Market Hauls and Local Noms

Back when I was in Vancouver, BC, I met a wonderful Barbadian-Canadian chef named Robert Linton, who had recently started a business selling Barbados pepper sauce. As we chatted about his story, Robert mentioned that he uses Demerara sugar from Guyana as part of his commitment to honoring his family’s roots (his wife is Guyanese).

Our conversation made me realize that I knew next to nothing about Guyana, so I did what I always do when I’m interested in learning about another culture: research restaurants where I can try the cuisine! To my pleasant surprise, the first spot that popped up was a food cart in Portland, Oregon, which happened to be my next destination.

Founded by mother-and-son duo Bibi and Michael Singh, Bake on the Run is the West Coast’s first and only Guyanese food joint. The business opened in September 2018 and is part of the WonderLove Food Cart Pod, a vibrant entertainment hub in Portland’s Central Eastside.

I visited Bake on the Run on a frigid Friday afternoon and was greeted by the friendly and talented Chef Bibi, who offered me two samples: a tiny paper cup of Jai’s Guyanese Dahl (Yellow-Split Pea Curried Soup) and a mini serving of Guyanese Chana Aloo (Chickpea Potato Curry) in a Bake—the semisweet Guyanese puff bread of the business’ name. Both were incredibly nourishing and delicious, and, as usual, I had a hard time deciding what to order.

After reading the detailed menu descriptions and catching glimpses and whiffs of the dishes other customers were picking up, I eventually settled on the full-size Guyanese Chana Aloo in a Bake and Chef Bibi’s Guyanese Vegan Chow Mein, made with award-winning noodles imported from Guyana. Since I’d skipped lunch and noticed there was a $5 discount for buying two, I decided to get a second bake with seasonal organic jam and powdered sugar. Eager to cling to the remaining days of fall, I opted for pumpkin butter.

From the perfectly chewy noodles of the chow mein and the soft, steaming dough of the bakes to the kick of Chef Bibi’s famous pepper sauce (complimentary with all savory dishes) and the heartiness of the Chana Aloo, I couldn’t have asked for a better meal to keep me warm and satiated all weekend long (the portions were incredibly generous, so I ended up with several meals!). The fact that all three dishes are vegan was the cherry on top.

Before heading home to put my leftovers in the fridge, I got to chat a little with Chef Bibi, who explained that her son Michael, the founder of Bake on the Run, quit his job in the business world to do something fun. A lifelong foodie, Michael came to Portland with his girlfriend and proposed the idea of opening a food cart where Bibi could share her home cooking with a wider audience. The chef had originally planned to stay in town for only a few months. Now, it’s been six years since the business started, and things are still going strong.

Though it can sometimes be challenging to tell where we’ll end up and for how long, know that if you’re spending any amount of time in Portland, one thing is certain: you’ve got to check out Bake on the Run!

Visit Bake on the Run:

Address: WonderLove Food Cart Pod, 262 SE Main St 
Portland, OR 97214

Website: https://www.bakeontherunpdx.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakeontherunpdx/