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Category: Food Stands [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, DowntownMon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Karel and Monika had me at "Chicken Paprikash", one taste and I was left wondering when I would eat it again.
The WW Eat Mobile Food Cart Festival is what I'm sure will be an annual favorite. $5, 17 food carts, and unlimited amounts of great food and drink (note: to avoid the lines and maximize your noshing go at least a 1/2 hour early, hit the outside carts first, than head inside). And while there was much to love Sip, Garden State, Al Forno Feruzza, Grilled Cheese Grill, and Junior Ambassadors to name a few I was facisnated with Tabor.
Having traveled to Prague, I found the city impressive but the food not so much. While left in awe of the red roofs, the golden spires, the cobblestone streets, and the underground jazz clubs I recall little of the food. Not so with Tabor, this cart doesn't just look good, it made me a believer in Czech cuisine.
"Chicken Paprikash" is a special (not always available), so calling ahead is advised if that's really what you seek. But I'd go anyway since the Schnitzelwich is always on the menu and always good. Pounded Pork cutlet, fried to moist juicy crispiness, placed in a Grand Central Ciabatta with a paprika spread and some horseradish. It's no surprise that this sandwich's fame has spread from St. Johns to Sellwood (to the NY Times). While I personally could do with a tad less horseradish, the fried piece of pork is pure art, so good it could probably stand alone (or better yet be dipped in the cream sauce of the Chicken Paprikash and served over spaetzle). In truth its probably best to ignore my food fantasies and enjoy the Schnitzelwich as is.
In a more recent visit (cue: "At Last" by Etta James) Karel and Monika, the affable owners, hooked me up with not just some "Chicken Paprikash", but Spaetzle as well. Usually this creamy flavorful savory dish comes with dumplings (delicious in their own right), on this occaision though Monika offered to do half dumplings and half spaetzle since I purchased two orders of the dish (and a Schnitzelwich, its hard to leave without one).
Best food cart in Portland? I'm not sure there's such a thing (and I'd have to eat at a few hundred more to be completely sure). But one of the best, certainly. Go Czech it out! (Yeah, I know...I resisted as long as I could).
btw "Not hungry at the moment" you say? Check the photos for this one. :)
It's been 4 hours and I am still full. In some circles, that's a bad thing, but in most, i think it's a plus.
Tabor has been one of my (and the rest of Portland's) go-to food carts for years and years. Their Schnitzelwich is legendary even beyond the boundaries of Portland. This little Czech cart has received accolades from national publications. There's no question that the ultra-nice couple that owns/runs the cart are serving up something special.
Tabor offers some amazing Czech comfort food. Their staple dish is the Schnitzelwich, which consists of a pork or chicken cutlet deep fried and stacked on a ciabatta with ajvar, horseradish, and lettuce. It's an amazing piece of work, and gigantic enough to quell even the most manly hunger. They don't even serve it with sides, and it needs none. My preference? The pork. Oh so good.
What really gets me going about this cart, though, are the other special and seasonal offerings such as hungarian mushroom soup, spaetzele, goulash, and the like. In fact, even though I know the Schnitzelwich is the bomb digs, I almost always end up with the special of the day, and rarely am I disappointed.
Today's special was a spinach spaetzele with sausage, kraut, herbs, and sour cream. It was obviously hand made, and came in a long to-go container for $7. Before you balk at the price, know that the dish weighed in at a good 2-plus pounds. I ate about 2/3 of it and feared that I was going to stress my stomach lining. Not only was it rich, but it was physically heavy. Oh, and did I mention that it was fantastically delicious?! A dish that you rarely see in Portland, and done so very well. And yes, 2/3 of a lunch portion kept me FULL for 4 hours.
Having tried a wide array of options from the Tabor menu, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to any guest that they just pick what sounds good and go for it. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed.
Good stuff. Solid stuff. Both figuratively and literally. While my dining companions both had the Shnitzelwich (which they loved--the paprika sauce is amazing), I went with the Muenster Cheese Sandwich. The concept is quite simple: cheese and bread. However, the issues becomes more complicated (and delicious) when you get the details: ciabatta; giant (and I mean *giant*) hunk of muenster cheese, fried for good measure; leaf lettuce; mayonnaise. Delicious. Heavy as all hell. I can eat me some heavy food. I have been told that I have impressive abilities with regard to my ability to eat rich, heavy foods. However, I could not finish this sandwich. Try as I might, I got through about 3/4 of it or so. I felt badly and wasteful, but completely sated.
