Polli-Tico

Best chicken I’ve had in PDX so far (lived here 8+ years).
Got two whole birds and a mess of sides. The fried stuff wasn’t that hot (and yucca/​plantains need to be hot), but that’s what you get for ordering take-​out. Rice and beans are quite good, wish they’d include more beans next time (the bit of pepper in them makes a difference).
Chicken made me sob with happiness. Reminds me of the great Peruvian chicken I used to get back in DC (all hail Crisp and Juicy).
Get yourself over here and eat a bunch of chicken.

Since the Red Robes of Unilocal have no longer deemed my 8+ years of Unilocal Elite excellence to be worthy of 2016 Elite status, I’ve decided I’m no longer going to painstakingly write long, meandering Gonzo reviews, and instead write vanilla, fill-​in-​the blank, sterile reviews that contain absolutely no references to hookers, animals or dialogue (true HST fans will get that reference).
(Hmmm…maybe this is what the red robes always wanted)
This is somewhat sad, as I had a great chicken taint line I really wanted to use for this review.
So welcome to 2016. The year of my boring Unilocal reviews.
It starts NOW:
First off, let me say that I lived in (enter country — Peru) for (enter years — 55) so I know (enter country — Peru) food. Oh, Edit: I mean Peruvian And let me tell you that Polli-​Tico food is truly authentic.
I ordered the (enter food option — half chicken) and the (enter food option — beans and rice) and both were (enter adjective — fantastic). The atmosphere is (enter adjective — well it’s a food cart. I’m not sure this fill in the blank thing is working). The service was (shit, I’m having a hard time remembering the difference between adjectives and adverbs. Help me school house rock memories, you’re my only hope).
Did I just say the service was shit? Wait, the service wasn’t shit. The service was (friendly) and the owner is a great (enter sex — YES, please). I mean the owner, he was a nice guy… who I don’t want to have sex with.
Fuck! This Shit: Definitely not working.
They have beer at a cart right next to it! Yeah! Alcoholism!
Now who wants to hear about chicken taints?
(Seriously, Polli-​Tico is fantastic. An instant favorite.)

Love this place! Owners are such awesome people and the food is ABSOLUTELY delicious. Chicken is very well seasoned and all vegetables are very fresh. Defiantly recommend

Awesome chicken with authentic Central America style rice/​beans and plantains. The chicken is literally falling off the bones. Prices are what you might expect for Sellwood– high. Oh well. There aren’t too many other Peruvian chicken carts in the area… ;)

Polli-​Tico is at the top of the list when it comes to food carts in Portland! I’m pretty sure I’ve tried everything on the menu and have yet to be disappointed. My favorite dishes include the Pollo Bowl (with plantains!), the Wrap, and the Butifarra Sandwich. All three available gluten-​free! I really like that they often have specials too, keeping new, different items coming in!
The flavor of the chicken is amazing on its own, definitely made well, but what sets these dishes apart for me is the special sauces! The combination of the white sauce with the spicy green makes me ohhhh soooo happy! They go great on the dishes I mentioned or even just to dip fries in. The sandwich known as «El Jefe» also gets an honorable mention from me…‘Cause honestly, ya can’t go wrong with carne asada… or with an awesome name like that! #boss
Overall it’s a no brainer spot for delicious, reasonably priced, well-​crafted food. I will definitely continue coming back!

I’ve been here a couple times now and it has been delicious every time. The pollo sandwich and yucca fries are soooo good. And those sauces!!! The spicy green sauce I could put on anything and everything! Great specials too!

A welcome addition to the neighborhood. I had the Butifarra, the chicken was delicious and the sauce was exceptional. The portion was quite generous for the $ 5 price. A gluten free bun is available at no extra charge. Not only very good food but it is very reasonably priced. I look forward to trying other items on the menu.

Fine chicken rotisserie roasted over open coals is the best chicken around. The sauces bring out the taste of Peru. Polli-​Tico is a cart worth your time!

So I saw the review at the Oregonian’s but kind of disappointed. Chicken was ok but the fries was rally bad. I guess they were old, stayed at the freeze for a long time. Not sure I will try again.

