Two things that make a great food city are diversity in the cuisines represented and the ability to get really good food at a wide range of price points, settings, and hours.  KC has a lot of exciting things going for it as a food city, but those two areas can definitely stand some improvement.  My friend Patrick Ryan is going to take us a big step in that direction in 2011 by opening a food truck serving vibrant contemporary takes on regional Mexican street food.  Port Fonda will operate out of a revamped Airstream trailer, and believe me the food is going to be beautiful and delicious!

Patrick is one of the best cooks I've ever worked with and he does Mexican food like I've never seen it.  Stay tuned, lots more to come...

sounds cool.  Do you know where he'll be setting up?

Port Fonda was one of the names proposed for early Kansas City.

http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Local&CISOPTR=35623&CISOBOX=1&REC=1

we'll mostly be setting up in the crossroads but will be available for private parties all over kc.   

sounds excellent! i hope your friend sets up a facebook account so that we can know where to find him every day!

we have fb and twitter accounts set-up already to document the opening and build-out processes. Once the trailer is mobile, we will constantly send out information about menu specials and locations.

AWESOME.

Keep us updated, Port Fonda.

@portfondakc

This is great news and I know Patrick will do it right.  Now we just need about a dozen more mobile, ethnic eateries (and an ocean:)

we have a pretty talented group of people putting this thing together.  not limited to lindsay laricks (fresher than fresh snowcones) who is working on our identity package and peter warren (local artist) who will be doing some cool design work to the trailer.  peter is a longtime friend of mine that moved here a few years ago from brooklyn and he recently built the tables that are in the private dining room of the rieger. 

Now, if only you had someone who can cook Is it too early to give us a rough idea of what you might serve?

Here's hoping for that grilled corn on the cob with chile and mayo...

no, we don't. i'm 100% for the success of Port Fonda, but let Austin and Portland be Austin and Portland. God blessed this city with unabashed Midwesternism. let it be.

There's about 400 in Portland; a dozen would't hurt.
There is certainly no lack of parking  lots available.

Yes, I was hoping for some geographic coverage, not overkill.  And when did Austin and/or Portland get an ocean?

i'm not talking about an ocean. i'm talking about being a wannabe.

I'd be all for a little variety and availability...and an ocean

http://www.foodcartsportland.com/
what could be....

Having a nice selection of street food vendors isn't exactly a stupid hipster trend present primarily in stupid hipster cities.

Having a nice selection of stupid hipster street food vendors is, though.

Our current weather is especially accommodating. I can' think of anything I'd rather do than eat a taco or gyro while my clothes are being blown off my body by freezing gusts of wind.

I am not against street food nor stupid hipster cities. We have a few different street food vendors and no one seems to really care for the most part. I'm guessing Port Fonda is going to make the masses here get more interested.