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Categories: Food Stands, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Southeast Portland, Central EastsideWed-Sun. 8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
"I've finally found them. The best french fries ever. For the last 27 years, I have been on a never-ending quest to find the best french…" read more »
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Yarp?! F'kyeah!
So, we headed over to this pod after going to the Elite event in the Pearl. This was our first time at this pod. After placing our Potato Champion order (see review), we looked around and wanted something substantial to go with them. I'd read good things about Yarp?!, so I didn't let the strangeness of the name put me off. I should mention that we got here shortly after 8pm and were the only people ordering. I got the spaghetti and meatyballs and the wife got the same minus balls but plus veggies.
So we ate our fries while waiting for our food, which took less than 10 minutes (maybe closer to 5). When it was handed to us, I could hardly believe the weight of each container (*). It was a little too chilly to eat it there so we took it home. My wife just got back from an East Coast trip and was getting pretty tired so she had to forgo hers for the next day. I, however, could hardly wait to dig in.
GOOD STUFF, MAYNARD. The sauce is spicy and thick and rich and complex...just like I like it. The meatballs were divine. The pasta was very nicely cooked. The phrase that kept running through my mind while eating it, and which I'm going to share with you now, is...
NOTHING WAS SKIMPED ON.
The portion was more than ample, the flavors better than most brick and mortar Italian joints (RIP The Italian Joint) and the price was oh so right. It'll be hard to come back here and order other things (unless the menu changes) because once I find something I crave, I have a hard time straying.
5 stars, Yarp?!, for being all that you can be.
* The containers are made of recycled materials and are a little on the lightweight side so hold them from underneath. Also, they kind of disintegrate if you're a power eater. Enjoy it if you need the extra fibre in your diet.
I've been letting this review marinate in a bath of angry feelings. I thought maybe, with time, it'd go away. Maybe I overreacted. I mean, it's not uncommon. But nope, it's official, I'm not going back.
Ever.
And that's really not even a reflection of the food. What I had was decent, even $8 decent thanks to the portion; but Jesus Christ it's really not necessary to wait 40+ minutes. I realize it takes time to prep a meal from scratch, especially if there are people in front of me. And there were.
But I'm starting to get irritated at the world of food carts. I love that there are a myriad of awesome choices in food cartery these days, but anymore I think everyone is losing sight of the whole point. I choose food carts for the following reasons:
1. Quick.
2. Cheap.
3. Diversity.
The latest and "greatest" are steering further and further from these ideals and going the way of full-fledged restaurant with a lower overhead thanks to only running a cart front. I can see the appeal, being an accountant, but I'm getting irritated to spend close to $10 for food that's taking ages to prepare. If I wanted to wait that long, I'd go to an actual sit down restaurant.
Unfortunately, I know my complaints are in the minority, as lines still continue to grow at these new eateries. Hell, I could have walked away when I was getting irritated, but I didn't. There I sat in that stupid line waiting and waiting. People are still going, so of course they're going to be able to get away with it.
When I got my huge container of spicy soba noodles, I went back to the rest of the group I was with (who already finished their meals by leaps and bounds, mind you). It was decent. It wasn't -that- spicy, and there was a fair amount of pork heart to make the $8 price tag worth it. Still though, 40+ minutes was absolutely unacceptable. I just wanted some quick and easy pasta. I knew there was the warning signs admitting there was usually a delay, but that's a ridiculous delay.
And whenever I'm in that cart pod, I feel the anger rise up the back of my throat whenever I see that black cart.
And because of that, I'll be one less person in that stupid line.
I've heard a lot of good things about Yarp?! but somehow always seem to miss it when I venture out to the 12th & Hawthorne carts. Either I'm craving some fries or a delicious pie, or I happen to hit it on a night they're closed. Well, the other day the stars aligned (or at least I have to assume so, it was too cloudy to know for sure...) and I was able to finally "get my Yarp on" as a few reviewers have put it.
From what I've heard, it seems that if there is a complaint to be filed it's the wait time. For me, that was not too much of a factor. I waited in a short line (just 1 person in front of me at the time) and waited perhaps 10 minutes at most for my food. Granted, 10 minutes is longer than most carts take, but I was ok with the wait - it's a late night cart, I'm in no hurry. Plus, it was easy to see they're working hard to keep up with demand, so a few extra minutes was just fine with me. Once my food arrived - the chicken & broccoli fettuccine - I was ready to dig in. The sauce was delicious, the noodles cooked just right, and the side of garlic bread the perfect compliment! The broccoli was a little on the crisp side (some prefer it to be cooked more) but I found it only enhanced the "fresh" feel of the meal. And at $8 you're getting just the right amount of bang for your buck.
