J Mo’s Sandwich Shack

June 30, 2012 by 3 Comments
J Mo's Sandwich Shack

J Mo’s Sandwich Shack

Location: SE 82nd and Harney at Cartlandia
Hours: daily, 11-7 – call ahead to check

The Story:

Home of the ‘Dirty Mo’ is the phrase on the business card. How can’t you not wonder what a Dirty Mo is and seek it out. Jason “J Mo” Moreno is the man behind Cartlandia’s newest cart and brings his tasty sandwiches to the lot.

Jason has been accused of being too much of a dreamer, but what’s wrong with that? We should all chase some sort of dream and opening a restaurant what Jason’s. After some work, he realized that a cart would be the best way to start off on this journey and used Craigslist to source the cart and all the innards. Jason offers sandwiches, soups and salads with a smile and a hearty hello.

The Italian

The Italian

The day we visited, the menu offered a couple of sandwiches and a chopped green salad. Having just enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich the day before, I decided on The Italian. Full disclosure time – I was first introduced to the Italian style sub at Subway in the early 80′s in Gresham. Whenever I get a chance, I try everyone else’s to try and wash the Subway taste from my memory. With salami, Mortadella, provolone, pickles and yellow mustard on a fresh roll, this is the style of Italian I crave. J Mo gets his bread from An Xuyen Bakery down off Foster and the only way I can describe it is fluffy and crunchy. When eying the sandwich cut in half, there is bun, meat and bun. As a kid, I wouldn’t appreciate the value of the bread in a sandwich like this, assuming I had been jipped on meat. Now, I realize it is about balance and with the right bread, you can have even less innards and still create a work of art. J Mo has managed this with The Italian. Every bite had crunchy soft bread, salty salami, a bit of pickle and the tang of mustard. So good.

You’re probably wondering about the Dirty Mo. While not on the menu the day we visited, J Mo described it as fried spaghetti on garlic cheese bread with homemade marinara sauce. You can add meatballs or sausage to amp it up a bit. Sounds enticing. J Mo’s Sandwich Shack is now open at Cartlandia which also sports a beer garden, so head on down for one of his excellent creations and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • The Dirty Mo – $8
  • Flying Barracuda Pulled Pork – $8
  • The Italian – salami, Mortadella, Provolone – $8
  • Chopped Green Salad – $5

Hours: daily, 11-7, but still working out the details
Website: JMosSandwichShack.com
Facebook: JMosSandwichShack

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Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Italian, Lunch, Sandwiches, SE 82nd and Harney, Southeast-Portland, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Woodrows

June 28, 2012 by 5 Comments
Woodrows

Woodrows

CLOSED

Location: N Williams at Shaver
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm; Sat/Sun, 10am-2pm

The Story:

When you grow up on a farm, you learn fresh homemade food makes the day. We’ve all heard the phrase farmer’s breakfast and I’ve indeed enjoyed a few. A Woodrow’s, Craig brings his culinary experience and some homemade gems to the window.

Woodrow, Craig’s grandfather inspired the name for the cart and was the farmer in this story. Craig started out in catering and living in the food truck desert city of Chicago, Portland became a beacon to try his hand at his own establishment. It only took one visit for him to be convinced the truck was the next adventure. On opening, Woodrows scored a second coup by landing in the lot next to Sound Roots School of Music which offers picnic tables and a steady stream of customers.

Breakfast Sandwich from Woodrows

Breakfast Sandwich from Woodrows

Woodrow’s mission is to bring us back to simpler times before our food became genetically modified, hydrogenated, filled with high fructose, hormones and antibiotics. The breakfast sandwich I enjoyed exemplified that. Fresh cart made bread was the basis for the egg, veggie sausage and cheese mixture inside. Almost like a light focaccia, the bread made the sandwich a work of breakfast art. In speaking with Craig, he let me know the breakfast wrap is made from their own homemade tortillas. That will be my next visit. I ordered my breakfast sandwich plain Jane, but you can add caramelized onions, crimini mushrooms, green onions and any assortment of seasonal veggies to any dish. Also, Woodrow’s offers their own Tractor sauce, a blend of roasted red peppers, cilanto and lime; about a 3 on the hotness scale.

