Introductory Post

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We’re such happily spoiled Portland vegans.

On my first visit to the brand new Mississippi Marketplace cart lot,  I overheard two girls lamenting about how there is nothing vegan to eat on Mississippi Street. How did they get through their days without an all vegan cart within walking distance? I’m not a fan of the ginormous, mushy tofu scramble at Gravy down the block, but it’s an offering, along with Por Que No, great thin crust slices at Mississippi Pizza Pub, quite a few menu items at Muddy’s Coffeehouse, the rotating vegan options at Equinox, and Portland classic Laughing Planet, to name a few on the actual street.  And who could forget Portland superstar and Stumptown Vegan favorite Flavourspot?

Don’t mind me rolling my eyes at how happily spoiled we are. It’s time to celebrate the opening of more vegan food carts! The Mississippi Marketplace is brand new and was specifically designed to host carts. Ruby Dragon is one of two new, all-vegan additions to Portland’s cart fever of 2009, in this lot alone. The other addition is only one spot away- Julie and Jay Hasson’s superb Native Bowl.

As usual these days, the Ruby Dragon cart is charming. It reminds me of Savor Soup House – it’s like a little house. It has a gable style roof and vertical wooden panels on the bottom half of the cart, and a pleasant green on the upper half.  There are tables for four across the parking lot – mostly covered under a large canopy; there’s still a ton of room to have an impromptu picnic on the lot grounds if the weather permits, and sweetest of all, there is a row of bar stool seating built into the side of the cart itself.

The menu is large, somewhat comparable in size to a small restaurant’s. It’s larger than a lot of corner cafe’s! There is a breakfast section, Eternal Mornings, Soup and Salad offering, and a large Afternoon Til Sundown listing.  The breakfasts include tofu and tempeh scrambles with vegetables, sandwiches, baked oats, pastries, and more. The breakfast menu states offerings are served all day, but a chalk board at the cart usually lists a handful of specific offerings and specials. There are seven curries described on their menu, and they have two available every day.  They announce the designated curries, such as the Ruby and Cashew Eggplant, on their twitter and on the chalk board, all of which are served with sticky rice ($7 per curry).  Daily desserts rotate as well, from their ginger-friendly take on apple pie, to cupcakes, sweet bread, quinoa chocolate chip cookies and small cinnamon rolls (2 for $3).

Ruby Dragon proudly features Oregon based Dave’s Killer Bread, Surata Tempeh, and Dae Han Tofu. It’s no surprise that there is a focus on local, organic produce.  From the cart itself, to the staff, to the menu, to the food on my plate, everything at this cart sang ‘made with love’.  Just check out this statement from their blog:

Our foods mirror our own creativity and passion to nurture others on how to live a sustainable lifestyle. Our dishes are meant to appeal not just to the life long vegan, but the omnivore, and the experimentor.

I headed savoury  on my first visit and ordered a single version of the Abbot ($4.50 single, $6.50 double), which was described as an open-faced, ‘world class sandwich’. There are obviously worldly flavors at this cart, such as: Ethiopian, Indian, Japanese, Thai, and dear, Portland hippie.  The sandwich was on Dave’s Sprouted Toast, always fantastic; with creamy, generous Vegenaise; snappy, curry glazed cashews, a thin length of seasoned, addictive tempeh, and a side of subtle Ethiopian spiced home fries with chopped onions. I’ll be honest, I didn’t find it easy to pick up this sandwich, I opted to use a fork for my meal.  Regardless of how you eat it, the sandwich is unique winner. It’s a whole lot of brown, color wise, but not flavor wise. The meal itself was prepared in less than ten minutes with a couple orders ahead of mine, and my herbal teapot was also ready quickly.  As it was ordered for there, it was served on a real plate with silverware, to be returned after use.

On my second visit, I intended to turn sweet and order the Tiger’s Paw quinoa and hemp seed pancakes.  I’ve heard raves from friends and back to my eavesdropping, I heard someone call this “the best pancake I’ve ever had in my life” on my initial visit. The heated intrigue was there, but the staff was out of batter and my cart companion and I decided to share a single version of the Jade Abbot (single $5.50, $7.50 double), along with tasty panko-crusted rolls from the Sushi Tree stand (soon to be a cart).  Indeed, it’s the same base sandwich, upgraded with Ruby Dragon’s rich and raw kale salad with avocado, lemon juice and sea salt. I swear, the only thing I felt was missing from the previous sandwich was something green on my plate, and here ya go.

Were they faced with limited ingredients one day in the kitchen and discovered this gem?  Was it simply divinely inspired?  I don’t know, but I’m getting the tingles just thinking about salty kale, avocado, tempeh, cashews, Vegenaise and Dave’s together again.

The combination of food made with love and the range of flavor influences at this cart is sweet.   If you find your way here after a long night and hard morning, I feel confident their cooking and a soothing pot of herbal tea could cure your woes. And for the early risers – it opens at 8am daily!

The Mississippi Marketplace may seem a bit fabricated, but it’s an astoundingly clean and family friendly cart lot with a vegan nook of awesome potential. You’re likely going to throw down $6-$10 for a meal, but the quality and experience is worth it.   I envy this neighborhood’s new lunch options!

There are portable toilets on the lot, an ATM coming and once Prost opens on the corner, you’ll be able to bring your cart food onto their deck and enjoy with a beer.