Definitely check Yarp?! out. Be forewarned that there may be a wait, but in the end I felt it was more than worth it! I'll definitely be back.
Man, let me tell you, I ain't buying it. I'd heard lovely things about the Yarp?! food cart at the Hawthorne "pod". I stood in line, ordered what seemed like a reasonable enough dish. A simple fettuccine with cream sauce and broccoli. I waited outside that food cart for over 45 minutes. When my food was ready, it was bland.
I don't have any grand ideas when it comes to food cart consumption. I know better than to expect culinary wizardry from a airstream trailer.
But I've gotta tell you what really got under my skin.
Outside the order window sat a dry erase board on which was written a theoretical conversation between a cart employee and a customer.
The dry-erase customer asked "why is my food taking so long?"
The dry erase cart employee replied " have you ever made a cream reduction?, have you ever cooked a perfect al dente pasta, do you know what it's like to ,have you ever, blah blah etc"
And I was offended.
Because i have worked many a kitchen line, and made many a reduction sauce. And I have never in my professional career served anyone a bland, gummy pasta after keeping them waiting for 45 minutes. Seriously.
In a city with no less than 4 culinary schools/programs, you dare ask US if we've ever reduced a cream sauce?
Put your snarky attitude away and go explore fresh herbs and spices, a little salt and pepper, alright?
I get that it's a food cart, and the space is limited, and I did not expect fine dining, that would be ridiculous! But that dry erase board tirade was just an insult, bratty, cocky and condescending.
Well, those fries over potato champion were pretty rad. So the night wasn't a total loss.
How good was last Wednesday's Rigatoni Bolognese?
I stopped in again Sunday night.
While it was Penne instead, still delicious, still al dente, still a bargain at eight bucks (there's enough for most people to share, but I usually don't).
Love Yarp?!'s "new" ninja paint job (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
White table cloth or black box? Pathetic pasta or perfect pasta? Eighteen bucks or Eight? Most over priced mediocre PDX Italian joints or Yarp?!?
Pass me the recycled container, the night air's cool, the pasta's hot, and the choice is easy.
Within the SE quadrant of the "weird" city, itself a thriving anti-corporate bastion of independent… Read more »
"Anarchy killed the Corporate Whore"
Well this corporate whore can't get enough of Yarp?!
Piping hot, never overcooked pasta served up in large quantities with fresh garlic bread, what's not to love? Ingredients are fresh; veggies are crispy; chicken is moist and bursting with savory flavor.
Their sauces, by the way, are fucking amazing. I'm currently crushing hard on the garlic cream sauce, complete with whole roasted cloves of soft, melt-in-your-mouth garlic. My friend Wendy had red sauce last night and said it was savory, herby, garlicky, and delicious. One of the best pasta dishes she's had in a long time. And she's straight up Sicilian, so I trust her opinion on all things pasta.
I've got a crap winter full of way too many work hours in my immediate future. It may be just a bit brighter knowing I can grab some tasty noodles on my way home too late at night. Yarp may just get this corporate whore through a winter of discontent.
Ok, Yarp. I think I'm finally ready. I've waited and waited and waited for your delicious meals for months now. Tried many things. But it's tricky to know where to begin. So, I'll start with the pastas...
Spicy Soba Noodles: delicious. A big container filled with piping hot, spicy, saucy noodles, assorted fresh veggies (or add choice of protein - my friend opted for pig heart last night. PIG HEART. You show me another cart in town that offers something like that...) will fill you up, I promise. Starting at $7 (more for meat), that's a solid dinner.
Mac And 6 Cheese: they don't offer this all the time, but if you're there and it's on the board, go for it. It's really, really good. I added broccoli to mine, and the steaming dish of smooth and creamy sauce and noodles served with a huge piece of garlic bread was better than most restaurant mac and cheese I've ever had.
Spaghetti: classic, and at $4 is your best bet for the cheapest meal at Yarp?!, tied with Whiffies for the cheapest meal on the block. Also comes with garlic bread, which you will need to soak up the remaining tomato "gravy" (their descriptor, though it's really more of a stew, IMO).
Vegan Burger: HOLY geez, that thing is HUGE and for $5 is less than you'll pay for a pre-fab veggie burger anywhere. I mean, HUGE. It's a house-made (like everything at this cart) patty that I am certain they use no less than 400 cloves of garlic in each batch. You will likely not be making out with anyone after this monster burger, or at least, you probably shouldn't. Option to add cheese or more garlic (yikes) for a buck. They have vegan cheese available, too. Comes with coleslaw.
I've seen others tackle the beef burger, too, and it's almost scandalous how big those things are for five smackers. Pretty sure no one needs that much cow in one sitting, but holy hell that's a bargain. I've tried a few other things from this cart, no complaints about any of the dishes.
