Near the entrance to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, a cluster of brightly colored buildings has intrigued me for a long time. I finally stopped to investigate and was pleasantly surprised to discover an eclectic assortment of food trucks and shops — what is known in Portland as a “food pod.”
This food pod is anchored by three permanent huts, with a small boardwalk between them, then a couple of food trucks parked nearby to make a half-circle. Deck chairs and tables, some with umbrellas, are scattered around in between, spaced widely enough that customers with dogs or children have plenty of room.
Dockside Dogs anchors the space, with two rooms and a small deck, and lots of outdoor seating. The hot dog shop is not the sort of place you’d expect to see in a marina, but has a great-looking menu of build-your-own dogs as well as specialty dogs.
(Photo by Jessamyn Tuttle)
Dockside Dogs anchors the space, with two rooms and a small deck, and lots of outdoor seating. The hot dog shop is not the sort of place you’d expect to see in a marina but has a great-looking menu of build-your-own dogs as well as quite a lot of specialty dogs, all made with Hempler’s wagyu uncured franks.
I was tempted by the Reuben-style dog, but we ended up trying the Thai peanut butter dog ($13) which was surprisingly excellent, topped with fried onions, bacon, and Thai peanut sauce.
At the other end of the lot is the Harbin Dumplings yellow food truck, run by Chef Shuli Ellis, who hails from the city of Harbin in the Chinese northern province of Heilongjiang. The menu is small, with photos of each dish taped to the outside of the truck for easy reference, usually including noodle soup, fried noodles, dumplings, pot stickers and meat pies.
Dumplings are sold by the dozen (no half-orders) and hand pies have a minimum order of three. The pies, available with beef ($17) or pork ($16), are delicious, but also fairly greasy. Noodles are hand-cut and very good. I liked them best as fried noodles ($16, available with pork, egg or vegetable), made with plenty of rich, seasoned pork, cabbage and onions.
I asked for the spicy sauce, which turned out to be soy sauce with some vinegar and a small dash of chili oil (next time I might bring my own chili sauce). All of the portions are large and the food is very filling — perfect if it’s a cold and windy day by the water.
The fried noodles with pork at Harbin Dumplings food truck feature hand-cut noodles made with plenty of rich, seasoned meat, cabbage and onions. The menu item can also be ordered with egg or vegetables. (Photo by Jessamyn Tuttle)
Next to the dumpling truck is a small barbecue cart called M&C BBQ (or MNC, as it says on the cart). The owner said he tries to be open Thursday through Sunday afternoons, and we were recently lucky enough to come on an open day.
We tried the chicken breast sandwich ($11.95) and the pulled pork plus two sides ($17.95). The menu lets you know that the chicken will take eight minutes since it’s cooked to order.
The sandwich turned out to be a hot dog bun absolutely buried in tender, freshly cooked chicken (and nothing else), with a bottle of spicy, vinegary barbecue sauce on the side. The pulled pork was also tender and tasty.
For sides, we got the cowboy beans (served soft with shreds of meat mixed in) and the collard greens (which are also rich and meaty). The coleslaw on top of the sandwich was crunchy, sharp and vinegary.
The pulled pork sandwich at M&C BBQ is served with two sides. The cowboy beans are very soft with shreds of meat mixed in, and the collard greens are rich and meaty. The coleslaw on top of the sandwich is crunchy, sharp and vinegary. (Photo by Jessamyn Tuttle)
Zaza Turkish Coffee is next to the hot dog place in a tiny hut just big enough for a coffee counter. Its Turkish coffee can be purchased as small as 4 ounces, in the most adorable takeout coffee cup ever ($4.50). Thick and rich, with cardamom and sugar, this coffee is not for the faint of heart. It comes with a small cube of rose-flavored Turkish delight.
The owner’s specialty is menengiç, a drink made from terebinth (wild pistachio) fruit. Prepared like coffee, it has a strong nutty flavor but no caffeine. I tried it iced with milk ($8.50) and found it a bit gritty but very pleasant.
I’ve also tried selap ($7), a popular Turkish drink that was completely new to me. Made of finely ground orchid root and milk powder, the resulting drink is thick and soothing, like a slightly floral cream of wheat. They also sell sweets, including baklava, affogato and milkshakes. There is a Zaza food truck that used to be in this pod, but it now sits up on Commercial Avenue with a drive-thru option for easy access to gyros.
Finally, next to Zaza is a small chocolate shop called Beach Castle Sweets. According to its website, it is only open for an hour and a half on Wednesdays, then for part of Friday and Saturday afternoons. I haven’t been able to try the chocolate, but it is sold at local farmers’ markets, including Bellingham Farmers Market and Barkley Market.
Whether your boat is moored at the marina and you want an easy lunch, you want somewhere to sit and eat with your dog, or you’re looking for takeout, this food pod is a fun stop.
Where else can you get Chinese food or barbecue with Turkish pistachio coffee?
Cap Sante Marina is located at 1019 Q Ave. in Anacortes.
