YoYo & Lefty's

Location: SW Stark between 2nd and 3rd
Hours: Daily, 11-am-6pm, Fri/Sat, 8:30pm-3am late night

The Story:

As an eater, I am afforded the wonderful opportunity to try so many things and learn about food from different cultural perspectives. Who knew there were 20 different kinds of BBQ in America? Actually, it is probably even more. With Mediterranean cuisine, I learned my lesson early that each country/culture has their own unique flavors and each has pride that sets them apart. YoYo & Lefty’s does Greek and I know not to generically refer to it as regional fare – it’s Greek!

YoYo, Lefty and Nikki all started the cart this past summer after contemplating a restaurant. As with many, they discovered that a restaurant wasn’t accessible in this economy, so they secured a cart and outfitted it. Crazy as it may sound, instead of launching in a pod, their first big sales was at The Bite of Oregon down on the waterfront. What other way is there for one to cut their teeth than with a crowd of 10,000 people a day. Since then, YoYo & Lefty’s setup shop on SW 3rd and Stark and have garnered a faithful following with the lunch cart crowd.

Traditional Lamb Gyro

In talking with Nikki, I ask for a recommendation, knowing the owner would point me in the right direction. This time however, I had to make my own choice. While I really wanted to try the YoYo Special Gyro she recommended, I had already eaten my weight in fries that week and needed some veggies. It was the traditional Gyro for me that day. The leg of lamb was amazing – cooked medium rare and placed atop a bed of quartered tomatos and crisp red onion with tzatziki sauce. That mix of fresh veggies with the bite of the onion and the tenderness of the lamb was wonderful. A great mix of flavors and textures. Go try this gyro!

This was the first time I had seen pork offered as a choice and Nikki educated me that you see more pork in gyros in Greece than any other meat, though she was proud of the lamb and thought I should try it. I learn something new everyday. YoYo & Lefty’s is now open for lunch during the week and late night on the weekends. Head on down and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Traditional Gyro: fresh leg of lamb with tzatziki sauce, tomato and red onion – $8; chicken or pork for $7
• YoYo Special Gyro: leg of lamb, tzatziki sauce, feta cheese and fries – $8
• Spicy Chicken Gyro: spicy chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pepper jack cheese, bcon and creamy jalapeno ranch sauce – $7
• Lefty Special Gyro: ground beef patty, lettuce, tomato, red onion, bacon and blue cheese dressing – $7
• Nikki’s Veggie Gyro: cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta cheese, kalamata olives, Greek vinaigrette – $7
• Spanakopita: spinach, feta, spices and onion in flaky phyllo dough – $5
• Y&L Salata: cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta cheese, kalamata olives and greek vinaigrette – sm, $4; large, $6

Hours: Daily, 11-am-6pm, Fri/Sat, 8:30pm-3am late night
Phone: 503 705 1001
Facebook: YoYo & Lefty’s
Twitter: @yoyoandleftys
Resources: Debit and Credit cards accepted

Sheish Kabob

Location: SW 10th and Alder
Hours: M-F, 10-6pm; Sat, 10am-5pm

The Story:

In a month when SW 10th and Alder added a few new Thai carts and a burger cart, they also added a new Mediterranean cart – Sheish Kabob.

Sheish Kabob opened in April in an area where there are already a couple competitors serving up similar food. That scenario hasn’t seemed to halt the growth of Thai carts, so I think Sheish Kabob will find its customers. A menu of Mediterranean dishes including salads, sandwiches and the ubiquitous grilled sheish kabob in either lamb, chicken, beef or kafta offers up something for everyone.

Chicken Gyro

The shawarma sandwich, otherwise known as the Gyro is the like the fast food of the region. Everyone sells them and they become a barometer for me of how good a cart is. The chicken shawarma sandwich from Sheish Kabob is flatbread stuffed with marinated and grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and drizzled with tahini sauce. The menu states “traditional seasoning” used. I sometimes ask what those are so I can learn more about how the complex flavors are created, yet the chefs rarely divulge. In this sandwich, the seasonings for the chicken had a hint of cumin, but also that ghost flavor of cayenne or another spicy pepper that just tickled the back of the mouth. A wonderful sandwich. Just remember, with the tahini sauce, it can get messy at the end.

Sheish Kabob is now open on SW 10th and Alder for lunch and dinner. They are open on Saturday till 5pm for you weekenders. Drop on by, check it out and maybe sample some kabob. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Kabob Plates: meat grilled and served with Basmati rice and grilled tomatoes: lamb, $7; beef, $6; chicken, $7; kafta, $6
• Shawarma Sandwiches: bread stuffed with meat, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and tahini sauce; chicken, lamb, beef or kafta – $6-$6.50
• Falafel Sandwich: bread stuffed with falafel, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and tahini sauce: $6
• Mediterranean Salad: cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mint, mixed with lemon juice and olive oil – $5
• Tabouli Salad: parsley, onions, tomatoes, bulgur wheat, mint – $6

Hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm; Sat, 10am-5pm
Phone: 971 998 9435

A Taste of Greek

Location: SW 2nd and Oak
Hours: M-F 10:30-close

The Story:

On a sunny day in Portland, the last thing you want is a hot scalding meal for lunch. I usually choose to go with a cool salad or sandwich to fill me up without making me sweat more than I already am. On a hot day in August, I decided to get some Greek food. I thought – Greece is in a hotter part of the world, so their food must taste great in the heat. A Taste of Greek didn’t let me down.

