Ole Latte Coffee
Location: SW 10th and Alder
Hours: Mon-Fri, 6am-5pm; Sat, 8am-5pm
The Story:
In a city with coffee shops on every corner and almost as many micro roasters as micro breweries, there are few mobile vendors who take on the barista challenge. There are plenty of coffee carts throughout the city for your morning drive, yet if you want a perfectly drawn espresso with just the right crema and be able to sit down and enjoy it, check out Olé Latte Coffee.
Todd Edwards opened his coffee cart earlier this year bringing the number of coffee carts in Portland’s food cart pods to four. Originally, Todd’s passion was wine. With the change of OLCC regulations here in 2012, having a wine cart is a possibility, but for Todd, during his research, he discovered a taste for coffee and dove in, learning that coffee beans and wine grapes are grown in similar climates and both offer complex flavor profiles. Sophia, Todd’s beautiful La Marzocco FB70 espresso machine, was even purchased before the cart.
Todd admits freely that he was a regular at Starbuck’s only six months ago. I think we can all admit that we’ve drank some less than stellar coffee in our day. Heck, I became a fan of truck stop coffee after awhile on a long road trip. In Todd’s coffee journey, he found and embraced Ristretto Roasters, one of Portland’s darlings in the coffee roasting arena. I’m a fan also, so even though it was 4pm, I asked for a single espresso to check out his mad skills. Amazing! A perfect draw with just the right amount of crema. I never thought of coffee having a sweetness until I began tasting different varieties in espresso form. I don’t add sugar. No need. That little ounce has more than enough flavor to satisfy me including a little bit of fruitiness.
Todd is the lone coffee cart on the lot and beyond espresso drinks he brews his own cold pressed coffee and has pastries to pair with your drink. Open daily in the mornings throughout the afternoon, Todd is there to create the perfect drink for you. Drop on by and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.
[Ole Latte moved to their new location in 01/2013]
Sample Menu:
- Espresso – $2.50
- Macchiato – $3
- Con Panna – $3
- Cappucino – $3
- Americano – $2.50
- Drip Coffee – $1.75-2.25
- Latte – $3-4
- Mocha – $3.50-4.50
Hours: Tues-Sat, 8am-6pm; Sun, 9am-3pm
Phone: 971 221-6318
Twitter: @OleLatteCoffee
Facebook: Ole Latte Coffee
Location: SW 10th and Alder
In the cart that use to be SaBaiDee Thai for many years, Taqueria El Rodeo didn’t do much other than put up new signage. With a traditional menu of Mexican fare, they have something for everyone, including breakfast burritos and vegetarian options. We were in a hurry with only a few dollars in cash, so chose the $1.50 tacos with carnitas, chicken, fish and machaca. Served with the two small tortillas stacked, the tacos were overflowing with meat, chopped onions and fresh cilantro. I think these had twice the amount of filling as other carts in town. Everything tasted great and was made to order. The fish taco though was the stand-out with plenty of fish, a good white sauce and finely chopped cabbage. All in all, a cart I would return to.
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