The Jade Abbot

Single Abbot

The cart

Herbal Tea Presentation

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I first happened upon this cart by chance. I was heading to D.C. Vegetarian down the row, and naturally, perused this small and shiny new cart’s white board menu. Realizing there were no mentions of dairy, meat or eggs, just grains and veggies, I inquired and learned it was all vegan and open for the first time that same day.  Oh, Portland.  Sonny Bowl has since put up a permanent sign against its metal walls advertising its three vegan bowl options.  This is on top of the recent addition of two small tables out front. It’s not every cart that can offer actual seating in its own parking spot, shaded by the taller carts alongside it. You do have to squeeze past the bushes out front on SW 3rd to order at the counter, let alone grab a table.  There surely must be a secret password to get the tall bushes to part and let you in, to order, because it’s a tad awkward to push by.

Look, there’s not a lot to fuss over at this cart, so that’s probably why I do fuss over how much I appreciate what it serves. Everything is as it’s labeled. There are three bowl choices.  Each comes with mixed, chopped vegetables, assigned housemade sauces and beans and/or soy curls topped with a garnish.  After a few visits, I thought my preference was with Bowl #3.  I find it hard to pass on tender BBQ soy curls, and they dominate this selection. They’re paired with crisp, chopped green beans tossed in a mild citrus ginger sauce and a great helping of moist, short grain brown rice, topped with crispy chow mein noodles.  Sonny Bowl has a flare for adorning all bowls with a nifty garnish. I’m happy to see soy curls becoming such a common protein on menus. The soy curls themselves are cooked in a light, tangy BBQ sauce with chopped onions and joined with the citrus ginger vegetable.  It’s interesting to see which flavor wins out in each bite, the earthy BBQ soy curls or the gingery green beans.  I dig the everyday style of this bowl, but I admittedly reach for the plethora of hot sauces and other condiments to choose from to spice it up.  Personally, I go for the Secret Aardvark and Braggs.

Bowl #1 has a cilantro herb sauce, veggies and black beans.  The bowl that stole my preference is Bowl #2.  This round meal has the brown rice, the colorful, chopped veggies, welcome chickpeas for that added something special and something super vegan, and a creamy, pineapple coconut curry sauce.  The sauce is a bit fruity and decently spiced, and the amount is generous.  I encourage you to quickly mix up your sauce’d veggies, chickpeas and rice as to spread out the goodness. And the bonus? A few chunks of fresh pineapple. To complete the routine, my recent bowl was sprinkled with golden raisins and slivered almonds.

When I think Sonny Bowl, I think of wholesome, affordable food and sweet service.   Ordering the Pineapple Curry Bowl #2  seizes all of that.  The cart’s proprietor, Sanjay, prepares all bowls to order, so be prepared to wait more than a few minutes if there’s even just one person  ahead of you.  Each meal, served in a reusable bowl with a sturdy lid,  is $5 a piece, with the option of adding soy curls for $1 to bowls #1 and #2.  I have finished a bowl on a very hungry afternoon, but typically, I’m left with a small portion of leftovers.  Big eaters may want to pair this with the giant salad rolls from Just Thai down the cart row, or the daily soup from D.C. Vegetarian.

The bowls are all simply well-priced options for the downtown daytime crowd, looking for a meal that we could make at home, because we enjoy home-style, vegan cooking.  There’s no gimmick.  One of my habitual downtown lunch spots in Portland is the veganized Whole Bowl, because I like the taste and I know what to expect.  It’s entirely reliable and worth my money.  This is on the same page with the nutritious addition of vegetables and variety – and I’m a repeat customer.

BBQ Soy Curls – Bowl #3

Pineapple Curry – Bowl #2

The cart – it’s since been moved back and has two small two-person tables out front.

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Sweetpea Baking Company is too awesome for a review. You should know we love them.

Enjoy the photos, visit and have some of the best vegan baked good you will ever have.

Here are a few of our favorite things…

• Warm, flaky danishes on Wednesday mornings.
• Yeasted Boston Creme donuts on Saturday mornings.
• Specialties: A recent oh, so, sweet, creamy coconut lime bar with graham crust was the stuff dreams are made of.
• Daily soups: Seitan Noodle that leaves you with a delicious black pepper high, Wholesome Lentil, Uber Satisfying Tomato, Kale & Kidney Bean. Just like you wish your mom used to make, but vegan.  Served with house made foccacia adorned with sea salt and fresh rosemary that’s begging to be dipped and nibbled.
• Housemade Schmears! No, not the bagels themselves, but the flavored cream cheeses Sweetpea offers. Bacun Scallion, Strawberry, and Fiery Chipotle are the Stumptown Vegan preferences.  We also love that they’ll let you do half one flavor, and half another.
• Lattes: We insist that if you like coffee, you order one of their Stumptown espresso based, superior latte creations. This vegan bakery & cafe offers almond, rice, soy, and hemp milk.  Always great Stumptown house coffee in cute mugs, too!
• Absolutely gorgeous cupcakes and layer cakes.
• Sandwiches: The TVP un-chicken salad is one of their most popular.
• Happy Bowls: Will make your muscles strong as you devour a bowl full of fluffy grains, green vegetables, beans and a tasty sauce of your choosing. Choices include BBQ, Garlic Aioli, Lemon Tahini and Peanut.

We’ve previously reviewed the justifiable frenzy that is Sweetpea Brunch.
Go early and see who you spot! Our favorite things from brunch are the chicken seitan, warm waffles, biscuits, gravy, and giant heaps of steamed kale.

Visiting Portland? You must stop here!

Located at the corner of SE Portland’s vegan mini mall with Food Fight! Grocery,  Herbivore Clothing, and Scapegoat Tattoo. Check out their new on-site baking classes as well!

We’ve wasted what seems like years trying to capture how awesome Sweetpea is.  So, until a more thorough review comes out – enjoy the photos!

