Year of the Fish

September 8, 2011 by 4 Comments
Year of the Fish

Year of the Fish

Location: SE 50th and Ivon, A la Carts Food Pavilion
Hours: Tues-Thur, 11:30-9; Fri, 11:30-12am; Sat, 12:30-12am, Sun, 12:30-8pm

The Story:

Out off Hawthorne in what many refer to as Stumbletown due to the number of bars, there is a new cart that is open late to sate those munchies you get after a few drinks – Year of the Fish. [Update 11/2011: Year of the Fish moved to SE 50th and Ivon]

Edward MacGregor opened Year of the Fish in September after being out of the restaurant game for a few years. Having grown up working in restaurants and subsequently owning them as a family business, he had taken a break from the grind, hoping to do something else. Well, the call of the deep fryer was too strong, but Edward didn’t want to do another restaurant, so decided on the cart. Locating at 47th and Hawthorne was also a strategic decision – an attempt to attract some of the crowds that line up to the few restaurant options in the area late night.

Tiger Prawns from Year of the Fish

Tiger Prawns from Year of the Fish

Year of the Fish is a fish and chips cart. With options including cod, red snapper and halibut, if you love fish, you’ll like love this cart. Edward offers traditional or gluten-free batter depending on your needs. What surprised me was the offer of tiger prawns. I love a good fish and chips, but to get batter fried tiger prawns raises the bar. Lightly breaded and crunchy, the prawns are delightful. You can get different sauces, but these are so flavorful, you don’t need it. Sided with a handful of steak fries, you have a great little snack.

Year of the Fish is now open for lunch and dinner weekdays and late night on the weekends. Drop on by for some well made fish and chips and other treats and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Cod and Chips – $7
  • Red Snapper and Chips – $7
  • Halibut and Chips – $market rate
  • Tiger Prawns and Chips – $8
  • Clam Chowder – New England style – cup, $3; bowl $5
  • Just Slaw – $3
  • Just Chips – $3

Hours: Tues-Thur, 11:30-9; Fri, 11:30-12am; Sat, 12:30-12am, Sun, 12:30-8pm
Phone: 971 258 6567
Twitter: @YearoftheFish1
Facebook: Year of the Fish

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Filed Under: Dinner, Fish, Fish and Chips, Fried food, Fries, Gluten Free Options, Late Night, Lunch, SE 50th and Ivon, Southeast-Portland, Weekends

Hot Boxx

September 1, 2011 by 5 Comments
Hot Boxx

Hot Boxx

Location: Current location unknown, 11/2011
Hours: Tues-Sat, 11am-8:30pm

The Story:

A taste of Maine from a food cart. That is how I learned of Hot Boxx, a newer cart at Green Castle that serves up a dish you don’t find too often our here on the left coast – a lobster roll.

I had heard of Hot Boxx a few months ago, but only recently realized they were at the Green Castle Food Pod in NE. A little hunting trailer painted graffiti style but with a Native American feeling is where John Nash and Travis Price create some great dishes. The lobster roll is what drew me to the cart. I am one of those guys who, as an adult has only had lobster a couple of times and never right out of the shell. I know, how could I go through life without it? Well, I have eaten my weight in fresh salmon if that counts for anything.

Lobster Roll from Hot Boxx

Lobster Roll from Hot Boxx

With fresh live lobsters from Maine, Hot Boxx sets out to create what most anyone in New England can get on a daily basis. We’re so lucky to have this. Served up on a toasted bun are huge chunks of lobster meat mixed with butter and a bit of finely chopped chives. Taking that first bite is a tour de force of butter, creamy lobster meat and a crunchy bun. I had to slow down my chewing so I could take it all in. Lobster is so rich and flavorful and now I understand why people seek it out and are willing to pay a pretty penny for it.