Please, why all the hype for this just-​average chicken??? It was ok, but nothing special, and certainly not deserving of 2 or 2.5 stars. Never again, thanks!

Got the Pollo Bowl, get the plantains with it. Adds a whole new level of flavor (note, does give a sweet tinge to it). Excellent.

Got a Black Magic Birdie
Got a Black Magic Birdie
I got a Black Magic Birdie
Got me sharing, foodie philanthropy
Tico’s a Black Magic Birdie
She’s brining up, magical maître d’
Turn your skewers for me baby
Turn your skewers for me baby
Don’t Holy Smoke on me baby
Campfire Chicken, get your kicks
Don’t Holy Smoke on me baby
You make me break my chop sticks
Got Peru on me baby
Got Peru on me baby
Yes you got Peru on me baby
Tico-​peccadillo to atone
Que Rico Tico — Magic Birdie
I can’t leave Yuca alone
Santana cabana nirvana

Dinamita! This place is my favorite cart after ten years eating lunch downtown. The chicken is the star: a simple, moist and flavorful rotisserie style. The garlic aioli and jalapeño sauce adds richness and a spicy tang. I absolutely love the fried yucca! Seriously these guys know how to fry. Speaking off, the fries are legit, more like steak fries, well seasoned too. Love this place and will be a regular. I bet these guys have a brick and mortar in no time.

My stepfather is Peruvian, I was fortunate enough to grow up around the culture and learned to cook several dishes. It seems a little easier to find Peruvian restaurants these days, especially in bigger cities, I was super excited to see a food cart pop up in downtown Portland!
My favorite thing was pollo a la brasa, a blackened and perfectly seasoned rotisserie chicken. (Believe me, it’s better than Costco!) Polli-​tico offers this in a bowl with rice, beans, some veggies, and a beautiful cilantro/​pepper (hottttt) sauce. All white meat, no hormones or preservatives. We waited maybe 5 – 8 minutes, but there is always an option to call ahead, if you don’t have time. There isn’t a place to sit and eat, but the waterfront is only a block away or so. Grab an Inca Kola too– it’s like sparkly bubblegum soda– and you’re good to go!

the service is great, family owned but new to the area!
they sell authentic Peruvian style chicken in many styles! they also sell great quality sides like fried yuca, French fries and rice and beans! Definitely great quality and a must try!

This is what Unilocal is destined for, finding new places that rock! I got the peruvian chicken and its was seasoned perfectly. I order a half-​chicken with tortillas and it was way a lot of food so for $ 8, its two meals for me. The only bummer for me was the sauce was mayo based so I just opted for some lemons and through some tapatio on it. I do want to go back and try the yucca fries and salad. I will be back — a lot!

I was gonna share a picture of my food but i ate it before i could. This place rules! Yucca fries! I couldn’t get them to my face fast enough. Gimme gimme! No need for a bag eat it while you walk away, with a smiling face and satisfied taste buds!
Definitely going back and telling everyone at the office about this place!

I discovered this place close to where I work and have now gone there probably 5 times in the last two weeks. I’ve been rolling on being paleo so this place is perfect with their chicken salads. Chicken is cooked well and the guy there makes all the food fresh. Couldn’t really ask for much more especially since it’s so close to me haha.
Alex

A co-​worker and I both ate there today. I had the Peruvian Chicken Bowl and he had the ¼ Chicken Meal. I thought my dish was great. A variety of chicken, potatoe (?), rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes and spices provided a good combination of flavor. The also had a house and spicy sauce that went very well with everything. Although maybe a little pricey $ 8, for what I got, I would definitely go back. My co-​worker had the ¼ chicken and he thought the tortillas were stale and questioned whether the chicken was cooked all the way. He was still eating it when I walked away though, so I can’t really speak for him.

I love the authentic Peruvian taste of the chicken. The yuca was fried to perfection (not too hard like other places). Oh, and the yellow sauce is amazing! Polli Tico is definitely a new staple for me… Yummm :)