Craig pointed out something I tell people almost daily. The street food scene is so dynamic, one can do simple hand food, hearty complicated cuisine, ethnic fare, deep fried items and so on. The diversity in Portland lends to success and now with their truck they can offer healthy breakfast and lunch options for the eaters looking for something new. And yes, Woodrow’s offers lunch in the form of Panini’s. Check out this new truck up off N Williams and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Granola – walnuts, almonds, dried fruit, coconut, oats, agave and coconut oil baked to perfection – $5
  • Baked goods like muffins or biscuits made fresh daily – $1.75-2.50
  • Coffee from Coava – 12oz, $1.50; 16oz, $2
  • Fritatta – $6; add meat or veggie sausage, $1
  • Vegan Scramble – $6
  • Egg and Cheese Sandwich – $4
  • Breakfast Wrap – $4.50
  • French Toast – $4
  • Ham and cheese Panini on house-made rosemary-garlic bread – $6.50
  • Chipotle Turkey Panini: turkey and bacon nestled between house-made chipotle spread and cheddar cheese – $7
  • Roasted Veggie Panini: seasoned eggplant and roasted red peppers and herbed chevre – $7

Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm; Sat/Sun, 10am-2pm
Phone: 773 726 4645
Facebook: WoodrowsPDX
Twitter: @WoodrowsPDX

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Filed Under: CLOSED CARTS

Rico’s Burritos

June 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Location: NE 16th and Killingsworth (next to Fruteria Don Pedro)
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am – 6pm

The Story: How many traditional Hispanic taco trucks are there in the Portland region? Our guess is there are hundreds. Next to Thai Food carts, which seem to be every other cart as well, we can think of no other cuisine more proliferate than the mobile Taqueria Mexicanos that dots cart pods, rows, roam the streets, and are flying solo in parking lots from the inner city, to the edge of the urban growth boundary.

It makes sense. I was at an American urban planning conference in 2010 and sat in on an excellent panel run by a Latino Women’s planning group. One of the panelists, of Mexican descent who grew up in the taco truck epicenter of East Los Angeles, explained:

Taco trucks are the original, nutritious, cheap fast food of my people. My community doesn’t have a lot of resources or money to open many restaurants, families are often extremely busy working 2-3 jobs to get by, and no one has a lot of money to spend on food. Taco trucks have been around for decades in my community, the Food Truck fad is nothing new to us. (note: I’m still searching for her presentation online to link to if you are interested in this sort of thing).

Hats off to Rico’s Burritos for honoring this tradition of affordable, nutritious, and mouth watering food.  I’ll admit, we can sometimes get a little “tacoitis” burnout here at Food Carts Portland, as we eat at so many similar taco trucks on a regular basis. Rico’s surprised me by the quality and care put into their food. The proprietress and I, a lovely and elegant older woman, were limited in communications by my Gringo lack of Spanish language skills and her lack of English, but man did we relate when it came time to tasting her food.  It was surprisingly good.

I’m a big fan of all seafood, and Rico’s serves a very fresh, very nicely seasoned fish taco as well as a fish burrito. The first time I visited we determined, though a comic exchange with the owner in my hodgepodge Spanglish, that it was Tilapia, and my two tacos came seasoned with just enough chilies for a bright red-bite. Rico’s doesn’t skimp on the amount of seafood, and load the fresh, soft, handmade tortillas up to the brim with vegetables including slices of avocado at no extra charge.

My dining companion ordered an Asada Torta, and it too came filled with to the brim with meats and veggies, making for one giant, sloppy, perfectly satisfying sandwich for just a few dollar bills.

