GF Chef

Location: SE 82nd and Harney, Cartlandia
Hours: Wed-Sat, 7:30am-8pm; Sun, 9am-4pm

The Story:

Over the past few years, the term gluten-free has become more prevalent when discussing food as more people, both young and old, learn they have an intolerance to gluten. Executive Chef Jim Adams and his wife decided to create a food cart that catered to those needs but also served some amazing food and GF Chef was born.

GF Chef opened last summer at the now shuttered Green Castle food pod. After the closure, Jim and his wife Bonnie regrouped and moved the cart to the ever expanding Cartlandia pod. No one likes to move a cart and so it took them a week or so to get situated, but now that they are open, they have garnered a loyal following. Jim is the executive chef of the cart and has his own recipes for most of the items. He bakes three different gluten free breads daily – rye, herb and white – and even has some signature pancakes for the morning crowd. Every week he is coming up with new an interesting baked goods like bagels or biscuits or french bread.

Reuben from GF Chef

The rye for the Reuben had just come out of the oven. A hefty loaf with an aroma that began to spread throughout the pod and turn heads. What makes a Reuben special for me is the quality of the corned beef and the Russian dressing. Jim creates his own dressing from an classic German recipe which includes caviar. The bread is first toasted then the Swiss cheese and corned beef are added and finally the sauerkraut and dressing. One excellent sandwich. The bread with a crunch from the toasting melts in your mouth. The dressing, always a treat for my taste buds cemented a memory that I’ll dredge up as a comparison every time I try someone else’s Reuben. The ferment of the sauerkraut topped it off.

Jim and Bonnie are fun to chat with and love what they create and will answer any question you may have. Their focus is to create some great meals gluten free which one would normally not be able to get – including corndogs. Jim has his own batter. GF Chef is open from breakfast through dinner and offers specials daily. If your gluten intolerant or even if you aren’t, check this cart out for some great food and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Breakfast sandwiches with ham, bacon or sausage, egg and cheese – $3.75
• Pancakes – 2 for $5.25
• Grilled Cheese – $5.50; add meat, $6.50
• Turkey, Ham or Corned Beef Sandwich – $7.50
• BLT – $7.50
• Reuben Sandwich – $8
• Corn Dog – $3.75
• Onion Rings – $4.50
• Hand Cut Fries, Belgian Style – sm, $3.75; lg, $6

Hours: Wed-Sat, 7:30am-8pm; Sun, 9am-4pm
Phone: 503 927 9880
Facebook: GF Chef

Blues City Biscuits

Location: SE 82nd and Harney, Cartlandia
Hours: Wed-Sat, 11am-7pm; Sun-Mon, 11am-3pm

The Story:

Well made biscuits are a wonderful delight. I remember the first time I ever had what was described as authentic biscuits and gravy made by a southerner and how amazing it was. Selling well made biscuits with great gravy and other items any day of the week is what Blues City Biscuits is here to do.

In a 1954 trailer that she describes as a “spam can,” Kimberly bakes biscuits fresh for her many different dishes. Hailing from Memphis, the Blues City, she got her bug for good soul food and everything made in the cart uses fresh locally sourced produce when in season along with other organic goods. Her secret for the biscuits is Bob’s Red Mill wholegrain unbleached flour.

The Booker T from Blues City Biscuits

There are so many amazing items on the menu, it is hard to choose just one. Luckily, we were able to have a great little chat about the cart and her food while I read and re-read the description of each item. Biscuits. Gravy. Eggs. Bacon. Smoky collard greens. Spiced fried apples. Kimberly has some great creations. Instead of going overboard, I decided to stay simple and ordered the Booker T. with a fried egg, some green onions and sausage gravy served between her fresh made biscuit. So good. The biscuit, about the size of a bagel, is the perfect vessel for eggs and gravy. Mixing the egg with the chunky sausage gravy and green onions is ingenious. A great little sandwich for anytime of the day.

