Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen

Miss Kate's Southern Kitchen

Miss Kate's Southern Kitchen

Location: N Mississippi and Skidmore, Mississippi Marketplace
Hours: Weds/Thurs: 10am-5pm; Fri/Sat, 10am-8 pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm

The Story:

Miss Kate, Charles’ grandmother, was from Vicksburg, Mississippi and Charles, the owner of the newest cart in Mississippi Marketplace is bringing the tastes of Mississippi to the street.

When Kate passed, Charles’ took control of the hundreds of recipes that Miss Kate had collected over the years from her time with the ladies at bridge and garden clubs. They would sit around and simply write down their favorites on the bridge pads, so some of the recipes don’t have titles. Charles takes the recipe and puts the ingredients together without truly knowing what the outcome will be. These are true southern dishes made by a descendant of the founders of Vicksburg. Charles loves to cook and it was at the cajoling for friends that he opened the cart. He also loves to tell stories – did you know the first bottle of Coke was made in Vicksburg by the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1894?

At Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen, you can discover some amazing southern dishes like coleslaw, mac and cheese, succotash, chicken salad, meatloaf, turkey, pork roast, biscuits and gravy and their awesome pimento cheese. They also have southern fried chicken with biscuits which is what I enjoyed that opening week. I didn’t grow up with crispy homemade fried chicken, so as an adult, I’ve been seeking it out whenever I can. With just salt, pepper and flour, Charles creates an amazing crust that keeps the meat juicy and savory. The biscuits that come with the meal are something special. Sweet cream butter was a dominant taste in the biscuit, but the secret is actually a brown sugar/butter glaze that creates the sweetness I so loved. I’m excited to have Mississippi food now on Mississippi boulevard in my neighborhood.

Fried Chicken from Miss Kate's

Fried Chicken from Miss Kate's

Charles and his cart Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen are open Tuesday through Saturday for the morning hours through the afternoon. You can enjoy some biscuits and gravy or grab a full meal. Charles has an extensive menu, so you can try all that he has to offer. I’m looking forward to some southern succotash. Drop on by this brand new cart and welcome them to the neighborhood and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

Biloxi Biscits (Savory Biscuit)

  • Biscuit and Bacon Gravy – $3
  • Biscuits with Pimiento Cheese – $2.50
  • Biscuit with Maple Syrup and Butter – $1.50
  • Breakfast Biscuit with ham, bacon, or sausage – $3
  • Biscuit Sandwich with choice of meat and egg and cheese with port beer cheese sauce – $4
  • Vicksburg Beignet – 2 for $1.50, 6 for $4; Baker’s Dozen – $7.50

Sandwiches:

  • Papaw’s Turkey Sandwich – turkey grilled in gravy, whole cranberry jam, onion cream cheese, greens, tomato, on grilled Italian white bread – $7.50
  • Aunt Pat’s Ham Sandwich – country baked ham, pimento cheese, dill mayo, greens, tomato on grilled swirled white and rye – $7.50
  • Mamaw’s Chicken Salad – rosemary chicken, cranberries, pecans, greens, tomato, Creole mayo, on grilled Italian white – $7.50

Other:

  • Vicksburg Southern Fried Chicken – crispy fried chicken with a little kick – 2 pieces and served with cornbread or biscuit – $6
  • Creole Beans and Rice with Cornbread – $5

Hours: Weds/Thurs: 10am-5pm; Fri/Sat, 10am-8 pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm
Phone: 503 724 7878
Facebook: Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen

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Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack

Cackalack's Hot Chicken Shack

Cackalack's Hot Chicken Shack

Location: SE 43rd and Belmont – Good Food Here
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 12-9pm; Fri/Sat, 12-10; Sun, 12-6pm

The Story:

When you say the name, Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack, it just rolls off your tongue as if you’ve said those words every day for the last few years. I’m pretty sure that is the first sign of a successful food cart.

It was a quiet day at the lot when we visited Cackalack’s which allowed me to have a great conversation with the owners, Jeff and Stephanie who moved to Portland from Ashville, NC in order to open their cart. It just took one visit in spring of 2010 to convince them that Portland was where they wanted to live. (Jeff even got one of those iconic state of Oregon with the green heart in the center tattoos on that visit.) The two aren’t newbies to food, having worked in restaurants and been around food for years. Their goal though was to bring well made crispy fried chicken to the masses for a reasonable price. Portland only has a few places doing real southern fried chicken and as restaurants, they charge a pretty penny for the experience. Jeff stated his recipe was inspired by a Memphis Nashville restaurant, Prince’s, which is known by many as a prime fried chicken haunt.

