Stop #15: Eating Schwarma and Gaining Nuance About Middle Eastern Cuisine

I was all set to go for Thai food today, believing that the next cart on my odyssey was "I Like Thai Food."  But for whatever reason, they weren't open today.  So my eyes traveled one truck to the left --Saaj Baghdad.  While it took my brain/belly about five seconds to shift itself from curry and chilis to grilled meat and tatziki, I was psyched.

I asked the gentleman what he liked best on the menu.  He said schwarma - I asked him which kinds of meat he had - lamb, chicken and beef.  He then pointed to his menu and explained that they served their  schwarma on Iraqi bread called samoon.  This piqued my interest, as I suddenly realized my knowledge about food from the Middle East is extremely general.  Schwarma, hummus, kabob, falafel - but I have no real sense of regional or national specialties.  What is the local dish in Saudi Arabia vs. Qatar vs. Yemen vs. Iraq?  While a small drop in the bucket, samoon was going to be a first step in gaining some nuance about Middle Eastern food.

I was asked if I wanted everything on the sandwhich - lettuce, tomato, tatziki, cucumber, hot sauce?  I said yes, but after being burned by last week, requested light on the hot sauce.

While I waited for my food, an order was presented to a pair of men who had been waiting.  I was thrilled to hear them have a happily animated exchange in arabic with the truck owners as one of them devoured his sandwhich.  If those who were raised on the dishes being served are buying them from the establishment where you are getting your lunch, you are in the right place.

It took a fair bit of time for my food to be ready.  If you are in a rush, save this truck for another day.  However, if you want to be sure that your schwarma is cooked perfectly and to order, this is the place for you!  After about ten minutes I was presented with a steaming meal that looked like something between a sandwhich and a pita.

I got back to the office and dug in.  Delicious!  The meat had been sauteed with onions, the tatziki was refreshing with an extra flavor - tarragon? that was a great addtion and the creamy hot sauce was fabulous.  Finally, the bread, the samoon was awesome!  A little like a ciabbatta but with a crunchier and denser exterior, it was robust enough to balance the heartiness of the contents of the sandwhich better than a flimsy pita (I mean, those things ALWAYS fall apart when you fill them with deliciousness, ammaright?)

Note French Fry in the Middle

Also fun - the two french fries in the middle of the sandwhich.  I feel I can always get behind a general inclusion of french fries whenever possible.

 Saaj Baghdad: 
Chicken Schwarma - $7.00 (+ tip)
Accepts Credit Cards

Stop #6: Caspian Kabob

***In the interest of full disclosure, Caspian Kabob is not right next to Korean Twist.  It is two doors down.  On January 3rd, the two carts in between were closed.  But naturally, Mama still needs to eat!***

Caspian Kabob has been one of my favorite visits so far - both because of the food, but also because of the owner, Victor.  This food truck opened just a few months before I arrived here myself.

Victor's Story

Victor has his story printed up and posted on the truck - this is a man who is loving his new life as a chef and food truck owner!  Victor learned to cook from his mother in Iran, eventually moving to New York to live with his American wife (adorable picture on their website!)  We comiserated about the challenges of living in New York and how happy we were that we now lived in Portland instead of the Big Apple.

I ordered a jujeh kabob (chicken kabob) over mediterranean salad.  Waiting with me for his food was a young man who carried on a conversation with Victor in farsi.  First off, farsi is a gorgeous language.  Secondly- always a good sign when other folks who were raised on the cuisine you are going to eat are patronizing the same establishment.

As my food was just about finished, two young women approached the truck.  One looked at the menu and said "Oh wow, he has...." I can't remember the name of the dish, but when her friend asked if she was going to buy something from this cart, she emphatically declared "Oh yeah!"  She then also went on to have a brief exchange with Victor in Farsi.

At this point things got super cool - Victor said that he was working on a special vegetable soup/stew that he wanted us to try.  It was  spinach based with chunks of what I think was beef.  The flavor was a delicate array of spices, combined with the warm heartiness of a regional comfort food.  Indeed, the young woman said this was her Persian version of chicken soup.  

Complimentary Mystery
Vegetable Stew

I wish I could remember the name of it-- because it was awesome.  As was the ginormous serving of mediterranean salad (lettuce, feta, kalmata olives, tomato with a very light light vinagrette) topped with tender and delicious chicken sprinkled with paprika.  The meal was served with maste khiar (yougurt sauce) and warm pita.

Go to this truck.  For realz.



Caspian Kabob
Jujeh Kabob over Mediterranean Salad: $8 (I think...didn't write it down.) Plus tip!
-Accepts Credit Cards