Blues City Biscuits is a great little cart with some wonderful southern influenced food. Kimberly has already outgrown her cart and has launched a campaign to raise some much needed funds so she can expand. Check her project out at IndieGoGo. If you’re a fan of biscuits or gravy or both, you should check this cart out. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

All sandwiches served on fresh buttermilk biscuits.

• Jerry Lee: thick-cut glazed ham steak w/fried egg, Tillamook cheddar and sausage gravy – $7
• Isaac: fried egg w/Tillamook Cheddar, smoky collard greens and sausage gravy – $6.50
• Otis: fried egg w/Tillamook Cheddar, spiced fried apples, honey butter and pecans – $6.50
• Booker T: fried egg, green onions and sausage gravy – $5.50
• Elvis: creamy peanut butter, fresh banana and Nutella – $5
• Ma Rainey Breakfast: classic biscuits and gravy – $6
• Nina Simone Breakfast: fried egg w/Tillamook Cheddar and spiced fried apples on buttery hominy grits w/smoky collard greens on the side – $7

Hours: Wed-Sat, 11am-7pm; Sun-Mon, 11am-3pm
Website: BluesCityBiscuits.com
Twitter: @BCBiscuits
Facebook: Blues City Biscuits

Grass Roots Cafe

Location: 3503 N Mississippi, north of Fremont
Hours: Mon-Sat, 12-9pm, Sun, 12-5pm

The Story:

Mississippi avenue is bookended by food carts with venerable elder statesmen FlavourSpot at one end and Mississippi Marketplace on the other. In between, just north of Fremont, a pod has struggled to take shape and keep carts. A new cart, Grass Roots Cafe looks to be one that will be there for awhile.

Grass Roots Cafe is the work of Ellis and his partner who opened the cart earlier this year. While Ellis attended culinary school at Clark College, looking at the menu and chatting with him, the flavors and feeling of the cart have been sitting in his culinary mind for years. Sandwiches, burgers, sliders, mac and cheese – and wings. Yes, chicken wings. We have had a few carts in town doing wings, but at this time, none are open, so if you want wings from a cart, Grass Roots Cafe is your place.

Upon arrival, Ellis was there, leaning out the window welcoming me and telling me about the specials. I was intrigued by the Charles Bronson Chili, but was more in the mood for a sandwich. He offers the “Bro that’s stupid hot” Chicken burger with grilled chicken, chipotle mayo, sliced jalapenos, insane heat sauce, lettuce and tomato. It even has a note that a waiver must be signed. I enjoy spice, so ordered it. Ellis started looking for the waiver. Seriously! I stopped him. I thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. The sauce is made with habaneros and ghost peppers, some of the hottest on the planet. While I wanted a spicy sandwich, I opted to not include the insane heat sauce and Ellis served the sandwich up with a spicy BBQ sauce instead. The grilled chicken had a wonderful spice rub on it and paired with the chipotle mayo and jalapenos it was enough flavor and spice for my palate. A wonderful mix of flavors.

"Bro that's stupid hot" chicken sandwich

I love it that he has waivers for his hot sauce. That tells me he is proud of the heat. If you’re a heat fan, you should check it out and report back. I know I’ll be returning to try out the chicken wings – maybe on Monday nights when they are only 50c a piece. Drop on by Grass Roots Cafe, say hi to Ellis and try some of his vittles. They have covered seating and he’s open into the evening. Let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

The menu at Grass Roots is vast. Here are a few of the items offered.

• The John Bryant Pulled Pork Sandwich – $6
• Pedal Power: basil & pesto chicken sandwich – $5
• “Bro that’s stupid hot” Chicken Burger: chipotle mayo, jalapenos, insane heat sauce, lettuce, tomato – $6
• Grass Roots Burger – $3.75
• Chicken and Waffles – $7
• 2pc Chicken and Fries – $4
• Chicken wings – range from 6 wings for $4.95 to 48 wings for $38.95 and more
• Bacon Mac and Cheese – $5
• Shrooms and Mac – sauteed mushrooms and elbow macaroni – $5
• Green House Effect Salad – $4.75

Hours: Mon-Sat, 12-9pm, Sun, 12-5pm
Phone: 503 960 2623
Facebook: Grass Roots Cafe

Breakfast Lunch Today

Location: Cartlandia, SE 82nd and Harney
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 8am-4pm; Fri, 8am-6pm; Sat, 11am-6pm

The Story:

I saw the logo first and my mouth began to water. blt. I immediately had that memory from childhood of stacking bacon and lettuce on toasted bread (no tomato, I didn’t like tomatoes then) with plenty of mayo and taking that wonderful first bite. Breakfast Lunch Today, or otherwise known as blt is a sandwich shop at Cartlandia.

