica: fresh tomatoes and basil atop grilled bread – $3
- Bruschetta di olive – grilled bread topped with homemade olive tapenade and goat cheese – $3
- Prosciutto con melone: slices of melon wrapped in prosciutto di parma – $5
Insalate
- Caprese: fresh Mozzarella layered with heirloom tomatoes and basil finished with olive oil – $5
- Rucola: arugula tossed with cherry tomatoes, shaved Parmesan and lemon vinaigrette – $5
- Babuchia: roasted red pepper stuffed with feta cheese on mixed greens with balsamic vinegar – $7
Primi
- Penne alla vodka con gamberi: penne tossed in vodka sauce topped with sauteed shrimp – $9
- Pasta al povero: “poor man’s pasta” spaghetti with garlic, olived oil and crushed red chili flakes – $5
- Cavatappi con la salsa: Cavatappi tossed in a light and fresh tomato basil sauce – $7
- Penne con Pesto: penne in fresh basil pesto with kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes – $7
- Pasta del Giardiniao: pasta with sauteed local seasonal vegetables in a light white wine broth – $7
Secondi
- Pette di pollo: seared chicken breast served on mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette – $7
- Involtini: thinly sliced flank steak wrapped around scallions and Fontina cheese – $9
- Scampi: shrimp sauteed in butter and white wine with garlic and fresh herbs – $7
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm; Saturday, lunchtime into early afternoon
Phone: 503 432 0434
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Fantastic food, knowledgeable chef who enjoys explaining her delicious fare to you. Try the cheesecake, it is out of this world!
Excellent food, prepared right when you order it. the chef is very knowledgeable and helpful. There aren’t many italian food carts and this has earned the spot as my favorite. Keep up the good work.
You can’t miss it, it is painted bright blue on the corner of 2nd and Stark.
I’d passed by this cart several times, since I work in the building right across the street — finally stopped today to try it out. The “Involti” looked quite tasty, so I decided to try it. It took a while to cook, but smelled delicious. The chef was friendly and chatty, and even gave me a free piece of cheesecake ‘for being so patient’ (though I’d been warned it would be about 10 minutes to cook my meal, which I was fine with)
I must say, this is one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever had from a food cart. Simply divine. The meat was soft and tender, the greens and oil were wonderful, as was the bread. I’ll definitely be back here to try out some more in the near future.
I heard about this cart so I walked down from 1st and Market on my lunch break. It was well worth the walk. The food was great. I’m trying to talk more of my co-workers into joining me another day and trying other things on the menu.
If you’re okay with the walk and the somewhat long wait for the food, it certainly is tasty food. The portions aren’t all that large, though, and the prices are higher than for most carts. I paid $7 for my entree and was hungry again later in the afternoon.
we’re so lucky to have joslyn as our neighbor..even luckier to be able to eat her awesome food! super friendly and her dishes are great! i agree w/ the other posts, her cheesecake is YUM…still meaning to ask what is in that crust (unless it’s a “secret,” then i totally respect that)! joslyn did an excellent job of renovating her cart upon taking it over and has really brightened up that corner of SW Stark & 2nd. very “sunshiney and inviting,” perfect for “rainy PDX.”
My wife and I tried this food cart on a recent trip downtown. Being a PSU student, I am no stranger to food carts. This is hands down the best cart I have ever been to. The food has to be tasted to be believed. The portions are generous, the ingredients tasted super fresh and the flavors of both of our dishes were incredible. My wife and I took bites from each others dish trying to decide who’s was better and in the end we declared it a tie. Can’t wait to get back down there and try something new!
I have tried at least 2 dozen carts these past few years and many of them offer cheap food that just isn’t all that good. Joslyn’s Ciao Chow is one of the few exceptions. Joslyn serves extremely delicious Sicilian-influenced Italian food that tastes like it was made in a high quality restaurant kitchen instead of a cart kitchen. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as Joslyn has been cooking all of her life and is professionally trained. The food is cooked fresh and the menu is varied and ambitious. Although you will pay a little more for a meal here, it is well worth it. I highly recommend the chicken Panino, Bruschetta Classica, and whatever soup she has on offer. The pasta dishes are also delicious. GO NOW!!
Saw a for sale sign on this cart today. . . Maybe this one is cursed, despite being cool looking.
Looking 4 Jocelyn please call me I am Sicilian & am opening an Italian restaurant in La and I am looking for a great Italian chef like you Joanna 561-441-3570