Apple Fritter and Coffee

Bagel Schmeared with Chipotle and Black Olive Cream Cheeses

Hemp Almond Latte

Coconut Lime Bar

Seitan Noodle Cup with Foccacia

Tomato Kale Soup with Foccacia

Mock Chicken Salad Sandwich

BBQ Setain

Iced Sweet & Spicy Almond Chai

Chic-o-stick cake

Photo by Sweetpea’s own Katie Jane.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Cookies

Black Forest Cake

Whoopie

Blueberry Muffin

Danish

Coffee Cake

Updated 10/27/2009 New hours from their twitter: NEW HOURS: Thursday-Saturday 12-7 Sunday 12-5 Closed Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.

Updated 10/6/2009 The cart has moved to NE 27th and Alberta, and now has wood fire heated seating!

Updated 8/24/2009 – Gluten free news! From their Facebook:
Homegrown Smoker: Well the cornbread recipe is done as we all like it. Gluten Free now and made with Cornmeal, Flax and Maple. Beginning Thursday our Chronic Tempeh Ribs will also be Gluten Free. All GF menu items: Beans, slaw, Cornbread, ribs, sauces, soy curls & tofu Soon to be GF Frito Pie!

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The Homegrown Smoker Vegan BBQ has been scientifically proven as a reason I venture out of my nook in SE Portland to Alberta Street.

If you are lucky to have vegan family in Portland, this is where you should take them. This is a memory-making, happy family picnic’s dream food. Sorry for getting all sappy, but I’m so proud of them! Yet I barely know them! It’s a heart warming operation, that is family-based itself.  I know the young staff is clearly older than I go on about; there’s simply this older sister in me who has siblings across the country who wants to hug them and thank them for being vegan and doing this. Just imagine your younger siblings making vegan food!

This is how I feel going to the Homegrown Smoker open cart on Alberta Street.  They’ve taken up residence in a spacious corner lot with the even newer Open Heart Cafe, and have their smoker, ordering station, and picnic tables just waiting for you to wander by for vegan home cooking. They’re part of this new trend of carts like The Grilled Cheese Grill and Wolf and Bears, who have vast amounts of property and specialty seating areas, in comparison to the packed downtown cart blocks.

Their menu features four primary home smoked vegan proteins: BBQ Chronic Tempeh, Extra Firm Tofu, Smokey Soy Curls, and Field Roast Chorizo. All involve the smooth, tangy Kansas City style BBQ sauce, the perfect example of the staple BBQ sauce you want in your fridge, but better.  The father of some of the staff has a true passion for BBQ, and you can taste it.  The first item I tried was the BBQ Chronic Tempeh.  A couple of my friends say that it could use some additional roasting or grilling, but I love some soy bean and am down with the straight up, nutty, smokey sauce-smothered strip.

Whenever someone has mentioned HGS to me since they’ve opened, I find myself raving about the Smokey Soy Curls.  I’ve visited four times, and every time, they’ve found their way into the combo I’ve shared. Anyone who knows the trick, the importance, of the soy curl marinade, can respect these. The smokey flavor thrives in these tender pieces.

HGS added tofu to their menu due to public demand, and that’s rad. Unfortunately, I must say that the dense super firm tofu is almost too much for the coat of sauce.  The Field Roast Chorizo is store bought, but I think it’s one of the best of the best fakes, texture and flavor wise..  The smoking tops that, and it is the most practical protein, size wise, to order in a sandwich ($6). But brace yourself: I suggest you skip the sandwiches of folded pita, smoked protein, sausages, and peppers altogether.  They’re greatly overshadowed by the combos. That is unless you’re there for the revolutionary Macnochito ($6), a burrito of macaroni and cheese, soy curls, beans, peppers, onions, chorizo, and sauce. I was impressed when I saw someone ordering it!

One combo ($8) is enough to split with a friend for a small meal, one large appetite or for one with a portion of leftovers to take home. Pick two of the smoked vegan proteins and your choice of two sides. All combos come with a square of the moist molasses cornbread. The sides include the creamy chipotle coleslaw, sweet and smokey BBQ white beans, and the macaroni and cheese consisting of classic elbows in a semi-thick nutritional yeast sauce. My vote to best complement the protein goes to the macaroni and cheese and adding a side of corn on the cob for $1 extra ($2 as a separate item).  If you like corn, you must.  The ear of corn is once again, memorably smoked, and rubbed with the HGS custom seasoning blend. The beans are whole and the sauce sure is sweet, but there’s enough sweet and smokey elements in a combo.  Keep them in mind if you’re only there for sides.

There is a bottle of homemade Mellow Yellow mustard based hot sauce on the counter that was recommended for the mac and really works with it. The mac itself is like the first version of the vegan, nutritional yeasty tradition you refine and makes its way into the vegan potluck repertoire. I tried it on opening day and it was dry, but since then it’s really improved and come into its own.

Sticking with the family BBQ theme, they offer homemade lemonade, sweet tea, and the ever- popular Jarritos soda. The tea is refreshing, but hell yeah, tamarindo! I’ve yet to indulge, but you can complete your meal with Clara’s daily desserts. These have included fresh baked cookies and brownies.

Finish your leisurely meal  with another round of conversation at the picnic tables, because unless it’s Last Thursday, this cart hasn’t seemed to yet attract the foot traffic it deserves.  If I lived in the Alberta neighborhood, it would be on my mind for speedy, righteous take out and long lunches, no doubt.  It’s not a sit down dinner– this is a casual affair and comfort food.  I’m noticeably a fan of the whole package HGS encompasses and offers:  It’s really good food, and their soy curls and corn are fabulous.

