Pita Express

Location: SW 3rd and Washington
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm

The Story:

The lot at SW 3rd Ave has food from almost every corner of the world and with the addition of Pita Express, we can now get a taste of Lebanon.

Pita Express offers up both veggie and hot sandwiches with options including falafel, batata, chicken, kafta and beef shawarma. They have two different sized pitas so if you’re hungry, go with the large. I chose the smaller pita with falafel and had a forehead smacking moment when I saw they had lebneh. I love lebneh, the Lebanese cream cheese and will definitely return just for that. The falafel sandwich was wonderful with a grilled pita filled with falafel, greens, fresh tomato, cucumber, radish and tzatziki. This is the second falafel sandwich with the pita grilled and warm which I simply love it. The falafel was spot on, just how I like it and mixed with the fresh vegetables, you can’t go wrong.

Falafel sandwich from Pita Express

In a lot with Egyptian, Indonesian, Korean, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Thai, Vietnamese and even a cart doing smoked salmon dishes, Pita Express will need to define themselves to gain a following and after just one sandwich, I think they can do that. Drop on by and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Veggie Sandwich – $5; falafel, batata, lebneh, zaatar, hummus, baba ghanooj
• Hot Sandwich – $6; chicken kabab, chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, kafta, arayess
• Combo Plates – $7

Hours: Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm

Spring is definitely here and there is some news to report from Portland’s food carts.

Green Castle has re-opened with 9 carts ready to serve you. GF Chef and Diamond Thai have returned and newcomers include Picnic, Holy Cannoli, Flyin’ Hawaiian, HomeGrown Smoker 2, Chen’s Express, El Taco Yucateco and a soon to be open espresso cart. They still have covered seating and on site parking. NE 20th and Everett.

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Lardo, that amazing sandwich cart at Good Food Here, announced that they will be taking over the former Johnny B’s spot at the corner of SE 12th and Hawthorne across from the Cartopia pod. Rick Gencarelli, the owner, is partnering with ChefStable to create the restaurant with an outdoor patio and expanded menu. This is great news for Rick and those who enjoy his cooking, but sadly, the cart will close at Good Food Here. In addition to the restaurant, SugarCube, Kir Jensen’s sweet treat cart will move to the location to be the resident dessert purveyor. Congrats Kir and Rick.

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We have heard news that new development is going to remake SE Division in the coming years and have an effect on the food carts at D-Street Noshery. The project will begin construction in 2013 according to news reports, so the carts still have the summer and fall, but if you have been planning a trip down there, don’t wait to long. D-Street Noshery is at SE 32nd and Division and includes PDX671, Blues City Biscuits, Oregon Ice Works, Fuego de Lotus, Roshambo, The Pie Spot, Bailey’s Gourmet Hot Dogs, Koi Fusion and beer from Captured by Porches.

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Some new carts and some changes:

• Pita Express has opened on SW 3rd and Washington
• Khao-Moo-Daeng Thai has opened on SW 3rd and Stark
• Don Pedro has opened on SW 5th and Stark
• Cafe de Crepe has opened at Mississippi Marketplace
• Pastrami on Rye has closed and a new Salvadoran cart with Pupusas has taken over the cart on SW 4th and Hall

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I will be on KPAM AM860 at around 6:30am Friday morning to discuss all things food carts. Join me and the hosts for Food Cart Friday.

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A reminder that I do food cart tours daily downtown. If you have friends and family coming for a visit, it is a fun and enjoyable 90 minute walking tour of the carts and includes a few stops where we enjoy some of the best food in the city. You can find all the information on our Tours page. Looking forward to showing you the carts.

Enjoy the weather and keep on eatin’ on the street.

Argentina PDX

Location: NE 22nd and Alberta
Hours: Tues-Sun, 10:30am-8pm

The Story:

Every year around the holidays, my family gathers with friends from many generations and we make sausage – Swedish, Polish and Bratwurst. It has been a family tradition for more than 35 years. Needless to say, I have the recipes memorized and if asked, could probably recite them. Argentina PDX offers Choripan, an Argentinian Bratwurst sandwich, and when asked, yes, they make the bratwurst in house. I was intrigued.

