Fifty Licks Ice Cream

Location: SE 43rd and Belmont
Hours: Tues-Sun, 12-9pm

The Story:

Everyone remembers the ice cream man and the truck roaming the streets of your childhood neighborhood shilling sweat cold treats. While Fifty Licks isn’t roaming your local street, they do seem to be at many events throughout the city and now have a permanent truck at Good Food Here to sate your sweet-tooth.

I first tried Fifty Licks almost two years ago when they debuted at the Mississippi Street Fair with their now famous Stumptown Coffee ice cream. With just a table and a few tubs of their craft, they made their mark on that crowd and Portland has been talking about them ever since. Chad Draizin, the owner and creator of the unique flavors, picked up a truck in 2010, outfitted it and launched both a roaming business along with sales of his ice cream in stores. He even made a splash at Eat Mobile this year by wearing a custom suit from local designer Duchess while serving almost 2500 samples to the patient eaters. Chad won the style award for that.

Maple Bacon Ice Cream

Fifty Licks doesn’t do plain. If you want basic ice cream, head over to Safeway. If you’re one who always orders the same flavor, you’ll take a second glance at what they offer – Tahitian Vanilla, Stumptown Coffee, Caramelized Apple and the ever popular Maple Bacon. I have tried bacon mixed with many unique dishes and usually, you get the flavor of the bacon without the actual bits. This isn’t the case here. Right off the bat, you see little chunks of bacon mixed in with the maple ice cream. That first bite was like stacking a strip of bacon between some pancakes and dipping it in maple syrup, but ice-cream cold. I had to eat it slowly as it was one of the richest desserts I have had in a long while. Truly a work of art. I can’t wait to get back for the other flavors.

Beyond ice cream,Fifty Licks also serves sorbets and has two different cone offerings-  sugar or handmade waffle cone. If you get a chance to try some of Chad’s creations at an event, you may get to try the Slabtown Whiskey, a creation made with Portland’s very own House Spirits small batch libations. You can find Fifty Licks permanently at Good Food Here, but also roaming to different events and catering gigs throughout the city. Don’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy a more mature version of a childhood treat. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample menu:

Sugar cones are 1 scoop and $4;
Handmade waffle cones are 2 scoops and $6

Flavors:

• Tahitian Vanilla
• Caramelized Apple
• Stumptown Coffee
• Maple Bacon
• Coconut Lemon Saffron Sorbet
• Passionfruit Sorbet

Hours: Tues-Sun, 12-9pm
Phone: 954 294 8868
Twitter: @FiftyLicks Facebook: Fifty Licks

Scoop

Location: North Station, N Greeley and Killingsworth
Hours: W-Th, 12:30-3:30 & 5-8; Fri/Sat: 12:30-8; Sun, 12:30-3:30

The Story:

Hot Summer day and you need something cool for the kids? Fall rainy evening and you stil need something sweet. Get some ice cream right? Well, north Portland can sate that need. Scoop Organic Ice Cream will treat you and your kids to the ultimate tasty cold delight.

Scoop opened in spring at North Station, an amazing lot full of carts ranging across all types of cuisines. Take a group there and give everyone $5 and then have everyone share what they ordered and you will taste some of Portland’s best food from the carts. Just remember, if you give a kid $5 and there is an ice cream truck around, you may have a jumpy kid later.

Scoop specializes in organic handmade ice cream with some wonderful flavors that do change depending on what’s in season. These days, with fall here and winter on the way, they have sweet potato pie, pumpkin chocolate chip, rum raisin and others. Amanda Rhoads, the owner, would also like us to know that she also offers vegan sorbets and has gluten free cones.

Scoop is one of the cutest little trucks on the scene. Even though it has cooled down, we all still love ice cream and they are there to assist. Go visit, have a cone and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Ice Cream various flavors: mini – $2.50; small – $3.25; regular (3 scoops) – $4.25; large – $5.25
• Housemade waffle cones – $.75
• Milkshakes: 12oz – $4; 16oz – $5
• Caramel Apples – $3.50-4.50

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 12:30-3 and 5-8pm; Friday/Saturday, 12:30-9pm; Sunday, 12:30-3:30
Phone: 503 928 2796
Facebook: Scoop

Location: SE 32nd and Division [Updated 10/2010]
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30-8 or 9pm

The Story:

Summer is here and it brings the heat. While Portland doesn’t experience the heat like the south or the muggy conditions like the east cost, when the mercury crosses 80, we start to sweat and seek out the nearest water. Portlander’s also look for cool treats and the food carts are satisfying these needs. Oregon Ice Works opened in spring to bring Portland an alternative to the traditional dairy ice cream.

Kevin Bell is the brains behind Oregon Ice Works and the creator of the treats on the menu. He keeps it pretty simple for the ice items – fresh fruit or herbs like mint or cilantro, organic cane sugar and ice. Put it all together and you have Italian Ice, Oregon style. I understand Kevin is from Philadelphia or at least spent some time there. His Oregon Ice is similar to what the Philadelphians know as water ice, something they say can only be found there. Thank Kevin for providing Portland with our version of this cool icy pleasure.

The flavors offered by Oregon Ice Works are ever changing from lemon or blueberry to boyznberry or razzberry and even vanilla coconut or mojito, there is always something to cool you down. [his z's] We tried the bozynberry and blueberry on a hot Saturday afternoon while wandering the streets of Sellwood. Italian Ice is mostly flavor of the fruit and sugar. Unlike ice cream which has that creamy velvety texture, Italian Ice just quickly melts on your tongue and presents you that burst of sour or sweet, depending on the choice of fruit. With the boyznberry and blueberry, our mouths were tart for an hour. Both were great and half way through, we traded. I love visiting the carts with others – I get to try more items.

Sellwood is lucky to have this great cart this summer. 13th street is a busy hub of activity most weekends with shoppers visiting the antique shops that neighborhood is famous for. If you’ve never been down there, check it out and stop on by Oregon Ice Works. You won’t be disappointed. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

[Update 10/2010 - Oregon Ice Works moved to SE 32nd and Division and is now serving hot soup.]

Sample Menu:

Italian ice sizes:

• Kids: 1 scoop – $2; 2 scoops $3.50
• Adult: 1 scoop – $3; 2 scoops $4.50
• Smoothe: $4.75

Some available flavors: lemon, boyznberry, razzberry, mango-pine, passion pit, pineapple, blueberry, vanilla coconut, mojito

Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday: 12:30-8pm; Thursday: 12:30-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 12:30-9:30pm
Facebook: Oregon Ice Works

Location: Here, There and Everywhere! This one was spotted on NW 4th and Davis, downtown.

Oli and his pedal powered ice cream cart. Go Oli, Go!

Description: Cute little tricycle powered ice cream carts found in a neighborhood near you.

Sample Menu:

All the usual ice cream cart suspects. Fruit Freezes, Creamcicles, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Rocket Pops, Push-ups, Choco-Tacos, Drumsticks, and more!

Personally, I love the idea of pedal powered ice cream carts. No annoying music either! I mean, could Portland’s ice cream vans and trucks at least branch out please? I’m a twee burned out on Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.”

Phone: 971-998-8294

Website: Unkown

E-mail: Unkown

Hours: Unkown

Email: Unkown