At the Saraveza Block 15 Winter Dinner I attended last month, I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of Pierre and Anabelle, a couple who moved from Maui and were planning to open a food cart specializing in oven grilled pizzas with inventive flavor combinations and quality local ingredients. Pierre and Anabelle ran a similar cart in Hawaii, and are bringing it to downtown Portland.

After becoming twitter friends and being tortured with instagrams of their pizzas in practice runs, they had a small pre-launch party this past Sunday and I was so thrilled to be invited. UPDATE: Pulehu is now open at SW 3rd and Stark, check them out for lunch and late night: see their Twitter for updates on their hours of operation!

Both Pierre and Anabelle miraculously balanced being hosts that found some time to chat with guests while also being producers of multiple pizzas to feed us two dozen people most of their planned cart menu! Also, they were going to that same evening to move their cart to its downtown PDX location where they will be opening the Pulehu Pizza food cart SW 3rd and Stark. These two are passionate and so excited to get started. Also thanks to the Hurlimans for opening up their lovely home, and everyone who brought their adorable and so energetic kids who were endlessly fun to watch, like a constant show…

Here are some photos of their creations from that day. The tastings started out with their Caesar salad with homemade croutons. I never got any of the Dark Chocolate Mousse with a velvety vanilla bean creme, but given the way I saw the kids of the house licking the chocolate from their hands and scraping at the cup, and then running off refueled for more time playing soccer or on the trampoline… my conclusion is that that chocolate mousse definitely wasn’t bad… :X

The classic cheese and a pepperoni pizzas were devoured by the kids in mere minutes. The dough and execution on the grill strikes a perfect balance between crispy with a bit of stretchy doughyness still left, and there was never any soggyness in any piece I sampled. The Shepherd’s Grain flour they use for the dough, and sourcing some cheese (if not their homemade ricotta) from Steve’s Cheese Bar or meat from Tails and Trotters speaks to their high quality ingredients that also support other local businesses. Pulehu also plans to explore curing their own meats as well.

The Margherita includes tomato, pesto, and what will be their housemade ricotta. The pesto was so good we wanted more than just the pretty squiggle!

Here is the Mushroom Lovers, with mushroom, housemade ricotta, garlic and herbs, and the extra addition of truffle oil (there is also an option to meatify it with bacon).

Everyone I saw seemed to swoon when they bit into this Cheddar, Chicken, Bacon pizza with a generous dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of green onions.

Somewhere in the middle, I had a chance to visit their  sexy black pizza cart and the shiny (weighing in at a muscular 250 pounds!?!)  “Beast” grill inside which nurtures their pizzas to completion, either at the 8″ or 12″ sizes. Somehow in the excitement to see the pizzas being made, I did not take a snapshot of the cart on the outside- my bad.

The Meat Lovers with pepperoni, sausage, garlic, and grana padano was a big hit and really does celebrate the meat- Pulehu might have to dial it back slightly because seriously, this is a lot of meat! I can barely see the pizza.

Pierre brings this pizza as a representative of his French background: the Alsatian Flamee with a sour cream base, onion and bacon, and here St Nectaire Cheese although Anabelle explained that usually this pizza is served “Natural” just without the cheese, and with the cheese it is usually called a “Gratinee” instead. I’ve had this sorta of pizza before- specifically at Gruner for New Year’s when ringing in 2012, but theirs was a tarte flambee “bonne anee”- alsatian pizza with sweet onions, maine lobster, smoky bacon, fromage blanc & chives.

Even without the lobster, I found the version by Pulehu Pizza better.

The Pulehu Steak Pizza with grilled steak, tomato, garlic, shaft blue cheese and madeira wine sauce was heavenly high quality ingredients, fine dining stuff.

At first, the idea of a dessert pizza sounded bizarre to me. But, I had to admit they looked so delicate and beautiful. And then I put a slice in my mouth and it was so light and refreshing that I thought this was “healthy” and made up for the cheesy pizza bites I had earlier, and see I was getting fruit into my diet! I need another slice! Seriously, this is better than many many desserts I have had at restaurants.

The Strawberries & Creme Pizza with meyer lemon zest and mint… already so delicious, and it isn’t even strawberry season yet.

Apple and Cinnamon pizza… heh some of the slices have already been claimed. This one too disappeared in less than a minute!

The cart is not open yet at SW 3rd and Stark- it is still pending some permits and inspection. But believe me, I am following this carefully because I need some of that pizza again, stat! It’s only been a few hours and I’m already craving that strawberries and creme pizza. I also am very excited with the idea (I hope it may come true once in a while) about being able to even have the opportunity to get any of those creative creations they experiment with and  that I see on their twitter feed once in a while varying from a Reuben Pizza, a breakfast pizza with scrambled eggs and bacon and mushrooms, sauteed elk with sour cream and caramelized sweet cherries…  and back in Hawaii they also did Braised Escargot Pizza, a Gyro Pizza with lamb sauteed in butter and garlic with rosemary, and a Banana Sundae Pizza that included caramelized bananas and housemade salted caramel with a spiced nut crumble and dark chocolate sauce…

Why is this food cart not open yet???? Hurry UP! UPDATE: Pulehu is now open at SW 3rd and Stark, check them out for lunch and late night: see their Twitter for updates on their hours of operation!