Chowdah

Chowdah is a food cart located near the corner of SE 17th and Tacoma in the Sellwood district of Portland, Oregon. This cart opened at the beginning of 2011 and has New England clam chowder, another soup of the day, cheesesteaks, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other specials. The man running the cart...yup, he's from Massachusetts, so you'll get the real deal here.

In fact, the chowder here has won for "Most Flavorful" New England clam chowder at the Lompoc Fifth Quadrant Chowder Challenge...very impressive!

I got a cup of New England Clam Chowder ($3) and also received a complementary small package of oyster crackers.

New England Clam Chowder (Chowdah)

Oyster crackers...from the Westminster Cracker Company!

The thick, hearty chowder really hit the spot. The clams were the star here, and the diced potatoes were also well-cooked. Yes, there is bacon in this chowder...the right amount of bacon to amp up the flavor without overpowering the clams.

A couple of concerns: I would have liked the chowder heated just a bit longer (it was still barely lukewarm when I received it), and then I found a bay leaf in my chowder. I might eat a lot, but I don't eat bay leaves, thanks.

Bay leaf in my chowder

If you want a taste of authentic New England clam chowder, this is an ideal cart to hit up. The sandwiches also sound delicious, so I might have to try those at a later date. With colder weather approaching, I predict a promising future for Chowdah! 6.75/10