Etienne Saucier opened his cart in summer and moved to the Cartlandia pod in August. Originally, he had planned a large menu of diverse items, but reality set in and he realized he wouldn’t have a large cart to support such efforts. In the trailer he did outfit, he designed a menu that would work with the confined space. After a few months, he’s happy with his choice and has succeeded.

Montecristo from Breakfast Lunch Today

Etienne focuses on sandwiches and has a broad selection to choose from including fried sandwiches, cold sandwiches and classics like the Dagwood  and Croque-Monsieur. I was ready to go for the namesake and get a BLT, but asked him for his recommendation and he steered me to the Fried Montecristo. I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a few variations on the Montecristo – usually a deep fried traditional sandwich with powdered sugar atop. When we opened up Etienne’s version I was completely surprised. Instead of a traditional sandwich with slices of bread, his Montecristo is made up of black forest ham, turkey, Gruyere and emmental cheese then wrapped in beignet dough and deep fried. Beignet Dough! I just stared at it for a minute not sure what to think, but took the first bite and tasted the sweetness of the dough mixed with the excellent choice of cheese and meats. So good. We even tasted a bit of wine in there, but Etienne explained that beignet dough is over yeasty which brings out those types of flavors and smells. A great twist on an already wonderfully decadent sandwich.

Etienne and his cart are open during the week and on Saturday for breakfast, lunch and on Friday and Saturday, you could pick something up for an early dinner. If you’re in the mood for a well crafted sammy, drop on by Breakfast Lunch Today and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Fried Cheese: their special dough filled with Mozzarella or cheddar and fried – $4; add bacon or ham, $5
• Egg and Cheese: like a fried quiche – $5.50
• Fried Denver: bell peppers, ham, eggs and stuffed in dough and fried – $6.50
• Turkey-Cran: turkey, provolone, cranberry sauce fried in special dough – $6
• Tomato and Fresh Basil: tomato, Mozzarella, fresh basil in signature dough – $5
• Fried Montecristo: ham, turkey, Gruyere, emmental, dijin mustard wrapped in beignet dough and fried – $8
• Turkey Club: bacon, turkey, lettuce, tomato, may and cheddar – $5
• Ham and Spinach: ham, spinach, provolone, olives and honey mustard – $5.50
• Roast Beef and Cheddar: add lettuce, tomato, horseradish and cheddar – $6
• Muffuletta: ham, salami, mortadella, provolone and cajun olive spread – $7

Hours: Mon-Thurs, 8am-4pm; Fri, 8am-6pm; Sat, 11am-6pm
Phone: 503 310 4631
Facebook: blt
Resources: Credit/Debit cards accepted

Rock House Grill

Location: Cartlandia, SE 82nd and Harney
Hours: Daily and weekends, breakfast, lunch and dinner

The Story:

In a trailer that reminds one of the 50′s or maybe a boardwalk vendor, The Rock House Grill creates some great food to sate your needs- morning, noon or night.

At Cartlandia out in east Portland, James has opened his shop after years of working in restaurants and honing his skills at the grill. He’s worked in small bars, been a line cook and even catered for concerts. If you can manage a crowd of rowdy rockers, you’ve proven you can man the grill.

