Lardo

Lardo, a pork and beef sandwich shop with origins in a Portland food cart

Lardo is a sandwich shop that began as a food cart in Southeast Portland in September 2010. Its name refers to a type of salume made by curing strips of fatback with rosemary and other herbs and spices. The establishment presents itself as a place that worships at the altar of bovine & swine, combining old-world techniques with a contemporary, irreverent approach.

A menu of hearty sandwiches and craft beer

The food offering focuses on deli-inspired preparations with pork and beef taking center stage. Among the items the company highlights are pork-drenched double burgers, a giant meatball Banh Mi, and hand-cut french fries smothered in pork. The menu is completed with a selection of rotating draft beers and a mix of premium cocktails.

Two locations on both sides of the river and in Las Vegas

Lardo operates in two locations: one in Portland, at 1212 SE Hawthorne Blvd, and another in Las Vegas, inside The Cosmopolitan, at 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd. The company describes its presence on both sides of the river as a mecca for fans of a uniquely smash-mouth deli experience.

The chef and owner: Rick Gencarelli

Rick Gencarelli is the chef and owner of Lardo. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York and did an externship at Aqua in San Francisco. After graduating, he returned to Olives, Todd English's restaurant, where he worked for four years as sous chef. He then went on to work at Rubicon and One Market restaurants, also in San Francisco. He later opened Miramar Restaurant in Westport, Connecticut, and two years later Olives Restaurant at the W Hotel in New York. After three years in New York, he moved with his family to Vermont, where he served as chef at the Inn at Shelburne Farms, located on a 1,400-acre non-profit environmental education center and working farm on Lake Champlain. In 2009 he moved to Portland, drawn by its food culture, and in September 2010 he opened Lardo as a food cart.

Collaborations and complementary products

The bread used by Lardo is baked by Dos Hermanos Bakery. The company also points to Grassa, its handcrafted pasta shop.

Locations

Portland location: 1212 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR · Phone: (503) 234-7786

Las Vegas location: Phone: (702) 698-7000