The only drawback outside of the weird politics of this cart, erratic hours at times, and money troubles they've had is the wait. You will wait. And wait. While I think it's great they truly make each dish to order, from scratch, it seriously would behoove them to make a few things up ahead of time since it is a really popular cart. Kudos for sticking to high standards of food prep, but really, the delay might make a person crazy. I waited more than 30 minutes last night for a burger. That's excessive. In all fairness, the cook was alone, left to prepare food and take orders at once, and he remained chipper and continued to hand over food to each hunger-crazed patron with a smile.
The third time was a charm for us with Yarp?!
The first two times (Friday/Saturday nights) we visited, they were not open. But we didn't take closed for an answer and finally, the Yarp?! was ours.
I went with a pasta special that had habanero cream sauce. It was really, really good. My wife had the spaghetti with Yarp?!'s red sauce. I got a taste of that and was also a fan. Each dish came with garlic toast (extra garlic-y). I loved that they lend you metal silverware with which to enjoy your meal.
Yarp?! has to have more 'tude than any other cart in Portland. The woman taking orders was friendly, but I could tell the cook was bordering on irate. I had no problem with this... it fell in line with feel of the place. They have a hilarious "FAQ you" list that explains why your meal may take a little longer than most carts. Ironically, our food took about 15 minutes, about a third of the time that our burrito from El Brasero had taken a few weeks earlier.
If Yarp?! was open on a more predictable basis, five stars would be a no-brainer.
After enjoying a great P.T. Anderson flick at a local theater pub, I was starving and craving some more food cart action. It was considerably packed at Hawthorne and it took me a while to decide what I wanted. I noticed Yarp had no line so I placed my order for the spicy soba noodle dish with chicken. I did read the FAQ board and knew the dish would take a while to be freshly prepared.
I do not mind having my food take a while to be cooked. I much rather have it cooked to order rather than just dished up from a heating container of some sort. The people working at the cart were super friendly. I noticed they were in fact sauteeing the vegetables preparing the other items. Once the food was ready, they gave me chopsticks, packaged carbs, and napkin. I was bashful but did ask for a fork since I'm not a pro with the chopsticks.
I enjoyed my dish greatly. There was plenty of chicken with each bite. The vegetables were crisp and not soggy even with the sauce added in. The noodles were al dente and edible. I managed to eat 90% of it before hitting the game over switch. It was not too spicy but gave it enough kick to my liking. It had a great after taste as I was driving home. Then something happened..... the garlic kicked in and oh boy, before I knew it, the whole house was scented with garlic.
The dish I had was certainly a "garlic bomb". Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed it although my family gave me a crap for it when they asked me why I was reeking of garlic. Oh well, next time I would just have the garlic be reduced in future dishes.
I've gotten my Yarp?! on several times now and often it's been out of necessity (i.e. I was starving; I need to carbo-load; etc.) and I am definitely a big fan. So much so that when they were closed for-freakin-ever several weeks ago-- (effin' heatwave...)-- I was jonesin' like a crack addict.
My go-to these days is their signature Spaghetti & Meatballs. The sauce has a taste that is at once mellow and aggressive. Combined with the deliciously spiced meatballs and the dish is heaven in a bowl. And, although I try not to eat everything in one sitting-- thinking I can take some home for later consumption-- I end up literally inhaling the stuff. Top it off with the flavorful and perfectly-toasted garlic bread, and you'll be eatin' good in this Southeast neighborhood.
I could try some of the vegetarian stuff since I'm thinking of going vegetarian again (*cough* nevergonnahappen *cough*) but they do their meatballs really well. "I love their meatballs!" (c) 2009
Be prepared to wait, though, as they make-to-order as much as possible. So, if you have quite a few people ahead of you, it could be a while.
But, at under $10USD for good grub made fresh, it's worth the wait.
This is one of the most interesting experiences I've had in my life. Seriously.
So, if you check my Potato Champion review, I've been coming to the 12th and Hawthorne pods for a long time. Even over the winter, long before the hipsters came and took it over as their personal playground, I've been coming here for over a year. Never once in that whole time have I found Yelp to be particularly interesting, compared to the other carts I came across. Every time I walked over and checked out their menu, I only noticed "Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti" or "Chicken with Broccoli and Fettuccine in cream sauce" and a Spicy Noodle Bowl and just sort of yawned and walked away.
This is what judging a book by its cover gets you. A few months ago on Yelp, a discussion came up in which the owner of Yarp?! went ahead and commented on my view of his cart. He corrected me and told me his menu changes all the damn time, with a couple staples he keeps around that are very popular. Two of those are the roasted red pepper spaghetti and the spicy noodle bowl. I'm an especially good cook myself and kept wondering what the big deal was about pasta when I can come home and cook it in 15 minutes for myself.