Nice work, Tabor.
Apparently a "tabor" is a small drum, especially one used simultaneously by the player of a simple pipe.
Ok. I didn't know that. What I do know is that you probably shouldn't eat this everyday or you might die or become morbidly obese.
The schnitzelwich is pretty impressive. I was initially questioning if $6.50 was a worthy price for a sandwich from a food cart but when it came the amount of food did not disappoint. I opted for the chicken version, which was good, but I hear the pork is really the one to have. Someone in our group had the mushroom soup and said it was awesome and someone else had the Halusky which is herb spaetzles with sauerkraut and Polish kielbasa caramelized onions/garlic & other secrets topped w/sour cream for $7.00. Not bad, not bad.
Tabor is definitely worth a try and a return visit. Just be ready to be full when you're done eating and remember, don't wear white after Tabor Day.
* Czech out Czech food *
I love the food cart scene in Portland. Why oh why can't Vancouver do this? Ok, I digress. But seriously, I would eat at these food carts regularly if we had them in Vancouver!
I had the infamous Schnitzelwich and liked it quite a bit. The paprika spread was a nice touch, as was the horseradish. Although they were a bit too heavy on the horseradish for my taste - it overpowered the more delicate flavours of the sweet paprika spread. The schnitzel itself was hot and fresh. It was a bit thicker than I would normally want for a schnitzel, but tasty nevertheless. The cibatta roll was also very fresh. This was a very nice sandwich!
Got a taste of the Nakedwich as well (which had grilled meat instead of the fried schnitzel). It had a lovely garlic encrusting that really popped the flavours. Once again though they were a bit too heavy handed with the horseradish for my taste. But a great sandwich as well.
And oh my, these are big! Totally worth the very reasonable $6.50.
I also like their sign that reads, "Czech out Czech food."
I don't think it is possible to say that one sandwich is the world's best sandwich.
But if I were going to debate the world's best sandwich, I'd haveto put the pork Schnitzelwich into the discussion.
Soft roll, crunchy center, tender pork, horseradish sauce gives a kick. Worth scheduling a day around this sandwich. Yum!
So tasty! A friend of ours recently introduced Tabor to my husband, and we have not been able to stay away. The eggplant sandwich is delicious-breaded eggplant, horseradish sauce, pepper sauce, and lettuce, all on a little ciabatta bun. We shared the cheese sandwich once as well-it's really rich, but so good. It brought us right back to our travels in the Czech Republic.
The owners are so friendly, and obviously enjoy and take pride in what they do.
Next time it's on to the Schnitzelwich!
Get in ma belly!!
*pointing at the pork Schnitzelwich*
super friendly owner. A+!!!
we tried both the chicken and the pork schnizelwich, and pork was my favorite. fresh and juicy and oh so delicious.
ciabatta bread - yum
lettuce - fresh
fried pork - yumm yumm!
fried chicken - yumm!
special paprika sauce - sooooo goooood!
horseradish sauce - i could use a little less.
giant sammich for $6.50 only. i ate a whole one by myself at 10am (we were their first customers that day) and was not hungry until 6pm.
i wish there's one in LA too~
Wow...we knew we were in for a treat when we heard the proprietor hammering out the pork fillet after we ordered...no pre-cooked patties here.
The schnitzelwich is one of those sandwiches that magically melds all the flavors together perfectly but doesnt taste "muddy".
What else can I say? $6.50, great portion & unreal taste...Id go once a week if it wasnt 650 miles away from my work.
Schinzelwitch, deep fried perfection topped with spicy goodness.
Stop three on my exploration of the food carts of Portland. I meandered down about 2:30pm figuring I would miss the lunch crush and boy was I right. The place was nearly deserted and there was more then one cart closed up for the day. Note to self, try to time it better.. maybe 1:30pm next time.
