Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Portlanders love food and we’re very fond of breakfast. Instead of pondering why, I accept and embrace it. And with so many great breakfast options, I’d like to share one of my favorite weekend spots with you, which also happens to be a food cart.

The PDX Sandwich

The Big Egg at the Mississippi Marketplace pod in north Portland serves — you guessed it — eggs! But these aren’t any run-of-the-mill eggs — they’re local and farm-grown. So is the meat and the produce, which is also organic whenever possible. Did I mention that they’re absolutely delicious?

If you go, here are a couple of recommendations. Meat is optional, but I always add bacon.

• The PDX Sandwich: egg, Tillamook white cheddar cheese, fresh chives and stone ground mustard on grilled brioche Pullman bread.
• The Breakfast Wrap: a grilled flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, potatoes, portabello mushrooms and Tillamook white cheddar cheese with poblano salsa (that they make themselves) and yogurt-lime sauce.

When I go, I also like to hop over to Dogfeathers Coffee and Juice cart next door and get either a cup of coffee or one of his juices. I like The Wet Dog, a blend of apple, carrot and ginger.

Want to discover more of Portland’s food carts? There’s an app for that, if you have an iPhone. Search for the Food Carts Portland mobile app in iTunes. Happy cart exploring!

Earning accolades like “world’s best street food” from U.S. News Travel, Portland’s food cart scene is becoming very well-known. But did you know that we have an annual food cart festival? Eat Mobile features samples from some of the city’s best carts along with live music and some friendly competition — carts vie for awards in a variety of categories. Check out this video from 2011:

Eat Mobile is scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2012, and tickets will go on sale March 28 at wweek.com/eatmobile. General admission tickets are $18 and include samples from each of the participating carts, while a limited number of pre-tasting tickets, running $47, will get you into the event at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) an hour early and include complimentary beverages. This event always sells out, so make sure you mark your calendar if you plan to attend.

With warmer weather and sunnier skies ahead, my thoughts turn to one of my favorite summer treats: ice cream. At Portland grocery stores, it’s easy to find the big national brands, as well as a plethora of locally made treats. Other made-in-Portland ice creams appear only at their dedicated establishments, where you can pick up cones, sundaes or to-go pints for late-night hotel snacking.

Ruby Jewel: The best-known Portland ice cream creator, Ruby Jewel is famous for their delicious artisan ice cream sandwiches. My favorite is the honey lavender ice cream/lemon cookie combination. Grab their goodies at local farmers’ markets, New Seasons Markets and their own retail location on North Mississippi Avenue.

Fifty Licks: Pioneering creative combinations like Slabtown Whiskey, Stumptown Coffee and the sinfully delicious vegan Coconut Saffron Lemon Sorbet, Fifty licks is a mobile cart at Southeast Belmont and 43rd. Their offerings are also available around town at spots like Prasad and Pacific Pie Co.

Salt & Straw: This “farm to cone” cart on Northeast Alberta eagerly anticipates the opening of their scoop shop at the end of the summer. In the meantime, they’ll be in front of Aviary, offering sea salt ice cream with caramel ribbon, honey balsamic strawberry with cracked pepper, pear with blue cheese and other decadent meal-in-a-cone creations. (more…)

Dining Month Portland returns to the Rose City this June. For the entire month, 60+ participating restaurants will offer three-course dinner menus — including an appetizer, entrée and dessert — for just $25. To sweeten the deal even more, diners can win more than $1,250 worth of restaurant gift certificates through the Downtown Portland Facebook page.

Participating restaurants are spread out across the city, with 20 in the downtown core. Old and new favorites are on the list, including James Beard Award winners and nominees like Paley’s Place, the Heathman and Nostrana. Recently opened restaurants that are already getting a buzz include Aviary, Cocotte and Otto.

Dining Month Portland is sponsored by Open Table and American Express. For every reservation booked on Open Table through this link, the Downtown Marketing Initiative will make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank.

50 different dishes from around the country, but made at 90% with local ingredients. That’s the concept of one of the Pearl District’s newest restaurants, 50 Plates.

Located on the edge of the Pearl District at 333 NW 13th Avenue, the 3,000 ft former industrial space now plays host to a swanky bar and one large dining room with private party capabilities. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, but also for breakfast (the pastries are so yummy, and they serve Stumptown Coffee).

I ate there today for lunch and was in heaven. Of course, the salad and appetizers were delicious, made from local ingredients picked at the farmers’ market (the co-owner’s wife is the Director of the Beaverton Farmers’ Market); but most of all, they have a dreamy dessert menu. With no less that three chocolate cakes, and three “melted chocolate” drinks. What more could I be asking for??

Cool fact: the bar offers a different, thematic happy hour every day. Manhattan Monday, Whiskey Wednesday, etc.