Matt's BBQ

With the unpredictable traffic that often afflicts Tacoma, we were stuck in the parking lot aka I-5 near the Tacoma Dome.  It wasn't even rush hour!  That severely delayed our arrival time in Portland which meant our eating plans would have to change.  Originally, I wanted to hit up Tasty & Daughters, but showing up during the dinner rush would mean no table for us!  So we went to plan B and hit up Matt's BBQ conveniently located in a food cart pod out on Mississippi Ave.  Beyond the threat of running out of meat, the place fit our schedule as it was casual and allowed my daughter to get her ramen fix while we went for BBQ.

We ended up getting The Whole Shebang for 2 sporting beef brisket, pork side ribs, pulled pork, sausage, potato salad, coleslaw, pit beans, white bread and pickles.  The best thing on the platter had to be the beef brisket as it was juicy and tender with a flavorful bark.  Peppery and smoky, the rub made the brisket super tasty even without any BBQ sauce.  The pulled pork was also good being moist and juicy.  It was super tender without any dry stringy portions.  Fatty and meaty, the pork sausage exhibited an appealing snap casing (maybe a bit too greasy).  Not to be outdone, the side of potato salad was fantastic.  Instead of overloading it with useless filler, it mainly consisted of potato and egg.  Therefore, it was simple and clean-tasting.  It was generally smooth with a few chunks here and there.  For an extra $3.00, we also got the Queso Mac n' Cheese.  It was freakin' fantastic!  So cheesy and creamy with a touch of spice.  Also, the noodles were still al dente.

My son had the Sliced Brisket Sandwich which was also good due to the same tender meat.  There was more than enough of it to make it a filling meal.  Loved the bun as they toasted and flattened it.  The result was a crispy exterior that held up to the meat and subsequent sauce.  We had the tangy coleslaw served on the side which brightened up the whole thing when combined.  If you can imagine, the food was pretty straightforward at Matt's, but it was done right.  Loved their take on mac n' cheese too.  Combine that with reasonable prices and a casual setting, then it makes a great place for takeout or a quick meal.

The Good:
- Well-priced
- Juicy smoky meats
- Nice people

The Bad:
- That sausage was a just a bit too greasy
- Didn't like that mango mustard

Sauzzy Thai

Arriving early for my conference in Downtown Vancouver, I settled into my room at the Hotel Vancouver and immediately got the hunger pains.  Being alone and with not much time to spare before my first session, I didn't have many options other than fast food.  So on my quick stroll over to Granville Street, I noticed a food cart that merely served one dish - Pad Thai.  Furthermore, there wasn't really a name I could see on the trailer other than "Traditional Thai Cuisine".  Later on, I would discover that their actual name is Sauzzy Thai...

So with only one menu item, I ordered everything that was available including the Pad Thai with chicken and the Pad Thai with Prawns. Since the cart was run only by one lady (who was super friendly by-the-way), you'd better not be in a rush of any sort.  After a fairly long wait (for a food truck/cart), I hurried back to my room to down the food.  After mixing the ground peanuts, sugar, chili flakes, carrots and lime juice into the noodles, I found the flavours pretty sweet overall.  I would've liked to see more tang.  Texturally, the noodles were on point with an appealing chewiness while complimented by the crunchy carrots.  As you can clearly see, the prawn version was exactly the same, but with 3 prawns on top.  They were prepared properly by not being overcooked exhibiting a cold-water snap.

I also got their Thai Ice Tea which was really rich from the ample condensed milk.  In fact, it was pretty thick as a result.  I found the tea to be too sweet which overwhelmed any tea flavour that existed.  I actually couldn't finish it since my pad thai(s) were already sweet.  As much as the food was decent and the lady was super nice, I was only mildly content with the stuff I ordered at Sauzzy Thai.  Prices weren't exactly cheap either.

The Good:
- Super nice lady
- On point textures

The Bad:
- Rather sweet
- Not that cheap  

The Pressure Box

*Restaurant is permanently closed*

When one has the fried chicken cravings (that is a constant with me), the usual places come to mind like Church's, KFC (not a fan of it) and of course L.A. Chicken.  Of course there are some solid offerings from full-service restaurants as well. Continuing on with the Fried Chicken Challenge, it brought me to The Pressure Box.  Their main feature is their signature sous-vide fried chicken.  Parked in front of 33 Acres Brewing, there just seemed to be an ideal pairing of fried food and beer.