There was no wait and the lady was warm and friendly. She laughed kindly as I tried to pronounce the name of the sandwich and only ended up hurting myself. Something about the name of it causes my tongue to go into spasm. She was even nice enough to warn me the pork was going to hot, since it just came out of the greaser. I found a empty bench and proceeded to attempt to eat this massive sandwich daintily. Good luck with that, this was a three napkin job. You know it is a good thing when you have to wipe your face after each bite.
The pork was crunchy against the yielding of the bread, the horseradish sauce was the most amazing compliment to saltiness of the sandwich. Wait, now I am drooling for another one.. I need a moment.
Thank you Yelp and all you Yelpers for your reviews and showing me the magic that is Schinzelwitch.
two words: Comfort food
one word: Delicious
I love this little cart.
The two folks that work here are so sweet, and their food....oh man, even better.
I love the Pork Schnitzelwich! It's like a little--more like BIG--slice of heaven, crispy, fried heaven. The ciabatta is legit, the ajvar paprika sauce is so friggin good.
I will say, the only thing that I would change--if anything--is the amount of horseradish. I love the stuff, but my mouth was on fire and I was in pain...it's a good pain, but i really wanted to taste the delicious fried pork a little more.
Needless to say, its phenomenal.
I admit I don't have much experience with food stands. I've always been kind of scared of them. Maybe because we don't really have them in Chicago. But after reading all of the rave reviews I decided to bite the bullet and give T'abor a try. Lord, I have seen the light!
After briefly considering being healthy and getting a Nakedwich, I said "F that!" and ordered a Schnitzelwich of the pork variety. Delicious fried goodness between two pieces of bread. It was so big that the meat protruded on both ends (hee hee) and was definitely more than a mouthful. I didn't know what to expect so I ordered a side of potato salad. Didn't need it! The sandwich was that big. But waste not want not, so I ate some of the tater salad anyway (in my defense I skipped breakfast--mostly...a Voodoo donut doesn't count, right? God now I sound like a big fat ass!).
The food was very tasty! I mean, yum! I've never had a sandwich quite like it. Other people have already described its contents so I won't bother. But it was a meal unto itself. The potato salad was also good, and a big portion. It might be good to split it with someone else, or even get some to take home for dinner. It's that yummy, and probably cheaper than you'd get from a grocery store deli.
Oh food stands, why did I fear you for so long?
Best. Food. Cart. In. Portland. Period. You may have to wait a few minutes to get your sandwich, but that's because its made with love. The husband & wife duo (she preps/finishes and rings you up, he cooks) are so pleasant that I keep coming back for more.
They even have a new Nakedwich (unbreaded marinated chicken) which was was great if you're looking for a unbreaded option. Personally, I've had the Nakedwich and the breaded pork & chicken Schnitzelwich. All are amazing. The special on Thursday is amazing!
The only bad thing about Tabor? No credit cards taken. Oh, and they don't have the Thursday special every day...its that good! ;)
Even with those two things, they don't matter. If you're hungry, head to 5th & Stark and find the red hut. You'll be happy you did.
Very friendly staff but my tabouli had almost no grain in it. I liked the flavor. My Greek salad was very good. with many olives and feta cheese. Next time I shall try something else.
I have to agree with Michael D. when he says "Best. Food. Cart. In. Portland. Period."... that's pretty much accurate.
I've been to Tabor at least a dozen or more times, and damn! Not only is the food delicious, but its completely accurate. I've been to the Czech Republic and eaten these foods. I fell in love with the smazeny syr (fried cheese sandwich) while abroad... imagine my surprise when I moved to Portland and find a place that serves authentic Czech food! Yum!
I haven't tried everything on their menu (yet), but someday that will change. My favorite is the above mentioned smazeny syr. Not only are they absolutely delightful, but they're huge! The ones you can get at food carts in the Czech Republic are half the size!
One day, the weather was particularly dismal, and the incredibly pleasant couple who owns/works the place took pity on my group of hungry friends and gave us free samples of potato pancakes. Not sure if those are even on the menu, but they were great! Those 2 are probably some of the nicest business owners in town. I've even seen them while out and about, and they both waved hello as they drove past. I will continue to freqent this place as long as they're in business.
Wow! These food carts was not what I expected. Its like a shanty town of delicious food.
To me it was like going to the fair...and everyone knows fair food tastes the best!
Looking through the reviews online, I HAD to try a Schinzelwitch. Got to the cart and was greeted very kindly, plunked down my money and a few minutes later, my fried pork sandwich was in my greedy hands.
I must admit the breaded pork was very tasty, but I never was a fan of cibatta bread. The combo was alright and nothing I would buy again.
However the eggplant sandwich was delicious and would hands down buy that one again.
Three words: Grandpa Munster Sandwich
Now this is a vegetarian sandwich I'll eat; a huge hunk of muenster cheese breaded and fried and topped with lettuce, tomato, paprika mayo and horseradish spread on a huge bun. The schnitzelwich is good, but if I had to choose between the two I'd go for the muenster.
I did notice they used peanut oil for frying, and it causes some chaos in the roof of my mouth. I think I might have a mild nut allergy. Damn it. The sandwich was huge and ultra-filling so I didn't get a chance to try any other dishes. My trips to food carts are few and far between because I never carry cash.
Tabor is a reason to carry cash.
Nom Nom Nom
I have to say, I'm always a little leary of trying anything fried from someplace new. You never know if it will be a greasy mess or not. But I simply could not resist trying a schnitzelwich.
Euphoria achieved! Not even the slightest hint of grease on my tasty sandwich!
Friendly service, good prices and plentiful food make this a place I'm sure to return to again and again.
We took a day trip to Portland from Seattle. Coming down I-5 through Kalama, we pulled up Yelp on my phone and started looking for a place to eat. Tabor popped up with lots of reviews raving about how amazing and cheap it is.
Found parking a couple blocks away, and walked past all the other food stands to Tabor. Saw all the accolades. Hmm, this looks promising.
We ordered the Schnitzelwich - one pork, one chicken, and walked down to the waterfront and found some shade.
Amazing. There must be a law against providing this much quality breaded meat for $6.50, with great bread and fillings as well. I'll be back for more, Tabor.
OK, so I confess. I haven't had the Schnitzelwich (yet).
Me, I had the Muenster sandwich. What can I say? I was drawn in by the thought of breaded (yes, breaded) and fried Muenster.
What I got was what looked like a half pound of Muenster cheese, in a crispy breading.
After just one bite, my Muensterwich started beckoning me to swim in its juicy core. It spread all over the paper wrapping, but I knew this was going to be a messy voyage when I embarked upon it. The woman even warned me.
Silly woman, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, and I was not disappointed.
If you're going to die, then at least die happy. The Pork Schnitzelwich ($6.50) may kill you, but at least it will do so with a smile on your face. As the fried pork makes its way in to your bloodstream and heads towards your heart, you'll taste the mix of horseradish, paprika spread and onions blend in unthinkable ways. All this and a ciabatta roll from -- shoot, I forget. I think it said Grand Central or Pearl Bakery. Anyway, it's good!
In case you survive the first heart attack, you can finish yourself off with the super-delicious French cookie with a caramel filling ($1). This was such a surprise. I wish I got two of them!
Easily one of the best meals I've had from a food cart.
The pork schnitzelwich was dreamy. And huge. And six dollars. I agree with Marc D. though, a little too much horseradish. Still good though!
Just saying it brings a smile to my face....SCHNITZELWICH!
We were heading from our hotel to Voodoo Doughnut for a quick breakfast and realized were were only a block from Tabor, home of the famed Schnitzelwich. It was about 10AM and I didn't expect it to be open, but there they were, open for business, so we ended up splitting a pork Schnitzelwich full of horseradish and paprika spread for breakfast. Hey, a sandwich that good can be eaten for any meal of the day, really.
So come on...as the sign says, Czech out Czech food. You'll seriously be glad you did.
T'abor is part of the newer "around the corner" carts, along with the Swamp Shack and Give Pizza a Chance. For some reason it has taken me awhile to warm up to the new carts, but with each one I try, I find a new favorite place.
T'abor is no exception. I ordered the Schnitzelwich (how could you not?) and a romaine salad with lemon pepper dressing. For starters, there's no need for the side salad. While the dressing is delicious and has 2 kinds of kick, the schnitzelwich is huge and is a meal all its own.
