Home Run at Division Food Trucks with Pyro Pizza and The Dog House

Capping this week off with a fabulous food truck experience, Dan and I visited the Division St. food trucks this past Friday eve.  Never disappointed by their bounty, we were on the prowl for fresh wood fired pizza we noticed last time we were there.  

Pyro Pizza - Taking note of their fresh wood fired pizza oven and the beautiful, crusty pies they turn out, Dan and I had our eye on the prize.  It's great to see that the pizza is made to order, of course, so it takes a few minutes to cook but it's all worth it.  There's plenty of other things to get at nearby food carts that you can snack on in the meantime, which is what we did.

Fennel Sausage - Dan got us a fennel sausage pie to share and it more than delivered both on appearance and taste. Boasting a beautiful blistery crust and thoughtfully composed toppings of homemade tomato sauce, spicy local fennel sausage and thin slivers of red onion, the flavors in this pizza shone bright.  We loved how light and airy it was, the dough bejeweled with air bubbles that made it fluffy like a cloud, allowing us to eat lots of it.  In terms of portion size, it was perfect--filling us up but saving room for dessert at the same time.

The Dog House - Specializing in hot dogs, sliders and tater tots, The Dog House will tickle your comfort food bone and then some.  The tater tot offering is simply amazing, as besides the classics, you can top your tots with virtually anything from a fried egg to avocado.  Their creations offer up a new take on an old favorite, which is enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

Sweet Potato Tater Tots - Getting a side of sweet potato tater tots was a good idea, especially since they were homemade and double fried.  I loved the size of these things, as they offered up the perfect little bite and were highly poppable.  Biting into one revealed a bright orange middle, showing off some hand grated deliciousness.

Service and Cost:
As I already mentioned, both foods I just described were made to order and therefore entailed a bit of wait time, but it was all worth it.  It behooves you to stay close to both carts, as they shout people's names out when the food is ready, so you want to make sure you don't miss it.

Costs are affordable for both things and you can walk out of there full for under $20!

3 Mmmms

Pyro Pizza & Dog House PDX - SE 28th Avenue and Division Street, Portland OR 97202
pyropizzacart.com

facebook.com/timbersdoghousepdx

Second Time's a Charm at Woodsman Tavern

Looking for another excuse to dine at Woodsman Tavern, Dan and I brunched there last weekend and again weren't disappointed.  This was actually Dan's first time trying Woodsman and I was excited to see what he'd think.  I had an inkling that he'd love it and I'm glad to report back that I was right!

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich - Sure this sounds like an ordinary dish, but leave it to Woodsman Tavern to trick things up with a buttery biscuit, spicy jalapeno jam and their signature crispy homestyle potatoes.  Besides the portion being huge, the sandwich was absolutely delicious and went down easy.  The buttery biscuit was the perfect vehicle for the delicious sandwich components and everything was executed to a T.  I especially loved the oozy cheddar cheese, which married beautifully with the fluffy eggs.  Also, I must note that the potatoes came with a spicy mayo sauce that helped make this dish truly stand out.

Other items - Dan ordered the Eggs Benedict, which were once again a hit.  While they were prepared beautifully, Dan's very discerning when it comes to creamy sauces and wasn't in love with the Hollandaise sauce, but that's really on him.  It truly was excellent.

There was also the spicy Bloody Mary drink Dan got (as pictured above), which received rave reviews - and even more so after he got a golden brown meat stick to swirl around all that yummy tomato juice.

Service and Cost:
Just like last time, the service was totally legit.  Not only did our waitress bring everything over in good time, she made sure that our glasses of water and coffee were refilled promptly and that we were happy with everything we got.  Since the portions are quite large and we ended up taking some potatoes home, they even offered us extra spicy mayo sauce. Yum!

Costs are definitely high for Portland but so justified for the amazingness you get.  Our meal set us back about $50 in total with tip.

