Bing Mi Food Cart

January 9, 2015 by 13 Comments

When it starts into the winter season, I always try to make extra effort to support a local Portland food cart if I can because it’s a hard time for them. They are still staying up late/getting up early to prep the food, but then seeing so many less people come out because of the colder/rainier weather.

While all customers do is endure running out there to grab the food and then bring it back to eat, the food cart owners are left all day in their small food cart abode, just looking out into the grey skies and feeling perhaps the sideways wind blow into them if they are unlucky. If they are lucky, they might have a little window to try to build up a little warmth while they are waiting for customers, but as soon as they slide it open to welcome you, remember all that is gone!
Bing Mi! Authentic Chinese Wraps from a cart in Portland. A jianbing is a savory crepe with scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and wonton cracker. You can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your jian bing if you'd like. Bing Mi! Authentic Chinese Wraps from a cart in Portland. A jianbing is a savory crepe with scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and wonton cracker. You can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your jian bing if you'd like.

Bing Mi! food cart, located at SW 3rd and Ash (UPDATE: it seems now they are moving to SW 9th & Alder and will be there starting next week) specializes in one main dish: JianBing.
Bing Mi! Authentic Chinese Wraps from a cart in Portland. A jianbing is a savory crepe with scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and wonton cracker. You can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your jian bing if you'd like. Bing Mi! Authentic Chinese Wraps from a cart in Portland. A jianbing is a savory crepe with scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and wonton cracker. You can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your jian bing if you'd like.

Jianbing (or jian bing) is a crepe like snack that is popular in Northern Chinese cities. You get it from streetside stalls, so it seems a perfect fit to be a food cart in Portland. In China people eat it for breakfast, as a snack, or after drinking.

A jianbing by Bing Mi! includes scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and big flat pieces of wonton cracker. You get a choice of spiciness to the chili sauce. Also, you can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your bing if you’d like. Without the extra protein a jianbing is a light meal. Really jianbing can be filled with anything, so I wonder if over time we might see more special additions available.
Bing Mi! Authentic Chinese Wraps from a cart in Portland. A jianbing is a savory crepe with scrambled egg, black bean paste, chili sauce, green onion, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and wonton cracker. You can get extra egg or extra cracker, or add sausage to your jian bing if you'd like.

When you get it made fresh, it is bundled up in paper so you can hold it and warm both hands as you are enjoying the soft and crispy textures with every bite.

Bing Mi! has only been open barely a month, and I appreciate that they are bringing something unique to the food cart scene. They are open 7:30 to 3:00, which is perfect for a breakfast or lunch that you can eat on the go!

Have you ever heard of jianbing before? 

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Food Carts PDX at the Portland Airport

November 21, 2014 by 9 Comments

There may be many of you who will be passing through the Portland Airport (PDX) in the upcoming weeks, so I wanted to take the time to remind you that there are food carts there! Unfortunately they are located pre-security, so you will have to be mindful of either arriving early so you can dine there before going through security, or as I did, on the way home I stopped by to grab a bite to eat before I went home. The carts are currently open 9 AM – 9 PM every day.

Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX include Love & Whisky, Koi Fusion, and Pok Pok Wing

When I visited, there were currently 3 carts that were open, though I see there are 4 more carts present so there could be more coming anytime soon! The three there include an outpost of Pok Pok of famous Thai food chef (don’t let his whiteness fool you) Andy Ricker called Pok Pok Wing, the well known in Portland mashup of Mexican and Korean of Koi Fusion, and finally Love & Whisky a gourmet burger and sandwiches cart (who I believe is a temporary visitor for just a month, not sure who else will rotate in for the future).

Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX include Love & Whisky, Koi Fusion, and Pok Pok Wing

Love & Whisky

Love & Whisky offers breakfast sandwiches until 10 AM that include a BLAT Breakfast Sandwich with bacon, arugula, avocado, grilled tomato, eggs and sourdough with breakfast tots, The Classic with bacon, eggs, Tillamook cheddar on a breakfast torta with breakfast tots, to may I point out the Bourbon Buttermilk Pancakes with house bacon compound butter and bourbon infused Vermont maple syrup, among the handful of breakfast only offerings.

