Steak Frites PDX

dieselboi
April 16, 2014 Written by dieselboi Leave a Comment
Steak Frites PDX

Steak Frites PDX

Location: SE 28th and Ankeny
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am-7 pm , Sunday, noon-5 pm

The Story: I may have found the best dish ever created. New food cart Steak Frites PDX, just the name, defines what this cart does and that makes me a happy eater.

Steak Frites PDX is the latest addition to Pod 28 with some other stellar vendors like The Grilled Cheese Grill, Burrasca, Guero, Wolf and Bear’s and The Captured by Porches Beer Bus. Wow! Owner Sean wanted to do a food cart and was surprised no one had done the Belgian classic steak and fries. He sources prime cuts of beef and hand cuts the fries daily. Pair with one of the beers from Captured and you’re in bliss.

The day I visited, Sean was offering flank, top sirloin and hanger steak. On other days, he has offered teres major, a cut taken from the shoulder muscle. I opted for flank steak with fries and creamy horseradish sauce. Each bite, greasy and for sure against my doctor’s orders, was sublime. Sean sprinkles sea salt on the fries and the steak had a hint of fresh rosemary. Thin slices of flank steak dipped in horseradish paired with an IPA on a cool spring day and all I wanted to do was order a second plate. You can substitute the fries for sweet potato fries and Sean does offer a variety of veggies like asparagus, brussels sprouts and more.

Flank Steak and Fries from Steak Frites PDX

Flank Steak and Fries from Steak Frites PDX

Steak Frites PDX is one of those carts that just launched and yet is selling out daily. Bring something no one else is doing to the scene and do it well and you’ll be the king of the pod. Next time you’re down off SE 28th and Ankeny, drop on by Steak Frites PDX and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu: 

  • Choice of steak and fries with aioli – $8.50
  • Substitute sweet potato fries for extra $.50
  • Add plants – $.50

Facebook: Steak Frites PDX

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Dinner, Fries, Lunch, Meat, SE 28th and Ankeny, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Burrasca

dieselboi
October 17, 2013 Written by dieselboi Leave a Comment
Burrasca

Burrasca

Location: SE 28th and Ankeny
Hours: Tues-Sat, 11:30-7pm; Sunday, 11:30-3pm

The Story: Every so often we come across one of those gems that simply put, blow us away. I had heard positive rumblings about Burrasca and their Florentine influences, so decided to check it out myself.

Over the years, I have visited some wonderful vendors who have named their carts after themselves, the food or just something whimsical. At Burrasca, they decided to name the cart after a character in a classic Tuscan children’s book, Il Giornalino di Gian Burrasca, written in 1907-1908 by Luigi Bertelli. Burrasca was the troublemaker in the book and Paolo Calamai, the chef of the cart has always felt he was a bit rambunctious. Hailing from Tuscany, Paolo’s career as a formally trained chef spans a couple of decades and across a few continents. His current endeavor with the cart is to bring the dishes of his childhood in native Florence to Portland.

Pappardelle with Wild Boar Sauce

Pappardelle with Wild Boar Sauce

At Burrasca, Paolo’s menu is an expression of his many years as a trained chef. The day we visited one could enjoy a hearty black cabbage, cannelini bean and bread soup or squid and spinach simmered in tomato, red wine and herbs. Just imagining either of those dishes brings on binge worthy emotions. We picked out the pappardelle al cinghiale – handmade pasta with wild boar sauce. Sometime, long ago, I was introduced to pappardelle and it was love at first bite. What a dish! Thick, al dente noodles soaked in the wild boar sauce with fresh parm and a slice of cart made bread. Perfection on a plate. It renewed a desire inside me to explore the diversity of Italian cuisine more. Maybe Paolo will be my mentor.

Burrasca is one of those carts that is changing the game. An experienced chef who’s passion is to serve awe-inspiring dishes for us to enjoy. The cart is located at Pod28 at SE 28th and Ankeny. There is plenty of covered seating and Captured by Porches serves beer on the weekends. Next time you’re stumped trying to decide what to eat for lunch or dinner, head on over to Burrasca and let Paolo know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

Menu may change daily

  • Hearty Black Cabbage, Cannellini bean and break soup – $5
  • Pappardelle Al Cinghiale – handmade pasta with wild boar sauce – $8
  • Squid and Spinach simmered in tomato, red wine and herbs – $7
  • Arista Panino – sandwich of roast pork loin topped with salsa verde and watercress on homemade roll – $7

Website: Burrsacapdx.com
Facebook: Burraca PDX

Filed Under: Dinner, Italian, Lunch, Pasta, SE 28th and Ankeny, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Guero

dieselboi
May 13, 2013 Written by dieselboi 3 Comments
Guero

Guero

Location: SE 28th and Ankeny
Hours: Tues-Sun, 11am-9pm

The Story: A food cart born of passion, travel, friendship and…well…good cuisine. I give you Guero Tacos and Tortas.

Over the years, I have met food cart owners who are parents or boyfriends and girlfriends or fathers and sons. While most of these small businesses are single owners, many are the hard work of a few who have banded together to pursue a dream. I have fond memories of younger years when I and friends worked together to fullfill a collective dream. Granted, none were as ambitious as a full service restaurant on wheels, but I know the hard work it takes for people to come together for a single focused idea. At Guero, the three partners – Alec, Mike and Megan – all share in the duty to create the best cuisine they can. The idea behind Guero came from Alec’s time spent travelling and living in Mexico and then a transition to Burlington Vermont where he partnered with his mates and launched a mobile taco business named Taco the Town, a short lived service of delivering tacos by bike. When an opportunity to transition to a full service food cart, they jumped at it and opened Guero. But don’t fret, the delivery by bike is still a passion and may return.

At Guero, you can get tacos, tortas and bolos. Tacos are my crutch. When I see a chef hand pressing a masa tortilla, I’m blinded, seeing nothing else on the menu but the taco. The day we visited offered three different tacos – Carnitas el Guero, Cochinita Pibil and Jitomate. Each one’s description activated my tastebuds, but in the end, I chose the latter two. The Cochinita Pibil is a specialty from La Riviera May with pork slow cooked in achiote with shredded banana leaf and served with pickled onion. Take a bite and enjoy the savory pork, the acidity of onion along with the moist of the freshmade tortilla. Divine. The Jitomate taco is habanero-tamarind stewed tomato atop pinto beans and topped with crumbly Mexican cheese and a slice of avocado. I read it as a stewed habanero, so was expecting a spicy bite, yet it was a tomato with so much flavor, I couldn’t easily describe it. Another amazing example of the craft and care Guero takes with every single item they produce.

Tacos from Guero

Tacos from Guero

As stated, Guero was born from a taco bike delivery service, so these guys know what Portland eaters seek. Located at SE 28th and Ankeny at a lot with covered seating, a London bus to hang out in and three other food vendors. The lot boasts Captured by Porches so you can enjoy a microbrew with your taco or torta. Drop on by, grab something new and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

Menu may change daily or weekly. Be adventurous, visit and try something new.

  • Carnitas al Guero Taco – $2
  • Cochinita Pibil – $2
  • Tortas – all served with cilantro aioli, cabbage, avocado; carnitas; cochinita pibil, huarachi – $7

Phone: 503 593 8846
Twitter: @GueroPDX
Facebook: GueroPDX

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Dinner, Lunch, Mexican, SE 28th and Ankeny, Tacos, Vegetarian Options, Weekends

Wolf and Bear’s

dieselboi
September 23, 2012 Written by dieselboi Leave a Comment

Location: SE 28th and Ankeny
Hours: 11am-10pm daily

The Story: Wolf & Bear’s focuses on Iraqi and Israeli cuisine. Falafel, Sabich and more. You can find our article on Wolf & Bear’s here. They have 2 locations, SE 28th and Ankeny and N Mississippi and Shaver.

Facebook: Wolf & Bear’s

Filed Under: Dinner, Falafel, Iraqi, Lunch, Middle Eastern, SE 28th and Ankeny, Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options

The Grilled Cheese Grill SE

dieselboi
November 12, 2011 Written by dieselboi Leave a Comment
The Grilled Cheese Grill 2

The Grilled Cheese Grill 2

Location: SE 28th and Ankeny
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11-3:30; Sat, 11-8; Sun, 11-3:30

The Story:

The Grilled Cheese Grill has opened a second cart to serve those of you in south east Portland who don’t want to venture north of I84. With a double decker London bus anchoring the site, you can get everything you’ve come to love from the Grill at the new location. Specializing in simple yet unique grilled cheese sandwiches, this cart will transport you back to your childhood.

Website: GrilledCheeseGrill.com
Facebook: The Grilled Cheese Grill
Twitter: @GrildChzGrill

Filed Under: Debit/Credit Carts Accepted, Dinner, Lunch, Sandwiches, SE 28th and Ankeny, Vegetarian Options, Weekends
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