Barbecue the Blues

Barbecue the Blues is a food truck parked at the Rose City Food Park in Portland, Oregon.

TJ opened this cart in mid-March, choosing to specialize in Texas BBQ. He has three types of meat on hand: pulled pork, chicken, and tri-tip. A little surprised I didn't see brisket, which tends to remind me of Texas more than tri-tip (usually associated with California). The tri-tip cooks for about 1.5 hours, the chicken for three, and pulled pork gets a 9-hour prep.

Menu
(March 2013)

Each sandwich gets a helping of cole slaw, a couple of pickle slices, and your choice of sauce. TJ offers a milder, sweet-tangy "Dixie" sauce and a "Sonoran" option with New Mexico red chiles. He makes both of his sauces from scratch.

I opted for the "Slow Hand" pulled pork sandwich with the Sonoran sauce ($6). After a few minutes, I received a good-sized sandwich, fluffy bun and all.

"Slow Hand" Pulled Pork Sandwich

"Sonoran" sauce

Another fine example of a delicious BBQ sandwich in Portland. Juicy, tender pulled pork. A great crunchy slaw, not too creamy. Even the Sonoran sauce has a pleasing sweet-tangy nature. It's a tomato-based sauce with apple cider vinegar.

I like that TJ doesn't have a ridiculously spicy option just for kicks. He cares about the flavor so his customers can enjoy the food. But he seems open to considering a custom spicy concoction.

You can add a side to any sandwich for $1.50 more. Sides include homemade mac and cheese, BBQ beans (slowly simmered with smoked pork shoulder), or buttermilk cornbread (served with honey and butter). The sides are $2.50 a la carte.

I definitely wish TJ the best with his food cart! Definitely head out and try his food! 8.5/10