Salmon Fusion

Some of the most delicious Salmon dishes I have ever had. Really great cole slaw as a side option.

Salmon Fusion save my Portland Food Truck experience! After ordering a mediocre lunch from a competing truck, I decided to try the salmon pot pie from R.M. (name withheld in case you’re from the IRS are other law enforcement agency). WOW! The flavors were explosive! The earthy jambalaya flavored undertones were enhanced by the smoky flavor of the salmon which were encrusted in a crispy crust. I also really enjoyed the Hawaiian slaw and the pineapple basil infused water. The music was great too!

On a recent trip to Portland, my wife tried the smoked salmon yakisoba from here. I don’t know if this was just an off day or not… but the salmon was way too dry and the yakisoba noodles were swimming in pools of sauce that was way too sweet. We ended up throwing away half the salmon and almost all of the noodles.

The smoked salmon chowder with the saffron rice was the perfect combination for a cold day in Portland. The owner was very personable and gave an interesting story about where he gets his salmon from and his historic connection with the fisherman that catch the fish. As long as they keep using freshly caught salmon instead of any kind of farmed salmon, keep checking these guys out.

Wow can’t believe I’m giving the lowest review this place has gotten. This makes me sad, because I think it means I caught him on an off day. If it’s any consolation, this is really 2.5 stars but I just can’t round up because I didn’t really like a single thing on my plate AND I was (slightly) overcharged.
I got the Smoked Salmon Burger, which comes with a side of rice and slaw. My rice was not at all peppery like other reviews had described. It did have a TON of saffron. Way too much saffron. Saffron (at least real saffron) is ridiculously expensive, and there is no way I should be finding almost 10 – 12 threads in my scoop alone. It gave the rice a really unpleasant metallic/​iodine taste. I’ve eaten a lot of saffron rice, this was wrong. I only had a few bites.
My slaw had a bunch of dried cranberries in it, but no other fruit (other reviews mentioned pineapple and apple). I couldn’t finish this side either. What is that dressing? It’s not mayo, or at least not any decent mayo. I am a mayo fiend, I would never mind a lot of mayo in my slaw. But this… Ugh. Is this what Miracle Whip tastes like?
The salmon burger itself was ok. It really wasn’t good, but it was so much better than anything else on my plate, and I was starving. So, I finished it, but I wouldn’t get it again.
Finally, my meal should have cost $ 7.50. I always tip carts at least $ 1, $ 2 – 3 if the owner seems super nice or something special. But I handed the owner $ 20 and got back $ 12 so I guess he can keep that 50¢ tip. I didn’t leave anything on top of that. The guy seemed nice otherwise, but I’m just reluctant to spend my money there again after this experience. Maybe for the Poke Friday special, but not any time soon.

We were vacationing in Portland and had heard from everyone we talked to that we needed to try the food carts. No problem, we love the concept and half the time stand to eat in our own house… It’s weird. Anywho, I wanted salmon. Like fresh salmon, not farm raised, not «wild caught» but on the back of package it says product of China, not that light pink excuse for «fresh» salmon. We hit the spot with this place.
Such interesting ways of preparing the freshest, most beautiful pieces of salmon. I mean, for christsake, he fishes off his own boat in Alaska and processes the fish for his very own food stand. Seriously. And he’s a cool guy on top of it! Talk to him about all his journeys and experiences and the salmon… great way to pass the time while your pot pie cooks.

So many carts, what makes one unique?
First boat to fork. The owner fishes Bristol, brings back a boatload and smokes it.
Second the family that runs it knows ingredients. The coleslaw has a little carrot and also dried cranberries to give it some interest. Saffron rice, just saffron, not salty. Saffron is not a casual or base ingredient. The special salmon burger had a slaw of crispy green papaya and included black sesames. They aren’t expensive, but they are a thoughtful touch. Brioche bun, grilled, again a nice touch. The salmon burger included a lot of flavorful vegetable elements.
Third cart is enthusiastic and quick.
Fourth the requisite Portlandia paper not plastic clamshell, but includes an extra credit compostable fork.
Hope the proprietors, should they accept the mission, consider a brick and mortar. An Alaska themed brewpub with Oregon beer, salmons and wild game!
And although fish were harmed in the writing of this review, they were done so sustainably, at least as long as they don’t build a mine
there and poison them to extinction.