In the 40′s, both during WWII and after, Argentina and other South American countries experiences a large immigration of Germans and Austrians fleeing Europe. Even today, there are small communities throughout the region where German is the primary language and the culture is still very much alive. As with how American food has been influenced by centuries of immigration, so too was Argentinian cuisine. Being a sausage fan, I asked if they source it locally and was happily surprised to learn they make it in house.

Choripan from Argentina PDX

Choripan is a bratwurst sandwich with lettuce, tomato and chimichurri sauce. I am use to having bratwurst as sausage in a casing, but here, it’s served without the casing as a patty. The bread, light and crispy with a flaky crust, is perfect for the sandwich, soaking up the juices from the wurst. The sausage was superb, a great mix of beef and pork with a bit of salt, pepper and other spices. The key here is how simple bratwurst it, it tastes great no matter who makes it.

Argentina PDX has a great menu of regional items and the day I visited, was doing a brisk lunch trade. I’m excited to return to try some of their other sandwiches including house made empanadas. The cart is open all week except for Monday for lunch through the dinner hour. Check it out, enjoy some excellent Argentinian fare and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Papas Fritas – french fries w/eggs – $3
• Milanesa – breaded steak, tomato, cheese, fries; beef or eggplant – $8
• Empanads – beef or spinach – $2
• Lomita – steak, tomato, lettuce, egg, ham and cheese – $8
• Choripan – Argentinian bratwurst, lettuce, tomato, chimichurri sauce – $7

Hours: Tues-Sun, 10:30am-8pm
Phone: 503 758 0961
Facebook: Argentina PDX

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Portland’s best Food Carts! Hoards of hungry masses descended upon the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) parking lot last Saturday, April 28^th, for Willamette Week’s 5^th annual Eat Mobile food cart fest.

If you don’t know the history of Eat Mobile it started something like this: Way back in 2007 we received a call from our friends over at Willamette Week, “we are looking to do a charity benefit this year and we were wondering if doing something with Portland’s food carts would be popular?” At that point none of were even sure if people would show up, or if any of the food carts would be interested. That was the understatement of the century. From the first year of 16 carts and food being sold out within the FIRST HOUR, to this year’s tightly run festival with 50 carts and plenty of food for all, Food Carts Portland continues to be a proud partner and sponsor in this celebration of all things mobile dining in our fair city.

As usual, the event is a benefit for the great microeconomic development work over at Mercy Corps Northwest, helping create small local businesses and jobs in our economy. We have to say from the crowd, this has to be one of the most diverse festivals in Portland of all ages, races, and ethnicities.  This year’s event featured everything from old favorites on the cart scene such as Wiffies Pies, Koi Fusion, and Aybla Grill. However, there were also plenty of new comers including Emame’s Ethiopian food, El Cubu de Cuba, and the London Pasty Company.  Check out Eat Mobile for the full line-up of participants.

But I bet you are wondering, who won the much coveted 2012 Carty Awards???? Stay tuned…we’ll reveal the winners soon along with links to the Willamette Week Eat Mobile slide show. And, don’t forget, Eat Mobile is an annual event.  Heck, Eat Mobile is a Portland tradition at this point and really just keeps getting better and better. See you next year!

Pupuseria la Miguelena

Location: SE 82nd and Harney, Cartlandia
Hours: weekdays, lunchtime into afternoon

The Story:

I was first introduced to Salvadorian pupusas last summer at La Cocina de Chepe. While there, I met Zoyla, the pupusa master making her magic in the kitchen. I was happy to see her in her own cart that opened in April.

Zoyla hails from San Miguel and makes the traditional pupusa El Salvador is known for. You can see a video of her creating the dish here. At her cart, you get the same amazing dish, but now she is in control. I enjoyed chatting with her about her transition from employee to cart owner with her friend Ed doing a bit of translating. If Zoyla didn’t understand, she would ask us both to teach her the English. All this while she crafted the dough and ingredients and threw the pupusa on the flattop. She has made so many of these, she can do it in her sleep and they are still amazing. Such a warm smile, I’m overjoyed to see Zoyla out on her own.

