Carte Blanche to Toss Final Crispy Rice Salad on SE Hawthorne

Carte Blanche, the Airstream-trailer food cart serving global streetfoods in the SE 32nd and Hawthorne pod, will close February 14. Owner and chef Jessie Aron tells Eater, "The intention was always to open a restaurant, but the cart has always been at capacity, so we haven't even had time to think about it. Our wait times are getting longer, and we just don't have the space to serve all the food that people want."

Aron says she's taking time off to "focus on making plans for a restaurant," and on the cart's Facebook page, Aron writes, "I am hoping that we will cook for you again in an amazing space with lights and music and drinks (Art? A garden? Movies? Spelling bees?)."

For the final weeks in business, Aron tells Eater she's bringing back the customer favorite Carte Blanche cookies, inspired by Momofuku's compost cookies from New York (pretzels, graham cracker crumble, chocolate chips, toffee, coffee, potato chips, etc.). Additionally, Aron recommends calling ahead to place an order to avoid a wait.

Carte Blanche opened in March 2011, and in 2012, the Oregonian's Michael Russell listed it as an honorable mention in his list of 2012 best new food carts. That same year, Portland Monthly's Benjamin Tepler also gave it a positive review. Carte Blanche's last day of service will be Sunday, February 14.

—Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino