Dive: Guy Fieri, center, stands with Marie Sablan and Edward Calvo Sablan, former Guam residents and owners of food truck PDX671 in Oregon. Their Chamorro cuisine will be featured on Food Network. Courtesy of PDX671

Guam’s local cuisine will be put on the map thanks to a visit from a platinum-blonde TV celebrity.

The tiny food cart PDX671 shares Chamorro comfort food with its Portland, Ore., community and last week, it got a visit from the Food Network’s Guy Fieri.

Fieri is the host of the feverishly popular “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” which highlights hometown eateries across the country.

Former Guam residents Edward Calvo Sablan and his wife, Marie Sablan, own PDX671, which sits in a cart pod in their neighborhood Rose City Food Park.

The Sablans punch out local favorites such as chicken kelaguen, shrimp patties and fiesta plates.

They say the episode won’t air for another two to three months , but they’ll give Guamanians a heads-up once they’re notified of when it will be on Food Network.

http://www.guampdn.com/article/20130509/LIFESTYLE/305090321/Guy-Fieri-showcase-Chamorro-food-truck

Food cart owner Nong is expanding her business downtown and in Southeast Portland.
// Photo by Adam Wickham

Narumol Poonsukwattana (Nong), 33, runs one of Portland’s most famous food carts: Nong’s Khao Man Gai. Her cart has won the hearts of food critics and the business-lunch crowd alike, despite serving only one dish — poached organic chicken and rice wrapped in butcher paper, a popular Thai street food with Chinese roots. Nong moved to Portland from Bangkok in 2003, working at  Thai restaurants around town before deciding to start her own business. She opened her first cart downtown in 2009; three years later, she opened a second center-city location, plus a takeout kitchen in Southeast Portland. Nong’s special sauce, known for its cult-like following, is available at New Seasons Market, the Woodsman Market, Uwajimaya and other grocery stores. Where does a food cart maven get her own lunch fix? “Eurotrash and the Frying Scotsman are two of my favorites,” she says.

FEELING THE LOVE

“What keeps me going every day is just customers appreciating what I do. It gives me encouragement. It’s not even about the money. I see that what I put in gets rewarded. Recently, Timbers fans voted on food carts to serve at the games. We got a really good response and we won. It was very busy, amazing energy. Work can be very fun.”

EVEN KEEL

“I do rock climbing. I used to rock climb a lot when I only had one food cart. When I expanded I didn’t have time. Later, I realized it wasn’t good for me when I worked too much. I couldn’t think straight. This year my team works on their own more often, and my role as owner has changed. It’s important for me to be there for my team mentally, so I try to balance my life better. I’ve gone back to climbing more often now.”

NEWLYWED

“I’m satisfied with what I have in life right now. About a year ago I married Scott; he came into my life at an unexpected time. I was almost giving up on having a personal life. Dating is hard, and I was so focused on my work. But he’s a good guy. I’m so happy I found a partner who gives me good support. I have a dog … life is good [laughing].”

DOWNTIME

“My husband surfs. He has a little cabin with his friend. When I went along I had nothing to do, so I went to a driving range near the Tillamook Cheese Factory. I was never interested in golf before. When I hit the ball, it just felt good, so now I’ve started golfing. I also love gardening. I grow my own Thai herbs, like basil and lemongrass, that I use in my Asian cooking.”

NEXT

“In the future, I’d like to see my product in every grocery store, even outside of Oregon. I want to have more products out, like hot sauce and a gluten-free sauce. One day I want to be a good, big business. But I started from just one food cart. I see the first little location where I invested a lot of time and energy, and now see how [the business] is growing.”

http://www.oregonbusiness.com/articles/129-may-2013/9939-food-cart-owner-nong-balances-life-work-and-play

The Italian Market

Yo, cheesesteaks are for tourists! Those are the first words I remember hearing from the owners of The Italian Market almost a year ago. Hailing from the city of brotherly love, the owners Erin and Andrew bring south Philly street food to Portland.

