Pelmeni Pelmeni

"Pelmeni Pelmeni subscribes to the street food vendor school of thought, which focuses on doing one thing and doing it well. Here, dumplings are the star. Three varieties are available: pelmeni, small Russian dumplings that can be boiled, fried, or served in broth; savory potato vareniki; and sweet cheese vareniki. At Hawthorne Asylum, the cart’s home base, diners tuck into piles of chicken pelmeni topped with zingy sour cream and Russian ketchup and sprinkled with green onion. All menu items can be ordered in a small (half-pound) portion, or a large (three-quarter-pound) portion." - Janey Wong

"A few blocks south of the nationally lauded Kachka, Pelmeni Pelmeni’s popular food cart is proof that Portland is more than its most famous restaurant celebrating the food of the former Soviet Republics. With a growing Slavic population (by some estimates Russian is the third-most widely spoken language in Oregon after English and Spanish), Portland is home to Russian and Ukrainian restaurants, cafes, groceries, churches, and a radio station. Ukrainian-born chef and owner Andrey Georgiyev keeps it simple at Pelmeni Pelmeni, with a small menu centering tender versions of its namesake dumplings, filled with chicken, beef, or potato — topped with dill, sour cream, green onions, and Russian ketchup. The rich red borscht is available with beef or vegan." - Nathan Williams

"For an interesting craft drink that is zero-proof, the Pelmeni Pelmeni cart is now making its own kvas, the fermented non-alcoholic beverage popular throughout Eastern Europe. For sustenance, this cart serves up Slavic dishes." - Joy Church