Titos Burritos II

Location: 10th & Alder

Type: Mexican

Cost:

Food: two burritos

Wait: moderate

Size: both huge

Stopped by in the evening to pick up a couple burritos to get us fed before flying. The burritos were the standard super large food cart fare. No complaints, but nothing to jump up and down about either. I did appreciate the guy looking after me a bit as I dealt with an obnoxious street person.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to? sure

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? naw

Morning Star Café *brick and mortar*

Location: 3rd & Washington

Type: café

Cost: $9.00

Food: Cup of soup of the day (sweet ginger vegetable) and half Felipe sandwich

Wait: felt long

Size: meh

This is why brick and mortar pales in comparison to food carts. It offers shelter from the rain, but when it turns out to go to sun after the sprinkles you walk out in, you're disappointed to be eating where you are. Soup was okay, but too sweet to eat much of (although I got what looked like a bowl for the cup price). Sandwich was not inviting, flavors too jumbled, mustard too aggressive. Too bad it was sprinkling when I went out for food, because I would have gotten more food for less money at a food cart and almost certainly would have enjoyed it better.

Summary:

Would go again is someone wanted to? not without encouraging a different option

Would take Dave there for a repeat? no

Koi Fusion

Location: 4th & Burnside

Type: Korean-Mexican

Cost: $6.00

Food: tacos, one tofu (with kimchee), one bulgoki, one chicken

Wait: Minor

Size: Appropriate for my tummy.

Meh. Does not live up to the hype. I think the "you never knew where they'll be" is a novelty that makes them popular. The food was unexciting. The bulgoki was dry, the not kimchee spicy (isn't it supposed to be?). Also, I just really like the flavor of a Mexican taco. I don't need different filling.

Summary:

Would go again is someone wanted? maybe

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? nope

Ninja Plate Lunch

Location: 2nd - 3rd & Ash

Type: Hawaiian

Cost: $5.00

Food: Ka'lua pig plate with fruit salad

Wait: Short

Size: Food was copious (I had leftovers).

They offer a choice of fruit or mac salad and small plates for just $3.00. Chalkboard menu, pink cart. Flavor was good, but lacked variety. Too much meaty goodness with no veggie relief. Leftovers were livened up with mizuna.

Summary:

Would go again is someone wanted to? perhaps

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? unlikely

Real Taste of India

Location: 5th & Stark - Oak

Type: Indian

Cost: $6.00

Food: Daily meat special

Wait: Longish, but I had good company

Size: Way too much food

The naan was fun and nice (and huge), but I didn't enjoy the rest as much. I don't like the individual grain, no chew rice texture. It reminds me of microwave instant rice, even if it is traditional for biriyani. The chicken and chickpea (chana masala) curry dishes were good, especially the chicken texture and moisture, but sloppy and overwhelming in flavor. (Raj's view on curry houses was playing in my head.) The pakoras was very salty. Oh well, it was enough food to fuel lunch on Saturday and I don't have to go again. I did however enjoy sharing a knowing smile with the woman tending the counter and we waited and watched people order.

Summary:

Would go again if someone else wanted to? no

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? no

Built to Grill

Location: 3rd & Stark - Oak

Type: Italian

Cost: $6.00

Food: Americana panini

Wait: A bit

Size: Bigger than one seating

Yum. Too big for one seating, although I ate it all anyway. Everything a grilled sandwich should be. Thin cut meats, greasy and drippy, but not oily. Their cart is super minimalist inside. Everything seemed fresh and wonderful.

Summary:

Would go again if someone else wanted to? yes

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? yes, I want to try a pasta

Just Thai

Location: 3rd & Stark - Oak

Type: Thai

Cost: $6.00

Food: vegan green curry & thai iced tea

Wait: okay

Size: tons of food

Ugh. Curry not sweet enough. Veggie combo unpleasant, tons of bamboo shoots, big eggplant pieces, hardly anything else. The iced tea was too warm, too. The quantity was massive, though. Huge rice carton, big tub of curry. Packaged like a to go order form a restaurant, not like a lunch. Made it hard to eat.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to?

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit?

Taqueria Vilenueva

Location: 3rd & Oak

Type: Mexican

Cost: $5.50

Food: Soft taco combo, pastor

Wait: fine

Size: great

Not amazing, but good, straightforward. I never seem to have much to say about mexican carts. I like this one a little better than others. Maybe it's the lonely location.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to? yes

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? if we wanted mexican

Thai Sky

Location: 5th & Stark - Oak

Type: Thai

Cost: $5.00

Food: chicken and green bean stir fry with jasmine rice

Wait: none

Size: large lunch

Yum! Good quantity. Easy to turn down bag and silverware. Condiments available. Veggies crunchy, not limp and overcooked. She offered to put curry sauce over my rice, which I accepted and loved. They serve up the dishes of the day straight from chafing dishes, so there's zero wait time.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to? yes

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? yes

Spoons Soup Cart

Location: 5th & Stark - Oak

Type: soup/salad/sandwich

Cost: $6.00

Food: corn chowder and a grilled cheese sandwich

Wait: short

Size: smallish comparatively

Hum drum. Soup flavor was muddy, compared to my own corn chowder. And full of celery, ugh. Sandwich was boring. I might try a different soup sometime, but mostly this visit gave me no reason to return.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to? maybe

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? unlikely

The Whole Bowl

Location: 10th & Alder

Type: Rice bowl

Cost: $5.00

Food: Bambino bowl

Wait: short

Size: lunch sized

Wow and yum. A very satisfying meal with a healthy feel. A definite repeat. Not fancy, could pack in, but still a tummy pleasing combination of rice, cheese, beans, sour cream, cilantro, olives, etc.

Summary:

Would go again is someone else wanted to? yes

Would take Dave there for a repeat visit? yes