Few food items are as cute, old-fashioned and nostalgically decadent as the sugar cube, so it stands to reason that sweet-treat superstar Kir Jensen’s newest Portland offering is a little white food stand on Southwest Ninth and Alder.
The Sugar Cube, which opened its trailer window to the public this Monday, offers up a wide array of baked goods to downtown workers and residents, as well as breakfast and lunch options and locally-roasted Spella Café coffee.
So far, the Sugar Cube lives up to all that its name implies. It is most certainly cute: the cart, though tiny, is cheery and orderly. The menu includes tongue-in-cheek titles like the Passion of the Curd (a coconut cupcake with passion fruit curd filling) and the Lovely Lady-lump (lemon teacake with lemon curd filling and yes, lemon cream cheese frosting).
Menu items also branch out into the comfort zone of homemade food with brown bag lunches that include a sandwich (grilled cheese, roasted portabella, or smoked gouda and ham), Kettle chips and a cookie for $7.50. Likewise, the ubiquitous after-school snack of milk and cookies can be had for $3.50. Yes, you can now get a glass of milk and two freshly baked cookies from a food cart.
The My Goodness My Guinness cupcake is rich and filling enough for two people to split, and perfectly satisfying. The ginger Guinness stout cake is dark, moist and has just the right amount of sweet to it without being too heavy, while the maple cream cheese frosting has a good consistency with a bit of a “bite” to it.
Likewise, the Sugar Cube’s buttermilk biscuit, topped with tart cherry jam, manages to stay airy and rich at the same time. The buttery notes of the crust compliment the fruit topping perfectly.
Even at mid-afternoon on opening day, the folks at the Cube were pleasant and eager to answer questions about the cart and their menu. As my order was boxed up, I was given casual advice on which treats might benefit from a little heating up back at the office.
Jensen has stated earlier this year that she plans to take advantage of Oregon’s produce, and it shows in many of her offerings. The citrus-almond teacake topped with lemon curd also comes with two perfect, fresh raspberries nestled in the tart lemon, hand-placed on the cake as I ordered.
The real show-stopper at the Cube, however, may just be the Highway to Heaven cupcake: a perfectly executed blend of chocolate buttermilk cake filled with salted caramel, and topped with a generous portion of chocolate ganache, with a little more caramel drizzled on top for added effect.
Fortunately for waistlines downtown, the Sugar Cube also serves up healthier fare, like the Brangelina–a raisin and honey bran muffin for $2.25, as well as house-made granola and fruit smoothies sweetened with honey and Nancy’s yogurt, for $4.
On the whole, it might just be downtown’s finest source for your next sugar rush.
The Sugar Cube901 S.W. AlderHours: Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on weekendswww.thesugarcubepdx.com