Que Bacano was one of the original carts opening at Portland Mercado back in 2015. The owners actually have doctor backgrounds, Chef Andres is a dentist, his wife Karen a medical doctor. Andres got his culinary training in Italy. They are natives of Colombia.
The menu has several dishes found in Colombia, such as empanadas (filled savory fritters), almojabanas (cheesy rolls), patacones (crispy green plantains), and arroz con pollo (rice with chicken).
I was most interested in the "Arroz Mixto" ($11.50), a Colombian take on Chinese fried rice, and a favorite of the owners when they grew up in Colombia. It has rice, shrimp, beef, and veggies, served with patacones and a cabbage slaw. Everything is cooked to order, so it took about 10 minutes.
The Arroz Mixto was quite good. Everything cooked wonderfully. You'll get a healthy portion, so it can be a filling meal for some people. Not sure if I would be able to tell exactly what makes the fried rice more Colombian, but the flavors obviously weren't Asian. I would have crisped up the rice even more by cooking it a tad longer. Overall, an interesting version of Chinese fried rice.
I liked the patacones (slight sweetness but went just right with the fried rice) and the crunchy slaw.
If you save room for dessert, try their Tres Leches ($4.50). Check out Que Bacano at Portland Mercado! 7.5/10
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