The pork was delightfully tender, served on a Grand Central ciabatta roll. It came with romaine, horseradish sauce and a red pepper relish type sauce of some sort. The salad was chopped romaine with the house made dressing which was truly a kick in the pants.
T'abor, yet another amazing Portland food cart!
I signed up for Yelp specifically so I could spread the good word about the schnitzelwich. It is by far the best sandwich I have ever had. This is saying a lot because I am not at ALL crazy about any of the ingredients. Horseradish (hate it!), paprika spread (ick!), fried pork (ewww), sauteed onions (would rather die). BUT TOGETHER? Magic. I can't even imagine experiencing this sandwich as a lover of any/all of the above mentioned ingredients. I wouldn't have even tried, but my boss bought me one for lunch one afternoon, and I felt an obligation to try it.
And I've literally been eating one each day for the past two weeks of work.
One piece of advice? Get the pork, skip the chicken. Normally I'm a chicken lover myself, but the pork is much more flavorful and totally worth leaving your comfort zone for.
Also, its the prettiest of all of the food carts. Someday, MAYBE I'll try something else from Tabor.
Oh, WHY can't Seattle have food trucks like Tabor? (I'd ask for a whole block of food trucks like Portland's, but that would definitely be way too much to ask.)
I had the pork schnitzelwich - spicy horseradish, mayo, and a HUGE piece of fried pork (it was sticking way out of the boundaries of the ciabatta roll). My boyfriend got a goulash special - unfortunately, I can't remember the Czech name, but it was made with sour cream and sauerkraut - that was tart and delicious and was served with big slices of dumpling.
(I'd recommend you do what we did, and take your lunch to Bailey's Taproom to enjoy it with a beer, but unfortunately Bailey's isn't normally open during the day. Regardless, I can tell you that Czech sandwiches pair very well with Oregon IPAs.)
Tabor rocks. I have not had the Schnitzlewich yet, but I have had almost everything else on the menu. It's all good. This place is close to my heart because I have been raised on glorious meals prepared to perfection by my Czech grandmother. Since my babicka lives far away from me now, I go to Tabor to get my Czech food fix. It does the job better than any other place in town.
One word. Three syllables. Schnitzelwich.
Breaded meat (chicken or pork), paprika spread, horseradish, lettuce on a ciabatta role make for a whole lotta czech love.
Every time I come to this cart, I intend to order something else, but always end up leaving with the 'wich, because I can't enough of it. Before my lunch break I will spend hours thinking of eating one, and then after my lunch break I spend hours thinking about eating another one. i love being a fat kid.
The boys had the day off from school (why, I do not know...it's not a holiday as far as I'm aware...). Anyway, a day off seems to have morphed into a day where new soccer shoes are required... I have no idea how this came to be, but since we were over on the West side, we availed ourselves of Tabor, food cart extraordinaire! Ooh la lah...or some Czech equivalent! I have just gone up several notches in the Mom-of-the-Year awards category thanks to the famous schnitzelwich. If you are not in the know, please do yourself a favor & scurry over to 5th below SW B'way where there are many food carts. Order the schnitzelwich with the works...lettuce, paprika spread, caramelized onions & horseradish sauce. You can choose between pork loin or chicken breast. Guaranteed to make your soul & your stomach very happy for $6.00. It's done wonders for my cred as a mom-in-the-know!
I opted for a bowl of heart-warming borscht, with fresh potato, beets, dill & sour cream. On a chilly day, what more could you ask for? It set me back $4.50 & there was plenty of it. I am eager to return next week to try the lentil soup or perhaps the goulash.
The couple who run the cart could not possibly be kinder or sweeter. I will become a familiar face around that cart & I highly recommend a visit! They have a website where they include recipes (how generous is that?!), so check it out (I refuse to stoop so low as to make a national reference in this last phrase...)! Absolutely worthwhile!
After having one of those "kicked in the head by a mule" kind of days. I really really really needed something nice. The chicken Schnitzelwich turned my frown upside down. Large, tasty and in charge this is the sexy blues singer of sandwiches. Sure she's singing in some smoky dive bar, but she's the best singer you've heard in a long time. I could easily split this in half and have it for 2 meals but I ate the entire crunchy saucy warm sandwich. And even though I may burst at least my day is going a whole hell of a lot better.