Along with pupusas, you can enjoy other Salvadorian dishes like yuca con chicharron, platano frido or tamales Salvadorenos. I was all about the pupusas, so picked up a cheese, a cheese and bean and a cheese and loroco. Loroco is made from a flower that blooms in El Salvador. I devoured these guys and wished I had ordered more to have another day. For  hand food at a low price, pupusas may just become a go-to food for me.

Zoyla’s cart, Pupuseria La Miguelena is now open at Cartlandia out on SE 82nd and Harney. Along with 20 other carts and a beer garden, she serves up her dishes daily and on weekends during the lunch hour and beyond. Drop on by and congratulate her on opening her own cart and let her know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Pupusas – $2.50
• Yuca con Chicharron – $5.50
• Platano Frito – $5
• Bistec Encebollado – $7
• Tamales Salvadorenos – $2

Hours: weekdays and weekends for lunch and more
Phone: 503 804 3653

Just a reminder that the annual 2012 EAT MOBILE food cart festival is tomorrow night, Saturday, April 28th! For the 5th year in a row, Food Carts Portland is proud to be one of the sponsors. This year the event is located at OMSI and will feature over 50 food carts, along with the annual “Carty Awards”. The event is under the guidance of our long term friends and partners Willamette Week as a benefit for MercyCorps Northwest. VIP tickets are now sold out, but General Admission tickets are still available.

Food Carts Portland will be there at our own table handing out Food Carts Portland stickers until we run out. Come by, grab a sticker, and say hello. We’d love to meet you!

2102 EAT MOBILE
Date—Saturday, April 28, 2012
Time— 6-9:30 pm
Location—OMSI parking lot
Prices— $18
Tickets on sale  at the Willamette Week office, OMSI and online at omsi.edu. Other event details can be found at www.wweek.com/portland/eatmobile

Carte Blanche

Location: SE 32nd and Hawthorne
Hours: Thurs-Sun, 12-7pm

The Story:

The ubiquitous silver Airstreams that banked so many miles on the byways of America have now carved out a second life for themselves as food carts. Carte Blanche is the newest on the scene with one pretty silver trailer.

Jesse and Ally have been friends since elementary school, so the cramped quarters of the cart don’t phase them. After culinary school, Jesse spent some time in the kitchen at Pok Pok before finding the cart on Craigslist and with the help of a fellow cart owner, got it built out and opened. Her friends and family also participated by crafting the curtains and bringing a bit of home to it. When you arrive, you’re invited under the awning where there are a few chairs and a small table so you can get out of the rain. Such a cozy spot.

Gromit's Feed from Carte Blanche

The menu at Carte Blanche ranges from sandwiches to bowls and salads and some tasty treats on the side. The day we visited, they were offering samples of their Kale chips which were perfectly crispy and also good for you. The Gromit’s Feed is a lamb and beef burger topped with tzatziki, caramelized onion, feta, tomato and an apple slaw then served upon a rosemary bun. Every bit of the sandwich is a flavor explosion from the burger to the bun to the slaw to the onions. So many unique flavors all put together to create a very special sandwich. I especially enjoyed how the caramelized onions mixed well with the sweetness of the apple slaw and the burger.

Carte Blanche has been open now for about a month at the corner of SE 32nd and Hawthorne with a couple of other carts. When I asked about their hours, they stated they are open till 7 or until they sell out. Be sure to try the Kale chips – something you don’t find on many menus and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

[Menu changes weekly, so please visit their website for an updated menu]

• Vegetal Situation: house made veggie burger, pesto aioli, Flagship cheese, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, sesame bun – $7
• Gromit’s Feed Burger: $7
• The Old Pal: glazed sweet potatoes, sundried tomato polenta, Brussels, mushrooms, rosemary walnuts, candied bacon and sour cream – $6.50
• The Ocean Age: crispy calamari or pan-fried tilapia caramelized in lime, garlic and chili. Quinoa, sugarsnaps, crispy shallots, basil, cilantro and radish – $6.50
• Pal of Brutus: Romaine, basil peppercorn Caesar, Parmesan, roasted beats and corn, brown butter croutons and lemon – sm, $3; lg, $5

Hours: Thurs-Sun, 12-7pm
Phone: 971.222.8626
Website: CarteBlancheFoodCart.com
Twitter: @CarteBlanchePDX
Facebook: Carte Blanche

Ramy's Lamb Shack

Location: SE 82nd and Harney at Cartlandia
Hours: Mon-Sun, 11am-7pm

The Story:

Ramy of the Lamb Shack is a character. When I met him, he corrected the pronunciation of how I pronounced his name – “say it like raw meat.” All I could do is chuckle. This is the kind of cart owner I enjoy chatting with.

