Dad Knows How to Cook

CLOSED
Location: N. Vancouver and N. Fremont
Hours: Tues – Sat, 1-6 pm

The Story: It’s West African food, from the country of Togo.

Something wonderful is happening in North and NE Portland. It’s becoming a hub for ex-pat Africans and all their delicious, mouthwatering, spice laden cuisines. North Killingsworth near Albina, as well as MLK Blvd. are filling up with Ethiopian, Somalian, and Eritrean East African Coast restaurants and markets. There’s even Portland’s only South African-Indian cart, Mum’s Kitchen, located on the corner of North Vancouver and Fremont.

Now in the same cart pod as Mum’s, we have Dad Knows How to Cook, a humble little trailer with a hand painted sign and a simple “introduction” menu featuring the foods of West Africa, more specifically, the little nation of Togo. And what a cuisine it is! I’ll admit some geographic ignorance here that would surely fail an answer on Jeopardy. I had no idea until I ate at DKHC (as I’m calling it) where Togo is, let alone what the fine Togan (Togian? Togelles? Togos?) population eats. I’ve obviously been missing out.

Located on the West Coast of Africa to the East of Ghana and to the West of Nigeria, Togo has its very own distinctive Togalese cuisine based on a healthy diet of beans, plantains, yams and other vegetables, grains such as rice or millet, and plenty of peanuts as well as ancient spice blends. We were blown away by the bright, bold, and harmonious flavors. According to recipe.wikia, fish plays a big role in the cooking of Togo, as does bush rat (otherwise known as grasscuters or agouti). Expect spices to be along the same vein as some Indian, Middle Eastern, and Ethiopian foods, but still just different enough that you know you are eating something distinctive.  Spicy heat from chilis, rich ground peanuts, ginger and garlic play a large part in Togolese flavors, as do exotic spice blends. This is not a bland cuisine by any sense of the word.

You won’t find bush rat on the menu at Dad Known How to Cook, but you will find many filling, healthy and very decently priced combo plates featuring rice, beans, vegetables, and if you wish – chicken or beef. The “Number 2″ combo for example contains rice, beans flavored with tomato and ginger, vegetables, and stewed beef or chicken. The “Number 4″ contains chicken or beef in a creamy, spicy peanut butter sauce with rice. “All Vegetable” options are available as well, but do ask if they are truly vegetarian/vegan as they may contain chicken broth and/or butter.

Dad Knows How to Cook is a wonderful new addition to Portland’s ever expanding ethnic diversity and cart cuisines. Welcome to the neighborhood, Dad. We agree, you sure do know how to cook.

Sample Menu:

• Beans Rice: rice, stewed chicken or beef, elbow macaroni & boiled eggs, tomato sauce – $5.50
• “Soupa”: Sweet plantain, vegetables, rice and chicken thighs – $6.00
• All Vegetable with peanut butter sauce – $6.00
• All Vegetable “Soupa” with sweet plantain, vegetables, rice and beans – $5.00

Hours: Tues – Sat. 1 – 6pm (these may change frequently – do call ahead to verify)
Phone: 503-933-9689

Kula Kart

CLOSED

Location: SW 2nd and Stark
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm

The Story:

In a vintage Dalton aluminum clad travel trailer making a home in his driveway, Chad Kula cooks Filipino cuisine. [Kula Kart moved downtown August 2012]

Kula Kart launched this past winter with the goal of offering up unique dishes and a place to enjoy it. Chad outfitted the old trailer and instead of finding a lot to park it in, he used his driveway which is strategically located across from the Stumptown building on Division. Chad chose to do Filipino cuisine after being exposed to it while growing up. Whenever his girlfriend’s family congregated, there was always a huge spread of wonderful exciting dishes. It was a generous feeling, welcoming everyone to eat and the food was distinctive and flavorful. To Chad, Filipino food evokes memories of happy families and good times.

Pork Sinigang

Chad strived to figure out the menu at his cart and perfect the type of cuisine he was about to bring to Portland’s fickle palate. Along with traditional dishes such as chicken or pork Adobo and lumpia, Chad also has vegetarian or pork sinigang, a stew that is served over rice. Per his recommendation, I opted for the sinigang. Succulent cubes of marinated pork stewed with a great collection of vegetables like bok choy, cabbage, onion, kale, and carrots with garlic and spices then placed over rice. For one thing, a beatiful dish, served on a square green ceramic plate, and second, tasty as hell. The veggies were done just right to still have a bit of crunch and I loved having the bitterness of the bok choy mixed with the sweet pork. Each dish comes with a lumpia and Chad makes his own garlic vinegar to use as a dipping sauce. A great meal.

Kula Kart isn’t your traditional cart in a lot. Since opening, Chad has moved the cart to the back of the driveway in order to set up tables and chairs and a tent to keep the rain out. Check out the Filipino Feast they offer and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Adobo plate: Classic (chicken and pork) or Pork, comes with rice, cucumber salad and 1 Lumpia – $7
• Chicken Adobo Plate: comes with rice, cucumber salad and 1 Lumpia – $6
• Chicken Wing Plate: 6 marinated wings with rice, cucumber salad – $6
• Adobo Sandwich: choice of Adobo and cucumber salad – $6
• Veggie Sinigang: vegetable stew served over rice with 1 Lumpia – $6
• Pork Sinigang: pork and vegetable stew served over rice with 1 Lumpia – $7
• Lumpia – $1

Hours: Tues-Sat, 12-8pm
Website: KulaKart.com
Facebook: Kula Kart
Twitter:  @KulaKart

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