NY Steak Sandwich

With an extensive menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, burgers, burritos, pork chops and steaks, there is something for everyone. Instead of ordering what I would normally order, the burger, we asked James what his signature dish was. The NY Steak sandwich is what he prepared. Ordered medium rare, just before we went to sit down, he yelled out the window “leave the fat on or off?” I’ve never been asked that, so again, deferred to his discretion – fat on. The large steak came atop some melted cheese on a toasted bun with some grilled onions and peppers sliced tomato and a salad mix of finely chopped cilantro, spinach and leaf lettuce. At first bite, you could taste the amazing steak, cooked perfectly medium rare and juicy, the veggies and a hint of horseradish that was pleasantly spicy, but not overwhelming. Having the fat left on gave it a great little buttery flavor. An excellent sandwich and one of the best I’ve tried in awhile.

The Rock House Grill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will feed you until you’re full. The portions are large and satisfying and James is a character who will bring your food to the table and make sure you’ve had a satisfying meal. Drop on by and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu: by far not everything

• The Big Badass American Outlaw Burrito: steak, chicken or pork with all the fixins – $8
• NY Steak and Eggs w/hash browns or fried potatoes and toast – $10
• Pancakes – $6
• English muffin, ham, egg and cheese – $4
• NY Steak Dinner served with salad, rice or fried potatoes or baked potato, beans and a dinner roll – $10
• Double Double style burger-  double meat, double cheese – $8
• Single Steak Burger – $5
• NY Steak Sandwich  – $10
• Patty Melt – $6
• and more

Hours: Daily and weekends, morning to evening
Contact: unknown

Yolk

Location: SE 48th and Woodstock
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-2:30ish

The Story:

There is something new afoot in the food carts in Portland – restaurants expanding to carts. We’re not talking chains, we’re talking wonderful established joints opening carts to spread the love of their menu. Yolk is newest of these carts.

Yolk is the work of Toast, a great little restaurant in SE Portland. In a bright yellow cart not far from the homestead, Yolk is where you can pick up a stunning breakfast made fresh with local ingredients and some unique combinations. Patrick and Meagan team up during those morning hours along with a cookbook of recipes gathered over the years to create hashes, sandwiches and special breakfasts.

The Breakfast

The menu item that caught my eye was “The Breakfast.”

Here’s the deal. It’s Breakfast our way. No options. No substitutions. No allergies, diets or, “I’m free of…” No texture issues. If you don’t like it, give it away. Will it ever be the same? Maybe. Will you get the same as your buddy? Maybe. It might be a similar dish for a year, or it might be different for the next person. Can you share it? Yes!

Seriously, how awesome is that. I’ve always wanted to show up and have someone tell me what to eat instead of having to decide. The day I visited, The Breakfast was a type of tomato stew served with an over easy duck egg, some thick cut bacon and a housemade English muffin. A dish I would have never have imagined as a breakfast. The tomato based stew simmered overnight and prior to serving summer veggies like delicata squash, romanesco broccoli and orange cauliflower were added to create a rich texture. The duck egg, my first, had a fresh sweetness to it that when placed on the muffin with some bacon was a match made in heaven. This was a truly unique imagination for breakfast. I’m glad I ordered it and took the chance.

Yolk makes some great dishes and uses seasonal veggies, so what we list here in the menu section may change. There is seating available at the lot, so head on down and give it a try. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Toby Hash: late summer corn with heirloom tomatoes, chili creme, potatoes, saba with 2 sunny side up eggs – $8
• Mary had a Little Lamb Hash: Sudan Farm ground lamb mixed with roasted potatoes, braised greens, squash and tossed with mint and herbs and toped with duck egg – $9
• The Sandwich: ham or braised greens and cheese with a scrambled egg on a baguette – $4
• Run For the Hills: sauteed mixed vegetables and herbs with scrambled eggs on an english muffin – $6
• Brother: maple glazed pork belly with Beecher’s cheese, over medium eggs, dijon tossed lettuce greens on a pretzel roll – $8
• The Breakfast as described above – $10

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-2:30ish
Contact: 503 568-0787

Wooster's

Location: SE 52nd and Foster
Hours: Tues-Fri, 8:30-8:30ish; Sat/Sun, 11-8:30ish; Late night 12-3am Sat/Sun

The Story:

We did a couple of roadtrips across America in the past few years and some of the best food we enjoyed was in the south. A mixture of down home cookin’ and a grandmotherly service makes you want to stick around and chat about old times. Wooster’s had all those traits and more.

