Food Truck Goodness in Portland

Portland has become quite well known for its food truck scene. With over 500 in operation around the city, gone are the days when folks didn't quite know what to make of this old but ultra-casual way of getting your breakfast, lunch or dinner. To be sure, food trucks have been around for a very, very long time...with roots going back to 1691. Check this quote from Food Revolt on the earliest of beginnings of these savory delivery vehicles:[su_quote]1691 – New York City (previously New Amsterdam) starts regulating street vendors selling food and other items from vending carts around the city.[/su_quote]

Fast forward to 1866 when Charles Goodnight invented the "Chuck Wagon" to provide cowboys and pioneer wagon trains with sustenance while heading West. The rest is an iterative history (see link above) that takes us to around 1936 when Oscar Mayer brought forth the world's first portable hot dog cart. Named the "Weiner Mobile," this popular move stood well on its own until the 1950's when ice cream trucks started selling frozen desserts all over America. Then, the 1960's brought forth "Roach Coaches," which started selling to construction sites all around the country. These coaches kicked off the birth of food trucks as we know them now...albeit in more varied and specialized form. Indeed, you might find a 5-star Michelin chef sitting behind the counter of a mobile meal maker these days, especially around good ol' PDX!  

Here is an interactive map of the Food Trucks in and around Portland (courtesy of Google Maps). If you're not hungry after checking out a few of these tasty options, well, I'd be quite surprised!  

My Personal PDX Food Truck Fave

O.K. There are most definitely way too many great food trucks to list here, so I'm just going to share my current favorite: Fried Egg I'm In Love. That said, I've not sampled from a lot what's out there, and more open up all the time, so this is nowhere near a complete analysis (yes, there'll be more to come). That said, the spot I'm featuring below is indeed divine and has well-surpassed my, um, truly picky palette. I would be quite happy getting this meal at any top-end restaurant. Enjoy!  

Fried Egg I'm in Love

If you like eggs, well, say no more. This food truck is more than worth the travel to S.E. Hawthorne Blvd because, well, the food is downright amazing, super creative and oh so affordable. The tastiness factor is definitely 10 out of 10 with my personal fave on the menu being the "Yolko Ono." This beauty is the cart's signature sandwich dish sporting a fried egg (surprised?), homemade pesto, parmesan and a hand-pressed, house sausage patty. This sandwich, like most others, is served on toasted sourdough bread from Portland French Bakery. All this for $7.25! And you have to just love their sandwich names. From "Egg Zepplin" to "Free-range Against the Machine," each creation is named after a famous song or band. Too much fun.  

Important Details: Address: 3207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214 Hours: Weekdays: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm; Weekends: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Website & Menu:friedegglove.comPhone: (503) 610-3447   Header Image Courtesy: Plannersweb.com