Combo with Tempeh and Soy Curls

BBQ Chronic Tempeh

Combo with Tofu and Soy Curls

Iced Tea

Menu

Stumptown Vegans Travel!

In the Southern California Desert, Native Foods is a vegan oasis among steak houses filled with blue-haired snowbird spending the winter months in the Palm Springs area. This award winning all vegan restaurant has been a stable force in the area since 1996.

The Palm Desert location is set off the shi-shi El Paseo high-fashion retail strip down a welcoming shaded alley you could easily miss if you didn’t know it was there. The restaurant is medium-small in size with about 12 tables and about 4 additional outdoor seating spots, weather permitting.

Most of the Palm Springs area buildings seem to have been built in the same modern 1970’s era and have not yet remodeled. While this may make you feel like you stepped into a time machine, the natural wear and tear will bring you back to the present. The building this five location chain occupies is no different.  The dirty grout of the clean floor and table tiles shows the restaurant’s age but good hygiene. The African art adorning the walls is beautiful and interesting but does not mix well with the cute cartoon animal chalk art drawn on their menu and special boards.

The Native Foods menu is not all Southern Californian in nature, as the name might imply. That aside, the menu offers a range of delicious meals. Starters, also known as Snacks on the menu, include: Nachos, Artichoke and Spinach Dip, and Thai Satay Sticks, just to name a few. Entrees range from salads, handholds, soups, bowls, and pizza, including: Native California Caesar, Scorpion Burger, Gandhi Bowl, or Very Voluptuous Veggie Pizza. I encourage you to check out their menu for the full list including their drinks The desert menu is just as mouth watering! And a treat for the young ones – there’s a kid’s menu!

While I have only had the option of trying a handful of  items – there wasn’t one I wouldn’t recommend. The BLTease has thin-cut smoky tempeh bacon only peaking through the thick stacks of tomato, avocado, and shredded carrots. The sprouted rice ciabatta roll contained a liberal coat of smooth Vegenaise. While the tall sandwich was definitely filling, the taste of the tempeh was out-shined by it’s counter parts. A sandwich name that included avocado in it would be better suited. The measly side of the edamame appeared naked and over-cooked next to the towering sandwich. I enjoyed the thought of a light vegetable side but this plate could do better with the vegetable option and presentation, perhaps a larger portion or dusted with coarse salt.

On my visits, the Nachos have been a crowd pleaser with vegans and non-vegans alike. Thin tortilla chips are covered in black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, Native Foods cashew cheese, flavored TVP crumbles, and guacamole with Native Food’s house-made hot sauce on the side. The cheese is a spreadable, or perhaps squeezable consistency with a soft granular texture. This has a slightly sweet flavor with no hint of nutritional yeast, like most faux cheeses. The cheese is a wonderful in comparison to the house-made hot sauce, which is served in a small craft. The cheese itself has encouraged me to check out the owner’s cook book, The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook, from the library.

The Tijuana Tacos are very similar in taste to the Nachos. They include all the above with soft corn tortillas in place of chips and covered in lettuce. This was deliciously fresh and crisp thanks to the lettuce. The Tacos are enough to satisfy an average hunger, but anything larger than average hunger should shoot for something heartier like the Portabello and Sausage Burger or the Mad Cowboy bowl. I should briefly mention one of their more popular bowl, which I will be ordering next, the Howard Lyman inspired bowl, which is a baked potato with faux ”save the chicken” chicken and veggies all coated in a ranch sauce. This a dish for the “meat” and potato vegans out there.

The Iron Yam bowl is a simple bowl of salad greens, four spears of yam, other veggies, and a kebab of tofu, all covered in with balsamic vinaigrette.  Without a grain base, this dish was still very filling. The steamed yams and fresh greens made me feel nothing but healthy.  The sweetness of the yam was hidden behind the balsamic vinegar dressing, which didn’t seem to heighten the flavor as I thought it might. At $12.50 I felt that I could have made it at home, however there’s no price for the healthy sensation after a meal like this. Maybe next time (after I try everything else on the menu) I’ll get the dressing on the side.

While it’s well known this Stumptown Vegan is not a fan of mushrooms in her food, the Portabello and Sausage Burger at Native Foods has wonderful caramelized onions among thin strips of mushroom. While I might not order this dish because of my stand on mushrooms, I would recommend to my mushroom loving friends.

Even if you get stuck going to steak houses with your favorite blue-haired snowbird in Palm Springs , keep in mind that there are options if you can sneak away. But there’s no reason to shelter omnis from this restaurant – my grandmother quite enjoyed her meal here. Native Foods offers fantastic creative vegan options in five locations in Southern California that are not to be missed. Since I do not know much about the area, the only other place I can recommend is the 1970’s feeling health food store around the corner – Health Nutz. But check-out Palm Desert’s Native Foods for a great sit down dining experience after purchasing your must-have seasonal  canvas Gucci hand bag. Or check out Tanya Petroyna’s cook book at your local branch library and enjoy the food without the travel.

Native Foods:

Nachos:

BLTease:

Iron Yam:

Portalbello Burger:

Tijuana Tacos:

When we were initially weighing the options of a weekend getaway destination, our top two contenders were Las Vegas and San Diego.  None of us are gamblers and it’s mighty hot in July, but Vegas has Ronald’s Donuts.  It’s a donut shop that has a large selection of vegan donuts.  I’ve never tried them, but I’ve heard rave reviews.  San Diego is closer in proximity, and it has Stephanie’s Bakery and vegan cinnamon rolls on the weekends.  Yes, I’m inclined to make travel plans based on pastries.  So be it.