To maintain the integrity of the Not Your Mama's Fried Chicken, I attacked it first. What struck me right away was the firmly crunchy and thick breading (due to being done 2X).  It was appealing and well-seasoned, but the part nearest to the chicken was a bit underdone.  That coincided with the skin of the sous-vide chicken which was not rendered.  As for the meat itself, it was fantastic being juicy, succulent and tender.  With a few drops of their hot sauce, this was a solid piece of meat.  The accompanying skinny kennebec fries were on point with a light crispiness on the outside.

At first, I scoffed at the side of a Warm Potato Salad that was on the menu.  Turns out that I was an idiot for thinking in such a manner.  It turned out to be my favourite item, where the sous-vide potato was full of flavour from the brine.  There was an appealing level of acidity to go with the aromatics provided by the truffle mayo. Moreover, the sear with seasonings and salt helped elevate both the texture and flavour of the potato.  The addition of fried shallots and pickled radish added crunch and further aromatics (and in the case of the radish, more acidity to keep things light and refreshing).

Lastly, I sampled the vegan 48-Hour Beef Stew thickened with rice flour.  As much a the whole dish look strange with the glistening thick "sauce", it ate rather nicely. The chunks of beef were tender to the chew while still maintaining a natural texture. There was no absence of impact from the parsnips and carrots which offered up a certain Earthiness.  Interestingly, I enjoyed everything on the menu, but the chicken was not my favourite.  Not that it wasn't any good, the other items were just better.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:
- No absence of complimentary flavours
- Well-executed eats

The Bad:
- Chicken skin not rendered   

Kikuchi's

Pulling into port at Nawillilli, Kauai, we were greeted with torrential rain that led to the cancellation of many of the tours. We weren’t part of any, but had rented a car for the purposes of exploring the island. Part of the itinerary was to visit Hamura’s Saimin as we enjoyed it the last time we were in Kauai. Well, all that went down the toilet as we cancelled our rental car. Hence, we visited a nearby food truck instead called Kikuchi’s that specializes in bao and sushi wraps.

We decided to get 3 items to share including the Smoked Pulled Pork Bao with a spicy sweet chili sauce. The large bun was actually a folded fluffy bao with a mound of slightly dry pork. It was somewhat smoky and mildy spiced. The side of fries were pretty standard stuff, but were crispy and dressed in seasoning salt. My son had the Ginger Chicken Karaage Bao with honey mustard dressing. The pieces of chicken tenders were crunchy with a firm batter. I thought the chicken could’ve been more juicy, but they were not dry. They were nicely seasoned with a definite ginger hit while accented by the sweet dressing.

Viv wanted something lighter and opted for the Ahi Tuna Wrap with wasabi mayo and soy. This was essentially a large sushi roll featuring chewy seasoned rice.  Although the rice was on the wetter side, it wasn't mushy which bode well for the buttery tuna.  Hidden inside the roll was wasabi mayo that made itself heard with each bite.  In the end, we were pretty satisfied with the eats from Kikuchi's despite missing out on some saimin.  Ironically, the weather did a full 180 being sunny and hot for the rest of the day (as Hawaiian weather can often be like).

The Good:
- Won't leave hungry
- Nice people

The Bad:
- My wish is that their proteins were more moist

808 Grinds & Grilled Cheese Grill

With some Khao Man Gai warming our happy tummies, we set off in search for more eats.  But with such a wide array of food carts around, it was a bit difficult to make a decision.  We must've walked around the block 3 times before something caught our fancy.  808 Grinds seemed pretty busy serving up quasi-mixed plates and of course Spam musubis.  Well, with an impending trip to Hawaii in the Summer, this was a good reason to get acclimatized to the local food ahead of time.

There was no doubt that we would start off with a few Spam Musubis wrapped in nori.  Having sampled quite a few of these on our last visit to Hawaii, this one hit the spot.  The rice was nicely textured riding the line between soft and chewy while benefiting from the seeping marinade.  Weighing like it was over 2 lbs (it probably was), the 808 Combo (only $9.50!) featured an enormous helping of Kalua Pig, 808 Fried Chicken, rice and of course the mainstay - Macaroni Salad.  This plate of food was just plain solid.  The pig was succulent and moist while sporting enough seasoning.  Juicy and crispy on the outside, the fried chicken was addictive and well-seasoned.  Even the macaroni salad was good with firm noodles and just enough mayo to hold it together.