Hot fried chicken from Cackalack's

Hot fried chicken from Cackalack's

At the shack, you can put together a meal with numerous options for chicken including cuts, spiciness and sides. Start out with portions – breast, leg quarter or wings and then the heat – naked, mild, hot or XxX hot. Lastly, you can choose from either potato salad or cole slaw for your side. Each dish has the chicken served atop a slice of Texas toast with a sliced dill pickle. The leg quarter seemed the appropriate size to check out what they were cooking up and I wanted it spicy, but edible, so chose hot instead of XxX hot. Like I said, I wanted to enjoy it. The presentation was spot on with a large piece of chicken, battered and deep fried to create a thick spicy crust surrounding some excellent juicy meat – all atop a slice of white bread. I picked up the pickle first which was skewered atop the chicken and took a bite, immediately tasting the spice from the chicken – cayenne and habanero. My lips burned, but I kept going and took that first bite. Wow! So that is what southern hot chicken tastes like? The crust was crunchy, it burned my tongue, but in a good way; the chicken juicy and flavorful. For $6, it will sure to become a return trip when I get hungry. The chicken does take a few minutes to make and they do warn you about that when ordering, so be prepared to hang out and chat or relax in the covered seating area.

Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack opened in April as one of the first carts at the new Green Castle Food Pod. Head on down and welcome Stephanie and Jeff to Portland and try some of their hot chicken. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

[update: Cackalack's moved to SE 43rd and Belmont in October 2011]

Sample Menu:

All chicken served atop a slice of Texas toast with a pickle slice

  • Chicken portions: Breast – $7; Leg quarter – $6; Wings – $5
  • Heat: naked, mild, hot, XxX hot
  • Sides – potato salad or coleslaw
  • Chicken and Dumplings – cup, $3.50; bowl, $5
  • The Blazer – boneless fried breast on a bun pickles, smokey slaw and garlic herb aioli – $6.50

Hours: Tues-Thurs, 12-8pm, Fri/Sat, 12-9pm
Phone: 503 388 1772
Website: Cackalackshotchickenshack.com
Twitter: @Cackalacks Facebook: Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack

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The Swamp Shack

The Swamp Shack

Location: SW Stark, just south of 5th ave.

Description: I wander down to the 5th avenue pod almost daily for lunch and when I saw that a certain gyros cart had moved, I began to wonder what would go in its place. For a couple of weeks, the spot was unused without indication of whom would join the food cart scene. Then, suddenly, The Swamp Shack arrived. Do you like Cajun food? Southern flavors? You will enjoy The Swamp Shack.

I’m a big fan of rice and beans. Honestly, I could eat it daily and one of my goals in life is to master really good and spicy (but not overly hot) rice and beans. When I visited The Swamp Shack, I saw they offered Jambalaya, which is a traditional creole dish of Spanish and French influence similar to paella. Served with rice, chicken, sausage, tomatoes, celery and spices, you just can’t go wrong. The Swamp Shack’s version of Jambalaya was spot on for me. Just the right amount of sausage, chicken and flavorful spice. I walked down to the fountain and ate it up. The right amount of everything – even spiciness.

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The service at The Swamp Shack was fast and cordial, what one would expect from a southern restaurant. I’m glad they have joined us in foodcartland as I’m a huge fan of this style of cooking. They do some specials with duck, so I’m intrigued to go back and see what that’s all about. I call it comfort food, but know it may not completely fall into that category. The Swamp Shack does offer vegetarian and vegan options of their dishes.

Sample Menu:

  • Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya – rice with chicken, andouille sausage, onions, peppers, garlic, spices, tomatoes – $6
  • Duck and Andouille gumbo – $7.50
  • Crawfish Pies – pie filled with crawfish, creole cream cheese, onions, peppers, rice and cream – $3
  • Vegan Jambalaya – all the fixin’s except the meat, made with veggie stock, eggplant and caramelized onions – $6
  • Specials most every day

Hours: Lunchtime Monday through Friday
Contact: 225 281 475

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