Obviously, with more than 460 food carts operating at a given time, it was impossible to try them all — but I gave it my best shot. I hit 15 of about 36 known pods in four days, each with four to 10 carts open (sometimes the owners just take the day off, and I say good for them).
The variety of foods offered was so staggering, it was hard to pick just a sampling to offer here.
Cart: Snow White House Crêpes
Pod: SW 10th and Alder (noon to 11 p.m. daily)
Why it’s worthy: The menu is more than a dozen pages long. If it can be put into a crêpe, darling owner Abby Tian, who’s usually there chatting up the customers, will cram it in there.
Eat this: The cheese-gooey Swedish meatball as entree, and then one of the fruit/homemade custard concoctions for dessert. Prices are $3-$6.50.
Cart: Nong’s Khao Man Gai
Pod: SW 10th and Alder (11 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m. weekdays)
Why it’s worthy: Chicken and rice done Thai-style, so well and so simple, it’s almost unbelievable. The chicken really does melt in your mouth, and the dipping sauce, a light, fermented broth scented with ginger and garlic. Go early, because there’s usually a line, and sometimes they run out.
Eat this: Khao man gai (chicken with rice) for $6.
Cart: Spella Caffe
Pod: SW Ninth and Alder (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily)
Why it’s worthy: Everywhere I went, people said, “The best latte you’ll ever have in your life is at Spella.” These are strong words, especially to me, a serious joe junkie, and in a town that takes its coffee very seriously. And then I had not one, not two, but three lattes at Spella in rapid succession. It’s that good. Turns out owner Andrea Spella moved to Portland most recently from Denver. The espresso is so smooth, I wanted to marry it.
Drink this: A latte ($3.50), for sure. Or anything made with Spella’s personally roasted beans and hand-cranked, piston-fired, manually extracted espresso machine. And they actually ask you if you want a glass of water.
Cart: Mai Pho
Pod: SW Ninth and Alder (lunch weekdays)
Why it’s worthy: Inexpensive and tasty pho made using the freshest ingredients, and owner Nary Hazelett (whom some locals call “Mary”) is as friendly and accommodating as can be (she’ll switch out ingredients or add things if you ask). The vegetarian spring rolls are fresh and filling too.
Eat this: Beef pho $5.50, which sports one savory broth in its 32 ounces.
Cart: Smokin’ Pig BBQ
Pod: SW Fifth and Oak/Stark (lunch weekdays)
Why it’s worthy: For starters, they let you have free samples, so if you don’t like it, nothing ventured . . . but chances are you’ll like it. What’s not to like? This is South Carolina-style ‘cue, sweet and tangy, a little spicy. They offer three sauces — mild, medium and hot — for more moistness, and the portions are generous.
Eat this: The super-tender pulled pork on a platter, with baked beans, vinegary coleslaw and a spongy roll ($6).
Cart: Brunch Box
Pod: SW 5th and Oak/Stark (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays)
Why it’s worthy: So many reasons, not the least of which is that they do breakfast and make their English muffins from scratch, and they’ll put just about anything on a burger, including blue cheese, vegetarian sausage and Spam, all at the same time, if you want.
Eat this: The YouCanHasCheeseburger! ($5), a ying-yang of desire and greasy whoa! that involves two grilled cheese sandwiches made with butter- slathered Texas toast that barely contain a juice-dripping slab of beautifully grilled Angus beef. There’s a frill of green leaf lettuce for color, and more cheese. Because it needed … more.
Cart: Built To Grill
Pod: SW Third and Washington (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays)
Why it’s worthy: As with all of the carts, everything is made to order, but this one specializes in Italian dishes such as pasta and panini. The owners have a sign posted asking folks for patience — they only have two burners — so be prepared for a tiny bit longer wait than you might have elsewhere, but you won’t be sorry.
Eat this: Fryer Friday is the day to be here, when you can get the amazing salt and pepper calamari ($5). The BST is pretty good too, a panini with bacon, spinach and tomato, mozzarella and roasted garlic aioli ($6), as is the grilled muffuletta ($6), which contains house-made pesto.
Cart: Big Fat Weiners
Pod: SW Third and Ash (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays)
Why it’s worthy: David Thornton is usually wearing a weiner hat as he grills up your dogs, and Jason Graham lovingly piles on so many toppings, it’s hard to know there’s still a dog in there somewhere. But while “Whole Lotta Love” blares from their speakers and smoke pours out of the grill, you’ll take down some of the tastiest — and possibly weirdest — toppings imaginable: smashed Fritos and avocados, maybe, or chipotle cream cheese and bacon.
Eat this: Anything the guys hand you. Beware: They’re known to throw bacon on dogs that aren’t supposed to have it; because they like you, and they like bacon.
Cart: Bombay Chaat House
Pod: SW 12th Avenue and Yamhill (10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday)
Why it’s worthy: One of the best cheap lunches for vegetarians, the $5 meal of rice, naan, dal and two veggie sides had such a rep I had to go check it out. You also get chai while you wait, so it’s quite the deal. Stay out of the controversy over this cart versus the original and you’ll be better off, because it’s all about the food.
Eat this: The lunch special. Throw in a couple of chaats (snacks) if that’s not enough — the pishwari breads with syrup and the samosas are all heavenly.
Cart: Whiffies Fried Pie Cart
Pod: SE 12th and Hawthorne (8 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly)
Why it’s worthy: There are some carts that locals mention repeatedly as must-tries, and this is one of them. They put all kinds of savory ($4) and sweet ($3) stuff inside their deep-fried pies, and it’s all good, especially late at night, after you’ve been out for a while and have worked up an appetite.
Eat this: The Kahlua pork, the banana Nutella chocolate or the BBQ brisket with mozzarella
Cart: Potato Champion
Pod: SE 12th and Hawthorne (8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday)
Why it’s worthy: Because it pairs fried potatoes with every sauce imaginable — including horseradish ketchup; remoulade and hot mustard — and knows to fry the frites twice, and is very friendly, which is extra-welcome at 1 a.m.
Eat this: Belgian frites ($3.50), or poutine, the best thing Canada exports — fries smothered in peppery brown gravy and melty cheese curds ($4)
Cart: Nuevo Mexico
Pod: Mississippi Marketplace (noon- dinner Wednesday through Sunday)
Why it’s worthy: Half the people go to this cart to see if former Shins drummer Jesse Sandoval can really make food, while the other half go because they already know he can. The small menu focuses on tacos made New Mexican style, and the food comes out well spiced and not greasy, all made from scratch. It’s fabulous.
Eat this: Carne adovada sopaipilla ($5.50) with a Mexican Coke
Cart: The Sugar Cube
Pod: N Mississippi at Skidmore
Why it’s worthy: Owner Kir Jensen is as adorable as the confections she sends out of her cute pink trailer — cupcakes and tarts and panna cottas that she serves on, get this, her family’s china.
Eat this: The Amy Winehouse cupcake, which is all hopped up on brandy and slathered in so much ganache it looks just like her hair — and it comes with a straw and a “Colombian sugar bump” ($3.50)
Cart: La Jarochita
Pod: SW Fifth and Oak/Stark (7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays)
Why it’s worthy: If you’re a tamale fan, this should be your mecca, because the ones made here, along with the huaraches (thick, masa-filled tortillas), are out of this world. What helps make them special are the homemade fillings, like their smoky, well-seasoned chorizo and juicy chicken, and it took three of us to take down an enormous burrito ($4). They offer fresh and pickled jalapeños, and the horchata is rich and cinnamon-spicy.
Eat this: Combo plates of anything are $5 and come with beans, rice and all the fixings.
Kyle Wagner