I first met Erin and Andrew over a year ago and learned of their plans to relocate to Portland and jump into our ever evolving street food scene. Coming from Philadelphia, a food city in its own right, they wanted to bring those flavors without the schtick we all associate with the cheesesteak. I’ve been to Philly and yeah, you can find a cheesesteak on every corner, but there is so much more to eat and The Italian Market will show you. It has been a long year for the two from the move and building a food cart and securing a location. But now, in April, they are open and slingin’ sandwiches at Belmont Station, a venerable bottle shop known by many who took out their old kitchen in order to welcome a mobile vendor. A new welcoming patio was also constructed so you can enjoy your sandwich inside out of the rain with a beer.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news-network/index.ssf/2013/04/the_italian_market_brings_sout.html

It’s official: Cambodian street food spot Sok Sab Bai is off the street, having settled into the SE 21st brick-and-mortar digs that most recently housed Bara Sushi. Chef Nyno Thol, who owned both concepts, announced the switch last month, shuttering his six-year-old Japanese spot to fully concentrate on Sok Sab Bai’s restaurant potential.

In its new location, the brick-and-mortar version of Sok Sab Bai features some menu favorites from the food cart — pork belly buns, caramelized chicken wings, grilled chicken plates, and hearty bowls of soup and rice porridge — in addition to new items like a fried striped bass (that serves two), a chicken and banana blossom salad, and prahok ktis (a ground pork and eggplant dip).

Hours of operation: 11a.m. to 9p.m., Monday through Saturday; 10a.m. to 8p.m., Sunday.

http://pdx.eater.com/archives/2013/04/05/sok-sab-bais-cambodian-brickandmortar-now-open.php

GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A couple Ordinances of Grants Pass City Council change regulations for solicitor/peddler, mobile vending, and temporary merchant licensing and establish mobile vending zones for use by mobile vending vehicles.

In the last six months, there has been an increase in mobile food vendors.

City staff claims the current standards are not enough for adequate regulation of the rising number of vendors.

Carla Angeli Paladino, Grants Pass Principal Planner, says the city “had an old peddlers ordinance that basically allows people to vend from the street.  It was outdated and [...] [they] interpretted it to mean that people could vend from the street, but it just wasn’t working, so [they] came up with something new.”

One ordinance amends Chapter 4.08 of the Grants Pass Municipal Code relating to solicitor/peddler, mobile vending and temporary merchant licenses.

It has been in the works for months and goes into effect Jan. 1.

The second Ordinance amends Ordinance 5563 and establishes on-and-off-public-street locations for the sale of ready-to-eat food from mobile vending cars.

The zoning goes into effect Jan. 4.

Paladino says during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, advocates of the zoning Ordinance “were recommending some on-street zones for food trucks and four streets were identified and approved.”

Mill Street, E Street, F Street, and Ramsey Avenue were all approved as locations for mobile food trucks.

Part of the Growers Market parking lot will be used Monday through Friday for food vendors.

Overall, Paladino says the city wants to make sure regulations are up to date without hurting businesses. “We wanted to make sure that it worked for the vendors that wanted to be here and not hurt the brick and mortar.”

The vending zones only allow trucks.

Vendors selling on private properties will not be affected by the zoning.

http://www.ktvl.com/shared/news/top-stories/stories/ktvl_vid_4180.shtml

 GRANTS PASS — Mobile food vendors will not be able to operate on any Grants Pass sidewalks under an ordinance approved by the City Council last week.

The ordinance does establish on-street food vending zones and sets aside a portion of the city-owned parking lot behind the downtown post office where the Growers’ Market operates on Saturdays on a seasonal basis.

Vendors will no longer be allowed to park curbside along Sixth Street in downtown, which has been one of the most popular locations. The new regulations do not affect vendors parked on private property.

The new rules go into effect in 30 days.

The on-street food vending zones will be:

• The west side of Mill Street, between J Street and the driveway to Masterbrand Cabinets
• E Street between Ninth and Mill streets
• F Street between Ninth and Mill streets
• Ramsey Avenue between Nebraska and Union avenues, only where parking is allowed

In addition, about one-eighth of the city parking lot used by the Growers’ Market on Saturdays would be available Monday through Friday.

Casting the votes were Council President Lily Morgan and councilors Darin Fowler, Jim Williams, Rick Riker, Dennis Webber and Woodburn. Councilors Dan DeYoung and Richard Michelon were absent.

Webber argued in favor of keeping a sidewalk zone and contended that a business operating in an alley could reduce crime and the number of undesirable people in the area.

He voted against the first reading of the ordinance. However, he voted for both the second reading and the ultimate passage.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121211/NEWS/212110306

Mary Sheridan lost $1,800 to a thief over Thanksgiving and customers donated over $3,200 back.
Credits: Mary Sheridan

 Nov. 26 ABC News reported of a Portland, Oregon food truck, The Honey Pot, that was broken into over the holiday and had not only all of the money removed from the truck but a single chef’s knife and apple pie. Mary Sheridan, the owner says that after thanksgiving her business slows way down because the only thing her food truck sells is pie. She was so irate with the thief, she posted an angry letter to the side of her truck and even put it on her website, Facebook business page, and Twitter.

