OK, so it isn’t exactly CARTopia. No, one food cart does not a revolution make. But the fact that a tiny unincorporated town like Tumalo has even one food cart definitely qualifies as news. Nearby Sisters, with more than twice the population (even more, if we’re talking school district), has yet to embrace its first food cart (Bend, no surprise, has quite a few popular carts scattered around town).
So after driving down Highway 20, within view of what seemed to be a mobile diner for several weeks, I finally decided to check out the situation yesterday. And I was glad I did.
The cart in question is Yolie’s Drive-Up Kitchen. The specialty: just about anything fried (primarily, burgers and fries, but you can also get hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken strips and fish and chips). Prices range from $2 for a corn dog and $3.50 for a ¼-lb. burger to $6 for a burger, fries and soda and $6.50 for fish and chips.
Turns out, owner Ed Huson is no burger-flipping neophyte, either. Not hardly: He’s been in the restaurant business since 1958. Folks from the valley are probably familiar with some of Ed’s previous ventures.
He owned seven Deb’s Burgers in Eugene for some 25 years, along with two other restaurants there (the Lucky Woodsman and Seafood Grotto). Before that, he owned The Greeter’s Corner in Laguna Beach.
Since moving to Central Oregon, Ed and his wife have both set up shop in Tumalo.
It’s no coincidence that her venture, Yolanda’s Boutique, is located right next-door to Yolie’s Kitchen. And yes, she also serves as the food cart’s namesake.
Yolie’s Kitchen is located at 64657 Bruce Ave; it’s open Monday-Saturday from 11 am-8 pm. You can place a to-go order by phone: (541) 521-7477. Check it out!
About the Author:
Lisa Broadwater, GRI, CDPE is a Central Oregon-based real estate professional who specializes in listing and selling homes, especially in Sisters, Tumalo, Bend and Redmond.