Love & Whisky food cart at the Portland Airport PDX serving up gourmet burgers

Don’t worry, you can also get your fix in burger form though, like their Bourbon Burger with Bulleit bourbon house bacon jam, port bbq sauce, Rogue smoky bleu compound butter, crispy carrot and shallot straws and green leaf lettus with tots, or even go with the Prospect with whisky thyme caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, horseradish garlic aioli, Swiss, tomato, and green leaf lettuce. Did I mention that the burger meat is homemade mixture of sirloin and pork belly? You can even go vegetarian thanks to their Green Grilled Cheese with aged white cheddar, house pesto, avocado, tomato, and spinach on Portland City Sourdough. Definitely NOT vegetarian is their Drunk Philly Sandwich with shaved sirloin, grilled banana peppers, hard cider braised peppers and onions, garlic aioli, and Swiss and Monterey jack cheese sauce. I’ve never eaten at this cart before, but if you check out their Facebook page these sandwiches look amazing. They will be my stop next time I’m going through the airport.
Bourbon Burger and Drunk Philly from food cart Love & Whisky

Pok Pok Wing

Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX include Pok Pok Wing which has the Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings that Pok Pok is famous for, besides also Mantou and a Thai Curry dish Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX include Pok Pok Wing which has the Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings that Pok Pok is famous for, besides also Mantou and a Thai Curry dish

If you’re looking for something a little smaller, stop by Pok Pok instead where they offer the famous Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings, which you can get normal or spicy. You can get a half dozen in a full order, or just 3 wings in a half order of these fresh whole natural chicken wings marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried, and tossed in caramlized Phu Quoo fish sauce and garlic. People wait in the cold in queue for these wings in Portland and New York at the Pok Pok restaurants, but you can have a seat inside the food court for your order with no wind or rain at all.
Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings which you can get normal or spicy. You can get a half dozen in a full order, or just 3 wings in a half order of these fresh whole natural chicken wings marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried, and tossed in caramlized Phu Quoo fish sauce and garlic Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings which you can get normal or spicy. You can get a half dozen in a full order, or just 3 wings in a half order of these fresh whole natural chicken wings marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried, and tossed in caramlized Phu Quoo fish sauce and garlic

This is one of Pok Pok’s signature dishes that even Andy Ricker admitted was the initial “food crack” that helped bring people through the door when Pok Pok first opened and helped open the door to people trying the more authentic Thai food and flavors he offers.

A special offering here is also the Mantou, or Chinese Steam Buns, which you can buy a single or multiple of. They have three to choose from: of course I got a set of 3.  If you haven’t had mantou before, they are very soft and simple steamed bread with flour yeast and water that is a Chinese staple.
Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX include Pok Pok Wing which has Mantou or steamed Chinese buns with 3 possible toppings. I got all 3.

  • Mantou Muu Waan: my favorite of the 3, this is a sweet and savory pulled pork (the Muu Waan) with fried shallots and cilantro on the steam bun
    Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Mantou, or Chinese Steam Buns, these here are filled with Muu Waan, this is a sweet and savory pulled pork with fried shallots and cilanto on the steam bun Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Mantou, or Chinese Steam Buns, these here are filled with Muu Waan, this is a sweet and savory pulled pork with fried shallots and cilanto on the steam bun
  • Mantou Khai Jiew: my second favorite with a Thai style scrambled egg omelette (Khai Jiew) folded on top of the mantou and topped with Sriracha sauce
    Mantou Khai Jiew: my second favorite with a Thai style scrambled egg omelette (Khai Jiew) folded on top of the mantou and topped with Sriracha sauce. From Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX that include Pok Pok Wing which has Mantou or steamed Chinese buns with 3 possible toppings. I got all 3. Mantou Khai Jiew: my second favorite with a Thai style scrambled egg omelette (Khai Jiew) folded on top of the mantou and topped with Sriracha sauce. From Food Carts PDX, the food carts available presecurity at the Portland Airport PDX that include Pok Pok Wing which has Mantou or steamed Chinese buns with 3 possible toppings. I got all 3.
  • Mantou Taohu: fried tofu glazed with wing caramel in a mantou with pickled vegetables and lettuce. For this one, I might suggest adding a dollop of the Sriracha (photos from 2 diff visits thus the diff in tofu friedness)
    Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Mantou, or Chinese Steam Buns, these here are with the filling of fried tofu glazed with wing caramel with pickled vegetables and lettuce Pok Pok Wing at the PDX airport offers Mantou, or Chinese Steam Buns, these here are with the filling of fried tofu glazed with wing caramel with pickled vegetables and lettuce

Besides the wings and mantou, they also have a dish available vegetarian if you wish of Khanom Jiin Naam Yaa, a coconut curry dish with ground catfish or mushrooms over rice vermicelli noodles, a very classic Thai dish.
Khanom Jiin Naam Yaa vegetarian at Pok Pok Wing at PDX Airport, this is a a coconut curry dish with ground catfish or mushrooms and tofu (vegetarian) over rice vermicelli noodles Khanom Jiin Naam Yaa vegetarian at Pok Pok Wing at PDX Airport, this is a a coconut curry dish with ground catfish or mushrooms and tofu (vegetarian) over rice vermicelli noodles