So I took the Yarp challenge. And eating my own words has never tasted so good.
I had the spicy noodle bowl with PORK HEART, and I've had it with unagi, and all sorts of strange things. Their roasted red pepper with meatballs is as good as advertised as well. Since then, I've slowly changed my perspective on the carts on this corner. Many of the other carts on the pod try to offer one thing, and do it very well- Q does great BBQ with a couple sides, Potato Champion does great fries and poutine, Whiffies does awesome fried pies, etc. Yet while all of those foods are great, greasy drunk foods, they drop in my stomach in a manner akin to a bomb, while Yarp is an actual whole, delicious, meal. As a result, I've befriended Jeremy over the time and even had a chance to interview him in my documentary on food carts (I'll post the link soon), highlighting carts that are open late.
One of the things that has had me coming back is the fact that Yarp isn't just another money grubbin' food cart. These guys really do mean what they say. If you eat at their cart too much, they'll turn you away. Why? Because they believe in equity and community enough that they want to give the other carts business. It's your birthday? They'll help you celebrate, unlike the other carts who couldn't care less. Broke? Sing a song, do some work for them, and they'll help feed you.
I absolutely love Yarp, and I love what they do and why they do it. Because of them, I'm kind of embarassed to admit, I've come from never eating at their cart and going to the other ones, to going there specifically and exclusively for Yarp, and ignoring the other carts unless Yarp is closed. Jeremy wouldn't like me saying it, but it's true, and a testament to not only how good they are, but how incredible it is to have a business like them in town, and especially at this pod, particularly with the sort of place that it has turned out to be now.
Keep Yarping on, Yarp.
I desperately hope that some generous Yelper can do something to help out Jeremy (Yarp?! owner) or point him to someone who can. His blog post today detailing his battle with the system to get treatment for his condition is a bit alarming considering how friendly and upbeat he is in person: http://pdxyarp.blogspo.... Thanks to Yelp, I stumbled upon this late-night treasure. I write few reviews on Yelp, but this one was called for. I have only eaten here once and had a very pleasant experience. I was curious to find out more about Yarp?! online and came across this woeful blog post by the owner of this cart.
I can't stomach fast food like I did as a tyke, so I was looking for something open at 12am, and this fit the bill. This place is open *very late*. This man obviously puts a lot of care and love into his food. He is seems excited to serve his guests, but not in an annoying way at all. That is a feat of mastery considering he doesn't actually make any money.
I had the tofu soba bowl and I was very surprised to find such good late-night vegetarian food. The noodles weren't soggy and yielded generous amounts peppers, broccoli, garlic and tofu. The tofu had a unique flavor... I think it was jasmine. Very tasty and new to me. I was very excited to discover a canned aloe juice that has a large amount of actual solid aloe. It doesn't taste awesome, but it does cool stuff!
I've been wanting to try this place forever because of all the great reviews. Whenever I go to the food carts here, I look at the Yarp menu and there is always something I want more (usually fries and/or a crepe). I finally tried it and kept it basic with spaghetti and gravy. I don't know what I'm missing, but I really didn't like it. The garlic bread it came with was pretty good, but I kind of hated the sauce. Maybe I need to try something different, but for now, I'm just not that into it.
I like food, I like eating late, I've heard good things about Yarp. Over the past few weeks I've made four separate trips just to try this reportedly tasty food cart with its mystery menu. Each time the Yarp trailer has been deserted. I know I'm going on the right nights; the last couple times I even checked their blog and twitter page, for fucks sake. I can't say I didn't give them a chance. The only reason I even signed up for Yelp and posted this is because I was so disappointed after going there for a fourth time and walking away hungry.
Thankfully the other carts on 12th and Hawthorne aren't run by anarchists.
I'll tell you what, I'd be hard pressed to think of a better way to end a night of drinking and debauching (yeah, I made that word up, who are you Merriam-Webster or sumptin?) than with some tasty grub from Yarp!
Like a total rookie I began imbibing (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) on an empty stomach, so by the time I'd hoofed it to SE 12th/Hawthorne I was straight up ravenous!
My "Portland Cool Kids" card was about to be revoked, as I had never before been to the Hawthorne Cart Commune, so there were almost too many well-loved, highly regarded options to choose from - but in truth I already knew I'd have to try Yarp first, no matter how tempting crepes, fried pies, or cheese curd-topped taters may have sounded.
I was not disappointed. I gather they change up their menu fairly often, and there were a few items that piqued the curiosity of my taste buds - including Pork medallions with sliced veggies and rice - but I have a hard time justifying trading too much $$$ for grub at a cart, no matter how tasty it may be.