Mary is a single mother that runs the food truck alone. She says that she doesn’t usually leave money in her truck so finding her locks broken was way over the limit for her because she was depending on that money to help her through the winter months since business wouldn’t pick up for her until the spring time. When she contacted the police about the break in, they told her that they didn’t have any leads to go off of since everything was so clean and neat and they wouldn’t likely be pursuing the case.

When customers saw her letter, donations began flooding in through extra large tips, donations to her website and even more traffic to her N.E. Portland food cart that is usual for a non-holiday. Originally, Mary Sheridan had lost $1,800. By Monday, customers and others that donated had brought her in $3,200. Mary contributes this largely to the spirit of the holiday.

http://www.examiner.com/article/donations-exceed-amount-stolen-from-a-portland-food-truck

An Oregon food-truck owner and her family nearly had their holiday ruined after a thief a stole all the business’ Thanksgiving profits.

And that’s a big deal for a business that specializes in pies.

“I worked really hard the week leading up to Thanksgiving,” Mary Sheridan, who owns and operates The Honey Pot food truck in Portland, said. “I made as many pies as possible and we did really well.”

Sales plummet for most food trucks at the end of November after the Thanksgiving rush, Sheridan said.

“Things don’t often pick back up until the spring,” she added.  “I was relying on that money to help get me through the winter.”

But when Sheridan returned to the truck Saturday, after taking Black Friday off to rest from a grueling week, she found all the money in the truck, totaling $1,800, had been stolen. A single apple pie was also taken, along with a 10-inch chef’s knife.

“I guess they needed something to cut their pie with,” she joked.

But having worked so hard for what was to be the final weekend of her busy season, Sheridan didn’t feel like joking when she found the padlock on her truck had been removed and the money stolen.

She normally never leaves money in the truck overnight and police told her they had no leads to follow and probably wouldn’t be pursuing the case.

Sheridan decided to vent her frustration by posting a strongly worded letter on her truck shaming the thief. The single mother wanted whoever stole her money to know that they’d stolen not just from her but also from Sheridan’s two young children and from a small business that struggles this time of year.

Friends and family urged Sheridan to post the memorable letter to her business’ Facebook. She also posted it to Twitter. Customers and the community suddenly responded with donations, extra large tips, and by buying lots of pies. At a friend’s suggestion, Sheridan placed a donation button on her website. Money flooded in through that, too.

“The letter,” Sheridan said, “was just my way of getting revenge. I never expected to receive donations. And Sunday, which was dreary and cold, was my busiest non-holiday sales day ever.”

As of Monday morning, Sheridan had received $3,200 in contributions, double the amount that was stolen and plans to give the additional money to a charity. To pay it forward, as she describes it.

“There are a lot of generous people out there,” Sheridan said.  “I want whoever stole from me to know that there are better ways to help yourself than by stealing from others.”

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/oregon-community-serves-up-generosity-to-robbed-food-truck-owner/

Skillet Diner (pictured above)
Seattle
1400 E. Union St.
skilletstreetfood.com
The Vibe: Chef Josh Henderson’s new restaurant in Capitol Hill is more than just a roomier version of his vintage Airstream trailer that serves high-end comfort food—there are floor-to-ceiling windows, industrial fixtures, and a 2 a.m. closing time.
What to Order: Pork belly and waffle; grass-fed burger smeared with bacon jam and crumbled blue cheese.

Marination Station
Seattle
1412 Harvard Ave.
marinationmobile.com
The Vibe: You’d think Spam-based dishes would be a hard sell even on the street, but Kamala Saxton and Roz Edison’s mobile Korean-meets-Hawaiian fare converted so many canned-meat cynics that they needed to open a brick-and-mortar spot. Keeping things consistent, they modeled the intimate new space in the Capitol Hill neighborhood after their truck (nicknamed Big Blue), with the same navy color pattern—but they now serve beer.
What to Order: Aloha slider with tangy slaw and teriyaki-slicked grilled Spam; kimchi quesadillas; miso-ginger-chicken tacos.

Lardo
Portland
1212 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
lardopdx.com
The Vibe: In two years, the must-visit mobile outpost serving pork-centric sliders has grown into a full-fledged sandwich shop–cum–hangout. The Southeast Portland eatery also has a buzzing beer garden in its parking lot where you can sip 13 craft brews on tap.
What to Order: Pork-meatball bánh mì dressed with sriracha mayo; herb-coated fries with pork scraps and peppers.