You can wash all this down with some of the tart Som Sodas they offer (they are drinking vinegars to be prepared for the sour tartness – you can dilute with more water if you’d like), Thai Iced Tea with evaporated milk or with fresh lime juice, or Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee and Milk

Koi Fusion

I admit I didn’t stop at Koi Fusion as I can easily get to their cart myself in Portland, but in case you haven’t seen or are not familiar with their offerings, here are some previous photos I have taken. Their concept is a mix of Mexican burritos, tacos, bowls, and quesadillas that use marinated Korean meat fillings and pickled vegetables to mash up the flavors.
Koi Fusion menu at their cart

Below you see short rib and the spicy pork filled Korean Tacos, and then their Seoul Sliders.
Koi Fusion Tacos Koi Fusion Tacos Koi Fusion Sliders

And here’s a photo from when I did stop on a future visit, and got the Korean Cheesesteak with Short Rib (my choice of protein), grilled bulgogi, sauteed onions and peppers, melted cheese, sauteed kimchi, wasabi mayo and Korean spread on a toasted bun.
Koi Fusion Korean Cheessteak with Short Rib (my choice of protein), grilled bulgogi, sauteed onions and peppers, melted cheese, sauteed kimchi, wasabi mayo and Korean spread on a toasted bun Koi Fusion Korean Cheessteak with Short Rib (my choice of protein), grilled bulgogi, sauteed onions and peppers, melted cheese, sauteed kimchi, wasabi mayo and Korean spread on a toasted bun

So, if you are traveling through the Portland airport, or picking or sending someone, think about the convenient Portland Food Carts here that are open known hours, are indoors, have a known food court seating area with tables and chairs… Ha ha or if you are picking someone up, tell them to stop here and come out with a box to go for everyone! Are you traveling through the PDX airport or visiting the airport during this season?

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Haan Ghin

August 6, 2014 by 8 Comments

I was reading my feeds on the train (since I don’t drive, I often am writing posts or reading blogs or links on FB/Twitter/whatever as I commute) and came across the Oregonions’ article on Portland’s Top 10 new food cartsof 2014. That’s where I learned about a food cart that was only a few blocks from me by co-owners Anthony Manivanh and Ann Derryberry, a Laotian little shack/cart right by the PSU Library at SW Park and Harrison.
Haan Ghin and co-owners Anthony Manivanh and Ann Derryberry Haan Ghin and co-owners Anthony Manivanh and Ann Derryberry

It’s only open during the daytime and on the weekdays (aka Monday – Fridays 11isham-2:30 or 3pm, which is why I had never been able to visit. When there was one day that I had some online meetings in the morning but no need to be in the office until right after lunch, so I decided to grab some of their food to go on my way in.

Laos is a country just to the east of Thailand, and similar to its other neighbors Burma, Vietnam, and Cambodia but most similar to Thailand. In fact, the two languages are extremely close, but yet have differences. At least, it’s different enough that when I hear the language and sentence structures and see the written language, it is both familiar but I also don’t fully understand. I can read a few of the letters (and fully read the Open sign), but when reading the menu there are letters I just don’t know. Haan sounds like Ah-Haan which is food in Thai, and Ghin means to Eat.

You are going to get the same experience with the food of Haan Ghin – it will be reminiscent of Thai food in some ways, but also new.
Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland

The Haan Ghin menu is small, which I take as a sign of expertise. I went with both the Mii Gai and and Laap Gai main dishes.

Mii Gai in both Laos and Thai means Noodles (Mii) and Chicken (Gai). The details are that these are egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin. I was sorely tempted to pay a mere $1 more for extra chicken skin but wanted to show you what a regular order looks like, so held in my greed. It is a sacrifice I still think about.
Mii Gai, egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Mii Gai, egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Mii Gai, egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Mii Gai, egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland

I thought that would be my favorite dish. I am a sucker for Southeast Asian noodle dishes, especially if they have egg noodle. But, do not overlook the spicy Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root).
Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root) from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root) from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root) from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root) from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland

Really, just look at those photos, and know that it is as excellent as it looks.
Haan Ghin food cart in Portland's delicious craveable dish of Mii Gai in both Laos and Thai means Noodles (Mii) and Chicken (Gai). The details are that these are egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin Haan Ghin food cart in Portland's delicious craveable dish of Mii Gai in both Laos and Thai means Noodles (Mii) and Chicken (Gai). The details are that these are egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin

You can find out more about Haan Ghain on their Facebook page or also follow them at @HaanGhin on Twitter

Haan Ghin on Urbanspoon

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Mama Chow’s Kitchen

July 23, 2014 by 8 Comments

One of the reasons I always am very excited for the Eat Mobile food cart festival in April every year is that it is an opportunity for me to discover new food carts. Since I work in Beaverton, I miss out on a lot of the food carts that are open for lunch downtown on the weekdays. I also don’t tend to be out eating at the “late night pods” that start from 11pm on on the weekend nights. Usually one of the main reasons I get to enjoy a food cart is if I happen to have an appointment so I am working a half day. Of course, that’s still no excuse completely since even though not all of them are open, there are some open at other hours and on the weekend, and at other cart pods besides downtown.

A couple weeks ago after a dentist appointment, I took the opportunity to go grab lunch at one of the food carts that really impressed me at Eat Mobile 2014 this year (as I recapped previously). This was the Mama Chow’s Kitchen food cart, which had provided a sample of fried chicken wing with honey soy glaze, garlic noodles… YUM. Also, their cart is adorable!
Eat Mobile 2014 My vote for best food cart sample was Mama Chow's Kitchen with their sample of fried chicken wings with honey soy glaze, garlic noodles... YUM. Also, their cart is adorable! Eat Mobile 2014 My vote for best food cart sample was Mama Chow's Kitchen with their sample of fried chicken wings with honey soy glaze, garlic noodles... YUM.

My stop around lunchtime at 12 was very fortunate, because I got the second to last chicken order at the cart! The cart is located at SW 2nd and Stark, just a half block away from Mother’s Bistro. There, Jeff Chow, transplant from Oakland and trained chef is bearing his Mama’s recipes, offering choices such as or his mom’s Wontons in wonton soup, lollipop wings, kalua pork, or garlic noodles.
Jeff Chow, proprietar of Mama Chow's Kitchen, taking orders at Mama Chow's Kitchen for his mom's Wontons in wonton soup (pork, shrimp or chicken wontons in house broth with baby bok choy), lollipop wings (honey soy garlic glaze with jasmine rice and baby bok chow), kalua pork with garlic noodles and cayote squash, or garlic noodles that are fresh made local noodles with chayote squash and onion relish

There are a generous number of wontons in that Wonton Soup, with his mom’s wontons full of flavorful pork, shrimp or chicken in the house broth with baby bok choy. It’s the best wonton soup I’ve ever had. I took the photos below before adding anything extra, but there are lots of various condiments, including spicy hot sauce to amp up this soup even more.
Mama Chow's Kitchen, taking orders at Mama Chow's Kitchen for his mom's Wontons in wonton soup (pork, shrimp or chicken wontons in house broth with baby bok choy) Mama Chow's Kitchen, taking orders at Mama Chow's Kitchen for his mom's Wontons in wonton soup (pork, shrimp or chicken wontons in house broth with baby bok choy)

The garlic noodles are amazing, fresh made with chayote squash and onion relish. It sounds simple, but it is so good you will gobble it all up faster than you think. Yes, you can get them with the other dishes probably on his menu, but you want a whole order of these noodles.
Mama Chow's Kitchen: Garlic noodles and cayote squash, or garlic noodles that are fresh made local noodles with chayote squash and onion relish Mama Chow's Kitchen: Garlic noodles and cayote squash, or garlic noodles that are fresh made local noodles with chayote squash and onion relish

From my second try of these chickens, let me confirm that these are justifiably raved about lollipop chickens that come in a honey soy garlic glaze with jasmine rice and baby bok choy. You can see the lollipop name comes from the fact that the meat is pushed up slightly to expose a bone handle. The chicken is juicy inside, but the skin is crisped up from the glaze. The only improvement or recommendation I have for you when you order is to switch out the rice with those excellent garlic noodles.
Mama Chow's Kitchen justifiably raved about lollipop wings with honey soy garlic glaze with jasmine rice and baby bok choy

He makes everything fresh so there may be a 5-7 minute wait, but it’s worth it.

You can find/follow more of the deliciousness of Mama Chow’s Kitchen at their Facebook page, or on their Instagram @MamaChowsKitchen or on their Twitter @MamaCsKitchen

As a side note, because of the timing of this post… I just want to point out that if you are going to OBF, Mama Chow’s is open from 11-3 so you could bring it as your lunch, and they are also open 12-5 on Saturdays if you attend OBF that day. The cart is only a few blocks away (1/2 block North of the Mother’s Bistro on SW 2nd)

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