To complete our food adventure at the food cart pod, we visited an ol' friend in the Grilled Cheese Grill.  Unlike their school bus location on NE Alberta, this humble lil' food stand still served all the favourites.  We went simple and had the Gabby with Bacon accompanied by a cup of Tomato Soup.  Made with Tillamook cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella and Colby Jack, this was a crunchy and cheesy concoction aided by crispy bacon.  The side of tomato soup was tart and only slightly sweet.  A good compliment to a solid grilled cheese sandwich.  Since we have had GCG before, it was a safe no-brainer.  But the real surprise was 808 Grinds - excellent combination of good food, large portions and reasonable prices.

The Good:
- Large portions (808 Grinds)
- Quality ingredients (GCG)
- Good value

The Bad:
- You have to wait, but who wants an pre-made grilled cheese anyways??? (GCG)

Nong's Khao Man Gai

*Food carts are no longer operating*

Having only 2 days in Portland makes it challenging to cram all of our activities and eating into a short period of time.  Since the weather was cooperating, we decided to hit the zoo on our last day.  Unfortunately, that meant we would miss out on checking out some food carts. Ah, when there is a will, there is a way...  Seeing how some open at 10:00am, I suggested we head Downtown for some "breakfast".  Breaking from my usual MO, I decided to re-visit one of my favorite food stalls instead of going for something new.

Yup, that stall happened to be Nong's Khao Man Gai and their famous poached chicken on rice which included a Wintermelon Soup. As a throw-in, I wasn't expecting much and really, it was just that.  The broth was rather salty with gingery notes and a couple pieces of soft melon.  I also picked up a side of Fried Chicken Skin, not for myself, rather for my son as he loves all types of crunchy cracklings.  This one was no exception being crunchy and almost airy.  It was served with a side of their awesome ginger sauce.  I only used it sparingly because I saved it for the rice.

Now for the main event, the Khao Man Gai or a Thai version of Hainanese Chicken.  I got a side of livers to make it more interesting.  As much as the rice is fragrant from the chicken broth and oil while the dark meat (my choice) was moist, the one thing that brings it all together is the addictive sweet and tangy ginger sauce.  I added the side of hot chili peppers as well which meant the whole thing was a veritable flavor explosion.  Unlike many ginger-based condiments where the sharpness of the ginger can overwhelm, the sauce here is balanced with the right amount of sugar and equal parts of soy.  When you cannot stop eating something, you know that it is darn good.  That is why I returned even though I have blogged about it previously.

The Good:
- Relatively inexpensive since the stuff is tasty
- Do one thing right...
- That sauce...

The Bad:
- Portion size is modest, it's tasty over quantity
- Long wait at peak hours (there is a restaurant too)

Hamburger $2.85 (WakWak Burger)

With the rising cost of living these days, anything that resembles a deal gets a lot of play.  For instance, places like The Dime and The Famous Warehouse are well-known for their "everything is $4.95" menu.  Then there is X-Site Grill (and some copycats) who have daily specials for cheap while the regular menu won't cost you much either.  A new player in town aims to trump even those seemingly untouchable deals with a $2.85 burger.  As a food cart operating on the corner of Granville at Pender in Downtown, there is probably nothing cheaper for the amount of food.

I've tried to visit the cart on several occasions, but it never materialized.  Finally, I decided to just drive down there for the sole purpose of doing so.  Yes, I realize the irony that I probably spent more in gas and parking than the burger itself...  Arriving just as it opened, the short line moved quick.  I picked up 2 Hamburgers along with a Cheeseburger. For $2.85, you get thick-sliced tomato, lots of iceberg lettuce, a decent-sized frozen burger patty, teriyaki sauce and mayo on a relatively light bun.  Hey, for the price, it is a decent burger. The patty itself was on the drier chewier side, but the ample wet ingredients made up for it.  I found it beefy in flavour while the teriyaki was not overly sweet.

