Every once in a while, a food truck comes out of nowhere with a concept so pristine and perfect that it immediately feels like it has always been part of a town’s culinary landscape. Places that open with such effortless attention to detail and handmade craft that the diner realizes they were missing something they never knew existed. Most recently, we’ve seen this with Wandering Ranchero and The Dominican, two spots that were instantly embraced by the foodie community in Bend.
The newest truck that deserves this level of love is PotLuck, freshly installed in the spot formerly occupied by Lively Up Yourself at the Midtown Yacht Club. PotLuck’s concept is brilliant: a menu built around all of chef/owner Brandy Rautenkranz’s favorite dishes. From sliders to bánh mì, all the way over to jambalaya, doner kebab, and a downright unbelievable spicy chicken curry, Brandy’s menu is multifarious, combining the variety of a potluck dinner with the specificity of her complex and delectable palette.
“PotLuck became an idea last summer, actually,” says Rautenkranz. “Sarah and Elliot (of Lively Up) talked about selling. I immediately thought of all the things that I could do in that truck. I landed on creating a menu of all of my favorite foods, but making it shareable so folks could try lots of things while playing bingo or trivia, or listening to the live music at Midtown.”
I’m not trying to overhype anyone, so just go to PotLuck and experience the perfection of her doner kebab with razor-thin, tender chicken, enhanced with a lovely Turkish seasoning that doesn’t lean heavily on the cumin and paprika, instead finding a delicious symmetry with the tomato-cucumber salad and garlic labneh to create a kebab unlike any I’ve had outside of Portland.
Not into kebab? A) What is wrong with you, but also B) then try the spicy chicken curry, which I have not stopped thinking about once since trying it. Served with pillowy naan and hitting notes of spice that were not only unexpected, but greatly appreciated, this curry has made its way into my rotation immediately. “The curry is over a decade in the making,” says Rautenkranz. “While living in Portland, I would make quick dinners using this store-bought vindaloo paste in a jar. It was suddenly discontinued. I searched everywhere. I decided to make my own. The first attempt did NOT work out, but the current recipe has three varieties of dried chili peppers — one variety that I have to purchase online — that you toast and soak and blend, along with lots of seeds you toast and grind, and then more ground seasonings and garlic and onions. It’s a process, but it’s worth it.” You will not believe how worth it until you try this curry.
Spice-averse? The Turkey Burger Sliders with Tillamook cheddar and a surprisingly, delicately sweet cranberry sauce made me immediately nostalgic for Thanksgiving, while the Salmon Cake Sliders are a seafood junkie’s delight. Rautenkranz only uses Beaver tartar sauce, so believe me when I say we’re in good hands.
Don’t even get me started on the classic house-made Hamburger Helper for the kiddos and the Tofu Bánh Mì that not only comes correct with the tastiest vegan mayo I’ve ever had, but is so loaded with pickled carrots, cucumbers and fresh jalapeños that I’m now spoiled for life on Bánh Mì. Bend has a plethora of great Bánh Mì, but I’m not sure I’ve had a better one than at PotLuck.
What’s really remarkable about Chef Rautenkranz (and PotLuck in general) is that even though I was fairly blown away by everything I tried on the menu, her dishes were all such incredibly done concepts that I’m just as excited by whatever else she chooses to do with the menu. As sad as I would be to lose the Chicken Curry, I trust that whatever would replace it would be equally as amazing. “I intentionally chose the name PotLuck, so I would have freedom to do what I wanted with the menu,” says Rautenkranz. “I am not tied to any specific regions or flavor profiles. I have lots of ideas to add to the menu once I get settled. I have Sunday supper special ideas, and I have a few ideas for brunch items. Lots of people have asked about side items, so I am coming up with things for that.”
Again, I don’t want to overhype anyone, but I tried nearly everything on the PotLuck menu and there wasn’t a single thing that wasn’t truly special. Chef Rautenkranz doesn’t tackle her dishes in predictable or boring ways; instead, she approaches each concept like an engineer, building flavor profiles from scratch with what seems like a genuinely intuitive artistry. I can’t wait to go back to PotLuck again. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.
PotLuck
Wed-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm
Midtown Yacht Club
1661 NE 4th St.
instagram.com/potluck_bend/
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