Location: SW 3rd and Ash

The Story:

Do you ever wonder if an aspiring food cart owner would move to Portland just to open their cart and participate in this boom we are having? Wonder no more. Mark Simonds moved down from Tacoma to open his Olympic Hot Dogs stand and had his grand opening last week at the North Station pod.

Olympic Hot Dogs specializes in what west coasters may refer to as Chicago style dogs. Mark uses the Red Hot Chicago brand hot dog, which, if you are a dog fan, you know it is a staple in the hot dog universe. With different fixin’s like neon relish, pickles, tomatoes, chopped onions, sport peppers, chili, cole slaw, pesto spread, and the standard mustard, ketchup and other dog condiments, Olympic Hot Dogs can sate pretty much anyone’s needs.

I’m a fan of a good grilled dog, which is how Mark prepares them. These aren’t “dirty water dogs” that you may have experienced in the past. I asked Mark to recommend one for me and he served me up the Chicago Dog which comes with an all beef frank, mustard, neon relish, pickle spear, tomato wedges, chopped onions, sport peppers and celery salt. I asked him to leave off the kitchen sink as I had enjoyed that earlier in the day. Wow, what a great presentation of a dog and pretty tasty too. I enjoyed the relish mixed with the chopped onions and the poppy seed bun. I normally put extra mustard on my dog, yet this time didn’t as the extra condiments accented the meal nicely.

Olympic Hot Dogs is now open under the big orange tent at North Station. I joked that they may become the de facto Oregon Beavers destination with all that orange…. Check out Olympic next time you are up that way and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

[Update Jan 2011: Olympic Hot Dogs is now located downtown at SW 10th and Washington]

[Update Sept. 2011: Olympic Hot Dogs has moved to NW 19th and Quimby]

Sample Menu:

All hot dogs served are Red Hot Chicago All Beef hot dogs with a steamed poppy seed bun

• Ethyl Dog – $3
• Supreme Dog – larger dog with your choice of condiments – $3.75
• Fil’r Up Dog – sub in a spicy frank – $4.50
• Chicago Dog – mustard, neon relish, pickle spear, tomato wedges, chopped onions, sport peppers and celery salt – $4
• Southern Slaw Dog – chili, southern cole slaw, chopped onion, yellow mustard – $4.50
• Vegetarian Dog – Tofurkey Full Sail Ale beer brat veggie dog with portabella mushroom relish, organic pesto spread and celery salt – $5

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11-7; Friday/Saturday, 11-8; Sunday, 11-6
Phone: 203 304 6962
Website: OlympicHotDogs.com

Big A** Sandwiches

***Recommended***

Location: SW 3rd and Ash St.

The Story:

I think the name tells the story. Big-Ass Sandwiches is now open and they sell giant sandwiches and a bit more. A cart that has been a few months in the making, Big-Ass Sandwiches is the brainchild of Lisa and Brian Wood who have brought us a great cart with a wonderful offering of food that will sate you and then some.

The collective “we” on Twitter first learned about Big-Ass Sandwiches back in September with a cryptic coming soon post. After they posted a photo of one of their sandwiches, the cart goers among us drooled. I have enjoyed following the journey of Big-Ass Sandwiches from idea to fruition. Through the power of social media like Twitter and Facebook, I was able to join Lisa and Brian on their adventure of opening a cart. We could experience the joys, the sorrows, the excitement and even the frustration.  I felt I was there when they first saw the custom cart they were having built. I was able to feel the happiness when they landed the cart at 3rd and Ash even though the previous weekend was filled with some challenges with fees and a broken oven. The Internet and social media allowed us cart food fans to be a part of this opening culminating in the excitement and sheer joy when they opened on December 21st. That opening day, the energy emanating from the cart through Lisa via Twitter and the customers was palpable. Ahh, the power of the people.

Big-A** Sandwich with roast beef

The Big-Ass Sandwich is pretty much what you would imagine. A wonderfully large ciabatta roll with well prepared thinly sliced roast beef and topped with house made french fries and creamy cheese, I had to use every napkin to get clean. I even got a little dangerous and had them add Secret Aardvark hot sauce to give it a little zing. I was a happy eater as I devoured the sandwich. The Béchamel cheese sauce they offer is a perfect choice as it penetrated the entire sandwich, but wasn’t drippy when I finally began eating it. All in all, a great sandwich. I chose roast beef, but you can also get the sandwich with ham or turkey and they even offer a Big-Ass Vegetarian sandwich.

Big-Ass Sandwiches is a another great addition to the food cart bonanza of 2009. These are large sandwiches, so if that dissuades you, don’t let it. Grab a friend and split the sandwich. You won’t be disappointed. I feel honored to have joined in on the journey with Lisa and Brian and thank them for that. The cart is open daily and as an added bonus will be open for New Years Eve to feed the masses. I predict a crazy night. If you have never tried a sandwich with fries on it, you should check out Big-A** Sandwiches and tell them Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• The Big-Ass Breakfast Sandwich – scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and choice of bacon or sausage piled onto a ciabatta roll – $6
• The Big-Ass Sandwich – choice of roasted turkey, roast beef or ham with homemade french fries; grilled and piled onto a ciabatta roll – $5
• The Big-Ass Vegetarian – field roast deli slices with homemade french fries; grilled and piled onto a ciabatta roll – $6
• The Gutbomb – all the deliciousness of The Big-Ass Sandwich with double meat and double cheese – $7
• Add Béchamel cheese sauce for $1
• Cheese Fries – $3
• Bacon Cheese Fries – $4
• Colseslaw – $1
• Mexican Coke or Jarritos – $1.50

Hours: Monday through Friday – 8am – 3pm; Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights 9pm to late
Contact: 503 803 0619 – call or text orders To Go
Website: BigAssSandwiches.com
Social: @BigAssSandwich on Twitter and BigAssSandwiches on Facebook