With that in mind I opted for the Spicy Soba noodles ($6) - and did kick in the extra $2 to sub in chicken rather than tofu. His Yarpness seemed to be working solo, and notified me that there were about 4-5 orders ahead of me, so I prepared myself for a bit of a wait...but it seemed like no time before he was handing me chopsticks and a heavy tub full o' goodness!
The veggies (broccoli, bells, onion) were obviously fresh, tender but still satisfyingly firm. The tomato-based sauce was tasty and had a little zip, but calling it "spicy" might be over-selling it a bit. Yarp seemed to be out of any spicy/chili condiments, so I snagged a few squirts of what appeared to be a homemade chili-garlic sauce from a nearby cart and that did the trick perfectly. In fact, a little garlicky goodness really complimented the rest of the sauce very nicely!
The noodles themselves were super good, and the whole meal was very satisfying and perfectly ample to quell my hunger. While it was still a decent value, I think next time I'd save 25% of the total cost by forgoing the chicken and just going with the tofu. That's what my vegetarian friend did, and she quite enjoyed it.
I'll definitely be back, for some fresh, inspired, tasty, food cooked up with skill.
A side note: the Yarp blog (see their website above) is a bit of a trip. It's sorta like reality TV, in that you get a little too much information while at the same time peeking behind the cart at the man's business and personal life. Here's hoping Yarp keeps on growing and further establishing itself as one of the most gourmet, yet totally unpretentious food carts in the city!
I'd been wanting to try this place since I first heard about it; I dragged an out-of-town friend to the 12th and Hawthorne pod specifically so I could get some pasta.
Then we get there, and it's burger night. Nary a pasta plate to be found. Curiously, business seemed generally slow, whereas the other carts were getting their usual business.
I'll be back, eventually. But c'mon... maybe a couple of special burgers, but to completely replace the menu of food that's been earning you raves? It's your cart, you can do what you want. But it looked to me like it cost you some business on a busy night. Disappointing.
Dearest Yarp?!, please forgive me for previously making fun of your rickety old shack. Your gourmet food is so exquisite and so very special, I would eat there even if the cart pod were on fire.....in fact I would gladly do the stop, drop and roll, through the flames, to get to your window, to feed my body, soul and spirit with your finely-honed delicious-ness....
Why isn't there a line wrapping around the block for this place? I was afraid at first, yes, but now I worship at your temple. I'm not really worthy of consuming food this fine, and yet you offer it to me at the best value I've seen anywhere for gourmet food.
My last meal there included abundant, beautiful fresh veggies sauted with linguini in a wonderful white wine and butter sauce, with a generous two-inch slice of grilled buttery, herb-y bread and parm sprinkled over it all.
$7.
Yelpers probably think I mis-typed the price. You're GOLD.
I've been to Yarp?! a few times, and I wasn't exactly wowed - sure, the food was good, cheap, and relatively fast, but it wasn't anything super special. It was enough to make me return when I was going to carts nearby but wanted a bit more of a filling meal, but it was never really a destination.
Then I had the spaghetti. The sauce was perfect, the portion was huge, and to top it off, it was only $4.
There aren't really many good places for pasta in Portland - most are either a little too expensive for my tastes (Nostrana), or have bad food and mediocre service (Pastini). Yarp?!, on the other hand, is cheap, has extremely nice service, and actually tastes good. I'll definitely be returning - over and over - for that spaghetti. Mmmm, mmm mmm.
Yarp?! is a great example of the power of the vegan community in Portland. When they first opened, they just had a little note on their menu that they could make vegan stuff if requested. Now there are several innovative vegan options every day. It's become a favorite late-night spot, because after a night of drinking, I don't always want something fried. I have had several weekends where the only vegetables I've eaten were served to me at Yarp?!
The first thing I ever tried from Yarp?! was leftover vegan spaghetti from my friend's fridge. It was good, and full of fresh local vegetables (I think there were some wild mushrooms and garlic scapes), though I don't usually like to spend money on spaghetti when going out unless I'm in a divey Italian restaurant in the middle of nowhere and have been living off Clif Bars for a week. So, tasty, yes (despite being two days old and microwaved) but worth leaving the house for? I'm not sure.
But Yarp?! has so many vegan options now, and there is always something new and surprising going on. My favorite thing ever was a vegan reuben that used marinated portabello mushroom as the "meat." I am a vegan reuben connoisseur, and this one was pretty great, and unlike any reuben I have ever had.