There is plenty of Mediterranean influenced food available in the city whether it be Greek or Turkish or Lebanese or Israeli. Dishes like hummus, tabouli, kafta, gyros, falafel – they all come from a special place in the world where the food is made with love and family in mind. Whenever I have eaten food from the region, it is always been served family style so everyone can participate. It brings people together. I know some may disagree and argue that Greek is different than Turkish which is different from Lebanese which…., but I love food and love that the people of the Mediterranean and the middle east have created some amazing flavors from such simple ingredients.

Mezza plate from A Taste of Greek

A Taste of Greek has an affordable menu offering up small appetizers for $4 all the way to full meals which include either lamb or kafta with rice, tiziki, salad and bread for $7. Being a hot day, I chose the Mezza plate which is a combination of numerous appetizers. The hummus was the perfect balance of garlic, garbanzo beans and lemon. I knew it was made with tahini sauce, and that nutty flavor was present, but not overwhelming, allowing for the hummus to be the rockstar of the meal. Seriously, I dipped everything in it, including the tiziki sauce served with the dolmades. The baba ghannouq, a more textural paste made with eggplant worked great when mashed together with the falafel. I’m not one to separate my food. It all goes to the same location, so mix and mash is what I say. I don’t think I really appreciated the appetizer section of these menus fully until I had that Mezza plate. Excellent food all around. Did I mention the hummus was amazing?

A Taste of Greek on SW 2nd and Oak is in a cart formerly owned by Aybla. If you thought it was still the same Greek food from the past, stop on by and try it as the menu and ownership has changed. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

Appetizers:

• Hummus and Pita – $4
• Baba Ghannoug w/pita – eggplant with garlic, lemon and tahini sauce – $5
• Dolmades – grape leave with rice, herbs an tiziki sauce – $1
• Tiziki w/pita – sour cream, yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and oregano – $4
• Tabouli – salad with parsley, bulgur, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil – $4
• Mezza Plate – 4 of the above items – $7

Sandwiches:

• Gyros with lamb or chicken – served in pita with tiziki sauce, onions, parsley and tomato – $5
• Super Gyros – largers size with feta cheese in addition – $7
• Kafta Kabob – ground lamb in pita with lettuce, parsley, onion and tomato – $5
• Falafel – garbanzo beans mixed with onions, coriander, parsley and spices in a pita – $5

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:30am-close; Saturday, open at 12pm
Phone: 503 913 1795

Location: Three Locations – SW 9th and Alder; SW 5th and Oak; SE 43rd and Belmont

Description: Quality Mediterranean and Greek Food including lots of vegetarian and some vegan options. The Gyros especially, are highly recommended.

Aybla is open later than most carts (5:30 PM) making it doable for an early dinner before a movie or to grab dinner to go on your way home after work. Aybla is also open on Saturdays from 12-4 PM, yet another rarity in the Portland food cart realm.

I’ve heard lots of feedback that Aybla’s gyros are just about the best in town and I’m happy to report that they are quite tasty, fresh, and the meat is tender and well portioned. Overall I’d say the gyros here are a very good value for the money (regular gyros $4.50, giant “enough for 2 meals” super gyros are $6.00). Gyros come in either the grilled lamb variety or with seasoned chicken served in a billowy thick and soft Greek style pita and include tzatziki sauce, and chopped onion, tomato, and parsley. Feta cheese can be added for $0.50. Another delicious pita sandwich is the traditional grilled skewers of ground seasoned lamb known as kafta kebobs.

Salads include a standard Greek salad ($4.00 large, $2.00 small), or traditional Tabouli ($3.00).

The Mezzas here are also quite fresh and much better than average. In the $3.00 – 6.00 range, most of them can be ordered as sandwiches or full plates and include things such falafel, hummous, baba ghanouj, the Greek spinach phyllo triangles known as Tyropita, and vegetarian Dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice). Plates come with a delicious Syrian seasoned rice made with rice and roasted wheat berries.

Vegetarians will be quite happy with Aybla’s variety, and many dishes can be made vegan by simply requesting them without feta or tzatziki sauce.

I also adore the owner and cook Saied Samaiel. Born in Syria, Saied learned to cook professionally on the Greek Island of Crete where he lived and worked for over a decade. This experience, coupled with his professionalism in the kitchen and friendliness with his customers (not to mention his killer food) are outstanding features that keep me returning to Aybla time and time again.

[Updated Jan 2011: Aybla opened a 3rd cart at Good Food Here at SE 43rd and Belmont in Fall of 2010]

Sample Menu: See the Aybla Website

Hours: Mon-Fri 11-5:30 , Sat 12-4

Phone: 503-490-3387

Website: http://www.ayblagrill.com

E-mail: ayblagrill@hotmail.com