Chez Dodo
Location: N Vancouver and Fremont
Hours: M-F, 11am-11pm; Sat, 11-9pm
The Story: A taste of Mauritian Paradise. That is all I needed to know before visiting Chez Dodo, a new vendor in the ever changing lot at the corner of N Fremont and Vancouver.
Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 1,200 miles off the south east coast of Africa. When the Portuguese arrived in the 1500′s, the island was uninhabited except for the famed Dodo bird. After a few centuries of different colonial rule, the culture of the island in the 21st century is a mix of several ethnicities – mostly of Indian, African, Chinese and European descent. At Chez Dodo, the cuisine reflects the inspiration of French, African, Indian, Creole and Chinese cuisine.
Upon arrival, Chef Shayamal leaned out the window to greet me and immediately listed off the day’s specials and instructed me to the vast menu and how to order. You start with a base of either flat bread, noodles or rice, add a curry sauce and then top with accompaniments like bean curry and potatoes, chicken or lamb. I chose pan fried curry noodles with the Island Fever spicy curry sauce and lamb. During the prep of the meal, Shayamal leaned out with a huge skillet of noodles and a fork to ask if the spice was sufficient. What brilliant service. A huge plate of noodles with vegetables and lamb was handed over. More than I could eat in a sitting, but so flavorful, spicy and complex, I couldn’t put the fork down. If you’re going, go with a friend as Shayamal is a giver of food and will load you up.
Curry Noodles from Chez Dodo
You may recognize the name Chez Dodo as his vegan pre-made products have been in local stores now for over a year. Chef Shayamal offers numerous options for vegan, gluten free, and vegetarian diets. He stated, “If it weren’t for the vegans buying my product, I wouldn’t be open.” Thanks vegans! Chez Dodo is open from lunch through late night and on Saturday, so there is no reason you can’t visit. The lot now has five different mobile vendors and the are continues to change for the better with a New Seasons store opening this year. Drop on by for a taste of Mauritius and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.
Sample Menu:
Bases:
- Dholl Puri Flat Bread; Pan Fried Curried Noodles; Brown Rice Pulao or Rice Noodles
Curry Sauces:
- Healthy Vegan: mild curry sauce cooked with a blend of exotic spices and herbs
- Tropical Happiness: creamy tomato based curry sauce cooked with spices, coconut and cashews
- Island Fever: spicy curry sauce with 3 different peppers, onions, ginger, garlic, tamarind, lemon and vinegar
Accompaniments:
- Assorted bean curry and potatoes – $4.99
- Wild combo of mushrooms with lentil fritter – $5.99
- Chicken cooked in red wine sauce – $5.99
- Lamb Curry pressure cooked and sauteed – $7.99
Phone: (503) 284-4575
Facebook: Chez Dodo
Twitter: @ChezDodoPDX
Education is a big part of Hope Kitchen – they partner with several health providers, schools and other institutions to show that favorite foods can be easily tweaked to be healthier and still be delicious. No need to give up your favorite down home favorites such as BBQ, chicken tenders, greens and cornbread. The Hope Kitchen also provides catering services. We love a cart with heart!
Location: N Vancouver and Fremont
City Farm is a community managed farm with not only a storefront, but a full garden with ducks in the back. Mark, the owner of The Garden Well, opened in February of 2012 with coffee and loose leaf tea to capture not only the patrons coming to the farm, but also those transiting Lombard east and west. I enjoy a good cup of black tea, but am in no way an expert. Mark offers the expected teas like Earl Grey and English Breakfast, but also has herbal teas. What interested me were his special blends like the Love your Lungs Blend with elder blossom, licorice root, mullein leaf, marshmallow leaf, nettles and red clover. Crazy! Any one of those herbs offer a unique flavor, but when putting them together, you get something magical. Mark grabs individual containers with each herb and hand mixes in a single use tea bag and adds hot water. I loved it. I breathed better the rest of the day. I never knew there was a marshmallow leaf.
The day I visited, I picked up a half an egg salad sandwich and beef barley soup – a hearty lunch for a cold day. It reminded me of a plate I would have a grandma’s house in Minnesota. I just needed a cup of hot cocoa to round out the memory. The egg salad on white fit well with the hot beef soup full of vegetables and barley. A great pairing for a hungry boy.
Recent Comments