When given several blocks filled with good smelling, cheap ethnic food and signs that readily display the accolades these eateries have achieved, you might find yourself in a pickle. I was hard pressed to make a decision on where to eat last Friday. But one of the first food carts I passed in downtown Portland was Ziba's Pita's and the unique-looking menu caught my eye. At first I thought it was Mediterranean food with a Polish spin, but after walking the rest of the carts in the rain I returned to Ziba's and chatted with Ziba. I randomly assumed she was Polish, turns out she's Bosnian. We chatted about the weather and she exclaimed that her sister lives in Lexington, Kentucky. How nice!
Their menu contains ingredients that look like your typical Mediterranean restaurant - like beef, rice and cucumbers with tzatziki-like sauces; however, the dishes themselves look completely different from your standard pita.
While the door to her food cart displayed a Bon Appetit! article about what I presumed to be her restaurant, she proceeded to take my order and then stick something in the microwave. Huh? I ordered the "burek" and thought that she'd have to procure the meat from a turning spit in the back of the food cart. Anyway the food came out of the microwave and we continued to chat - boy can she talk! - and then I was whisked away to eat in the rain under a neighboring awning. Man was it good! A phyllo-like yeastier, sweeter dough filled with spiced beef. The beef was sweet too and not too sharp or gamey. I was really impressed!
The thought crossed my mind to get the zucchini dish "tikvenica" or the spinach roll-up, but then I decided that I shouldn't be so adventuresome. Looking back, I should have gone there or even ravenously sampled two even though I wasn't hungry at the time. The menu also describes "meatballs" which I thought were meatless at first but now realize that they would be nothing like falafel. The meatballs for seven dollars come with a little roll that is described as like bread only better. I can only imagine! This visit reaffirmed my love for the Bosnian spin that I have experienced on many delicacies (baklava in particular!).
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