Teremok Cafe

Location: SW 4th and Taylor

Description:

There use to be a couple of food carts in the parks by courthouse, yet they never seemed to stick around. I find it odd since there is so much foot traffic in that area at lunchtime. Just a block north on 4th though, Teremok Cafe setup shop in the fall and is braving the cold of winter to stay open.  Teremok serves up sandwiches and a rice dish named Ploff.

PLOFF

Ploff is a central Asian rice dish with meat, carrot, onion and saffron. When I visited, the owner stated his recipe was Mongolian, so I wanted to try it. I don’t think I have ever had a Mongolian dish. The dish came with chunks of steak mixed in with the other ingredients, some sliced fresh tomato and a cabbage salad. He threw in some peperoncinis too when I stated I liked spicy food. I don’t know what saffron in and of itself tastes like, but there was a creaminess to the rice dish that I enjoyed. Add in the vinegar flavor from the dressing on the cabbage salad and you have a nice contrast. Also, it was hot and on a cool day in winter, you enjoy a nice hot meal to warm you up.

Teremok has been open daily for lunch the past few months. Besides the Ploff, he offers sandwiches and salads. If you are in that part of downtown, maybe for jury duty, wander up the street and try it out. Tell them Food Carts Portland sent you.

Sample Menu:

• Turkey Sandwich – small: $3; large: $5
• Beef Brisket – small: $3; large $5
• PLOFF – central Asian rice dish with meat – small: $3; large: $5

Hours: Monday through Friday – lunchtime
Contact: 503 380 2006 (available for catering)