Believe the HYPE.... this is GOOD!!!
I was randomly walking around that area looking for food one day and decided to try Tabor. The menu looked really good all over but one item wouldn't dislodge from my mind even though I had been trying to avoid deep-fried foods. I decided to go with the infamous Schnitzelwich.
This sandwich was AWESOME. The meat was tender and the oil was fresh... bread worked well and the red sauce was a great addition.
One thing about this sandwich that amazed me is that it is big, but it doesn't feel big in your hand. I ended up a little over halfway through and wondered when I was going to actually finish it.
The only drawback I have is that I have been craving this sandwich when I know this place isn't open.
This is a great area to get food... try them all and come back to the Tabor again and again... I know you will
Once upon a time... I feared Czech food.
Now, before you start judging me, let me defend myself. While I must say that while I am not a meatasaurus, I have always been willing to try everything, at least once* In spite of this, there is just something about listening to two (first and second generation) Czech friends discuss meat dishes made out a conglomeration of animal bits** that makes Chloë go, "oh helllllll nooooo" to a cuisine. I can't help it, it's a knee-jerk-pseudo-vegetarian reflex.
But I love "the sandwich"... If I could only eat one general food for the rest of my life, it would be sandwiches. Hands down. They are delicious. BUT, because I don't eat burgers or pulled pork sammiches, my work-local 5th ave carts have a dearth of sandwiches.
Enter EGGPLANT SAMMICH OF MY DREAMS. Seriously, breaded, pan-friend eggplant? ...on Ciabatta? ...with the paprika spread that one of the aforementioned Czech friends drives across the bridge for? Now, that's a sammich I will pay $6 for.
(and never again will my pseudo-vegetarian heart fear Czech food)
* how many of YOU have broken 75 on the Omnivore's Hundred? That's what I thought.
** in a lame attempt to foster a little legitimacy, I tried to google "czech meat sausagey foods made with intestines. ew" ... it didn't bring back the results I was looking for.
Breaded and fried muenster on a ciabatta roll with lettce and Czech tartar. It's messy and good.
My sig oth had the goulash of the day which came with fluffy and rich tasting dumplings. The flavors of the sauce and the tenderness of the meat were incredibly tasty.
We walked down to the waterfront and ate our delicious food overlooking the Willamette River.
Walk around to the right side of the cart to look at postcards of the cart owners' home country. I'm sure I feel drawn to this place because I've got Czech in my blood. I like to think that I look like the adorable female owner. Go Czechs!
I first discovered Tábor in 2004 when I worked at Big Pink. I'd eat a schnitzelwich every week. I later got a job further uptown but I still come back as much as possible.
In five years, I've never had a bad schnitzelwich, goulash, paprikash, or potato pancake.
One of the best carts ever!
This is my favorite cart downtown. Well, this and the D&N Thai cart but D&N is too far away from me now.
The owners are so nice and chatty in a good way. The food is made to order. If you don't get there early enough, they can run out of food. I was the last to order once and someone ran up and tried to place an order only to be told they weren't taking anymore orders because they had been so busy. You can call ahead and place your order which is your safest bet.
I've tried everything on the menu except the soups. My favorite is the Halusky (Spaetzle) for the main course and Fruit Dumplings topped with Sweet Cottage Cheese for dessert.
Tied for second are the Pork Schnitzelwich and the Muenster Cheese Sandwich. The former makes me want to belt out "The Hills are alive..." while the latter, after the first bite, makes me want to curl up into ball and take a cholesterol nap.
Oh, I forgot. The Eggplant Sandwich is tasty as well. So that makes that one fourth.
I have to warn you about the Bramborak (Potato Pancakes). They have a funky taste. My friend and I were trying to figure it out. It's kind of an off-putting licorice-y taste. Maybe Majoram? I wouldn't have them again. Even stuffed with goodies like sauerkraut and sour cream, that taste was just overwhelming.
All carts should be this good. I just had a though. What if this cart mated with Flavour Spot? A Muenster Cheese Waffle? A Schnitzel Waffle? Oh my!