Ramy’s Lamb Shack focuses on Mediterranean gyro and kabob dishes. Having grown up in Egypt with Egyptian and Italian parents, Ramy has a lot going for him in the kitchen. After working as a butcher, he wanted to try something new and the cart came to be. I chatted with him about the ingredients he uses and loved that he included fresh cucumbers from his personal garden in my gyro. How cool is that?

Falafel from Ramy's Lamb Shack

The menu offers up lamb, chicken, kafta and falafel gyros along with kabob plates. In my quest to expand my falafel palate, I decided to check them out. Made with fava beans, some parsley and onion, these falafel were some of the best I’ve found. I was surprised by the green, but when I learned it was from fava beans, it made sense. The wrap is grilled before everything is added to create a crunchy warm vessel for the falafel, cucumber, tomato, tzatziki, tahini and fresh cut onion. So many amazing flavors and so fresh. I’ll be back.

Cartlandia continues to add great new carts like Ramy’s and now has a beer garden. Check it out, enjoy some of Ramy’s lamb or falafel and let him know Food Carts Portland sent ya.

Sample Menu:

• Lamb Gyro – $8.99
• Chicken Gyro – $6.99
• Kafta Gyro – $7.99
• Falafel – $5.99
• Baklava – $2.50 or 5 for $10
• Lamb Kabob plate – $9.99

Hours: Mon-Sun, 11am-7pm
Phone: 503.381.7783
Facebook: Ramy’s Lamb Shack

Welcome to Spring. It finally arrived. Some news from the carts:

Port of Buenos Aires

New Carts:

• Port of Buenos Airies – Argentinian – SW 9th and Washington
• NW Tacos – SW 2nd and Oak
• Dog-On-It – SW 4th and College
• The Heart Cart – vegan and GF – SW 2nd and Stark

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There is a news that a new pod is taking shape on NE 15th and Alberta. The spot has hosted food carts in the past, but they are giving it a face-lift and naming it Alberta15. Watch for carts to start setting up in the coming week with grand-opening slated for May. Carts -  Stumptown Dumplings, Yakinese, Cultured Caveman and Katsu Zoku.

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Neighborhood Notes recently posted a well written article about food carts and the new ability to get liquor licenses. This comes on the heels of the grand opening of Cartlandia’s beer garden out off 82nd. Time will tell if this most recent change will affect the food cart scene on a broader level.

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Eat Mobile is happening Saturday. Do you have your tickets yet? VIP are sold out, but there still are some GA tickets up for grabs. $18 gets you plenty of samples from 50 different vendors and you’re supporting a great cause – Mercy Corps Northwest. Speaking of tickets, 89 of you left some great comments in our ticket giveaway and the winner, picked randomly, is Scott Grady. Congrats Scott!

Enjoy the weather.

Here’s your chance at 2 GA tickets to Eat Mobile 2012. The premier food cart tasting event sponsored by Willamette Week and benefiting Mercy Corp Northwest will occur at OMSI on April 28 from 6-9:30pm. At Eat Mobile, you’ll be able to sample from 50 different Portland street food vendors while enjoying some live music and cooking demonstrations. I understand Kevin Sandri from Garden State will be doing something special.

Willamette Week has passed on a pair of tickets for one lucky Food Carts Portland reader. Just leave a comment telling us which cart you’re looking forward to sampling from and we’ll randomly pick one lucky winner by the end of Sunday, April 22. Good luck!

Eat Mobile 2012
OMSI
April 28, 2012; 6-9:30pm
Tickets