Therefore, it was with much eagerness that we made our way that Sunday morning… ahem, early afternoon… to Stephanie’s Bakery in Ocean Beach.  Ocean Beach has a strong beachy vibe, and locals were riding bicycles, walking their dogs, and meandering the streets in swimsuits.  When we arrived around noon, what we found was a nearly empty case in Stephanie’s Bakery.  I looked at the menu and thought surely these were just some display options. 

“Is this all you have?” Leah asked the dusty blond man behind the counter.

“Yes, that’s it,” he said.  “We were already cleaned out once today, totally refilled, and were cleaned out again.”

“Oh,” Leah sighed, “we came all the way from L.A.”

The young man took pity on us and said, “Well, if you’re really interested, we can make more of a couple of varieties, but it will be a twenty minute wait.”

Of course, after a two and a half hour drive, twenty minutes was no big deal.  They did have a few remaining items in the case, and we each picked from those options while we waited.  David and I split a cinnamon roll, and Leah and Patrick also got one of their own.  The cinnamon rolls have crisp outsides and chewy insides.  As a fan of gooey cinnamon rolls, they were tasty but not exactly what I’d been envisioning.  They taste like cinnamon rolls your grandmother used to make, if, you know, your grandmother actually made cinnamon rolls. 

I got a blueberry strudel, which was delicious and featured thick and rich blueberries oozing from the fluffy strudel.  Leah and Patrick shared a broccoli strudel with homemade vegan cream cheese.  I was having some food envy, because after a bite, it was my favorite.  The savory, warm broccoli was enveloped in pillows of cream cheese and surrounded by soft pastry.

Samosa strudel

After twenty minutes, we received two samosa strudels for David and myself.  As the name would suggest, they were filled with Indian spices, potatoes, peas, and carrots.  They were a little oily for my tastes, but still good.  Moral of the story, hit Stephanie’s early for the best picks of the day.

I’ve heard their pizza is also amazing.  Vegan pizza seems to be all the rage here in LA these days, and so I have lots of options where that is concerned.  However, I’ll want to check out Stephanie’s pizza the next time I find myself in San Diego. 

Leah & Cadry in front of All Vegan

After walking around Ocean Beach for a bit, we jumped back in the car to make the short trip to All Vegan, which is a small store in San Diego that sells everything any fun and fashionable vegan could need.  They have a large variety of cute and stylish shoes for women and men, belts, purses, cookbooks, a wide array of vegan and animal rights-themed shirts, and much more.  The size of the store is deceptive, because what it lacks in size it makes up for in its significant offerings.  The proprietor, Joy Zakarian, made friendly chit-chat with us while David purchased a wallet, and told us about more vegan and vegan-friendly eateries in the area. 

Next, we made our way to downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter.  We discovered once we got there that it’s more of a nighttime location.  There were lots of restaurants and some chain stores, like Urban Outfitters and Borders.  We passed Pokez heading into the downtown area, which has a large sign over their restaurant boasting “A Vegetarian Mexican Eatery.”  The dive-y restaurant has an eclectic array of paintings and a punk vibe.  

Patrick asked the server how they made their chicken, and a flash of confusion passed across the server’s face.  Their chicken is made with chickens.  Although the sign outside says that it’s a vegetarian eatery, they also serve meat.  However, they did have all of the vegan and veganizable options clearly marked in their menu, which I appreciate. 

David and I split the Veggie Burrito on a whole wheat tortilla, filled with beans, rice, salsa fresca, lettuce, and guacamole.  The burrito was a bit on the bland side but inoffensive.  We also split the Veggie Tacos, which came with rice and beans.  The shells of the tacos are deep fried, which makes them puff a bit.  They were quite good in the way that greasy junk food can hit the spot sometimes, and they reminded me somewhat of the Tasty Tacos I grew up on in Des Moines in my pregan days. 

The restaurant is certainly affordable with most offerings costing around five dollars.  All in all, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to seek out Pokez, but if you happen to be in downtown San Diego and want to go somewhere with a lot of vegan offerings for not much money, it’s not a bad choice.

After being immersed in the concrete jungle, we yearned for pretty surroundings and seascapes.  We made our way to Point Loma to visit the old lighthouse.  The cliffs and beach around the area have stunning views, and we also walked through the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, which is unlike any cemetery I’ve ever visited.  This quiet but expansive cemetery overlooks the ocean, and is poignant and beautiful. 

As we walked along the cliffs and watched surfers ride waves, the sun began to set on our San Diego weekend.  It was one of those refreshing weekend getaways that really makes you feel like you’ve had a chance to unwind and recharge even though it was only a matter of days away.  We’ll be back.

UPDATED 6/11/2009

We have received the tragic word that Nhut Quang has closed in its current location.  We had an update in the works for this review, as one Stumptown Vegan really found herself falling for this charmingly nondescript, delicious restaurant during the past year.  I am sorry this update did not make it in time.  In particular, this reviewer has this to say about #19, RIP, the BBQ Roasted Gluten:

The tender and chewy gluten featured in this Vietnamese dish is unlike any I’ve encountered elsewhere. Mingling with green onions, a unique BBQ sauce, and served with brown rice, it was instantly my new favorite dish in town.  The owner is a passionate, friendly vegan Buddhist who is a treat to talk to, and support.  The vegan eggrolls, Vietnamese crepe, Roasted Gluten bun and classic pho are all recommended as well.

The Stumptown Vegans will notifiy you if we hear about the owner opening a new restaurant.

Time Visited: 2

Often referred to as Van Hanh’s NE sibling, 1. because I am sure I’d slaughter the name if I said it out loud and, 2. because the menu is similar.

