Smaaken Waffles

November 12, 2012 by 4 Comments
Smaaken Waffles

Smaaken Waffles

Location: Hillsdale Food Park
Hours: Mon-Sun, 7am-7pm

The Story:

Parked atop recycled acorn shells spread across a lot nestled among the trees is one of Portland’s newest food cart lots and Smaaken Waffles stands out with their version of the “Dutch Taco.”

On the east side, you may be familiar with waffle sandwiches as FlavorSpot has been serving up such treats for years. Now the west side is getting both food cart love and Smaaken’s version of the Dutch Taco. The owners take pride in sourcing local organic wheat flour grown and milled in the Willamette Valley by Greenwillow Farms. Along with wood-fire roasted coffee from Millars, this cart keeps it local, simple and flavorful. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breakfast Foods, Coffee & Espresso, Dinner, Hillsdale Food Park, Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetarian Options, Waffles, Weekends

Retrolicious

June 1, 2012 by 2 Comments
Retrolicious

Retrolicious

Location: Roaming, check their website for location
Hours: daily, 11:30-7 including weekends

The Story:

Pink flamingos flank the 60′s pink cart with the Jetson’s style logo. Retrolicious is the latest edition to Green Castle and is bringing back the classics. [Retrolicious left Green Castle in 10/2012 and is roaming and seeking a new location]

Hailing from Phoenix, Kimmy and her partner Roy, wanted to have some fun with both the cart and the menu. With fond memories of childhood favorites like mac ‘n cheese or meatloaf, the scratch made classics cart was born. Kimmy runs around the lot in a bright pink and yellow striped skirt I think I saw in a James Bond flick. The best way to engage customers – talk to them. The flamingos and the bright colored chairs and table add to the feel. A stunningly beautiful and well executed cart with a great brand.

Butter Basted Diner Burger

Butter Basted Diner Burger

Kimmy is going for big meals. The meals we enjoyed growing up before Mutual of Omaha’s Animal Kingdom. Those which put meat on our bones. The menu Saturday included Chicken and Waffles, Southern Style Mac & Cheese, Cart Cured BLT, a Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich and the Butter Basted Diner Burger I enjoyed. Not having eaten many burgers in the last year in my attempt to experience other great foods, here was my chance to re-introduce my tastebuds to a classic. Served on Texas Toast, the hand crafted burger came with the usual fixin’s and pimento cheese. PIMENTO CHEESE. Wow, a big mouthful with that toast and the cheese was spot on for this type of burger. It has the appropriate amount of salt to the meat and having been butter basted, it had that sweet cream flavor I crave. While messy, it was worth it, sitting there devouring a juicy burger on a warm sunny spring day in Portland.

Retrolicious is hard to miss. One of the largest carts to grace our scene and painted bright pink. Kimmy and Dan are welcoming and want you to remember childhood through food. The menu is on a chalkboard, so it may change daily. Be prepared to experience what they have to offer. Drop on down to Green Castle and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Chicken & Waffles  – $5 or double for $7
  • Butter Basted Diner Burger – choice of cheese – $6
  • Southern Style Mac & Cheese – $5
  • Cart Cured BLT – a classic – $7
  • Hone Mustard Chicken Sandwich – $6

Hours: daily, 11:30-7 including weekends
Phone: 503-539-3808
Website: EatRetrolicious.com
Twitter: @EatRetrolicious
Facebook: EatRetrolicious

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Hamburgers, Lunch, On the Move, Sandwiches, Southern Food, Vegetarian Options, Waffles, Weekends

The Gaufre Gourmet

February 11, 2011 by 6 Comments
The Gaufre Gourmet

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Breakfast Foods, Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Downtown, Lunch, SW 9th and Washington, Sweets, Waffles, Weekends

Volkswaffle

October 26, 2010 by 10 Comments

Volkswaffle

Volkswaffle

Location: SW 5th and Harrison
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm

The Story:

Get a few friends together (6) who like breakfast food, purchase and outfit an 1980′s Volkwagon camper van into a functioning food cart and you have Volkswaffle.

I admire that six friends are close enough to open a food cart together. With the hours the cart is open, it would need some dedication. I just wonder how they all fit inside… Volkswaffle isn’t just another waffle cart. They are doing a Belgian style waffle served on a plate instead of the sandwich style we find elsewhere. The key to Volkswaffle’s waffle is their batter which creates a light and fluffy base which can be topped with an assortment of toppings including home made jams and fresh fruit. They even offer the hard to find chicken and waffle combo.

