Tony’s Cucina

March 26, 2013 by 3 Comments

Tony’s Cucina

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: weekdays, lunch

The Story: What’s that phrase – for every door that closes, another opens? It seems the story of the ever evolving street food scene in Portland. Just as you fall in love with one vendor, they close and you’re faith in food is dashed. Lucky for us, when the previous owner vacated, Tony’s Cucina opened offering something special.

Tony Velasquez open his cucina early this year with a menu of Mexican/Italian fusion cuisine. After spending a quarter century in the medical field, he jumped ship and went to culinary school. When a friend asked if he wanted to try out a cart, Tony took the leap. The menu is inspired by childhood favorites  – the best foods his mom use to make. Everything is made from scratch with care.

Sonoran Hot Dog from Tony’s Cucina

Tony lived in Arizona for twenty years where his love for the Sonoran dog came about. While there are different approaches on how to create this dish, Tony’s approach was to work with fellow fans to craft a signature dog in the style. Starting out with a bacon-wrapped dog on the grill, the bun from An-Xuyen, is sliced open just enough to hold the dog, beans, cheese, lettuce and tomato and then topped with a grilled jalapeno. It was so beautifully presented, I didn’t want to eat it. I will warn you, if you take that first bite, watch out for the pepper to roll off onto your hand, then your shirt, then the table. Lucky for me, I caught it before it hit the ground. The spice of the pepper mixed with the creamy beans, veggies and that dog create a wonderful mix of flavors. The bun is superb, one of the better buns out there with just enough chew, but not doughy.

Tony’s Cucina is a great new addition to the 10th and Alder lot. While there are other Mexican vendors, no one is doing the Sonoran dog nor are they offering dishes like an enchilada casserole. He will even make you a Cuban coffee. Drop on by next time you’re looking for something new and let Tony know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Squishy Taco – corn tortilla dipped in hot oil with chicken, steak or chorizo – $2
  • Fish Taco – $2.50
  • Enchilada Casserole w/ rice and beans – $7
  • Quesadilla – $2.50
  • Tortilla Dog – grilled hot dog wrapped in flour tortilla with cheese – $1
  • Sonoran Hot Dog – $6

Hours: Weekdays, lunchtime
Facebook: Tony’s Cucina

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Go Box, Hot Dogs & Sausages, Italian, Lunch, Mexican, SW 9th and Alder, Tacos, Vegetarian Options

La Jarochita 2

January 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: lunchtime, Mon-Sat

The Story: La Jarochita, one of Portland’s favorite mobile vendors, has expanded to SW 9th and Alder. Mexican at its best.

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Mexican, SW 9th and Alder, Tacos, Vegetarian Options

Egyptian Food

August 18, 2012 by 1 Comment
Egyptian Food

Egyptian Food

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: daily, 11-4

The Story:

When you sit down to name your business, you want the name to mean something and tell the consumer what you do. Egyptian Food is the name of the cart and that is what they do.

Falafel from Egyptian Food

Falafel from Egyptian Food

Mohammed, the owner and chef took one of the oldest carts on the block and converted it to his own style of kitchen so he could create and serve fresh Egyptian cuisine. Speaking with him, he stressed that his food is made to order and that the best tastes come from freshly made items. An example is the fava bean falafel he dropped in the fryer. He stood there, watched them, poked them and waited until the precise moment to pull them out. When I saw the golden brown nugget, I almost asked to skip the sandwich and just give me the falafel. The sandwich, falafel on a bed of lettuce, with tomatoes, tzatziki, some hummus and cucumbers was wrapped in a lightly grilled pita. Some of the best falafel I have had in town. I even offered some up to another food cart owner who simply stood there and chewed, amazed at how fresh and delicious it was. I’m excited to try other items on the menu now.

Egyptian Food is now open and you can’t miss them right on the corner of SW 9th and Alder. The cart they are in has some rich history going back 20 years having hosted an Indian purveyor, Italian espresso and most recently, gourmet pork sandwiches. Stop on by for some Egyptian food and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Fish, chicken, lamb, falafel over rice platter: $7
  • Kafta over rice platter: $8
  • Lamb, chicken gyro: $5
  • Falafel sandwich: $5
  • Kafta sandwich: $6

Hours: daily, lunchtime

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Filed Under: Downtown, Falafel, Lunch, Mediterranean, Sandwiches, SW 9th and Alder, Vegetarian Options

Beijing House

February 17, 2012 by 1 Comment
Beijing House

Beijing House

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: Daily and weekends, 11am-4pm

The Story:

Chinese food is such an ideal meal. There are numerous vegetarian, seafood, meat, and poultry options, each packing pleasing flavors at an affordable price. While we may have recently lost one great Chinese food cart in downtown Portland, another has opened a few blocks away – Beijing House.