Life conspired against me yesterday. I work swing shift so go to sleep late, then the wife had to leave on her trip at 3am. Then the dogs were restless, then I had to hit the dentist for a filling replacement first thing in the morning.
So what does this have to do with Tabor? Well I decided with my mouth still numb I was getting a treat. So on my way back through downtown I circled like a tired eagle till a parking spot was found, then I swooped in for the pork schnitzelwich. Mumbling a bit cause only 1/2 my mouth was working I got my order out and understood, then sipped on a Hansens while I waited for my prize.
Now I haven't eaten breakfast and it's 10:30 and the smells are literaly making my mouth water. I finally have my prize and it looks fantastic! I head back home, and wisely do not bite into this morsel from food heaven till noon since I probably would've been eating my own tongue with it.
With my mouth in working order I reheat my pork schnitzelwich and dive in. WOW!!!!!!!! I was expecting so so since this is now almost 2 hours after I got it, but it was great. And that's not sleep depravation talking. The Grand Central roll was perfectly chewy, the pork moist and crisp, the onions, paprika and horseradish combining in sweet/hot glory to deliver the tastebud exploding experience I was looking for.
Now I can hardly wait to be back downtown so I can try one fresh!
Up to this point, I was a Portland Food Cart virgin. (I had a bad experience when I lived in LA...there is a VALID reason they call those things a Roach Coach)
When I learned that some yelpers were meeting up for lunch, I thought to myself: "get it together Laura. Don't let the yelp community know that you are a pansy. face your fear." After some personal pump-up cheers, 10 push-ups, and a shot of tequila I was finally prepared.
Unfortunately "fashionably late" turned into me missing my lunch party - but I had committed to overcoming my food-cart-fear. So with a talkative group of Macy's employees, I said a quick prayer and took a bite of my goulash. And then another...and another... (no safety wall from a soup or salad...I went straight for the hard stuff). And IT WAS SO GOOD!! Before I knew it, I was up ordering the Czech-Lentil soup to-go so that I could have a little mid-afternoon snack!
The owners were so pleased that I liked the food so much, they wrote down the recipe for the lentil soup..."you try at home!" All I could think was..."heck no! There is no way that I could caramelize onions, garlic and bay leaves like this!" And for $3.50?
My fear is gone. (But don't expect personal pump-up cheers, 10 push-ups, and a shot of tequila to stop anytime soon...)
Czech food from a cute food cart. Did I just describe a food cart as cute? Wow.
The food was yum, yum, and more yum! I really don't think there was a bad sounding thing on the menu really. It's apparently authentic Czech food, but I have no experience to agree or disagree. I just know it was really good. Everything was made to order, so you have a little bit of a wait, but it is absolutely worth it. I don't think I saw anything over $6 on the menu, so it's great for something filling and tasty that's good for the budget. The portions are enough to even keep me satiated so kudos to that. The owners of the cart are super friendly, and their patrons even more so. They love just having a conversation with anyone.
There is only one table specifically for Tabor patrons, so once that's taken you've got to find your own place to eat.
The goulash, pork schnitzelwich, and Czech potato salad were had in our group, and there wasn't a single complaint (except for maybe the horseradish on the schnitzelwich getting the best of him--haha!).
Picture it this way: I just died a few minutes ago and I'm staggering through brilliant light and a rolling cloudscape. I'm disoriented, alarmed, unsure of what's happening. As my eyes become accustomed to the glare, a shape emerges in the distance: a tiny house painted scarlet and chartreuse. There are kind, smiling people inside. They seem pleased to see me and ask about my day. Perhaps I'd like a sandwich? And what a sandwich it is. Huge, and full of fresh ingredients, lovingly prepared. The chicken is pan fried in olive oil until the crust is the color of my happiest memories. Every leaf of lettuce is carefully chosen. It's so important to them that every part of this sandwich be absolutely perfect, as if they know it will be my last.
It could be like this for you, too. Nothing will make you as happy as Tabor. Nothing.
Free Drink and a $1 Off
Neighborhood: Mississippi
Free Cookie
Neighborhood: Northwest
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Food Stands
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Russian
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Greek
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