The Heart Cart

May 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Heart Cart

The Heart Cart

Location: NE 11th and Alberta
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm. Sat & Sun, 10am – 2pm

The Story: Vegan, Gluten Free, and lots of Raw Foods. It’s hard to miss The Heart Cart with its bright pool blue paint job, heart shaped menu boards, one-and-a-half story trailer (complete with lookout tower!), big truck wheels, and military style metal design. In case this cart does looks vaguely familiar though, The Heart Cart is a reincarnation of the (now closed) Spud Locker, baked potato cart.

There’s another reason The Heart Cart stands out though, and that’s for the quality and inventiveness of their all vegan menu. It’s a nice addition to this area of downtown where most of the other carts are straightforward Mexican, Middle Eastern and Thai. The Heart Cart is also open for brunch and lunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, a bit of an anomaly in the downtown cart scene, but a very welcome addition indeed and close to the summer hustle and bustle of Saturday Market and Waterfront Park.

The menu changes frequently, so your best bet is to check out The Heart Cart’s website for updates. Expect plenty of curries, salads, a soup of the week, stir fries, and something they call “sweeties” – vegan tacos featuring different sweet potato and vegetable fillings.

The day we visited, The Heart Cart had a very substantial Portobello Masala they describe as “a tenderized Portobello mushroom battered in lentil flour and fried. Served with house tomato sauce, raw-mesan cheese and walnuts on a bed of raw zucchini noodles.” Another item we tried were  “Zing rolls”, an all raw foods version of the Thai Salad Roll, featuring rice paper stuffed with a raw filling of ginger kale, house pickled vegetables, bean sprouts and mushrooms and served with a zippy peanut sauce.

Beverages include coconut water, and a really refreshing fruit infused water.

We’re hooked on the Heart. This is food that is still filling and tasty, but makes you feel vibrant and healthy. With plenty of raw food offerings along with vegan ones, this is a cart that will make a lot of people in Portland looking for vegan and gluten free foods quite happy. In our book, it’s simply delicious food made with heart.

Sample Menu:

All foods at The Heart Cart are Vegan and Gluten Free!

  • Andean Hash (available Sat and Sun):  South American inspired fried sweet potatoes with corn, peppers and mushrooms in a dark chocolate sauce – $8
  • Sweet Potato Tacos: handmade tortillas, cinnamon black beans and corn, apple garlic salsa and cilantro -$2 each
  • Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (oi muchim)  – $3
  • Ginger Cumin Lentil Soup (adrak ka shorba) – $5 (small), $8 (large)
  • Strawberry Mint Basil Water – $1

Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm. Sat & Sun, 10am – 2pm
Phone: 971-266-0122
Website: www.theheartcart.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theheartcart
Twitter: @theheartcart

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Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Gluten Free Options, Lunch, NE 11th and Alberta, Salads, Snacks, Soups, Vegan Options

The Grilled Cheese Grill

May 3, 2009 by 24 Comments
The Grilled Cheese Grill

The Grilled Cheese Grill

Location: NE 11th and Alberta

Description:

The grilled cheese sandwich is as American as apple pie and everyone you know has eaten one in their lifetime.  When I was a poor post-college student, I survived on grilled cheese and top ramen.  I think we even put pre-cooked ramen noodles in a toasted cheese, but I digress.  Portland has a new food cart – the Grilled Cheese Grill.

The Kindergartner

The Kindergartner

On a corner lot up off NE Alberta, The Grilled Cheese Grill setup shop with picnic tables, an old school bus and an airstream for their kitchen.  They do a traditional grilled cheese like mama use to make called the Kindergartner.  You get to choose your bread and whether you want American or Cheddar cheese.  A perfect grilled cheese.

If you want to mix it up a bit though, they have 15 other versions of the grilled cheese for your to choose from.  With ingredients including apple, bacon, jalapeno, artichoke, turkey, hummus, and numerous choices for cheese, you will find a favorite.  I opted for the Babs, with apple, bacon, blue cheese and swiss on rye bread. Such a great sandwich.

The Babs from The Grilled Cheese Grill

The Grilled Cheese Grill is a great place and they do the sandwich justice.  I’m looking forward to visiting more as we get out and about as the weather warms up.

Sample Menu:

  • The Kindergartner – the classic, however you like it – $4
  • The Pre-schooler – same as the Kindergartner but with crusts cut off – $4
  • The Gabby – cheddar, colby jack, swiss, mozzarella on while – $4.50
  • The Southsider – artichokes, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, mozzarella on grilled sourdough – $5
  • The Moondog – provolone, salami, pepperoni, olive and pepper tapenade on grilled sourdough – $6
  • The Babs – bacon, apple, blue cheese, swiss on rye – $6
  • additions:  tomato, avocado, pickles, onions, sauerkraut, etc – 50c; bacon, turkey, salami, egg, etc – $1.75
  • Gluten Free options

Phone: 503 206 8959
Twitter: The Grilled Cheese Grill
Website: www.grilledcheesegrill.com
Hours: Tues-Thurs: 11:30-9; Friday, Saturday: 11:30-late; Sunday: 11:30-8; closed Mondays.

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free Options, Hamburgers, Late Night, Lunch, NE 11th and Alberta, Northeast - Portland, Sandwiches, Vegetarian Options, Weekends Tagged With: , , ,