Matt and Spencer make up the team that brought Wooster’s to Portland. When I say brought, I mean it. The bright orange cart was acquired and outfitted in Florida and then driven to Portland. The original goal was to hit some festivals along the way, but as they learned, the rules are different in every city, state and county, so ended up just coming straight here to open. Both Matt and Spencer are from Texas and met here in Portland at Le Cordon Bleu, the culinary school. With those southern influences, a few recipes from grandma and some time spent in Alabama, the menu and flavors of Wooster’s were born. They like to call it an original country soul food style.

Fried Green BLT from Wooster's

Wooster’s is open from breakfast to dinner and even late night on the weekends, so their menu reflects all kinds of options one would enjoy during the course of the day. You could start off with biscuits and gravy, have a chicken salad sandwich for lunch, shrimp and grits for dinner and they even have desserts and fried goods for that late night craving. Being there for lunch, we tried the fried green BLT with a side of fried whole okra. The BLT was just that with thick slabbed bacon and leaf lettuce, but substitute in fried green tomatoes. The bread for the sandwich was toasted just right to provide a crunch without forcing you to chew your way to the goodies inside. The fried green tomatoes (which we also got as a side dish) had an amazing batter to them which added an exceptional twist to this southern favorite. The whole fried okra were delectable. Using the same batter, which had a cornmeal element, the okra were cooked just right so as to not have that slimy texture so many simply can’t stomach. The true star with both fried items was the crust created by the batter. You gotta try it.

Fried Okra from Wooster's

Wooster’s is hard to miss. A bright orange trailer right on Foster just east of 52nd. Matt and Spencer are Texas gentleman and welcome you with a smile and a hearty southern “hello.” I’m excited to get back to try some of their other menu items – especially the country fried steak. Head on down, get a bit out of the south in your belly and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Biscuits and Gravy – $4
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant – $4
• Fried Green BLT – thick slabbed bacon, leaf lettuce and fried green tomatoes with 1 side- $7
• Country Fried Steak – hand breaded sirloin, sausage gravy with 1 side – $9
• Southern Chicken Salad or Sandwich – white grapes, walnuts, love with 1 side – $6
• Shrimp and Grits – pan seared fresh shrimp, andouille sausage, creamy polenta – $9

Sides – 1/$4; 2/$6; 3/$8

• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Sauteed Veggies
• Beer Battered Rings
• Curly French Fries
• Whole Fried Okra
• Black Eyed Peas – Polska Kielbasa

Hours: Tues-Fri, 8:30-8:30ish; Sat/Sun, 11-8:30ish; Late night 12-3am Sat/Sun
Phone: 503 664 0131
Twitter: @WoostersPDX
Facebook: Wooster’s

Location: 3503 N Mississippi
Hours: weekdays: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Cheesesteaks, Pulled pork sandwiches, breakfast items. More information coming soon.

Phone: 5034773164

BrunchBox

Location: SW 5th and Stark
Hours: M-F, 8am-6pm; Sat, 11am-3pm

The Story:

Back in early 2009, Portland saw a surge of food cart openings and I distinctly remember when BrunchBox opened because A) they served burgers and B) they had breakfast sandwiches. In the two years that have transpired, BrunchBox has made a name for itself and become a fixture in Portland’s food cart community.

BrunchBox has recently gone through a sort of reboot of their menu, branding and ownership. The new owner Derek took the famous menu which still includes the YouCanHasCheeseburger and infamous Redonkadonk, but expanded to include build your own burger options and a large breakfast menu. I stopped by the first day the new menu debuted and enjoyed the new Thai Bacon Burger with grilled pineapple and jalapenos, bacon and peanut sauce. You can even choose mild, medium or hot for spiciness. That is just one of the many new choices being offered. You can also join them for breakfast at 8am weekdays and build your own with options of an omelet or breakfast sandwiches and even french toast. The possibilities are endless.