While the lobster roll is at the top of the menu, Hot Boxx also serves up other items like a pork belly steam bun or risotto balls. While $12 for a sandwich is at the high end of what food carts sell, it is worth it for one of the best tasting crustaceans around. Head on over and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Lobster Roll – $12
  • Pork Belly Steam Bun – $5
  • Risotto Balls – $5
  • Hoisin Beef Wontons – $4

Hours: Tues-Sat, 11am-8:30pm
Website: HotBoxxPDX.com
Twitter: @HotBoxxPDX
FaceBook: Hot Boxx PDX

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Filed Under: Dinner, Fish, Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetarian Options, Weekends Tagged With:

Flying Fish Company

June 16, 2011 by 3 Comments
Flying Fish Company

Flying Fish Company

Locations: SE 21st and Hawthorne
Hours: See Website

The Story:

Portland loves fresh food. We love it so much, the Portland Farmers Market is planning on being open year around instead of just during the growing seasons. We have numerous grocery stores that have fresh fish and locally sourced meats. Now we have a truck offering that also – Flying Fish Company.

Lyf Gildersleeve has been handling fish all his life. A fishmonger by trade, he sold his mobile fish company in Utah and moved to Portland to open the Flying Fish Company truck. Outfitted with a freezer and a couple of refrigerators, Lyf’s goal is to bring sustainable and fresh fish, flash frozen fish, fresh shellfish and organic meats to the masses. You can find fresh caught Wild King Salmon, Copper River Sockeye, Dover Sole, Washington Steelhead and a ton of options for fresh oysters, mussels and clams. Everything listed as fresh has never been frozen. Lyf does offer flash-frozen items such as halibut cheeks, hamachi-yellowtail, Hawaii escolar, Hawaii ono and so much more. Being flash frozen isn’t bad. The fish is frozen on the boat just after being caught and never defrosted until it hits your counter. Beyond fish, you can also pick up hormone free, antibiotic free and locally raise beef, lamb, pork, buffalo, elk or venison. It’s like a roaming meat counter from your favorite grocery.

Fresh Salmon from Flying Fish Co.

Fresh Salmon from Flying Fish Co.

Lyf’s goal is to bring sustainable and fresh items to your dinner table. Following the sustainable fishing guide which lists those species that are not being overfished, Lyf brings you some amazing choices while also supporting our oceans and local fisherman. He even wraps the fish in biodegradable plant-based packaging.

Lyf’s Flying Fish Co stepvan can be found at the Eagle’s Lodge on SE 50th and Hawthorne Wednesday-Friday and then at D-Street Noshery on SE 32nd and Division on the weekends. His prices are fair-market and you get an excellent product for what your pay for. Join his email list or follow him on Twitter for weekly specials and to learn when he gets in something new. This week it was smoked salmon and steelhead. How can you resist that? Check out Lyf’s truck, pick up something for the summer BBQ and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Update 9/2011-  Flying Fish Co is now located at SE 50th and Hawthorne along with SE 21st and Hawthorne. No longer on Division.

Menu:

For a list of what the Flying Fish Company is selling each week, visit FlyingFishCompany.com

Hours: Wed-Fri, 12-7pm at 50th and Hawthorne; Sat/Sun, 12-7pm, 32nd and Division
Phone: 503 260 6552
Website: FlyingFishCompany.com
Twitter: @FlyingFishPDX Facebook: Flying Fish Oregon

Filed Under: Dinner, Fish, Lunch, Meat, Retail Sales, Southeast-Portland, Weekends Tagged With:

Island Grill Hawaiian Barbeque

April 11, 2011 by 6 Comments
Island Grill Hawaiian BBQ

Island Grill Hawaiian Barbeque

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: Weekdays, lunchtime

The Story:

When one cart closes, someone is always there to re-open with something new. Shortly after Tofu House closed, Island Grill was open with a menu of Hawaiian treats.

We have a few Hawaiian carts in town now with 808 Grinds and Ninja Plate Lunch. With the addition of Island Grill, Portland cart lovers have yet another choice for Kalua Pork or a side of macaroni salad. Hawaii is also famous for loco moco and Island Grill has it if that is your desire – a plate of rice with a hamburger patty, brown gravy and fried egg atop.