Last night my friend and I were craving some real food late at night so we headed to Yarp?! and learned that it was "Go Yarp?! Yourself" night-- or I think that's what it was called? Anyway, the rules were, you told them you wanted food and they made you whatever they wanted. We requested something vegan (but the guys there are the best and know everyone, so they remembered that we were vegan anyway) and ended up with a Vietnamese vegetable-filled crepe and a plate of salad rolls. It was delicious and unlike anything I have ever had before, especially at a food cart. We were charged $10 for the whole thing.
Yarp?! is a great alternative when you just can't eat another fried pie from Whiffies (even though I love fried pies from Whiffies). Be sure to follow them on Twitter (http://twitter.com/pdx...) for hours and news.
Can you say Yarp?!
Can you pronounce it correctly?
How about yummy spicy sausage linguini?
Can you say that?
Yes you can!
Eight dollah will make you hollah and wish that you have another bottle of water. It's spicy, fresh, and hot. It took a while to get my food, but it's so worth it. The portion was huge, I had to share with my sister, her boyfriend, and my other sister's boyfriend.
I will come back to Yarp?! with a hungry belly, hopefully on a less busy night. Yarp?! you are so awesome!
This place deserves all the hype it's been receiving; the food served came with a lot of thought behind it. The sign tonight said they were out of meat spaghetti because the store ran out of local organic meat -- good to know they're sticking to their standards.
I got the pasta dish with linguinca, dill, and roasted garlic (among other ingredients). This dish should have stopped before it added cheddar (I believe) because it really overpowered the dish. Otherwise it was quite amazing.
The menu seems to be more expensive than what I'm typically looking for in a cart, but it offers many items at prices carts should abide by: dragon burger and several Asian noodle bowls for around $5, give or take. Those are where the deals are.
Edit: I got a message from Jeremy at Yarp?! and there's no cheddar in my dish. I forgot that there was dijon listed on the dish, which is the strong flavor -- how I got that wrong, I don't know.
Stuffed, herb-crusted and roasted pork loin cooked in a balsamic-style reduction with fresh garlic and veggies, paired with angel hair w/ fresh grated parm and basil, accompanied by some brussels braised with pork.
$10
Served up hot and fast.
5-stars all around. I am REALLY starting to like this cart a lot.
Yarp?!
Finally got to try this random little cart on the corner of 12th and Hawthorne. After a night…
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I was feeling headachey and cold, my vision was dim, but i could see the YARP?! menu had gluten-free noodles for no extra charge!
After cealic-prudent inquiries, i realized that the Italian Sausage with Spicy Pepper Cream Sauce was also gluten-free... unlike so many other creamy anythings; YARP?! makes their cream-sauces thick by reduction, not wheat flour! They put this one over their rice fettucini for me, which prepared them perfectly (such noodles easily turn to mush when over cooked).
Nice ceramic plate, huge portion, great price, awesome flavor, and somehow... the magic of body chemisty and YARP?!'s quality ingredients and probably something about much needed hemoglobins from the sausage, this was easily one of the best meals of my life- possible the best.
PERFECT DINNER DATE FOR SUMMER LOVE; cheap & lovely... great music in the parking lot, relatively "green," good service, and you might just split the huge portion and go for a lady & the tramp moment.
I love living not too far from this corner of Hawthorne. Ok, it isn't in my neighborhood, but close enough. Decided I wanted some eats after work this evening and since most places seem to close so early, I decided to get my food on over here.
Mmmmmmmmmm. What else can I say about the food at this cart? So good. I ordered the prawns and veggies in a lemon dill cream sauce with cheese tortellini. Everything is made to order so it took some time from the time I ordered until I got it. That's Ok. I'm full of patience. Plus the corner where this cart is located is a good place to people watch, especially on a Saturday night.
Took the food home with me. On first look, I wasn't impressed with the size of the meal, but as I ate all those thoughts quickly left my brain. Full of prawns (10, maybe more) and all kinds of veggie goodness like red peppers, carrots, cabbage(?), cloves of garlic and the hits just keep on coming. The cream sauce wasn't too heavy, which is a good thing and there was also a nice big piece of garlic bread included.
I just finished eating and I already miss it. If one could stop time. That is my Yelp on Yarp?!. Sorry, it was begging to be said.
This was a late supper and we did a 3 course carts meal! =P
Pork tenderloin on vermicelli with a jalapeno cream sauce. I am not a big fan of vermicelli nor jalapeno but this dish was pretty tasty! The pork was super tender and the suace was not that spicy. I agreed with John T about the vermicelli not holding it's weight in the dish; maybe angel hair pasta would work better.
Of all the late-night food carts, I stumble onto this one. Yarp promises- and delivers- delicious pasta dishes. The other night, I got spaghetti and meatballs. Y'know, the usual pasta dish one thinks of when you hear the word "pasta."