I love salmon, and even that is an understatement. Coming here was like being a kid in a candy store. Salmon burgers, corn chowder, pot pie? All this place is really missing then is sashimi!
I ended up ordering a cup of the chowder and a pot pie. The chowder was spot on, and the salmon enhances it to a whole new level. I just wish I had some fresh pepper at hand, and it would have been out of this world.
I was a little skeptical of salmon jambalaya pot pie, but I’m now a convert. The salmon is meaty enough to hold its own and it takes on the spices very well. My only criticism is that the crust wasn’t really flaky and more gooey, but maybe it’s a preference thing.
The rice was only okay and maybe a little dry, but it was also a surprisingly nice contrast to the bold flavors of the pot pie. The Hawaiian slaw was initially too sweet and mayo-​y, but it grew on me over time. I wish it had all pineapples all the time, but I’m also a pineapple addict, so it’s probably not wise.
All in all, I will be back here again for the chowder and maybe trying out the burgers. (I’ll also be back to pay the extra $ 5 he forgot to charge me on my card. Oops!)

I stayed at the Hotel Vintage and around the hotel they have staff recommend different local places to go and try out. In one of the elevators was this recommendation with directions to get there. Since I was in the Pacific Northwest Salmon seemed like a logical choice.
Had the pita with the smoked salmon. It was pretty good, large chunks of smoked salmon. The slaw was even better.
I walked away very content. Would hit this food cart up again.

Really cool, down-​to-​earth owner who worked on salmon fishing boats in Alaska and then made his way down to Portland to serve up tasty smoked salmon in a slew of different forms. My tacos were quite good while my friend’s salmon pot pie came loaded with deliciously spicy jambalaya filling. We agreed that the cole slaw was some of the best yet as it offered a nice hint of sweetness from the inclusion of dried cranberries.

A Haiku Review of Salmon Fusion:
Tired of gyros?
Me too. Mix it up a little bit.
Best cart on 3^rd Ave.

The owner was very friendly and chatted with me as he prepared my meal. I ordered the smoked salmon which came with saffron rice and «Hawaiian» coleslaw. They have GoBoxes which made me really happy.
I got back to my office and took a bite of the smoked salmon taco. OMG! It was so delicious! The salmon was just perfect — nice chunks of moist smokey salmon. There were red onions and a slightly spicy mayo based sauce which gave the taco just a little kick.
I was dubious about «Hawaiian» slaw and upon taking the first bite I thought perhaps it was a little too sweet and mayo-​y. But then I went in for another bite and realized that may be the point of this slaw. And then I got a bite with dried cranberries and juicy pineapple. At that point I was hooked. By the time I got the end of the slaw I was ready to lick my GoBox!
The rice was just ok. It has little flecks of what I assume to be black sesame seeds. It wasn’t bad… it just wasn’t quite up to par with the other deliciousness.
I will definitely return.

Another fantastic food cart in downtown PDX– this one featuring a variety of smoked salmon delights. Win!
I stopped here for lunch and went with the Smoked Salmon Chowder in a bread bowl, which also comes with sides of coleslaw and saffron rice. De-​lic-​ious! Cheap, too: with a can of soda, the meal was still less than $ 10. I’d definitely come back here.

Stopped in for lunch on a Monday afternoon, the reviews were good and salmon sounded pretty good. I ordered the salmon burger and my wife ordered the salmon yakisoba.
The burger was good. Tasty salmon, not too smoky, and the bun it was on was pretty tasty as well. It also came with some saffron rice and some Hawaiian cole slaw, which we really enjoyed.
If we did this over, we would have passed on the yakisoba. Again, the smoked salmon was good, but the noodles were drenched in the sauce. Literally swimming in the sauce. So much sauce made the soba so sweet that we didn’t even bother finishing it after a few bites. We just ate the fish and chucked the soba.

— Locale Destination —
It’s on SW 3^rd Ave and Washington St, Downtown, Portland.
It’s a «Food CART». Though you see «Food Trucks» as well, but it seems «Food Carts» are a lot more popular than Food trucks in OR. It’s located in the block of food carts. That’s the beauty of «Food Carts» in OR — less spaces than «food truck» and convenience — you see all kinds of cuisines (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Ethiopian, Greek, you name it!) at the same block! I saw the another one like this on 5^th as well.
The owner seemed very nice and friendly. Everything is like $ 7.50. Cash only.
— Gluttony Expedition —
Smoked salmon sandwich: Smoked salmon, onions and spinach were in the sandwich. It comes with very black peppery saffron rice (it was a bit dry and tasted just alright.) and coleslaw with fruits (apple, pineapple and raisin — very sweet coleslaw). Salmon was not bad and very smokey. The sauces are Chinese salache (spicy) and plum sauce (sweet), which were meh for the salmon. OK.
— Conqueror’s Deduction —
Salmon wasn’t bad, but as a whole, it wasn’t a good dish. Maybe I picked a wrong item ;(I’ll give an another shot.

Just found this new cart by walking around in downtown on a nice Sunday afternoon. The entire cart has everything you could ever want made with Salmon! It was extremely exciting. I’d seriously try everything they offer. This is one of the best and most unique carts in town. Well done, Salmon Fusion guys!
Best bets: Salmon Yakisoba!!! Hawaiian coleslaw, smoked salmon pot pie (puff pastry filled with salmon jambalaya *drool*). And the salmon burger. Wow. Just wow. So inventive.
The man who runs this cart is awesome, too! I brought over a crowd of guys from a tech conference and we were all talking about computer science. They owner made a remark about people from Big Bang Theory actually existing in real life. We were highly amused. He’s always a great guy to talk to.
You just have to go here. Go now, before it is too late. The only reason why you shouldn’t go is if you don’t like salmon.

One of the few carts open on Saturdays, so automatic points for that. I stopped to read the menu and was immediately offered a sample of the delicious chowder. As others have said it’s smoky, creamy and sweet but I passed on it because didn’t know how I’d eat a bread bowl standing up in the rain. It’ll be hard to decide between chowder and built to grill the next time I’m in the area — both are amazing comfort foods.
Went with the smoked salmon pot pie — an individual pie of rich salmon jambalaya topped with a puff pastry crust. Menu says mild but I was happy it was slightly spicier than expected. The pie understandably wasn’t made to order, so the crust was kind of soggy from sitting in a warmer for a few hours. It was pretty difficult to break off bites of the crust w the flimsy spoon.
Saffron rice was perfectly cooked and although I’m not a cole slaw fan, I really liked his hawaiian slaw (Hawaiian because owner is from Hawaii and its his mom’s recipe). The garnish slice of dried pineapple covered with li hing mui (salted dried plum powder) was good but somewhat out of place on the plate.
Super nice friendly guy who catches and smokes all of the salmon himself — what more can you ask for

