Chef Daniel Stramm is making waves in Portland’s culinary landscape with the opening of his latest venture, Rose City Pasta.
Launched on May 15 as a new addition to the Nob Hill food cart pod, Rose City Pasta introduces a unique, choose-your-own-pasta-adventure concept to the bustling city.
This innovative cart comes shortly after Stramm’s successful gluten-free fried chicken cart, Your Side Chicks, transitioned from Hawthorne Asylum to the Nob Hill location in November.
With a focus on affordability and customizability, Rose City Pasta aims to provide an accessible dining experience for all.
The menu features a tight selection of pasta shapes, including mafaldine and gnocchi Napoletna, paired with rich sauces such as pesto, cacio e pepe, and vodka cream.
Diners can enhance their dishes with delectable add-ons like pork belly, whipped ricotta, and seasonal vegetables.
The eye-catching cart is characterized by its bold, bright colors and unique design, featuring a striking combination of white, red, and black elements that create a sense of excitement.
Stramm describes the cart as a “pasta watchtower” due to its angular structure and prominent placement that draws attention from the surrounding area.
Inside a kitchen space that resembles a small closet, Stramm is a whirlwind of activity, effortlessly managing cooking, hand-cutting fresh pasta, training staff, and interacting with customers.
His passion for the craft shines through as he shares stories of his culinary journey and future plans for the cart.
Before settling in Portland, Stramm honed his skills in high-volume kitchens across Las Vegas, including renowned establishments like Tao, Zine, and Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill.
Following a stint in Seattle and a return to Las Vegas, where he explored cannabis-focused food research and development, Stramm shifted his focus from traditional restaurants to the food cart scene in Portland while maintaining a fine dining efficiency.
Despite the casual approach of Rose City Pasta, Stramm places great emphasis on quality sourcing for his ingredients.
He works with reputable local suppliers such as Carlton Farms for pork, Durant for olive oil, and Bob’s Red Mill for flour.
Additionally, he is eager to source seasonal produce from local farms, specifically tomatoes and peppers, as they become available throughout the growing season.
Customers at Rose City Pasta can place their orders seamlessly via a tablet mounted on a rustic wooden stanchion, although Stramm encourages those preferring cash or facing technical issues to order directly at the window.
Stramm’s vision for Rose City Pasta is clear: to provide a fast-casual dining experience that stands out in a city known for its culinary diversity.
“Since 2015, I wanted to open a pasta shop and do things differently,” he explains, positioning Rose City Pasta to fill a gap in Portland’s food scene where affordable and consistent pasta has been challenging to find.
With the recent opening of Your Side Chicks’ second location in the Brooklyn Carreta pod and Rose City Pasta settling into Nob Hill, Stramm is gradually expanding his influence within Portland’s competitive food cart arena.
As the sun sets and the aroma of garlic and marinara fills the air, the bustling Nob Hill food pod is further enlivened by Stramm’s two innovative offerings.
image source from：https://pdx.eater.com/2025/6/6/24443183/rose-city-pasta-opening-food-cart-portland