Now the Cheeseburger (for $3.50) had a completely different taste due to the slice of processed cheese.  It was definitely saltier and in a way better because the amount of produce watered down the teriyaki sauce in the hamburger. In reality, if I had been passed the burger without knowing the price, I'd be content because it is a decent burger.  But since the price is only $2.85, there really isn't a whole lot to complain about.  In the end, I believe personal satisfaction should be based on perceived value.  In this case, it is one heck of one.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Decent for the price
- No lack of ingredients

The Bad:
- Meat is a bit chewy and dry
- Long lineup during peak periods

Fat Duck

*Food truck is now closed*

When visiting food carts, one must have patience and persistence - much like driving in Richmond...  By virtue of their "mobileness", one can be left out in the cold (literally and figuratively) if something unpredictable happens (such as truck issues, staffing and catering jobs).  Sure, one can check Twitter to see where they are for the day, but that may not be an exact science either. I've had my fair share of disappointments when it has come to visiting food trucks, but I never give up because you never know if you're missing out on a gem.  That gem just might be Fat Duck...

I tried the Dirty Rice Bowl first.  It was chock full of confit duck, crispy pork belly, cabbage, tomato & fennel preserve and kung pao sauce on top of rice finished with a sunny side egg and scallions.  With the mess (hence dirty rice) of ingredients, there was a little of everything - including spicy, sweet, tart, salty and of course fatty meat.  Therefore, it was definitely not bland.  In fact, I thought the pork belly was a touch salty.  However, it was prepared really well with a melt-in-my-mouth texture while crisped up nicely on the outside.  Next up was the Pork Belly Sandwich with chipotle mayo, tomato & fennel preserve and arugula.  Consisting of similar ingredients as the rice, it was familiar tasting.  Despite being a bit dense, the bun was toasted nicely where it had a soft & crunchy thing going on.  Again, there was a mix of flavours and I felt that the tartness of the preserve helped cut the heaviness of the pork belly.  Interestingly, the belly was not as salty in the sandwich.

Lastly, I had the Duck Confit "Philly Style" Sandwich dressed with marinated mushrooms, Swiss cheese, Parm-truffle mayo and pickled red onions.  Meaty while tender, the shreds of duck meat had a natural flavour and plenty of duck essence.  I thought the salt content was just right while the accompaniments such as the pickled onions added a nice acidity.  A tasty concoction aided by the side of crunchy chips with chipotle mayo.  As I mentioned in the intro, I do think we have a gem on our hands.

The Good:
- Food that you want to eat
- Pretty decent value considering the ingredients

The Bad:
- Food is pretty rich (but a good too!)
- Limited items (which can also be a positive as well)

Tracy's King Crab Shack

*Moved into a B&M location nearby*

I gotta be honest here.  I thought long and hard whether I should do a post on Tracy's King Crab Shack.  Why?  Well first of all, it's in Juneau, Alaska.  I'm not sure how this post would be relevant to most people. After all, there are no roads that lead into Juneau.  You can only get there by boat or plane. Secondly, the place is closed for the season.  Yes, they are only open when cruise ships visit, which goes for most of the tourist shops as well (go figure right?). Lastly, I didn't even try the King Crab!  For the few times in my life, I was too full to eat any!  Yet, at the end of the day, at the urging of some friends, I decided to blog about it.  Hey, just in case you're ever plan to pay Sarah Palin a visit...

So what did I have anyways you might wonder...  Other than the King Crab, they are famous for their King Crab Bisque. And on a rainy day (which is 75% of the time there), this really hit the spot.  It was creamy, rich and full of crab flavour (and chunks of crab).  We liked how they didn't rely on sodium to flavour the bisque.  Surprisingly good from a shack no less.  Of course we couldn't just have a bisque and call it a day...  So I also got an order of their King Crab Cakes. Although there was a good amount of filler in these miniature morsels, it really didn't matter because they were fried up beautifully.  When I mean beautiful, it was a golden brown, crispy and light.  The cake itself was fluffy inside and despite the lack of crab, we still liked them.  What really brought it all together was the fabulous spicy sauce.  It was savory, sweet, spicy and zesty.  Yes, it is a "tourist" food cart in Alaska.  And yes, I'm pretty sure it is inaccessible to many, yet, if you happen to be on a cruise or fly in, check it out.  It's surprisingly good despite "tourist trap" written all over it.

