Tasty Tuesday, Jan 27, Bing Mi!

Combine a Chinese crepe (yes, there is such a thing), a scrambled egg, chili sauce, pickled veggies, a wonton cracker plus a bunch more ingredients and what have you got? Jianbing from the Bing Mi! food cart.

Hailing from the streets of the northern cities of China, jianbing is staple street fare consumed either at breakfast, as a snack, or when you need hearty food to combat the effects of one sample too many at the local tap room.

The creation of Alisa Grandy, the Bing Mi! food cart can be found at the 9th & Alder food cart pod. Bing Mi is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM till 3:00 PM (which may leave out the taproom crowd, depending).

So how does a dish little known outside of China join the food cart community in Portland, Oregon? While returning from a vacation in Thailand, Alisa had a layover in Beijing, China. During her layover she had her first experience with jianbing. Alisa was so impressed with the delicious street food that she determined to open a food cart in Portland that served jianbing.

Prepared on a large, flat circular griddle, the jianbing batter is trowled into a thin tortilla-like structure. As the batter sets an egg is cracked onto the crepe and scrambled. Once the egg has soft-set the veggies, wonton, and other ingredients are added. By now the egg has set and the crepe is folded and served.

Bing Mi! serves a singular fare and is one of those carts whose food has to be tried to be understood and appreciated. Next time you’re in downtown PDX, make plans to visit Bing Mi! either for breakfast or lunch.

Listen now as Steven Shomler and Ken Wilson talk with Alisa Grandy about her unique menu and her experience bringing Chinese street food to the food cart culture in Portland.