Researching and writing about the mobile food industry is a dream job, but it also has its downfalls. Last night while doing some research for upcoming articles for Mobile Cuisine Magazine, I had a hankering for something to eat. I couldn’t make up my mind between some nice comfort food like soup or a grilled cheese sandwich, or something a little more substantial such as a hamburger. Then it hit me…why not combine the two?

This thought process is what got me to focus on today’s food cart profile. The Brunch Box food cart in Portland, Oregon, is a mobile vendor who has already perfected the solution to my dining dilemma. Why make a difficult decision about two different styles of meal, when they can be combined to form the “YouCanHasCheezburger” (if you missed the reference, do a quick search on Google).

Brunch Box owners Ryan Incles and Ariana Berry have a menu item that makes even the hungriest customer think twice about ordering it.

Now imagine this, instead of standard buns for your perfectly cooked hamburger, substitute two Texas toast, grilled cheese sandwiches. Viola! Not only do you have the YouCanHasCheezburger, but you are also holding a culinary masterpiece. Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention, all of this can be purchased for only $5.50.

The only problem you may have with this burger is physically fitting your mouth around it.  Passers by seeing you eat this may think you a glutton, but as you taste it you’ll know you’re actually a connoisseur.

If you are feeling hungry enough for a burger but not starved enough for one flanked by grilled cheese buns, then the Black n Blue burger is another of the Brunch Box menu items that will satisfy your desires. This one has a normal bun, but the burger is infused with blue cheese in a way that makes it anything but normal.

Before opening the Brunch Box Ryan was a manager for Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, and Ariana was a manager for Voodoo 2 Doughnuts. When asked how they would define the “street food” in Portland, they responded, “Here in Portland it seems to be mobile food units worked by the owners and operators or their friends and family.”

A typical day for this dynamic duo starts at 6 am when they head to the cart to setup and prep for the day’s service. The cart is open Monday through Friday from 8 am and stays open until 4 pm.

Their biggest advice to the aspiring mobile food vendor is, “Kitchen experience and a little bit of business know-how come in handy. It’s not necessarily the opening of a cart that’s hard. Don’t underestimate the sometimes repetitive nature of daily operations. Bring something original to the table; never bite the flavor of somebody else’s menu. It can be a lot for one person, so having a business partner can really take a load off. Keep a sense of humor.

And if you’re gonna go, GO ALL OUT!”

The Brunch Box is located in downtown Portland on SW 5th Avenue in a parking lot between Stark and Oak.

Updates are posted on www.brunchboxpdx.com, Twitter, and Facebook.

Our recommendation:

The ” YouCanHasCheezburger “.

What their fans have said:

Dear sweet baby 9 pd Jesus, this was amazing. This was the best thing I have ever put in my mouth! well not really, but one of my top ten foodgasms!!!!!

So on my quest to get my maple bar with bacon on top from the voodoo; which was delicious by the way. I got the heads up that they owned this delicious food cart, and God knows I love me some food cart. 🙂 So I had to go!!!! one word…..YOUCANHASCHEESEBURGER!

two grilled cheese – cheeseburger! holy crap, I was torn, I was going to get the sandwich with the spam and fried egg burger but I wanted to save my heart attack for another day.

All I have to say, do go to the brunchbox, and get ready to feel utter foodgasm!!!

– Nina N. Seattle, WA

If you are interested in trying out one of their delicious burgers at home,  go <here> for a recipe.

Brunch Box Food Cart on Urbanspoon