maishapdx

This food and service is the reason you go out to eat! You’re greeted by the owner/chef with such joy and enthusiasm that you can’t help but feel better just by talking to him. The food is beyond delicious. Everything is seasoned perfectly. The stand out, by far, is the Bariis. The flavors mesh so beautifully with the few slices of banana that make this dish something extraordinary. Truly, everything on their menu is worth the try. However, make sure to get there early because items quickly sell out. I regret that it took me so long to come down here and try his wonderful food, but I plan on making more trips so my stomach and tastebuds continue to be perfectly satisfied.

Was in town for the week staying down the street and went here every night once we found it 😍 guy who runs the place is incredibly nice, food is amazing, packed with flavor, and all the bread is freshly made for each order! I wish I lived here so I could come all the time. The stuffed mendazi was my favorite, sort of a sampling of different dishes, but everything was delicious 🥰 the spot is also really nice with a bar and heat lamps/fire pit!

Such good plantain. Get the chapati and the sambusas also. All vegan. Super tasty, super friendly.

Absolutely delicious food! Got the salad, ugali (bottom right I believe), matoke curry, roasted matoke dessert, and an extra chapata order after this picture was taken. The chai wasn’t my favorite, but everything else was phenomenal!

First things first. Yes, this place is 100% vegan/ plant based and 100% worth the experience. The owner was one of the friendliest people we met in a long while. He made simply waiting for the food a pleasant experience. Next, the food was picturesque and delicious. The portions are larger than expected and held up well during the nearly hour drive home. Sorry for not having any pics. The food did not make it long enough for us to pull out the camera. We have never had Kenyan food prior, but if it's all this good, I need more in my life. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. You won't regret it.

SO GOOD!!! My friend recommended this place and I'm so glad I finally went! The owner is so friendly and the food was incredible. My friend and I both agreed it was the best food we've had in a long time. The balance of spices/flavors was different than I've ever had before, in the best possible way! I'll definitely be coming back here!

I want everything on the menu. I had the bariis, and it was great. Ready to go back and try more. Very friendly owner!

Absolutely amazing food here! We got the sambusas and some matoke curry. Normally I don't like the flavor of beyond beef, but the way it's prepared here makes it a completely different story. I definitely plan to come visit again next time I'm in Portland!

Very friendly service, cute food cart, and OMG flavorful Kenyen vegetarian and its vegan food! I love this place! Favorites: Ugali- creamy cornmeal base, great flavorful topping! Barris- its a party in your mouth. Not overly spicy just super flavorful Matoke curry- really good! Only downside is parking can be a bit tough to find but its so worth the time to go!

It had been a while since I last visited this part of town, but when I happened to stop by the New Season Grocery next door with my family, I couldn't resist checking out Piknik Park and the food carts located there That's where I came across Maishapdx, a delightful establishment offering exotic Kenyan/East African cuisine. If you haven't had the pleasure of trying this type of food, I highly recommend giving it a go. You won't be disappointed. The staff at Maishapdx were friendly, attentive, and helped us navigate the menu options with ease. Here's what we ended up ordering: - Chapata ($9): The bread was incredibly soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious. Served with butter, garlic, and cilantro, it was also gluten-free. Simply scrumptious. - Stuffed Mandazi ($11): This flavorful freshly baked bread came with a choice of Matoke curry, Sukuma wiki, or beef potatoes suugo. Topped with herbs, shredded carrots, and a side of lemon edge, it quickly became a favorite. - Ugali ($14): Creamy cornmeal served with Sukuma wiki (kale) made for a delightful combination that left us craving more. - Sambusa ($11): These tasty treats consisted of a flaky pastry filled with spiced beef, potatoes, and vegetables. Served with lemon ginger vinegar, they were a delight to the taste buds. All the dishes were cooked from scratch, and within just 20 minutes, everything was ready for us to take away. Since the place was about to close, we decided to opt for carry-out. On our next visit, we're definitely keen to try the Matoke curry or roasted Matoke, and perhaps the Bariis as well. Our trip to Sellwood was absolutely worthwhile thanks to Maishapdx!

Not sure why this is marked closed. It is open. The food is absolutely mind blowingly good. We got the ugali platter and the sambusa. My husband choked because he was basically inhaling the food. It was so good we got some chaparral wraps, mini mandazi, and curry sauce to take home. (By the way, he sells his curry sauce by the pint. I HIGHLY recommend taking some to go as it's some of the best curry sauce I've ever had. 10/5 stars. I will be back!

