PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Samurai Lunch Box on SE Milwaukie Blvd has a lot of history – it’s been a bento cart under different ownership since the late 90s.
Summer Pommier and Corey Moultrie bought the business in August 2018. Neither were in the food industry but both were looking to change careers, so they took a leap of faith and purchased the cart.
“This has been a bento cart since the late 90s, so it has a lot of history even though we’ve only owned it for 1.5 years,” Pommier said.
The couple keeps the menu simple with four protein options and three carb options. They added tofu, an option the previous owner didn’t have.
They say their sauces are what get the most attention and hope to bottle it one day to sell to stores.
“It’s kind of a sauce bar, so instead of us having a specific flavor in there, you kind of create your own. It makes it a lot of fun,” Moultrie said.
They said becoming food cart owners has been challenging but rewarding.
“The nice thing about Portland is that it supports food carts so much,” Pommier said.
“When you have a pod of these tiny food carts all over the place, it gives the community the opportunity to explore foods and cuisines that they maybe never would have.”