If Nhut Quang was being judged only on atmosphere they would be in trouble. This little restaurant is connected to a gas station on NE Fremont and NE 82nd, between Honey Suckles and Pussycats, if you know your East side gentlemen’s clubs. The first time we visited we missed it because it didn’t seem like a likely location. Even once we entered it still didn’t seem like a likely location. Being the only people it felt very lonely. The walls are each different shades of green and blue without any other decoration besides a lone clock – ticking. If there was any other noise than the kitchen, like some music, the clock wouldn’t be a problem. The tick-tok of each movement reminded us of our mortality. After the second visit we decided it’s too uncomfortable to go back, but we would order our food to-go.

We’ve ordered just a sampling of the vast menu – Bird’s Nest Noodles, Pho, summer rolls, steamed bun, potato rolls, tofu dishes, and a combo. The sign boasts all vegan so we went for it all. All the food reminded me of the SE 82nd Asian market, Fubonn, from the mass amount of fake meats to the noodles and the sauces. It didn’t seem fresh or unique, but straight from a plastic wrapped package or bottle.

The Pho had a gritty broth as if a vegetable bullion has just been dissolved in boiling water. Then a round package of noodles was placed in, followed by some vegetables, fake meat, served with some fresh herbs. A similar recipe followed the other dishes. This isn’t to say the dishes weren’t good, they just weren’t fresh like the dishes at Pho Green Papaya or Bay Leaf ’s quality.

The dishes were good in a cheap Vietnamese restaurant way, which is perfect because that’s what Nhut Quang is – Vietnamese and cheap. The steamed buns were good, as were the salad rolls. Unfortunately, there’s not much to say about them. It’s the kind of food I used to eat when I’d drop by a Vietnamese friend’s house unexpected and she’d cook up something quickly.

This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t go back, it’s just located father from my house than I’d prefer to go for Vietnamese food. I could list off other places I’d recommend, but if Nhut Quang was in my neighborhood, I’d visit more often. If Nhut Quang is in your neighborhood, or you’re a big fan of Fubbon or Van Hanh – check this place out and help me fill in the gaps as to why I don’t have much to say about the food.

Pho:

Bird’s Nest:

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce:

Steamed Potato Bun:

Potato Rolls:

Fried Tofu:

Broccoli Combo:

Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Location: 3438 NE 82nd Ave. Portland, OR 97213
Hours: Mon-Tue and Thus-Sat 9am-9pm, Closed Wednesday, Sun 10am-9pm

Stumptown Vegans Travel, and return.

Date: October 4, 2007
Revisited March 2009
Times Visited: 2

Although it was generally the restaurant I was advised NOT to visit in San Francisco, I hit up Herbivore.: The Earthly Grill for breakfast one morning. Those who did recommend it did so with a grain of salt, and I was forewarned of the prices. I decided to go with the Basil pesto tofu scramble plate ($8.75), since I had spent the past few days eating fruit and tea for breakfast at a convention. My wary grew when ordering; I inquired as to what was actually in the scramble, and was told “some spice mix, I think it’s called Earth Balance“. Personally I don’t know anything about a spice mix of that name, just the golden margarine. I was there to give it a try, so I sipped on my teeny, tiny, but fresh, mimosa, enjoying the people watching outside on Mission St.

When my tofu scramble plate, and side of tempeh bacon ($3.25) came to the table, I was overwhelmed. The scramble plate included a heap of greenish porridge (the tofu), potatoes, toast and a container of jam. Upon looking at the scramble, I knew I had to take a leap of faith, or hunger – and I was positively surprised. While I had never had a scramble quite like it, the herby pesto flavor was tasty as heck, and the consistency issue was quickly overcome. I scooped up a couple bites on the thick toast, though I didn’t dig the pesto/jam combination, I could already picture myself ordering this again. The jam wasn’t memorable, and I couldn’t discern the fruit origin. The second best part of the plate was the potatoes – There was a very decent amount of the perfectly salted potatoes: nice and crispy on the outside, and well cooked on the inside – how often does that happen? The tempeh bacon was at room temperature, and though the flavor was sweet and salty – it wasn’t something I’d opt for again. I like mine warm and crispy.

Bottom line, I would return to Herbivore. It was conveniently located in the Mission St. area nearby Ritual Coffee, where I also stopped. I would also probably order the same thing, minus the tempeh bacon. Portland does breakfast so well that I did have to focus at first on keeping warm thoughts of Vita, Junior’s, Jam, and Beaterville out of my mind, and remembering I was out of town. The experience didn’t knock my socks off, but it did satisfy, and didn’t disappoint.

Brief Update:
The other Stumptown Vegan found herself at Herbivore while searching for pancakes on a lazy Saturday morning. (People in San Francisco are not as serious about breakfast as us Portlanders are – the place was empty until 10am!)

The doughnuts were great cake doughnuts. It was odd they were served with blemished, poorly sliced pears. The breakfast burrito was a bit borning with beans, salsa, tempeh. The two blueberry pancakes were thick, and not cooked fully, leaving the center a bit gooey. Also, they were not sweet. This pancake fanatic will not be ordering these again.

Next time I’m in SanFrancisco I will check-out Weird Fish for some rumored great pancakes.