Smoke em if you got em. Fish that is. Salmon in particular. What else did you expect from a cart called Salmon Fusion?
Whenever I come over to this cart pod I think about how divey it is. I don’t know. There is something about this pod that I don’t like. I happened to be over in this part of town on my lunch break and took my usual walk around deciding which places I didn’t want to go to. I did one loop and then looped back and cast my eyes on this cart. It stands out from the rest of the food here.
I didn’t know I wanted salmon until I saw this cart. It is amazing how that happens. I took a look at the menu. It all looked very good. Salmon Pot Pie, Salmon Sliders, etc. They also seem to have a daily special which was Salmon Yakisoba on this day. That is what I went with.
Took the food back to work with me and did my customary let it sit for a while until I get around to eating it deal. Once the hunger pains grew too much to take I opened up the container to see a nice portion of noodles, broccoli, fresh ginger, slaw and a nice piece of salmon. The salmon is the star here and why wouldn’t it be? When salmon is smoked well there is almost nothing better and the salmon here is smoked well. Pure perfection.
I really like knowing this cart exists as I probably would’ve gone to another pod if I hadn’t seen it. If you like salmon, you need to get over here quickly.

If I could take this salmon and put it on a stick, I’m sure I could get Kanye West to say he likes fishsticks.
But, I’d much rather prefer to keep this salmon for myself. This is a new cart basically next to Built to Grill so I came across it and definitely wanted to give it a shot. I miss well priced fish without having to wait long, so Salmon Fusion is surely a welcome addition to the carts. I expected it to be pretty good, but after my first bite I was thinking wow! I had the sliders (see pic) and it was pretty much amazing. My only concern was that I’d be done with it too quick, so I slowed down to enjoy every bite. The cranberries included gave everything a nice extra edge that was a difference maker.
There’s no need to go back to any restaurants for fish in Portland, now that this cart has arrived. I’m pretty sure the other items on the menu will be as pleasing as the sliders were.

A friend and I arrived on Salmon Fusion’s third day of business, a Saturday. I love fish, so this was a welcome sight. Apparently, the cart owner told some of his friends to come on down; a flock of people had gathered in the area.
We sampled the salmon chowder, which normally goes for $ 7.50 and served in a bread bowl. It had some sweet tones to it, with the salmon present in color, flavor, and texture. The chowder we got was barely lukewarm and I think it needed some more time on the stove. Otherwise, I thought it was quite good.
Next up, the salmon tacos ($ 7.50). Two tacos (small double corn tortillas) with smoked salmon, veggies, and a sweet/​spicy salsa. It came with a side of «Hawaiian slaw» and saffron rice.
The rice had a slight floral aura when eating it, but was otherwise bland. The saffron turned the rice a golden yellow, certainly not something I see every day.
The Hawaiian slaw was very tasty, my personal favorite on the plate. The fruity, sweet dried cranberries worked well with the cabbage, carrot, and mayo-​based slaw dressing. However, I’m still unsure why it’s deemed Hawaiian. I sure didn’t sense any 808 vibes coming out of there. There must be something in the dressing itself that I’m missing. Maybe it’s because I ate it too fast to even care.
The tacos included a decent portion of moist smoked salmon. The pliable tortillas were steamed well. Decent street food, I must say. The «salsa» on the tacos was apparently a cream-​based concoction, instead of some relish-​like topping. Not sure why it was deemed a salsa in the first place. At least on this trip, the salsa did not assert itself in any manner, staying in the shadows and getting lost in the eating experience.
These guys are new on the block, so I’ll consider trying them out again. What really intrigues me is an apparent use for salmon in a DESSERT. My mouth is telling me no, but my eyes and stomach say yes. Therefore, I’ll find a time to come back and try it.
I thought the cart owner was a real nice guy. According to other Unilocalers, the owner was a salmon fisherman in Alaska. Pretty cool to have a healthy protein option like salmon in downtown Portland. For now, a slightly above-​average score, but I’ll be back anyway. Dessert, anyone?
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
EDIT (1÷15÷12): I received a message from the owner a few hours after my original post. He will address the chowder temperature issue. Regarding the slaw, it’s Hawaiian because he was born in Hawaii and has his mother’s influence. The salsa on his tacos is a sauce because, well, «salsa» is the Italian word for sauce.
Finally, the desserts are merely salmon-​shaped, using dark or white chocolate. Just wanted to clear up confusion on that.
Learning something new every day!