Yarp's spaghetti and meatballs is very good. Sure, it took a while for them to make it, but it was worth the wait. HUGE meatballs and enough noodles to feed two people. And it was cheap to boot. A few days, later, I had the same dish at a locally-owned Italian chain and it wasn't as good. Cart wins!
Ok, ok. I'm a five star giving floozy.
Sure I've already told you the menu has great standards every night, with a rotation of weirdness and sophistication. The Italian dishes are as good as any other "nice" place in town. For half the money and twice the pasta on your plate! I haven't ventured over to the asian side of the menu, but the spicy noodle bowl is a-calling and next opportunity I get, I'm going to order it.
I was over here this weekend trying the crepe place and a special on their menu caught my eye; prawns over three cheese tortellini, covered in a creamy pesto sauce. And oh man, was I ever so mad that I'd already eaten dinner! I asked if they'd have it again Sunday (oh, did you know they're the only cart on this corner open Sunday's?), and sure enough...I got the last one come Sunday night. Oh GOODNESS, it was so good.
I heart you guys, Yarp! Check out the pics I added, you can see Chad in the cart working on my dinner!
Man! I can't believe this place only has one review! Of course, it's a quality one Don B (haha, I… Read more »
I have always been a fan of quirky little food carts and hole-in-the-wall kind of places. After a night of drinking, this was the only stand open on a Sunday night at 2am, and I was dying for some food in a town that goes to bed early. Running out of ingredients, I had little by way of options, so I tried the Spicy Noodle Bowl with Sirloin. While the noodles consisted of Spaghetti masquerading as something azn, the veggies and sirloin on top were amazing. On a scale of 1 to 10 I picked 7 for spiciness and it was just right. Not enough to interrupt the flavor, not too little to leave me wanting.
According to the sign it is sustainable and organic. I'll go with that. If the guy had thrown udon or ramen under there, he'd get 5 stars. I wish there were carts like this in SF.
I finally made it down here to give a bunch of the carts a try. Yes a bunch of them all in one night. Though i wasn't really interested in giving them a try until leo and don are giving them praises.
I had the port tenderloin on vermicelli with a jalapeno cream sauce. The sauce, great, the port tasty, but the choice of noodles didn't do it for me. The noodles don't bring much to the party. I understand that they are rice noodles and it's hard to make them flavorful but the choice of them itself is bad. the other thing i didn't like about the choice of noodles is, that it doesn't hold the sauce well.
overall the taste is good. just one thing i didn't like about that dish. I'll be dropping by more, there are other good things on that menu of his.
These guys make some amazing pasta out of the Yarp?! cart. The menu changes every day, and they always have plenty of vegan and meaty selections for whatever you happen to be into. Last time, I had the vegan pasta with a balsamic reduction sauce and veggies. It was delicious. I'm a big fan of the garlic bread that comes with it. They don't skimp on the roasted garlic no matter what you order. A friend ordered the garlic burger, which came with almost a dozen whole cloves of creamy roasted garlic on it. I've also had the tofu soba bowl and the spaghetti with tomato sauce and added veggies. Both of those were outstanding as well. Well worth a late night trip to the carts for dinner here.
Pasta, even pasta from a food cart, is about as anarchist as a rubber ducky wearing a green beret. It doesn't matter. Whatever chaotic ethos made the Yarp?! cart happen, it didn't translate to the food. Pasta with veggies and a bevy of cream sauces tastes pretty damn good after drinking somewhere in the Southeast. So I'm willing to put on the late night sneer (see also, the late night glazed wonky eye) and brave the crowds to stand in line to be filled with starchy helpings from the anarchist gearhead cookbook. But if you eat and find yourself with a case of the vapors swoony enough to make out with some crunchy-haired fixed gearhead, don't say you weren't warned.
This could be a two word review: eat here. Fresh ingredients assembled in delicious combinations, made to order, cheap as shit. Made to order means you'll have to wait a few, but that just gives you time to explore the pod a little. As for their erratic hours, deal with it. These guys are a couple of kind souls and deserve any break they need. And it's not like there's a dearth of delicious, albeit inferior (ok, Whiffies is not inferior), food in this pod. Yarp?!, put it in your face.
Yarp?! cooked up a find dinner for us on Friday. The service was friendly and quick enough to calm our growling stomachs. Our dinner consisted of Mushrooms with Fettuccine in Pear Wine Sauce and Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin. The Pear Wine Sauce was subtle, yet flavorful to provide balance for the delicate mix of mushrooms. A slice of garlic bread accompanied the pasta. The pork was tender and cooked perfectly, but we wished the flavor was a bit more bold. We highly recommend Yarp?! Seriously delicious food for the laid back crowd. Someone get a line going in front of Yarp?!
holy crap. When did this place get so many reviews on yelp.