I was able to gather with the help of a fluent Spanish speaking translator that Rico’s has some cool plans in the works, different than most taco carts in Portland. The owner, perhaps inspired by the popular Podnah’s Pit BBQ across the street, is thinking of adding Pollo Asada. That’s roasted Mexican style chicken on the BBQ, by the way. For that we can only say, Por Favor!

I’ve probably been to Rico’s 3 or 4 times this month alone (Confession, I live two blocks away). Each time I’ve been, they’ve always welcomed me with a warm smile, and some warm, outstanding traditional taco truck fare. My ‘hood’s strip on NE Killingsworth can be a bit of a wasteland for food options, so having Rico’s so close is a godsend for those days where the hungry monster takes over, but my time and money is limited. Portland food carts, you just keep getting better and better. Thank you Rico’s for contributing to Portland’s food cart scene.

Sample Menu:

  • Burritos – $5
  • Tacos – $1.50
  • Tortas – $5
  • Sopes – $2
  • Choice of meats for above – Pollo, Asada, Carnitas, Pastor, Fish
  • Chicken Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas – $5
  • Breakfast Burrito – chorizo, egg, tomato, onion, chile – $2.50

Hours: Mon- Sat, 10am – 6pm
Contact: unknown

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Lunch, Mexican, Northeast - Portland, Snacks, Tacos, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Lebanosh

June 25, 2012 by 6 Comments
Lebanosh

Lebanosh

Location: NW 23rd and Wilson
Hours: Mon-Fri, 6am-2pm

The Story:

When the owners of Lebanosh contacted me about their new cart, I couldn’t figure out where it was. I am intimate with the Alphabet district in NW having lived up there for years, but didn’t know there was a Wilson st. Just of the 405 exit, across from Carl’s Jr is the Lebanosh cart, on NW 23rd and Wilson.

NW Portland has everything from boutique shopping to high end condos to venerable old Portland mansions, Portland’s largest urban park and industry. Original home to the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905, the area that is now mostly industrial was a giant lake and wetlands. We’re now seeing the latest growth in street food vendors up this way. Lebanosh owners Ryan and Angela found a spot ideally located to serve the many who work in the area and open at 6am to feed them breakfast. Inspired by Angela’s family recipes, the menu is meant to be simple and fast in order to serve the patrons quickly. The day I visited, it was a constant stream of welders, businessmen and others coming to check out the food cart.

Kefta sandwich from Lebanosh

Kefta sandwich from Lebanosh

Breakfast starts out with hot nosh buns which are stuffed with egg, cheese and bacon or sausage and is served from 6am- around 10:30am. Is is then they switch to Lebanese food. Lunch options include kabobs with rice or kabobs in sandwiches. You can opt for 7-spice chicken or kefta which are made with allspice, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and more. I chose the kefta sandwich with cucumber tomato salad and hummus and pita. Kefta is similar to meatloaf. Ground beef mixed with spices and mint and onion, roll it up, skewer and grill. The sandwich had the kefta wrapped in a lightly toasted pita with tzatziki, fresh sliced tomato, onion and leaf lettuce. The first bite reminded me why I wanted this dish. A burst of flavor from the kefta mixed well with the creamy tzatziki. The fresh veggies added a brightness I love in sandwiches like this. Beyond the excellent kefta, the cucumber salad seemed so fresh, I think he made it after I ordered, but you could tell it had been marinating for a bit. The hummus had the perfect balance of citrus and garlic. Tough not to dip everything in it. A great meal. Enough for any hungry eater.

