On August 27th, the Shorba Arabic food cart opened for business after a weeks-long soft launch period. This uniquely sited cart sits adjacent to an apartment building on the northeast corner of the same block that hosts mainstay neighborhood restaurants, including Yaowarat and Redwood. The cart’s owner, Omer Alshahrabani, and his wife run lunch and dinner service from the sidewalk adjacent eatery at 307 SE 80th Avenue, bringing authentic recipes from Iraq to the Montavilla area.
Alshahrabani is an experienced food service worker who has cooked professionally since 2003. During those years, he developed the culinary skills to meet Portland diners’ various diets with gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options. Alshahrabani explained that even with dietary modifications, the recipes remain authentic to his Baghdad-based upbringing, with everything made by the couple from simple base ingredients. “We use quality products and keep everything fresh and authentic,” remarked Alshahrabani.
Unlike a collection of carts at a food cart pod, the business owner situated this eatery by itself at the edge of a commercial street near residences. Alshahrabani said this was an intentional choice that would set his operation apart. “I wanted to be the first one to have a food cart in the area. Since I know the landlord of our apartment, it was easier to make an agreement and get permission. The challenging part was getting approval from the city.” Residents walking by the future cart site watched as the operator gradually readied his eatery for opening in the apartment’s parking lot, with activity building up to a soft launch during the Montavilla Street Fair.
People familiar with Mediterranean menus will find familiar dishes, including a beef saj with seasoned beef shawarma served in a grilled saj flatbread wrap. Guests can also order seasoned beef and chicken over rice or salad. Meat free options include hummus, tzatziki, and falafel in several preparations. The menu also offers a namesake serving of lentil shorba (soup). For a sweet option, people can order baklawa, a dessert similar to Baklava but flavored with cardamom and other slight ingredient differences. Shorba is open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. They are a friendly, family-run business that serves Arabic foods with a wide-reaching appeal.
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