PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Bari Food Cart in the Carts on Foster pod is our Cart of the Week.
Chef Trifone Walter Ferrante moved to Portland 12 years ago and worked in the restaurant industry until he was ready to open his own cart three years ago.
Now he serves Portlanders authentic cuisine from his hometown of Bari in the southeast Adriatic sea.
He specializes in a calzone type of savory pastry called panzerotto.
“My food is panzerotto fritti, which is a very traditional food from my region,” he said.
“It’s a very light pizza bread dough filled with a base of fresh mozzarella, chopped tomato and deep-fried.”
Ferrante said that Italian customers tell him his food tastes like home.
“I have Italian customers where I come from and they keep coming because I remind them where they come from. That is what all about, bringing some traditional food,” he said.
He also serves desserts like cannolis and special cakes from his family recipes.
Bari Food Cart is open Wednesday – Sunday.