The Good:
- Nicely prepared items
- Cool eating out on the dock (literally cold)

The Bad:
- How many of you will actually visit the place?
- Expensive

Mangal Kiss

*Food cart is no longer operating*

Last summer (2011), we walked past Mangal Kiss on our way to Feastro the Rolling Bistro. For a microsecond, I considered trying out one of their wraps. But no, I wasn't going to eat more than I could handle. Yes, I do have my limits! Besides, how good could a wrap be anyways? Well, it turns out that that I seemed to have missed out according to Whipping Girl. She spent the next year harassing me about trying the place out since it is one of her favourites. Fast forward to late Summer (2012), I finally relented and met her at the VAG (the art gallery!!!) for some Mangal Kiss. I

I got the featured Lamb Kebab consisting of ground Peace River lamb, lettuce, cucumbers, radish, daikon, fresh mint, hummus and sweet pepper & harissa aioli all wrapped in a pita. One bite and the textures and flavours hit me like the HST on a car purchase. The crunch from the greens, daikon and radish added both a brightness and necessary textural contrast to the moist lamb and soft pita. The fresh mint added an extra hit of brightness that complimented (as mint does) the lamb. The lamb itself was super moist and flavourful. The onions and spices really amped up the flavour with sweetness and a slight kick.

Whipping Girl isn't a huge fan of lamb and opted for her standby being the Fraser Valley Rib-Eye with hummus, tahini, purple cabbage, beets, pickled turnips, pickles, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, spice moroccan carrots, radish and tabbouleh. This was an attractive and colourful array of ingredients which danced on my tongue like someone playing DDR. The balance of acidity, sweetness and savoury elements were accented by the herbiness of the tabbouleh. The rib-eye was nicely charred and moist.  Alright.  I'll admit it.  Whipping Girl is right.  Mangal Kiss is everything she said it would be and more.

The Good:
- Pronounced flavours
- Good value

The Bad:
- Limited choices (but they specialize in one thing and do it right)
- Long wait time

Soho Road Naan Kebab

*Cart is no longer operating*

Once again, a meal did not satisfy me. Nope. I was still hungry after a visit to Sunset Burgers. Since we still had time on the meter, I convinced Vandelay to take a walk with me in search of more food. Time for second lunch! So with no plan and no particular ideas for my second wind of eating, we roamed the streets of Downtown aimlessly... until we noticed a food cart in front of the Law Courts. It was shiny and new, yet with no distinguishing signage. It turned out to be Soho Road Naan Kebabs which as the name suggests, naan wraps with kebabs stuffed in them. Hidden within the cart lies an actual tandoor where they make fresh naan and tandoori chicken. We were greeted by 2 friendly guys who offered us some complimentary Chai while we waited for our order. A touch sweet for our liking, yet full of spice, it hit the spot for a cold, brisk day.

Seeing how the menu only consisted of 3 items, with one being vegetarian, I went for the only 2 meat options starting with the Tandoori Chicken Naan Kebab. After a brief wait, since they prepare the naan to order in their tandoor, we received our piping hot naan kebabs. By virtue of an onsite tandoor, there was nice leoparding (or charring) on the bread. Although the chicken exhibited good flavour, it was pretty dry. And combined with the relatively chewy naan, the whole thing was screaming out for moisture. That was alleviated somewhat by the fresh and crunchy bits of cucumber, red onion and tomato. The second meat choice was the Butter Chicken Naan Kebab. By using the same meat from the tandoori chicken naan kebab, except doused with butter chicken sauce, this was a much more moist product. Since the chicken was pretty dry, the sauce was a welcomed addition. Again, with the same mix of veggies, there was a level of crunch and freshness that cut through the richness of the sauce. Now about that sauce... It was pretty thick (which was a good thing because most people eat this on the go) and did not leak out of the wrap. For what it was worth, the sauce was pretty good with a nice tang and only a mild hint of spice. Put together in a one bite, I found that this was much more successful than the tandoori chicken wrap.

Although the individual components could be improved such as the dry tandoori chicken and the overly chewy naan, when eaten as a whole, the butter chicken naan kebab was pretty damn tasty. I quickly overlooked the shortcomings and enjoyed the wrap for what it was. Hey, it doesn't hurt that Top Chef Dale Mackay considers Soho Road as one of the best food carts in the city...

The Good:
- Tandoor on site
- Freshly made naan
- Super friendly proprietor

The Bad:
- Although freshly-made, the naan could stand to be less dense
- Chicken could be more moist
- $8.00 price point is probably a touch high