Jason and I ran around downtown last night – he had to pick up another $100 book from Powell’s Technical Bookstore, and I wanted to go to a new vitamin shop that just opened. A couple of wild crazy kids out on the town! 
While we were downtown, we ate dinner at Violetta – an awesome “slow food, fast” place that serves sandwiches, burgers, soups and salads. The first time we ate their food was last summer:
In addition to their downtown Director’s Park location, they have a mobile unit “Etta” which serves as their second location in the Southeast Belmont food cart pod. You can also rent it – it’s a food truck – and they will come to your location!
Last summer our friends had a huge party – closed their street, put up a bounce house for the kids, had a band playing in their front yard, and had Etta there catering their fabulous food! It was a blast and we have been meaning to get to the restaurant ever since.
Jason had a seasonal microbrew and I chose a seltzer water. We shared the Oregonzola Fries and the Deluxe Mac & Cheese. The Oregonzola Fries are yukon gold fries with a blue cheese sauce, and they were so delicious. I will be ordering these again, and probably recreating that sauce at home.
The Deluxe Mac & Cheese? Yes it was!
Jason had the Violetta Burger, adding white cheddar and bacon:
I ordered the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich on ciabatta, which includes spicy red pepper sauce (this sandwich is SO me, right?), spinach, red onion and mozzarella. So good!
They have long ‘family style’ tables, and we sat next to a fun and talkative couple. When we were getting ready to leave, Jason recalled Etta being very particular about their recycling – they use biodegradable packaging, another plus for Violetta!
Do you have local ‘fast food’ restaurants that are out of the ordinary good?
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow—Violetta looks amazing. I am so envious of that—our fast food is all of the mcd’s variety. But I do have a couple places I call ahead and pick up food that resembles that stuff
yes – with Portland’s food carts and places like this, it’s the new “fast food” if you want it, no reason to go to… yeah.
Violetta looks soooooooo good!!!!! We have nothing like that-well i’ve got organic cafe which is semi-fast (most of the time)…we def need more though!!!
organic cafe sounds like a good start… you’d love Portland… so many awesome restaurants AND food carts!
How cool. Love that they have the food truck to come to a party – can I come to the next block party please? I can’t think of anything remotely like that here to be honest.
YES!
it was a fun party – I would love to do something like this at our house… think how EASY the party prep would be! 
We’ve had Etta pull into our driveway for two big parties over the last two years, and it was a blast both times. And yes, it made the party prep almost zero, just a case or so of wine and a couple of cases of beer (both of which they can actually provide for you), and we’re good! It also isn’t something you see every day, so it really makes the night memorable…
AND the food is fabulous!
we have a large open yard, and I have often thought I would LOVE to have a big summer pool party and have Etta just drive up on the grass! It would be great fun and they have a great variety.
hearing you have done this TWICE makes me feel good too, that it was a great experience! thanks for letting me know! Cheers!
The Portobello burger looks incredible! Great choice!
It isn’t really “fast” — but there is an Asian Cuisine restaurant near our house that we absolutely love. They’ll make just about any dish that you want and their menu is ridiculous — anything you could ever want!
it’s one of my favorite things on their menu… SO good!
I’ev been craving Asian lately… now even moreso! perhaps that’s what dinner will be tonight…
That place sounds amazing.
it truly is!!
If I sat at your table, I would eat your sandwich and fries! YUM! That is my kind of sandwich!
mine too… I LOVE portobellos… especially during grilling season… can’t wait!
I could seriously unhinge my jaw to take those fries in. They look gorgeous! I love that they are called Oregonzola fries too. Hehe.
hee – girl, you’re hilarious. now I have that image.
I’ve never heard of this place! The food looks amazing (especially that Mac n’cheese)!
I only had a couple bites of the mac + cheese, and it was AMAZING. so were those fries… I think Jason was skeptical of them, but he loved them too. if you find yourself downtown (it’s directly facing the Fox Tower, the block west of it) you should go here… they have incredible food, and on a nice day they have a huge seating area – bigger than the inside seating!
That place sounds wonderful!
Holy mac and cheeseeee come into my belly
holy richness, it was GOOD!
Wow– thanks for all the great comments here. I’m so pleased that you not only enjoyed the meal but took the time to take such great images of the food. New menu roll out in two weeks, and yes, a grilled Portobello is on the way with many new seasonal changes! Thank you!
you are so very welcome, Dwayne! we had a great experience last summer attending our friend’s party with Etta – your food is delicious! we look forward to the new menu and will be back soon and often! thanks for saying hello! – Kristina
You know there are different cool places in Dallas but I know like probably 1% of the goodies. I need to do a lot more research. PS – your sandwich is totally up my taste bud alley!
that sandwich was SO good… I love portobello and red pepper together! we KNOW of a lot of the great places in Portland, but there are still SO many we haven’t been… (we keep going to our old favorites…) we decided last night we are going to start going to more new places… fun!
Haha! LOVE the title of your post! That place sounds great! How fun to be able to rent out the truck for catering! Your sandwich looks amazing! Ciabatta is the best and totally takes a sammie to a whole new level!
There’s a dingy convenience market up the road from my new house that sells the best barbecue in town! Seems like everyone knows about that place even though it’s new to me!
hee – thanks. I thought the title was fun
sometimes the BEST food comes out of the craziest places… we have a tiny market down the street that makes AMAZING fresh deli sandwiches…
Spicy red pepper sauce… yep, sounds about right!
SO good!!
Be still my beating heart .. hehe
I was in Portland over the summer and we visited here, loved it! that park is crazy, last I was there it was a park lot??