Pesto tofu scramble and house potatoes

Tempeh bacon

Mimosa

Inside

Blueberry Doughnut

Chocolate Doughnut

Breakfast Burrito

Blueberry and Banana Pancakes

 
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Address:
983 Valencia
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.826.5657 phone
Sun-Thurs. 9am-10pm, Fri & Sat. 9am-11pm

Date: October 4, 2007
Times Visited: 1

If you’re looking for a compliment, hop on a train and get yourself to San Francisco’s Café Gratitude. With four locations, Café Gratitude is guaranteed to make you feel loved, fabulous and beautiful, if not roll your eyes on your way there. Wanting a full, but light meal before my departure out of town, I was taken to the totally raw café by area native Urban Housewife.

The 9^th Street & Irving location was coffee shop-sized, with a back patio for more seating. The menu was extensive, featuring salads, appetizers, entrees, nut milkshakes and desserts; and every single item began “I am…” fill in the beautiful, praiseworthy blank. By the bar was a full dessert case, where you could ogle the raw tiramisu, key lime crème pie, and a handful more. Across from that was a to-go case, with salads, entrees and hummus. My dining partner and I wisely split two pricey dishes, the first being “I am Festive” a taco salad with fresh tasting greens, house made walnut seed taco filling, flax chips, a tangy nacho cashew cheez, salsa and a pleasant guacamole. The romaine lettuce was cut into easily forked strips, and with each bite I’d try to get some lettuce, cheez and the great, spicy taco filling involved. The flax chips had a nice, slight bite to them, and were the only bread/cracker item that my companion recommended.

The second was “I am Fabulous” raw lasagna. The raw lasagna featured a hefty layer of fresh spinach, super thin lasagna noodles, cashew ricotta, tomatoes, intriguing hemp seed pesto, marinara and a scrumptious olive topping. The shared feeling at the table was that that the spinach layer was a bit much. To me it seemed less like lasagna than the one at Nutshell, but that strikes me as more of a stacked napoleon as it is. Interestingly, this was also a prepackaged to-go option. I did prefer the taco salad, but I would honestly order the fresh lasagna again. The olive topping and smooth ricotta really tied the meal together – if I could have eaten olives in every bite I would have.

I was also “Beautiful” with Café Gratitude’s creamsicle smoothie. It’s a blend of fresh orange juice and their homemade vanilla nut milk ice cream. Considering how rich it was, I could have savored ¼ of this beverage and still been satisfied. However, the creamy goodness kept putting the straw back in my mouth, telling me I was on vacation and I should drink every bit of the $7.50 decadence. Two hours later, I was still beautiful, by that I mean FULL. Fortunately, our shared meals were on the lighter side, though I think if I had walked in and simply gotten a shake I would have been just as fulfilled. Not only that, but my wallet would have been spared. I took home a slice of raw tiramisu, and it was by far the most decadent raw dessert I have ever had. Flavors of cocoa, vanilla and coffee merged together in soft, creamy bites – plus it held up for the plane ride home and 3 consecutive days I ate it.
It’s not someplace I’d frequent in Portland (as we have somewhat less expensive Blossoming Lotus), but while away in San Francisco I easily shelled out the $12 entrée price, and thankfully didn’t feel ripped off. I’d go back for the shake alone…

I am Fabulous Raw Lasagna

I am Beautiful

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 1336 9th Ave, (@ Irving)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Phone: 415.824.4652
Fax: 415.665.4840
Hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Date:September 27, 2007
Times Visited: Too Many to count

Love it or loathe it, Vegetarian House is a Portland veg*n staple, not to mention a NW Veg Business Partner.

Until my most recent dinner visit, I tended to lean more into the loathe brigade. I think the lunch buffet is decent enough, and dig that it’s entirely vegan, but I never found it to rock my tastebuds, or come even half way there. I’m not here to say it recently did, but I did have my best dining experience there yet.

Located in Chinatown, the restaurant looks like you might expect a Chinese restaurant to look – I can think of many I’ve been to that are similar. Vegetarian House is apparently all vegan now, except for their crab rangoons which contain dairy. Previously, there had been tales of “whey chicken”, and I admit I checked out there front room’s freezer on a label-reading spree. I had never seen this “Vegan” brand before, and it was extensive – different types of faux chicken, fish, shrimp and beef.

This time I ordered the Sesame chicken, and my partner ordered it as well – only “mild”, since he’s a wimp. The small nuggets were battered, fried and smothered in a spicy sweet and sour sauce – it seems that one can not go wrong with this combo. Seriously, look for those steps on a menu and you’re guaranteeing yourself deliciousness, if not a bloated stomach later on. Now, this sauce doesn’t top the Sesame tofu at Bay Leaf for me, but as for my experiences with Vegetarian House, it rocked. The Sesame chicken comes with a side of broccoli, and rice is brought to table in a bowl for sharing. It was honestly a little on the spicy side, but that’s clearly marked on the menu and other options, such the lemon chicken and orange chicken, give a sweet sauce without the heat.

We didn’t order any appetizers, but the basic spring rolls aren’t anything I’m tempted to eat when I’m not at the buffet. Another friend ordered the Tofu and Vegetables – which was mediocre at best, and that’s trying to forget about the tofu. The tofu appeared and tasted lightly pan fried, but then soaked in the plain stir fry sauce it become an uncomfortably moist bite. I’ve also tried the Tangy Eggplant, which did nothing for me. The sauce seemed off, and the eggplant was a little too melt-in-your mouth. It seems that the tofu dishes may be the most hit or miss, but people do rave about the veggie shrimp and House Specials.

With entrée prices ranging from $7.95-$14.95, it’s best to go with friends and try a variety of favorite and new dishes. Portion wise it’s smart to share as well, as portions are not very large considering the price, and if you share you can even things out. Quality wise, you up the odds of eating something you actually enjoy. It’s great to have downtown, but not someplace I’d frequently justify the price for dinner.