Yarp is a strange place, I didn't quite understand the owner's concept when he first explained it to me... with his wife standing on the side awkwardly smiling at my confused expression, but this was last summer. The food cart is black with a huge sign says "yarp" on the front. Its also emitting a sense of college-anarchist-punk feel. I had the vegetarian spaghetti and... it wasn't that bad but it took forever for him to cook it. I was in a rush back to work, bad timing I guess. The dish was $6 and he only charged me $4 because he felt he didn't make it as good as he wanted. I took that as a good gratitude!
I didn't go back until recently. The place is still up and running, except the menu has extended from 5 items to 10 items! I tried the spicy noodle bowl with tofu, not bad, I could've make it myself but it was worth the $5 and 15 minute wait. This time... I wasn't in a rush! I also had their special once which is the salmon with garlic sauce pasta, it was delicious! Again, it tasted like I could've made it, but the point here is, I didn't have to pull up my sleeves and make it.
Boom! I just messed my pants! I mean this in the best way!
Alright, I probably wouldn't have eaten here if it wasn't recommended by my buddy. Typically, a food cart riddled with graffiti & political bumper stickers really isn't really where I'd want to get pasta. Well, I bit my lip & gave this place a taste & oh boy! They really knocked my feet on my ass!
I got the sirloin fettuccine dish for $7 & it was delicious! The portion was huge & they made it to order quickly with damn fine ingredients. The sirloin was fresh & tender & the marsala cream sauce was amazing.
The prices are significantly lower than what you'd expect from an Italian restaurant, and better tasting than most I've tried in Portland. It's a shame they don't have late night lines as long as what neighboring Potato Champion reels in. I think this has to do with drunk people not wanting full meals & maybe the graffiti on their trailer.
Initially, the graffiti made me think the joint was dirty & dingy but I took a peek inside & they're clean as a whistle. The guys working were friendly & helped with recommendations.
Sustainable, organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, & omnivore, they do it all. As an omnivore, they met my every need for dirt cheap. If these folks opened up a restaurant with candles & wine & all that shit, I see only success.
Gotta say best late night food cart in Portland... tied with Potato Champion. Now, Potato Champion always wows my mouth-hole with their poutine, especially when Belligeradam (my drunken alter ego) emerges. Nothing else can sate that beast like fries, gravy, & cheese curds can. Responsible student Adam just getting done with night class on the other hand, favors creative delicious Yarp pasta goodness. Each cart is amazing in their own way & saying one is better than the other does no justice. It's like arguing with a burnt out old hippie on whether Phish or the Grateful Dead is the better band. You should try that though if you run into one, nothing's funnier than a burnt out old hippie arguing with himself to the point of crying about it. Well, maybe the homeless guy on the Hawthorne Bridge today who was rocking out on his air guitar in front of his shopping cart to no music in the pouring rain. That made me almost fall off my bike in laughter! I want to be him. I want to be inside him.
Anyways, 5/5. My mouth-hole is thoroughly wowed.
I didn't like Yarp. Maybe it was an off night but my pasta with vegetables and chicken had a really bitter taste to it. I really liked the guys cooking it so I'll give it another shot sometime and hopefully i'll be proven wrong. But as for my first time there I really can't recommend it.
I was trying to go to Potato Champion when I realized it was closed. Yarp was about to open, and I talked to the owner, who said he'd make me something. I told him my general likes and dislikes and he told me he'd whip something up. I chatted awhile with another employee until my meal was ready. He handed it to me piping hot and while it looked good and smelled good, it was kind of bland. It was just not hitting the spot. I was really hungry and ready for anything but Yarp did not satisfy! Maybe I'll try again another time.
It's so hard for me to give this place a bad review because I love what they are about - simple good food, and the guys who work there are great. Unfortunately I've been disappointed by the food. The first time I had basic pasta and marinara, the second time I went for seitan and mushroom linguini in marsala sauce. Both the marinara and marsala were very very bland and the seitan had a weird consistency. I love simple food but flavor is always still important... there was a great variety of mushrooms in the linguini and some good veggies in the marinara. But I just couldn't get past the lack of flavor... Bummer! I don't eat meat so I've never had any of the other pastas.. perhaps that's Yarp's forte? I wouldn't rule that out. Sad to say but I probably won't be eating there again.
The food is consistently good, but they aren't consistently open. I have gone more times when they were closed than when they were open. But that hasn't stopped me from trying!
Free Drink and a $1 Off
Neighborhood: Mississippi
Free Cookie
Neighborhood: Northwest
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland
Category: Food Stands
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