Potato Champion 2

November 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Potato Champion 2

Potato Champion 2

Location: SE 2nd and Oak, The Row
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm

The Story:

Potato Champion has expanded with a second cart at The Row on SE 2nd and Oak. Open for lunch through dinner. There are few things better than fresh cut, twice fried, Belgian-style pommes frites, served in a paper cone with your choice of sauce. You can also get them with poutine, chili cheese or with pulled pork atop. See original post here.

Website: www.potatochampion.com
Facebook: Potato Champion
Twitter: @PotatoChampion

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Dinner, Fries, Lunch, Poutine, SE 2nd and Oak - The Row, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Sideshow Eatery

August 2, 2012 by 7 Comments
Sideshow Eatery

Sideshow Eatery

Location: SW 9th and Washington
Hours: M-Sat, 11-6pm; Sun, 11-4

The Story: Ok, I’ll confess, I worked at McDonald’s as a teenager. I even won some awards during my tenure there and still have a commemorative Monopoly beach towel from one of their contests in the 80′s. During that time, I ate more than my share of fries. What teenager didn’t? As I grew up though, I discovered fast-food fries were not the best. I went through the trials of visiting numerous establishment to find the perfect fry. While I have my favorites purveyors, what I’ve learned is that I prefer and enjoy the Belgian style that are double fried. Sideshow Eatery is bringing Pommes Frites to the Alder pod.

Pommes Frites, or as we call them, Belgian Fries are fresh cut potatoes fried twice, seasoned and served in a paper cone. That is the definition according to the Internets. At Sideshow Gallery, Jason follows the recipe to the tee. In a full size truck parked in the lot, you can see the racks of already once-fried fries ready to be fried again. After the second frying, the potatoes are crisp on the outside yet still soft on the inside. Jason seasons them and places them in a cone with your choice of sauce and adds in his own small wooden fork with the Sideshow flag. It’s like staking a claim.

Pommes Frites from Sideshow Eatery

Pommes Frites from Sideshow Eatery

Jason has a culinary background, yet with the truck, he had to fully gut it and rebuild using the other talents everyone has. The menu at the cart is simple – fries and poutine and beignets. The plan is to expand the menu in good time. Opening a food cart isn’t easy, so Jason is taking the time to figure out the next logical step. As I walked down the sidewalk with my cone of tasty bites with curry-ketchup atop, I struggled not to just shove it in my face and start munching. The fries were spot on crunchy and the ketchup had a great zing. I love the unique wooden fork which allowed me to eat a bit slower and not get all messy.

Sideshow Eatery is now open right on the corner of SW 9th and Washington. A Belgian treat sandwiched between Indian and Chinese. Drop on by for a sinful lunch or a side to whatever else you’re enjoying from the carts. Let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Pommes Frites – Belgian Fries – sm, $4; lg, $6
  • Poutine – frites with curds and gravy – $7
  • Beignets – 5 for $3
  • Sauces: Catsup, Curry Catsup, Mayo, Garlic Mayo

Hours: M-Sat, 11-6pm; Sun, 11-4
Facebook: Sideshow Eatery

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Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Dinner, Downtown, Fries, Lunch, Poutine, SW 9th and Washington, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Potato Champion

October 19, 2008 by 15 Comments


Location: SE 12th and Hawthorne

Description: Ahh, 2am and you’ve had a couple of beers. Now what? You could stop on by any one of the late night 24hr fast food joints for “4th meal” and pay for it in the morning, or you could head on down to SE 12th and Hawthorne and get some Frites. Yep, I’m calling them Frites instead of fries because they are that good.

Potato Champion is Portland’s only late night fry cart and from my experience, the only cart in town specializing in Belgian style frites. Belgian style frites are potatoes that are peeled, cut, washed and then blanched with a first fry before frying them again. This makes them crispy on the outside while staying fluffy on the inside. I don’t know about all that techno mumbo jumbo, I just know that they are just what the doctor ordered after a few beers at the local microbrew.

When I visited, it was pretty quiet on the corner, so I walked right up. The owners are very friendly and kind as I assume they get a few of their share of drunkards rolling by. I ordered a large cone with the Rosemary Truffle ketchup. Plenty for one person and I barely got to the ketchup as I was devouring the hot yummy fries without really thinking to pair them with anything. Next time I will try the tarragon anchovy mayo or maybe Poutine.

Yep, they have traditional Poutine, and even a vegan version. Cuisine Bonne Femme loves Poutine so much she writes,

Ah, how can I explain my love of Poutine? It’s simply trashy, French Canadian comfort food. Je t’aime la Poutine! See, Poutine is considered the national dish of Quebec, Canada. Much to the chagrin of the “real French” who consider the French Canadians a bunch of backwoods redneck idiots when it comes to cuisine. Sacre Bleu! Still, I dare you to not love anything with crispy fries covered in a rich brown chicken gravy and cheese curds, especially after a night of imbibing. I fell in love with Poutine while an exchange student in Quebec one summer, and I still crave it. It’s nice to see a place in Portland serving it.

Sample Menu:
Small cone: $3.50
Large cone: $4.50
Choice of sauces: Horseradish Ketchup; Rosemary Truffle Ketchup; Mayonnaise; Pesto Mayo; Tarragon Anchovy Mayo; Remoulade; Dijon Mustard; “Harder” Hot Mustard, etc.

Poutine: Small: $4; Large: $5 (Vegan and Vegetarian available)

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday: 8pm – 3am; closed Sunday-Tuesday

Phone: Unknown

Email: Unknown

Website:www.potatochampion.com

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Filed Under: Dinner, Fried food, Fries, Late Night, Poutine, SE 12th and Hawthorne, Southeast-Portland, Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options, Weekends Tagged With: ,