Breakfast Lunch Today (Part 2)

(UPDATE 8/13/13: It appears BLT is closed. No online activity from them in a while.)

(UPDATE 11/8/12: Food Carts Portland reports that Breakfast Lunch Today has closed, but hopefully it's just for the winter. No official word that the closure is permanent.)

(Original Review -- October 2011)

I learned a few months back that Etienne moved his food cart to NE Alberta and 13th, behind the yoga studio and close to where his girlfriend works (at Candybabel, a candy store). I made my visit on May 31, one that was long overdue. I had also seen him at Eat Mobile, but was still too full from my immense challenge at Flyin' Hawaiian to fully enjoy the festivities. In a smart panda move, I came hungry this time.

After a few failed attempts to locate a hearty breakfast, the antidote came at BLT. With a number of sandwiches to choose from -- especially the fried ones -- I got the Breakfast Sandwich Supreme ($7), adding another 1/4 lb. of shrimp for a couple bucks more. The sandwich also contains ham, bacon, two eggs, spinach, olives, artichoke hearts, and bechamel. I went with Gruyere cheese this time.

Customers have a choice of a parbaked French bread (hollowed out like a po'boy) or a tortilla wrap to resemble a breakfast burrito. After seeing so many carts go the burrito route, I changed it up and got the French bread.

While I waited, I sampled some of his homemade frozen custard. He had pistachio custard when I went. Excellently prepared. So creamy and rich, as a frozen custard should be. I loved the bits of real pistachios peeking through the surface.

Flavors may change on a regular basis!

Whoa, Etienne has homemade habanero sauce? I'll take some, of course! Watch out, I'd chug it straight and/or purposely dump it on the custard to eat. Can you tell I have a slight spicy food problem? Yeah, just a slight addiction.

Anyway, after a short time melting all that cheese, I received my toasted sandwich. I can hear the pandas singing now.

Breakfast Sandwich Supreme w/habanero sauce
(BLT)
Proud of this photo, one of the best I've taken

Easily one of the best-looking breakfast sandwiches I've had. The hollowed-out bread allowed the filling to settle in a little trench, making this sandwich easy to eat, instead of needing to unhinge the panda jaw. A perfect crunchy bread.

A little bacon goes a long way here. Interesting to have olives and artichoke hearts in my sandwich, but the briny flavors simply work. Beautiful bechamel here. The capper was the melted cheese. Panda food porn. The ideal amount of meat, veggies, cheese, and bread. With the habanero sauce, just glorious.

The baby shrimp really isn't needed here (which is why it's optional in the first place), but if you're in a surf-and-turf mood, get it. This was amazing stuff, folks. Panda is very happy.

I swear, I'll eventually get to the fried sandwiches. Really. Maybe I'll try a couple of different ones, just because I find it hard to choose one every time I see the menu. Beignet Fried PB&J? Monte Cristo? A fried sandwich with tomato, basil, and mozzarella? And he has homemade tater tots. Just drooling here, no worries. 8.75/10