PDX Quick Bites: The Deck is divine; + Tabor Food Cart and Bro Dogs

THE DECK
How did I not know about The Deck? Not that thing outside my backdoor, but that place on Portland's backdoor, a hideaway on the Columbia River off Marine Drive that is a throwback to all that is outdoors and thirst inducing. A place where the cocktails are strong, the food is, well, okay, and the beers are cold. It is a place where the hangout factor is huge, and the mellow vibe will instantly take hold. It's like a mini-vacation in the city. If it is sunny out and you're not here watching the sailboats slide by on the Columbia, then you are clearly in the wrong place in your life.

w and I picked the gloriousness that was last Sunday to ride our bikes out (an effort I use as rationalization for any consumption), rolling out NE 33rd Avenue and crossing at McCuddy's Marina, where floating among the various pleasure craft is the real pleasure to be had at The Deck. Cold beer in hand, easing the leg burning pain of the ride, I ordered their special of a fried halibut sandwich (right), and w had the tuna melt. I won't go too much into the food, because that is not the point here. The food is merely filler to soak up whatever alcoholic indulgence you might be getting into. Suffice to say they were both good, and the fries were a bit above average. Sitting on the deck, just chilling (in the metaphorical sense) and basking in the late
summer sun I was LOVING it. However, the love is short lived, because here's the rub: The Deck is only open from April through the end of September (this year through Oct. 3rd). Meaning you have exactly the next ten days to experience this piece of PDX heaven before, Brigadoon-like, it slips away for the next six months!

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TABOR FOOD CART
You more than likely have heard tales about the glory that is the Tabor Food Cart Schnitzelwich, the breaded and fried über-sandwich that cart owners Karel and Monika Vitek have been using to deliciously clog PDX arteries for the past few years. If you haven't yet been so informed, click here for my first experience. I found myself downtown last Monday in need of sustenance and was a block away from Tabor, so I walked over with every intention of getting my schnitzelwich on. That is until I saw the Szekely (pron. "seh-kee") Goulash (pictured above) on special. Pork, paprika, cream, kraut, dumpling, and of course the most important ingredient "more". How could I not. And once again Karel and Monika did not disappoint. Right on par with their rarely seen chicken paprikash this was rich, intensely flavored, the bread-like dumplings perfect for sopping up the sauce. At $6.50 this was filling in the way I would imagine all eastern Euro food should be, giving strength for the afternoon of tractor driving that would usually follow a hearty lunch in the Czech countryside. That is what follows lunch in the Czech countryside, isn't it??
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BRO-DOGS
I also had the opportunity to sniff out Bro Dogs down in the same cart utopia where Tabor is located. Bro Dogs is keeping Portland "Brolicious" with their array of offerings powered by Sabrett kosher dogs. When I was there I went straight for the unvarnished Classic Bro Dog, which was actually quite good, a plain Sabrette dog wrapped up in a flat bread roll that snugly keeps the hot dog tucked inside and the condiments off of your clothes. At $4 I wouldn't call it a screaming deal, maybe even a little overpriced, but the quality is all there. Worth a try, but at that price I'll head over to Sheridan Fruit where I still feel their grilled dog reigns supreme.

Czech-mate!

You may have read a couple of months ago about the incredible schnitzelwich that the Tabor cart on SW 5th Ave here in Portland cranks out. Big, deep fried, and delicious! Plus the couple who runs the cart are the maybe the nicest people you could hope to meet. So imagine my delight when I spied the Tabor cart at our local Montavilla Farmer's Market on a recent Sunday. I had raved to w about the glories of the schnitzelwich, so we stepped up to place our order. NO SCHNITZELWICH?? Damn. Quickly regrouping from this devastating hit to my tastebuds, we checked out the menu, and ordered a cup each of their chicken paprikash and Hungarian goulash. Holy shit!! This stuff is the real deal: rich, savory, intensely flavored, served with a few slices of rustic baguette. Some of the best cart food in town, hands down. You HAVE to make the Sunday trek out to SE 72nd and Stark in the next couple of weeks while the market is still happening (or hit the cart downtown during the week and get the best of all worlds!). We've been there the last two weeks for more, and there's a good chance we'll hit it this week on our way to our backpacking expedition.

Czech it out!

They keep asking: "Have you had it yet?" or "So, have you been down to Tabor yet?"
Over and over, same thing. The inquisitioners, Monique and The Handsome One from Castagna Restaurant here in PDX have been on my ass, so today at lunch I was popping through downtown and was a block away from the Tabor food cart (left) in that oasis of mobil food purveyors between SW Oak and SW Stark on 5th Avenue. I was very excited...my first Schnitzelwich from this purveyor of all things Czechish. It was, as they say in Prague, "Lahodny!" I'll just say delicious.
A breaded & fried pork cutlet (they also have chicken for the timid) on a perfectly chewy ciabatta roll, slathered with paprika spread, grilled onions, horseradish, & crisp, fresh lettuce. At six bucks, this was a bellyful and I loved it! They also have a cartload of other Czech dila that I'm already making plans to try.