The day we visited, a sunny fall lunch, the grill was hot and we splurged for a dessert style meal – a Belgian waffle with Nutella, whipped cream and sliced bananas – The Priscilla. My first bite was to snag a banana and dip it in the whip cream as if it may be taken away at any moment. Something about whipped cream reminds me of sneaking spoonfuls of Cool Whip from the tub in the fridge as a child. The waffle was crispy and fluffy, just as described. Nutella! Do I need to even describe it? I could put Nutella on almost anything. The hazelnut chocolate flavor with the waffle, cream and bananas made us smile.

Volkswaffle is open most days at 8am and stays open late into the night along with the other couple of carts on the lot. Having a sweet fruit covered Belgian waffle while sitting around the campfire on the lot sounds like fun on a cool fall evening. Go visit Volkswaffle, say hello, and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

[Update Feb 2011 - now located at PSU on SW 5th and Harrison]
[Update Feb 2011 - updates to hours, phone, menu]

Sample Menu:

See website for expanded menu:

  • Classic Belgian Waffle: powdered sugar, butter and maple syrup – $4
  • Breakfast Waffle: butter, maple syrup, 2 eggs any style – $5
  • Elvis: peanut butter, bananas and honey – $4
  • Priscilla: Nutella, bananas and whip cream – $4
  • PBFF: peanut butter and fresh seasonal fruit – $3.50
  • Chicken and Waffles – $7
  • Create your own: $2.50 with additional toppings $.50 or $1.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-3am
Phone: 503 477 1966
Website: www.VolksWaffle.com
Twitter: @VolksWaffle Facebook: Volkswaffle

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Filed Under: Breakfast Foods, Dinner, Downtown, Late Night, Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetarian Options, Waffles, Weekends

Solar Waffle Works

March 27, 2010 by 6 Comments

Location: N Williams and NE Tillamook

The Story: This cart’s mission is an attempt to accomplish several things at once. It’s partially solar powered, sources most of its food from within a 200 mile radius, serves all manner of sweet and savory waffles to hungry Portlanders, and  is also a non-profit training program for at risk youth in the community. Whew! From the Solar Waffle Works menu:

The SWW is a non-profit operation run in partnership by Portland Pubic Schools’ Community Transition Program and the SolTrekker non-profit. It is a vocational training program is socially responsible business and entrepreneurship, designed and operated by young adults in the community transition program. All proceeds go to support local education!

We are currently sourcing the majority of our food within a 200 mile radius. Our goal is to source it ALL within that radius within six months. We currently us 400-watts of solar modules to run about 50% of our electrical loads. We hope to add a total of 900-watts within 18 months.

Ambitious? Yes. Flavorful, substantial waffles? Most definitely. Vegan and Vegetarian friendly, and of course Solar Waffle Works is open for breakfast/brunch on the weekends.

Maple Bacon Waffle

Sample Menu: (Most waffles can be “veganized” for $1.00, and Buckwheat Waffles are an additional $1.00)

  • The Wiffle Waffle – $2.50 Topped with butter and your choice of powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar.
  • The Old Fashioned Waffle – $3.00 Pure Maple Syrup Spread Caressing a Golden brown waffle. Deelish! One of our most popular waffles.
  • The Luft-Waffle – $3.00 All natural peanut butter and your choice of jellies
  • Becka’s Blueberry Pie Waffle – $4.00 Blueberry jam on top of cream cheese spread
  • Make Your Own Waffle $2.50, plus $0.50 per topping. Nutella, Blueberry Jam, Raspberry Jam, Blueberry Syrup, Fig Spread, Chocolate Syrup, Toasted Hazelnuts, Whipped Cream, Mallow Fluff, Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup
  • The Real Gouda $4.50 Garlic herb butter topped w/ veggie sausage and smoked Gouda cheese. Green onions optional. Add mushrooms $0.50
  • The Good Gravy – $5.00 White gravy with your choice of veggie sausage, mushrooms, Gouda cheese, or any combination
  • The Maple Bacon – $5.00 Five strips of apple wood smoked bacon on top of a maple spread.

Beverages – Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Juice Spritzers ($0.75 to $1.75)

Hours: 10:30-2:30 M-F

Phone: 503-351-4657

Email: soltrekker.outreach@gmail.com

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Breakfast Foods, Dinner, Lunch, Northeast - Portland, Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options, Waffles, Weekends
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