Teriyaki Chicken Plate

Teriyaki Chicken Plate

The plate lunches are pretty a la carte – rice and macaroni salad with your choice of meat – and two different sizes if you’re looking to eat less. The meat options aren’t surprising – kalua pork, beef shortribs, chicken katsu, hamburger steak – just to name a few. I decided to try the Teriyaki chicken and got a full plate with two scoops or rice and the salad. The grilled chicken had a char to it that when paired with the sweetness you get from teriyaki sauce, created a great mix of flavors. The macaroni salad was a treat, one of my favorite types of salad. I even added a spam musubi – rice, spam and sauce wrapped in seaweed. I love spam musubi.

Island Grill is open right there on cart row on SW Alder between 9th and 10th. Check them out if you’re looking for a change – they usually have daily specials that are different from the menu. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

Plate lunches are either mini for $5 or regular for $6.50
Mini: 1 scoop of rice and 1 scoop of macaroni salad with choice of meat
Regular: add a scoop or rice

Meat choices:  BBQ beef; Teriyaki beef; Hamburger steak; Beef short ribs; Kalua pork; BBQ spicy pork; Pork katsu; Fried shrimp; Fried mahi mahi; BBQ chicken; Teriyaki chicken; Shoyu chicken; Chicken katsu

  • Add Musubi for $2
  • Burgers – $5 with choice of meat
  • Yakisoba noodles – $6
  • Loco moco – $7
  • Island Bibimbap – $6

Hours: Weekdays, lunchtime
Contact: unknown

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Filed Under: BBQ, Bowl, Downtown, Fish, Hawaiian, Lunch, Pacific Islands, SW 9th and Alder

Timmy’s Fish Fry

January 17, 2011 by 7 Comments

Timmy's

Timmy's Fish Fry

Location: SW Montgomery at 9th in the Park Blocks
Hours: M-F, 11am-5pm

The Story:

Portland has food carts of all different styles-  former hunting trailers, re-purposed U Haul trucks and purpose built carts that started from a flatbed. What we have few of are traditional old school push carts that were the forefront of streetfood in this city and also define streetfood elsewhere. Timmy’s Fish Fry, a newer cart at Portland State University is one of these carts born from the hot dog cart of yore.

Tim Bass literally dreamed up Timmy’s one night last summer and spent three to four months working out the details, getting inspections and setting up his cart at Portland State University. Tim’s cart is different than what we’re use to, a pushcart that is both open to the elements and arrives in the morning and leaves at the end of the day. In Portland, these types of carts are few and far between. When placing a cart on parks and rec land like the park blocks, you have to follow an extra set of regulations and roll up the sidewalks every day. Not a trivial task. I checked out Tim’s cart, both compact and functional, allowing him to deliver a simple menu of excellent quality items well prepared.

Fried Catfish Sandwich

Fried Catfish Sandwich

I first tried fried catfish in the south a few years ago and whenever I get a chance, I order it. Some people are drawn to salmon, I’m a catfish fan. Tim offers up a fried catfish sandwich with crispy fillet atop some cole slaw on a french roll. The batter for the fish is made up of Bob’s Red Mill flour and some good old Hamm’s beer. A crisp light coating creates an excellent flavor with the fish. The slaw has a malt vinegar touch to it, providing a balance and zing for the fish similar to when you get fish and chips at a British pub and douse it with the malt. Sometimes, fried fish fillets are overly greasy, but not at Timmy’s, not at all. An excellent sandwich.

Timmy’s sets up his cart in the park blocks of SW Montgomery at Portland State University. Since he is fully mobile, you may see him elsewhere in the city, keep your eyes open. I enjoyed chatting with Tim and hearing his story and enjoying the sandwich he made me. Drop on by for a visit and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Bay Shrimp Roll: french roll with bay shrimp and sauce – $6
  • Crispy Catfish Roll: battered catfish, cole slaw, aioli on French roll – $6
  • Fried Calimari – $5
  • Fish Fry: fried pieces of cod, house made potato chips and slaw – $7

Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-5pm
Email: tdbass1@yahoo.com
Facebook: Timmy’s Fish Fry

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Filed Under: Dinner, Downtown, Fish, Fish and Chips, Fried food, Fries, Lunch, PSU Park Blocks
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