BrunchBox has been featured on The Cooking Channel, numerous print publications and even showcased on Health.com for the Redonkadonk sandwich. I’m happy to see them be as successful as they are and love the new menu. If you’re a regular, note that you now grab a menu and mark it up with your options and name and hand it off. That way you get exactly what you ordered. Hit up BrunchBox and check out the changes and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

The Redonkadonk from BrunchBox

New Menu can be found at BrunchBoxPDX.com

Hours: Mon-Fri – 8am-6pm; Saturday 11a-3pm
Phone: 503 477 3286
Website: BrunchBoxpdx.com
Contact: brunchboxpdx@gmail.com
Twitter: BrunchBox
Facebook: BrunchBox
Additional Info: Credit/Debit accepted

[Our original post about Brunchbox from March 2009 beyond the fold]

Description: Welcome to the strip Brunch Box. So excited for you to join us. The Brunch Box is a new cart in the 5th avenue cart pod where Matlocks used to be. They’ve only been open a couple of weeks now and you can see by their menu, they are making it a go with a broad array of lunch choices. I love how new carts quickly take over a space and make it their own. Brunch Box specializes in sandwich and burger fare. They also do breakfast. I was lamenting earlier this winter that there weren’t any breakfast carts that could serve me up a breakfast bagel or sandwich and what not. The other morning, I ventured to Brunch box for a yummy homemade English muffin, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. So good. That English muffin was so fresh, I could still taste the baking going on. Talking with the owners, they stated the muffins had come out of the oven only 20 minutes before I arrived. Oh, and looking around, they were one of 2 breakfast spots at 8am. I see success. And for $3, it beats any other breakfast sandwich downtown unless you’re opting for fast food at the mall.

When I first discovered Brunch Box, I thought they were an old cart that just revamped the menu, but then I took a closer look. They had burgers. Not just any old $5 burger, but a $3 burger and then more options for more money. I opted for $6 OMG burger because A) anyone who incorporates texting speak into food names is a win in my book and B) I hadn’t had spam with a burger yet. Yup, SPAM! and bacon. and egg. The burger was put together with care and wrapped well so I could transport it over to my lunch eating spot at the US Bank Tower. When I bit into it, I was in heaven. Everything was proportionate and stayed together while I munched it down. It was messy, but what do you expect from an OMG burger? I would suggest grabbing a few extra napkins if you order one. The meat was cooked just right – not well done and the egg was firm enough not to drip the yellow guts all over everything else. After finishing and having a mild heart arrhythmia, I vowed I would go back. And I did for the aforementioned breakfast.

I will become a regular at this cart. The owners are nice and friendly and they have a great menu for everyone. If you are downtown, check them out and tell them Food Carts Portland sent ya!

Sample Menu:

Breakfast (all day)
$2 Homemade English muffins (fresh daily)
-$1 Add: ham, bacon, spam, vegetarian sausage
-$.50 Add: egg, cheese, tomato, onion, mushroom, lettuce, peanut butter, pickles

$3 omelet breakfast sandwich: egg, mushroom, onion, American cheese

$5 omg! Breakfast sandwich: egg, ham, spam, bacon, American cheese

$3.50 Bec (bacon, egg, cheese)

Brunch (all day)

all burgers lettuce, tomato, onion, condiments

$3 ¼ Lb black Angus or veggie burger
-$1 add: ham, bacon, spam
-$.50 Add: egg, cheese, mushroom, pickles, sauerkraut, pineapple, chips (as topping)

$4 black & blue burger:
blackening seasoning w/blue cheese

$6 omg! burger:
egg, ham, spam, bacon, american cheese

$4 5-oh! burger:
pineapple, teriyaki glaze, spam, (yes, spam), swiss cheese
$4 reuben burger:
sauerkraut,  1000 island, swiss cheese

$5 youcanhascheeseburger!:
burger between two texas-toast grilled cheese sandwich “buns”

$9 redonkadonk
“omg! burger” (Egg, ham, spam, bacon, American cheese) between two texas-toast grilled cheese sandwich “buns”

$2 all-beef hot dog
-$.50 add: cheese, sauerkraut

$1.50 texas-toast grilled cheese sandwich

kids meals
comes with juice, apple sauce, and a sticker!