Do yourself a favor and order everything at @maishapdx! This was the most delicious meal we've had in a very long time. I'm not vegan, but my daughter is vegetarian. We did not miss meat at all in the beautiful dishes prepared for us. Our family ordered everything that wasn't sold out and it was all so freaking good. The owner, Tachibana is the loveliest human. His passion for his food is infectious and he is generous with suggestions and samples. My one pickier kid was convinced from one taste of the curry, which is seasoned to perfection and not spicy at all. The chapata was so tender and perfect for scooping up the sauces from each dish. The ugali was superb. Period. It was so well balanced and just an umami bomb. We had leftovers for lunch today and I'm already planning to go back to try the few things that were sold out. When we went, Tachibana wa solo in the truck. It took a bit for our dishes to arrive, similar to a restaurant rather than a food truck. It was well worth the wait! https://instagram.com/maishapdx?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

A smile has the potential to change everything. A bad day can be completely turned around with a smiling face. The chef-owner at MaishaPDX has a smile that will change the world. Oh, and the food - oh my goodness . . . it rocks the palate! The food at MaishaPDX is off the charts amazing. A mix of flavors and all plant based - this is the new go-to spot for weeknight takeaways. There is a wide variety of dishes and most everything can be shared. Making matters even more profoundly skewed in the direction of the fact that MaishaPDX is a must visit place - our 12-year old daughter - a person who has historically limited her food stuffs to Mac and cheese, French fries, and chicken nuggets - absolutely loves the food at MaishaPDX!

So, I am a huge proponent of spending dollars locally and I really need to be pushed to post anything negative about any establishment. I had to this time. Back in the Fall when this place opened I wanted to give them a try and spend some money. I know little to nothing about the cuisine of Kenya so I took suggestions. Shortly after I ordered and paid I witnessed the owner go on a misogynistic and truly offensive rant at a female employee. Two people in line behind me walked away as they were so offended. I threw my food out as I will not support misogynists. About a month or so ago this same owner got in such a violent confrontation with an employee after the cart had closed that other cart operators had to intervene. Today as I was leaving the carts supporting am adjacent cart, I needed to use the porta potty. Frequently when the plastic doors slam the dial turns to "occupied" from "Open" regardless of it being empty. If it were actually occupied you wouldn't be able to open the door. I tried the first one which was locked. I then tried the second which WAS NOT LOCKED. The owner of Maisha was using the toilet so I immediately apologized as he launched an expletive laden rant. Claiming the port-a potty was locked, obviously a lie as I wouldn't have been able to open the door if that were the case. This guy has a track record of misogyny and verbal abuse. After the first experience he wasn't going to get a dime from me but I wouldn't have broadcast my experience either. His continued track record of angry outbursts is too much to take. If you support women and civility I'd stay miles away from this place. There are plenty of other places in Portland to spend your money.

Great food, really nice owner. Complex flavor profile and something new for the senses. The Bariis was fantastic!

Friendly service and tasty food. I ordered stuffed mandazi , matoka curry and ugali , for my family , we enjoyed it and will be back

Delicious food (I had the Bariis) and very friendly staff. Plenty of space to sit down in the pod. Parking might be tricky if you drive.

Just tried Maishapdx for lunch. First off, the owner was so friendly, answering all questions about his food and the business in general. I am so glad to hear that business is going well and would love to come back when I'm in the area. I decided to go with the spicy curry and absolutely loved it. The Chapata to go with it was definitely my favorite part. Thanks for a great meal!

You need to go here! So so delicious! I was visiting Portland for a week and went here three times! The owner is such a lovely person and took the time to make gluten free versions of his delicious vegan creations which I really appreciate! Great vibes in an overall sweet food truck space. The Stuffed Mandazi is my favorite so far! Will be my first stop when i'm back in town :)

Went for a birthday adventure and previous reviews were positive. Food was delicious and different to anything else in PDX. For us the side salad of tomatoes was entirely too tart / lemony made our tongues cringe but every other item was absolutely delicious. We hesitate to share because we don't want to fight a long line and wait but the owner has such an amazing outgoing and cheerful personality only a monster wouldn't want this food cart to succeed and have lots of orders, be prepared to wait and be kind.

Delicious food and super friendly owner. Had the matoke curry that was the perfect blend of spice and acidity/sour.

This is one of the best food trucks in Sellwood! The food is exceptionally delicious and I highly recommend it.

Suuuper good food. I've haven't had East African cuisine before, but I will have it again. I had the ugali which is a corn meal dish served with vegetables. Serving size was reasonable and felt hearty without stuffing me. The salad I ordered with it seemed a bit heavy on the lemon acidity, but that flavor isn't a part of my normal diet so I could be over reacting. I look forward to exploring more of the menu. The owner was warm, real, and honest with people offering accurate expectations of wait time and good ideas on what to order for those less familiar with the menu.

This place is definitely my new go-to. I had the vegan beef curry with potatoes (bariis) with the chapata. I would immediately go right for that combination the next time I visit, if I wasn't so eager to try all of the other dishes. The owner was so friendly that I would probably come back even if the food was just "okay." Lucky for me, and likely you, both make this food truck an amazing addition to Sellwood. It's worth noting, I am NOT a vegan and paused for a moment when the menu was being explained to me. I'm no stranger to plant-based meat, but I'm not always in the mood for it. Not once while inhaling my meal did I miss the "real" meat. If every vegan meal was this good, I'd probably make a lifestyle change. Hats off to you, MaishaPDX!

Maisha PDX is delicious! Service was great too! Would totally recommend it!

Love it, very good, nice folks run it. Awesome to have, rec for vegans and non vegans alike