3 Mmmms

Woodsman Tavern - 4527 Division Street, Portland OR 97206
971.373.8264
woodsmantavern.com

Yama Sushi & Izakaya - Japanese Happy Hour Yummies

The other day, Dan and I ventured over to one of my favorite parts of town in Portland, which is the Southeast.  Wanting to catch an early movie, we planned for happy hour in advance and decided on Yama Sushi & Izakaya on charming Clinton Street.

Atmosphere:
It's interesting to note that our visit to Yama was the first Japanese-style restaurant we've visited in Portland.  Knowing that it's an Izakaya as well, I knew there'd be other options besides sushi.  Loving their extensive happy hour menu, which goes til 6:30 p.m., it gave us plenty of time before the movie and because it was still early, the restaurant wasn't crowded and instead perfectly comfortable.

In terms of the vibe here, it's relaxed, open and sleek.  The sake barrels, which serve as a primary decor element very much reminded me of the ones we saw in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo.  There's an open air feel to the whole place, and you get to observe the sushi chefs do their magic if you wish.  I love that there's plenty of light in the restaurant that comes in through the large floor to ceiling windows, creating that natural, zen atmosphere often associated with a Japanese aesthetic.

Food:
Taking advantage of their fruitful happy hour menu, there was lots to choose from and we went with everything from traditional sushi hand rolls to tempura rolls, fried seafood and more.  Here are my specific food highlights:

Shishito Bacon Skewers - Mmmm...everything about this dish spoke to us.  I love me some shishito peppers, and mixing those together with the smoky bacon just added more greatness.  The bacon was was nicely cooked, being crispy and chewy too, while the shishitos added a little spicy punch.

Popcorn Scallops - Consisting of poppable little bay scallop bites, I was impressed with the happy hour portion.  The dish made for a great appetizer and its flavors came alive even more when spritzed with a little bit of lemon.  Overall, it was a solid dish and I'm happy to report that the scallops tasted fresh and sumptuous.

Baby Octopus Kara-age - Not familiar with the terms "kara-age," we asked our knowledgeable waitress to explain what we could expect from this dish.  She basically described it as another tasty deep fried concoction, which was A-OK with us and upon seeing it, we knew we were in for a treat.  Fried to perfection, the octopus exemplified a nice balance of crunchy texture and once again fresh flavor.  Dipping it into a bit of soy sauce amped up its level of savoriness.

Tempura Salmon Roll - Opting for a cooked sushi roll, this one didn't disappoint, especially in terms of portion size.  I loved the big chunks of salmon that were placed on top of the rice and seaweed bundle and you hardly needed any other fixins to enjoy it.  The spicy mayo and a sweet soy glaze on top went a long way, too.

Service and Cost:
Yama's staff are knowledgeable and friendly and some proved to be Japanese natives.  Impressed by their level of expertise, I had no doubt about the restaurant's authenticity and would happily return here in the future.

Costs are wallet friendly, especially for happy hour, setting us back just $36 for 6 small plates and a drink (tip included).

3 Mmmms

Yama Sushi & Izakaya - 2038 SE Clinton Street, Portland OR 97202
503.231.2859
4 Bus to 20th and Division
yamasushiportland.com

Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches had me at Hallo

Being that it was such a gorgeous day today and also because we were watching Mo & So's dog, Bond, we decided to hit the food trucks on Division street.  Knowing it'd be a busy time, we still decided to go for it, as it's a great place to come and enjoy a lot of exciting food with a dog in tow.

After circling around the hefty food truck lot on Division St. and 28th Avenue, we got a good sense of the yummies offered that day - and there were plenty.  After spotting a Korean food truck, Dan quickly chose a bulgogi beef platter for his lunch while I went for Smaaken, the Dutch waffle truck.  I'm about to spill the deets about the latter, which I thought was a fabulous choice I'd like to have again.

Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches - Located in a little pod, resembling a quaint Dutch cottage, Smaaken sandwiches are the real deal.  Immediately drawn to its eclectic menu that boasts not only sweet but savory sandwiches as well, there was lots to choose from.  I also liked the pod's location, which is strategically set near the communal tables in the middle so if you are with dog, like we were, it's easy to just hang out there until your name is called.

Sardou Waffle - After much deliberation, I selected a brunchie type of waffle with eggs, gouda cheese, artichokes, steamed spinach and lemon aioli to tie it all together.  The combination was fabulous and unlike any breakfast sandwich I've had--the eggs being perfectly fluffy, complemented by the tangy gouda and the soft lemon artichokes.  Even if you're not a vegetarian, I think you'll appreciate the sophistication and bright flavors in this sandwich.  But before I wrap this up, I must also talk about the excellence of the crispy waffle itself, which served as the sandwich part of this meal.  Not only was it cooked to perfection, boasting a beautifully golden exterior, the interior was airy and light, and didn't weigh you down at all.

Service and Cost:
Compared to some of the other waiting times in the food truck lot today, I think Smaaken surpassed expectations and expedited their orders pretty quickly.  Since everything is made to order, I was impressed by the 5-7 minute completion time for each order.

Costs are inexpensive and include anywhere from $4.50 - $8.50 for a waffle sandwich, depending on the ingredients.

3 Mmmms

Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches - SE 28th Avenue and Division Street, Portland OR 97202
smaaken.com

Bread Rules at Roman Candle Baking Co.

This week's PDX Breakfast Club meetup took us to the Southeast area of Division street, which is peppered with excellent restaurants, block to block.  I've been especially curious about Roman Candle Baking Co, as it seems to attract a good crowd and its specialty Roman pizza is a big draw.  Suggesting it to our meetup organizer Robin, she was happy to check it out and so were our fellow breakfast comrades.  

Atmosphere:
The first great thing about Roman Candle Co. is that it has a small parking lot, which makes it more accessible than some of the other restaurants and businesses in the neighborhood.  Nearly occupying a whole block, the restaurant is large and airy and boasts a beautifully large communal table for all to congregate at and enjoy the day's freshly baked treats.  This table is a true thing of beauty as it's rustically constructed and highlights the natural imperfections of wood that give it an irregular yet gorgeous shape.  There's a counter up front with enticing pastries, bread and of course their pizza oven that starts to crank out their signature rectangular pies starting from 11:30 p.m. for lunch service.

Food:
Pleasantly welcomed by their rich breakfast offering, you can choose from items such as toast with creative toppings, breakfast bowls and eggy plates.  It's all good and the Stumptown coffee is free flowing, giving you a reason to linger as long as you like.

Toast - Robin ordered two different toasts which she shared with the group, including the Nutella on raisin walnut bread and the honey/bee pollen on super grain bread.  Both were excellent and I must call out that the Nutella was homemade, which scored extra points in my book.  The honey toast was my favorite, mostly because of that fragrant bee pollen that added an earthy element and some texture too.

Everything Bun with a Duck Egg - Curious about something besides their bread, I was eager to try their take on an egg and cheese sandwich.  Of course it was something special and interesting, and turned on its ear.  The duck egg was ginormous and filled the contents of the bun perfectly.  I loved the way it was cooked to fluffy perfection and the aged cheddar on top provided just another layer of delicious tang.  A side of hot sauce was just the right accouterment and I generously poured it on for extra flavor.

Service and Cost:
The folks at Roman Candle were as lovely as can be and not only seemed happy to be there but were pretty prompt about having our food ready.  I looked around the place and everyone appeared to share this sentiment, as the space seemed to get fuller by the hour.

Costs are moderate and fair for the excellence in atmosphere, food and service and set me back just $8.50 for my duck egg sandwich and coffee.

3 Mmmms

Roman Candle Baking Co - 3377 SE Division Street, Portland OR 97202
971.303.6605
romancandlebaking.com