Lebanosh joins just a few other carts in the large area of industrial NW Portland. With the number of workers out there, there seems to be opportunity for carts and trucks. Open Monday-Friday at 6am, skip the fast food and drop on by.  Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Hot Nosh Buns – stuffed with egg and cheese, bacon or sausage – $4
  • Coffee/Bun combo – $5
  • Noshin’ Left Out – Lebanese 7-spice chicken or kefta kabob served with rice and one or two sides – $8/9
  • Sandwich with sides – $8/9
  • Chicken or Kefta Kabob and rice – $6/9
  • Kabob Sandwich – $6
  • Lentil soup – $4

Hours: Mon-Fri, 6am-2pm
Contact: lebanosh@gmail.com

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Lebanese, Lunch, Middle Eastern, NW 23rd and Wilson, NW Portland

Pink and Black Waffle Shack

June 23, 2012 by 2 Comments

CLOSED
Location: SW 9th and Washington
Hours: Generally Mon – Sat, late brunch – lunch

The Story: Bow-chicka-wow-wow! Anyone remember that over-the-top brothel scene in the Tim Burton movie, Beetlejuice? Well, I can imagine Pink and Black Waffles with its aptly decorated burlesque inspired styling, complete with bright blinking electric OPEN sign, would be exactly where Beetlejuice gets his waffles post visit to those ghoulish and garish ladies of the night.

The young lady running Pink and Black Waffle Shack on the day I visited was not ghoulish or garish in the least though, just dressed in a color scheme to match her cart’s namesake, with a little bling make-up for added glamor. She made an effort people, and hats off to her for caring as much about her style as she does about her waffles.

It seems people fall into two camps when it comes to batter breakfasts – there are pancake people, or there are waffle people. Portlanders as a collective city seem to love both equally. But, Waffles and Food Carts appear to be a natural fit and Portland waffle carts love getting creative with the flavors and toppings both savory and sweet.

Pink and Black does not appear interested in early morning, or even mid-morning waffles for the early go-getter crowd, and opened on a leisurely noon on the Friday I swung by, but no matter. Waffles are fine for lunch as well as breakfast. This was no slacker’s careless waffles, however. A lot of thought and care goes into the creations at Pink and Black.

The waffle combos are INSPIRED and even a bit outrageous, and outrageous in a good way. While the savory waffles, such as the Heartbreaker (a cheese, bacon “wafflewich” with spicy mayo) will satisfy, it’s the sweet waffles that show off this cart’s love of all things sugary and cream. Take the PDXXX: Nutella, almond butter, whipped cream, toasted coconut, and a cherry on top. Whoa dudes. Or, I tried the Monkey Biz: a big mess o’ open faced thick Belgian waffle smothered with salted caramel, banana sauce, banana slices, fresh whipped cream, and an almost praline like granola. I left with a serious sugar buzz that lasted all afternoon. From what I could gather, waffles at Pink and Black are the thick Belgian kind, not the thin American kind, in case that sort of thing matters to you.

Did this inspire the Pink & Black Waffle Shack? (from the movie Beetlejuice)

I have a hunch this cart likes waffles as well as substances that might perhaps give one the munchies for said waffles. With menu item names such as the Pineapple Kush and Wake n’ Bake, Pink and Black would probably do a booming business setting up next to one of Portland’s proliferating marijuana clinics.

Alas, you don’t need to be into “the green” to enjoy shelling out a little green for a Pink and Black Waffle. They are a satisfying treat no matter your indulgence of choice. Pink and Black Waffle Shack – adding to Portland’s Food Cart diversity and creativity.

Sample Menu:

  • Plain Old Waffle with add-ons (an extra $0.50) bacon, cheese, almond butter, Nutella, whip, berries, specialty syrups – $3
  • BLT Wafflewich – bacon, tomato, Romaine Lettuce on a waffle – $5.50
  • Bacon, Egg, Cheese waffle – $5.50
  • Sexy Time – strawberries and whipped cream, optional powdered sugar/toasted coconut – $4.50
  • PDXXX: Nutella, almond butter, whipped cream, toasted coconut, and a cherry on top – $5.50
  • Monkey Biz – salted caramel, banana sauce, banana slices, fresh whipped cream, granola on top – $5.50

Hours: Mon – Sat, generally lunch hours.

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Filed Under: CLOSED CARTS
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