Run and her husband opened Beijing House at the beginning of February. Fueled by their love for cooking, this friendly duo strives for consistent, top-notch service. Almost any choice can be made as mild or as spicy as the customer prefers. At Beijing House, you can also request brown rice for no extra charge. All menu items are $8 or less.

Seeking a palate-awakening experience on an overcast day, my eyes darted to the Kung Pao Chicken. Pieces of diced chicken are blended with numerous spices, peanuts, and dried red chiles. I requested the dish extra spicy with two scoops of brown rice. The couple sprang into action, cooking my meal to order. As I received my meal, the spicy essence of chiles aroused my senses, exactly what I wanted. The moist chicken had noticeable heat, yet I could still appreciate the other wonderful flavors. The texture contrasts from the peanuts enhanced the experience.

 

Kung Pao Chicken from Beijing House

Kung Pao Chicken from Beijing House

With nearly 30 menu items, including main dishes and appetizers, there should be something for everyone to enjoy. Check out Beijing House near SW 9th and Alder, and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Pad Thai – $6.50 (seafood and chicken combination)
  • Kung Pao Chicken – $6.50
  • Sweet Sour Chicken – $6.50
  • Orange Chicken – $6.50
  • Eggplant and Spicy Garlic Sauce – $6.50
  • Seafood Fried Rice – $6.50
  • Vegetable Lo Mein – $6.50
  • Sesame Beef – $6.50
  • Crispy Fish – $7.50
  • Beverages – $1

Hours: Daily and weekends, 11am-4pm
Phone: 503 788 9888

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Filed Under: Chinese, Downtown, Lunch, SW 9th and Alder, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Wayang House

February 7, 2012 by 10 Comments
Wayang House

Wayang House

Location: SW 9th and Alder
Hours: Weekdays, lunchtime

The Story:

The other day I was asked why I write about the food carts the answer is easy – I get to try something new every single day. Wayang House Indonesian exemplifies this.

I’ve walked by the cart numerous times, pointing out to visitors and friends that Indonesian is the newest cuisine to join the food cart scene. I finally decided to visit and was immediately welcomed by Anton and Feny, the owners. Feny spends her time outside the cart working at Shigezo down the street and even spent a few days working the Minizo cart to get a better understanding of cart life before opening Wayang House. I chuckled at how small a world it was and love that the owners are there to advise and guide each other when needed.

Nasi Campur from Wayang House

Nasi Campur from Wayang House

The menu at Wayang House has only five dishes with protein options which include beef, chicken, tofu and tempeh. The Nasi Campur is a meat and rice dish with spicy beef rendang, spicy eggplant served over a boiled egg and chopped string beans. When I was pondering the menu, Anton asked if I liked spice, which I do, so he recommended this signature dish. I’m a fan of spice for flavor with the heat index being secondary and with this dish, the spice was spot on. The eggplant dish was where the real spice was. With quartered eggplant marinated in hot chili sauce it is then served over a hard boiled egg. This was the best part of the meal. The eggplant was so flavorful and the heat from the spice hit my toungue, burned a bit, but then disapated, leaving a lasting memory of the flavors and not the spice. The beef was perfectly cooked to fall apart with the use of a plastic fork. I will definitely return for that dish by itself. I may even try to find the recipe for the eggplant.

Wayang House is a great new addition to the pod at SW 9th and Alder. Beyond the beef and chicken, they also have fried tofu and tempeh in a couple of their dishes. I definitely recommend this cart and encourage you to check it out on your next trip out for lunch. Let Anton and Feny know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

  • Nasi Campur: spicy beef randang, spicy boiled egg w/eggplant, string beans and steamed rice – $7
  • Nasi Uduk: steamed coconut rice with fried chicken, tofu or tempeh, shredded egg and homemade sambal sauce – $6.50
  • Kari Ayam: Indonesian chicken curry with potato and steamed rice – $6
  • Gado Gado: mixed steamed veggies with tofu or tempeh, egg and peanut sauce and melinjo chips – $6
  • Tahugoreng Nanas: fried tofu with green leaf, sprouts, potato and pineapple peanut sauce – $6

Hours: Weekdays, lunchtime
Contact: unknown

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Filed Under: Downtown, Indonesian, Lunch, SW 9th and Alder, Vegetarian Options
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