$3 cheezasaurus rex:
texas-toast grilled cheese sandwich shaped like a dinosaur

$3 pb & j:
texas-toast peanut butter and jelly sandwich shaped like a dinosaur

$2 ½ hot dog

Beverages & chips
$.50-$1: -coke, diet coke, bottled water, hot tea, assorted steaz teas and juice boxes
-frech-press, french-roast coffee by farm- friendly/local portland roasting company

$1: Chips, assorted varieties

*brunch box chooses local/organic whenever possible.
**all angus burgers are hand-pressed and made to order.

The Gaufre Gourmet

Location: SW 9th and Washington
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-3pm; Sat, 10-2pm

The Story:

Some believe that opening a cart in the dead of winter in Portland is a bad idea, yet, there have been a few very successful launches in the last couple of years that are still going strong. Portland appreciates their carts and supports them even during the cold and rain. The Gaufre Gourmet is one of those carts that has that confidence.

Gaufre is French for waffle. Charline Wesler and Michael Susak are the chefs creating these amazing treats. The Gaure Gourmet focuses on liege style waffles made with a brioche style dough mixed with pearl sugar they import directly from Belgium. Pearl sugar is just what it sounds like – sugar in the form of little pearls. These aren’t the traditional waffles you get at your local diner, they are smaller, but thicker and fluffier. The cart is located on the corner of 4th and west Burnside at the Chinatown gate and the entrance to old town. I asked Michael if they had experienced any issues being in Old Town and surprisingly enough, they hadn’t. During the dead of December, when business was both slow and the weather was colder than normal, they decided to offer up free waffles and coffee to the area residents as a way to give back during Christmas week. That goodwill has resulted in them being welcomed into the community.

The Original

Michael stated that in Europe, the liege style waffle they serve are like snacks on the go. The Original, about the size of one’s hand, is a single waffle topped with powdered sugar. With the pearl sugar, some melts and some doesn’t, so you get a sweetness throughout and bits that didn’t melt to create a sugary crunch. One thing I will warn you about – don’t breath in while taking a bite or you get powdered sugar down your throat. If this is snack food for the French, I gotta respect their choices. While the liege style waffle is the cart’s specialty, they expand on it by adding local ingredients to create either sweet or savory concoctions. The Porklandia is a cornbread jalapeno liege style waffle topped with pulled pork, cabbage and apple slaw. You definitely need a fork for this one.

The Porklandia

I enjoyed visiting the cart for lunch, but after enjoying that simple waffle, I now want to put it on my morning routine. They even serve up coffee drinks using illy brand coffee. Charlene and Michael have something new to offer the cart world and even the late night clubbers of old town. If you’re looking for a new treat, small or large, head on down to The Gaufre Gourmet and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Update, June 2011: Gaufre Gourmet has moved to NE 20th and Everett and will be open there as of June 21.

Update, October 2011: Gaufre Gourmet has moved to SW 9th between Alder and Washington and no longer offers late night nosh.

Sample Menu:

• The Original: liege style waffle with vanilla powdered sugar – $2.50
• Belgian Chocolate: liege style waffle drizzled with chocolate – $3.25
• Maple Bacon: bacon, need they say more  -$4.50
• ABC Waffle: arugula, bacon, Camembert and fig – $6.50
• The Milk and Honey: goat cheese mousse, pistachios, balsamic caramel sauce – $6
• Banana Split Waffle: bananas, 3 ice creams, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, raspberry sauce, whipped cream, toasted almonds – $6.50
• Porklandia: pulled pork on jalapeno cornbread waffle with cabbage and apple slaw – $6.75
• Coffee and Espresso from illy – all kinds.

Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-3pm; Sat, 10-2pm
Phone: 503 888 2333
Website: The Gaufre Gourmet
Twitter: @gaufregourmet Facebook: The Gaufre Gourmet