In and Out Kitchen

As part of our drive up from Salem to tour Cartlandia, I ordered a Vietnamese sandwich, commonly known as Bánh mì, which is really just a term that means «bread,» or more specifically, a baguette. Sandwiches may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of southeast Asian cuisine, but the Bánh mì dates to Vietnam’s French Colonial period. In and Out Kitchen’s version is served on a baguette with BBQ pork, pork roll, grilled pork, and a variety of vegetables that included carrots and cilantro. I really enjoy the multiple kinds of pork and the distinctive flavor this mix of vegetables gives the Vietnamese sandwich. And at $ 3.50, this is a great value. The proprietor here was also the nicest, friendliest person we encountered at Cartlandia and we had a good discussion about food trucks and the possibility, now that some legal hurdles have cleared, of food truck pods arriving in Salem. I’ll be back.

We ended up going farther than planned on a bike ride down the Springwater, and needed some food. My friend and I are both vegan, and the tofu bahn mi here sounded perfect. It was not.
The good: It was $ 4.
The bad:
–They forgot our order. There were no other customers, but somehow the guy at the cart still managed to forget that he had two sandwiches to make. My friend had to go remind him. Possibly this is due to the fact that
–A very small child was taking orders. She was adorable, but also literally 4 or 5 years old. Not sure I’m so comfortable with that…
–When we finally got the sandwiches, they consisted of a few veggies that hadn’t really been pickled, no jalapenos despite the fact that we were specifically asked if we wanted jalapenos, and what appeared to be RAW TOFU. Like, just cut off the block into slabs and slapped onto bread. For the benefit of people who don’t know how to prepare tofu, the answer is, «Not like that!!» And the thing is, while I’m obviously all for carts and restaurants offering vegan options, you need to either know how to do it right, or not do it at all. Half-​assedly slapping raw tofu into a piece of bread is NOT making a vegan sandwich.
So…$ 4 for an absolutely revolting sandwich, but it did fuel the ride back to my apartment. And $ 4. But I strongly suspect that even vegans can do better in that cart pod.

My friend and I get the wings often! They are full of crazy good flavor and it’s a great deal for what you get. My son eats the Vietnamese sandwich, it’s only like $ 4 and is a pretty good size and perfect for a light lunch. And I often get the lemon grass chicken, full of flavor and generous portions makes it great for lunch or dinner. Definitely check them out next time you’re in Cartlandia!

Just got the lemongrass chicken and salad rolls too. I asked for spicy and I got it! Really good stuff and I will be back for more!

It was chilly a couple weekends ago, so I needed a dish to warm me up. In & Out Kitchen has that option.
While they have the usual Vietnamese dishes, such as phở and banh mi, this spicy dude beelined for the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bún bò).
Bún bò ($ 7.50): A very nice option to get, and it feels extra special on a chilly day. The best way I can describe the broth: A balance of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy — with a lemongrass experience. The broth itself contains chili oil and some pepper flakes, giving the soup its angry red hue. The noodles are thicker than phở noodles and appear similar to spaghetti. Served with meat, fresh sprouts, cilantro, lime wedge, and more.
Naturally, I went to the adjacent Blue Room Bar to enjoy this with a flight of beers. Because science.
Give this cart a try!

The absolute BEST chicken Bahn Mi sandwich I have ever had, anywhere, ever, period. I don’t know exactly what they do to the chicken to prepare it but it is distinctive and delicious. Excellent customer service, happily scale-​able heat levels on everything.
being tucked away toward the back of the cart pod makes this place seem like a private little secret window that hands you some of the most amazing food you’ve ever had.

First time I’ve ever had Vietnamese food was from here (and I have a sister-​in-​law who was born there! The shame!) and I have to say I’m hooked. Between the amazing Spicy Beef Noodle soup (which, for the record, lasted me three lunches. AND he gave me extra chili paste!), the delicious and sweet BBQ Chicken, and the SUPER cute guy who works the counter, this place is a definite check-​mark in my book. They make everything on the spot, so you do have to wait about 5 – 10 min for you food, but it’s plentiful and delicious. And, in true Portland spirit, they have a punch card program.

i tried the phở.
the $ 7 bowl was medium sized. the meat cuts were good, no tripe or tendon were offered. for purchases under $ 10 they add on a 50cent charge if paying with a card.

Loved this place. Fresh meat, good noodles, great flavor. Sat inside the Blue Room and had a Serengeti Wheat beer which went perfectly. From out of town, definitely recommend this place!

Can I give a ¼ star? Order the koren rib“s” for just under $ 7. What a rip off it was 1, one, uno, wun, un, 1 flipping rib cut into 4 pieces over a cup and a half of rice that was fair to Midland, 2 cucumber slices and a lettuce leaf. WTF! Epic fail!

Fantastic banh mi sammie and great customer service. Linh was super sweet and hooked us up.
I definitely will be coming back on my next trip to PDX.
Thank you Linh!