Blues City Biscuits

(NOTE: Kimberly is no longer the owner at Blues City Biscuits, but a new owner took over in 2013, keeping the same name and recipes! This cart is now at the Good Food Here pod in Portland, Oregon, near SE 43rd and Belmont!)


(Second Review -- December 2011)
(Third Review -- February 2012)
(Fourth Review -- April 2012)


Blues City Biscuits is a food cart located in the Cartlandia food pod in Portland, Oregon. Kimberly, a native of Memphis and the operator, has brought her grandmother's Southern cooking to the Northwest.

(NOTE: The cart debuted as Blues City Greens, with the name change to Blues City Biscuits on 11/14/11)

Back when it was Blues City Greens (mid-September 2011)

After much thought on a cold day, I took Kimberly's advice and ordered the Howlin' Wolf ($8): bacon-simmered shrimp in garlic broth, served on Tillamook cheddar grits, with organic collard greens and a "corn dodger" (a fried cornbread patty).

Menu (as of September 2011)

Howlin' Wolf plate (Blues City Greens)

Yeah, let's get a closeup of the good stuff....

As I ate Kimberly's shrimp and grits, I could just feel that soul food vibe transferring from Memphis to my stomach. A comforting meal here. The essence of bacon permeated the garlic broth, and took me to a happy place when combined with the creamy, cheesy grits and the baby shrimp. I liked the green onion over the top for added flavor and presentation. I'm guessing the baby shrimp were frozen and from a package, but if it tastes delicious and keeps costs down, I'm all for it.

The collard greens were also very good. Cooked down very nicely here. It appeared the garlic broth made its way into the greens as well, along with a few other spices to take it to the next level. The corn dodger was perhaps the weakest item on the plate. A great job on the frying, and a lovely texture, but a bit too salty for my tastes.

I would have also liked a bit more food for my $8; this meal never stood a chance. Then again, many meals don't stand a chance against my voracious appetite.

I like that there is no wheat in this food cart. It seems that there are more gluten-free meal options wherever I go, and it's exciting at how delicious they all are. Overall, this was a very nice experience, and I plan to return for more in the future.