Big Gay Ice Cream
New York City
125 E. 7th St.
biggayicecream.com
The Vibe: If you mix artisanal ice cream with exotic flavors (like wasabi-pea dust, curry, and cayenne pepper), they will come. That was the lesson learned by Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, whose popular truck is now an East Village storefront.
What to Order: Vanilla ice cream with dulce de leche, sea salt, and chocolate dip; vanilla ice cream and toasted curried coconut.

Franklin Barbeque
Austin
900 E. 11th St.
franklinbarbecue.com
The Vibe: Barbecue prodigy Aaron Franklin first customized a trailer to smoke his glorious meats, but after less than two years he upgraded to a homey, cement-floored joint. The waits have tripled to three hours, but at least now there’s air-conditioning.
What to Order: Marbled brisket; smoked seasoned pork spare ribs; plump, snappy sausages; potato salad; pinto beans.

5411 Empanadas
Chicago
2850 N. Clark St.
5411empanadas.com
The Vibe: Strong word-of-mouth following has allowed this Argentine gem specializing in empanadas to upgrade itself from a mobile operation to a proper café where diners can enjoy delectable pastry pockets and expertly brewed Intelligentsia coffee.
What to Order: Empanada of bacon, date, and goat cheese; empanada of braised beef and sautéed carrots and onions.

El Naranjo
Austin
85 Rainey St.
elnaranjo-restaurant.com
The Vibe: Culinary Institute of America instructor Iliana de la Vega and her husband, Ernesto Torrealba, were still operating a lime-green mobile eatery in 2010 when Texas Monthly declared it one of the state’s best Mexican restaurants. To feed the swelling crowds, the couple expanded into an old cottage on the southeastern edge of downtown that has the added bonus of serving a killer margarita made with a choice of 35 tequilas.
What to Order: Shrimp in green pumpkin-seed mole; pan-fried poblano peppers filled with slow-cooked pork, tomatillos, and olives.

Komodo
Los Angeles
8809 W. Pico Blvd.
komodofood.com
The Vibe: Komodo was one of the first on the L.A.-fusion food-truck scene, turning out Asian riffs on Mexican comfort food. And now it has a sleek West L.A. space with an open kitchen and a bigger menu—but the prices are still street-friendly.
What to Order: Seared ahi fillet with ponzu sauce; deep-fried-Alaskan-cod burrito with a grape-and-almond salad.

image via Kickstarter

It’s a Portland love story. A city in love with food (and renewable energy) discovers a food cart serving fine, locally sourced veggie burgers, powered by solar. That food cart, known as Off the Griddle, expands its offerings to include a little cafe, called the A.N.D. Now the foodie-preneurs behind the venture are counting on a little love on the part of their supporters to fund a Kickstarter project designed to bring the two businesses together in a single restaurant.

The food-cart-to-restaurant narrative is a common one in a city where municipal zoning laws allow for ambitious food concepts to get off the ground with a minimum in funding — so long as a food cart remains capable of moving, would-be restaurateurs can set up shop just in just about any commercial area where they’ve gained permission from the property owner. This allows entrepreneurs to test a food concept and build a following before taking the plunge on a full-blown restaurant.

The entrepreneurs’ goal is to consolidate their current operations — the solar-paneled food cart located at the 50th Ave. and Division St. food cart “pod,” and the five-table cafe, located at 5420 E. Burnside St. – into one all-encompassing restaurant. Ashley and Dan (the “A. ‘n. D.” behind the cafe’s name) plan to use Kickstarter funds to outfit their new, expanded location with a host of sustainable features, including solar panels, reclaimed furniture, recycled plastic chairs, energy efficient equipment, low wattage fixtures and lighting, recycled/reclaimed countertops, low-flow plumbing, greywater recycling, gardens to supply the restaurant with veggies, and rainwater harvesting. The two aim to ensure that all new building materials used in the course of this project are made with post-consumer content and/or are otherwise sustainably sourced, and plan to pursue LEED certification for the building.

Off the Griddle and the A.N.D. Cafe are seeking $24,188 in crowd-sourced funding for this project by their Kickstarter deadline of September 27. So far, the entrepreneurs behind the project have raised around $5,000 toward that goal. For more information — and to donate — check out their Kickstarter page.

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/namarchetti/62506/portland-griddle-goes-hizzle