Nong’s Khao Man Gai is one of the most popular lunch street carts in Portland, usually selling out at around 1 p.m. (they open at 10 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on Saturdays). Nong’s cart specializes in one thing, khao man gai (chicken over rice), and it is sheer perfection. The poached chicken over rice is accompanied by soybean sauce and a daily vegetable soup. While street food may sound cheap and greasy, Nong’s chicken over rice is so clean and wholesome, it’s an unbelievable steal for just $6. The rice is cooked in chicken broth so it is soft and savory, and the poached chicken is tender. The soybean sauce is mixed with garlic, ginger and chilies, which gives it potent, but not overwhelming, flavor. And the soup’s vegetable broth reminds me my mom’s. I couldn’t resist adding chicken liver for just an extra dollar. This was one of my fondest memories of Portland!