By Olga Mosiychuk
Delicious food is scarce at 1 a.m. on chilly weeknights, save those nightly trips to the nearest 24-hour fast food joint. Though easy to attain and ambiguously delectable, some grow weary of their customary crunchwrap and reach for a zesty lemon/sugar crepe instead.
A slew of these adventurous eaters can be found chowing down on everything from freshly-cut fries to ham-filled pastries on the corner of Hawthorne and SE 12th Ave, amid the popular "underground cuisine" scene in Portland's Hawthorne District at all hours of the morning.
Potato Champion is one of five different late-night food vendors sandwiched between a used-BMW dealership and the SE 12th Ave crosswalk. Working diligently under a sign that reads "Dept. of High-Fives" Eric Hansen, a Potato Champion employee, serves hungry Portlanders fries every Tuesday.
Hansen took a few moments to comment on the unique environment that this little food cart coalition has created.
"It's a great after-hours culture," he said. "It's 2 a.m., but when you pick something up here, you have energy, you get fired up, you have potatoes!"
Having lived in the Hawthorne District for five years, Hansen has had the chance to experience the atmosphere that the food carts provide firsthand.
"People get off late, or come back from shows and come by for late-night snacks. It enables them to party harder," Hansen said. "If you're full of fries, you won't pass out as quickly."
The food carts are housed under a tented and lighted area that provides customers a haven from the chilly Portland rain. Food cart owners even bring heating lamps with the onset of winter, making this an enjoyable attraction regardless of the season.
"We have people come in every night," said Sofie Buck, an employee of Perierra Creperie, another popular Hawthorne vendor. "Fridays and Saturdays are just slammed. It's like a party at the carts."
Buck notes that this is an area where the young and the drunk congregate.
"It's a great place to meet new people, to hang out with friends and eat good food," Buck said.
Among the Creperie's menu items are smoked salmon crepes and even French classics, like Nutella/banana crepes. There are also vegan and gluten-free options.
Walking between the tables, a couple can be overheard arguing next to the garbage can.
"You're throwing away the last bite? That's horrible!" the girl yells as her boyfriend hurriedly avoids the trash can. "I'll eat it!"
Those who hang around Hawthorne's food vendors agree that the food is good and reasonably priced. Though there is no dollar menu, a hungry individual can pick up a large steaming crepe, or even a vegan burrito at El Brasero, a Mexican-food stand, for as little as four dollars, and almost all food items are priced under ten dollars.
Portland native Will Smart agrees.
"I love the food," he said. "I come here to visit friends and always drag them over to the carts and I have never been disappointed."
The selection ranges from Mexican food to crepes to fries to shrimp and sea food. Carts are open daily from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. and the culture is as eclectic as the food served. Move over McDonalds.