Potstickers and springroll


Sesame Chicken

Veggie Lemon Chicken

Tofu with Brown Sauce


Orange flavored Veggie Chicken

Tofu and Vegetables

Eggplant with Tangy sauce

Rating: 3 out of 5
Address: 22 NW 4th Ave. Portland, OR 97209
Open Daily 11am-7pm
Lunch Buffet 11am-2:30pm M-F, $6.50

Date: September 22, 2007
Times Visited: Countless

I had butterflies in my stomach before the final Red & Black Vegan Family Style Dinner Benefit last Saturday night. While I was stoked for the food, even not knowing the menu for the first time, I was also in despair to lose my favorite neighborhood café. Yes, the café is planning to reopen by either renting or purchasing a new space, but it will, selfishly, no longer be across the street from my apartment. Once the meal began, the mood for the evening was set – although there were less attendees than the previous affairs, the crowd was enamored with the café, past, present and future.

The dinner was once again crafted by local chef Aaron Adams and he did not disappoint. From the well dressed roasted beet salad, to the knock your socks off Autumn Mushroom Lasagna, to the juicy, steal-another-bite garlicky braised beet greens and purple kale. I never knew kale stems could be moist, and that I’d like it. And then dessert, oh my, but I’ll get to that.

Up first was the hearty bean soup. I was getting over a cold myself, and was glad to have this in front of me. The soup was flavored with tomatoes and onions, and the flavor was very well balanced. I noticed nearly every bowl at my table was completely finished. The salad included the sweet, roasted beets that my beet loving dining companion couldn’t resist absolutely raving about (who knew there was so much to be said about beets?) spinach, cherry tomatoes and enoki mushrooms. Though another diner speared his enokis with a fork and practically threw them onto mine, fearing fungal attack, they seemed to go over pretty well.

The lasagna arrived next, and even as an Italian vegan with high standards, this did not dissapoint. The lasagna was well layered, chock full of mushrooms, flavorful sauce and amazingly creamy tofu ricotta that I could have eaten a bowl of. The mushrooms, which featured chanterelles, blue chanterelles, matsutakes, trumpette royale, porcini, abalone, lobster and maitake mushrooms, were overall an great addition and were impressive in both title and multitude. But truthfully, I felt they were somewhat undercooked and I didn’t eat a couple large ones from my plate. My heart went out to any mushroom haters in the room, but that’s besides the point. Although the lasagna would have sufficed as the sole part of any main course, somewhat out of place cumin roasted cauliflower and the aforementioned delicious greens were also served. It was like a debate with my fork and mouth, what to take? I sampled a piece of the warm, well cooked cauliflower and had a few bites of the greens, and remained focus on the lasagna.

Completing the meal was a beautiful pear crisp. It was by far the loveliest, tastiest dinner, eaten there, or anywhere. It was very warm and sweet i7n a pear- peak-of-the-season way. The fruit itself was cut into candy-like cubes with a well spiced topping. I was too full to finish my plate, but I assure you I wanted to. The crisp was so lovely, I found myself buying a bag of red pears a few days later.

See you soon Red & Black Café, we’ll be waiting.

Bean Soup in Tomato & Onion broth

Roasted beet salad

Cumin roasted cauliflower

Autumn Mushroom Lasagna

Crumble topped pear crisp

Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Address: Currently Closed

UPDATE: Veggielicious is closed for the winter.

Date: September 22, 2007
Times Visited: 2

Dear Portlanders, the Veggielicious food cart on Hawthorne is back and as adorable as ever.

Although it is under new ownership, the menu is currently similar to the old one, but they will be updating with new additions in the next few weeks. The menu still includes plenty of faux meat, soy cheese and tofu filled sandwiches, and there is talk of vegan pancakes!

On sale 2 for $8 (as opposed to $4.50 each), my partner and I each had an Egg Mock Muffin. This vegan take on the classic breakfast sandwich consists of a toasted English muffin, grilled vegan ham tube, lightly seasoned tofu, Tofutti American cheese and house made Hollandaise sauce. The Hollandaise sauce was creamy and I only wish there was a bit more of it, and hope that it’s in constant rotation at the cart. The combination of flavors, textures and the sauce really did make my sandwich almost ‘eggy’. I really dig that every part of the sandwich was warm and cooked – grill lines on the ham and all. Though they weren’t available yet on the day I went, a daily smoothie will be on the menu ASAP, and the thought of one plus the Egg Mock seems perfect, since I felt like I could comfortably eat one and a half of of them alone.

My partner also ordered the Big Mock – another favorite from previous ownership. This featured a juicy soy burger, soy cheese and a toasted bun. This was also raved about, and although he liked both sandwiches he tried, preference went to the burger: offering a delicious, veganized, bite of burger nostalgia. That’s Veggielicious for ya, offering fast food with a conscious. Sure, I could buy these ingredients and make it at home, but it just wouldn’t taste the same.

Yes, you do have to wait for your food being cooked by one person, but even with three sandwiches, we walked away from the cart within 15 minutes and a dose of friendly conversation. There are two stools available while you wait, but no tables as of yet for dining – although you can walk and eat the wrapped sandwiches it can become annoying with an open drink. However, this may change, as Veggielicious is contemplating a move in front of People’s Coop on SE 21st Avenue where there is some seating.

Egg Mock Muffin – see you next weekend.

Sorry McGonnigle, but it has you beat.

Egg Mock Muffin

The Big Mock

Exterior

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: SE 32nd and SE Hawthorne Blvd, in front of House Vintage
Sun 11:00am-4:00pm, Mon closed, Tue-Fri 11:00am-6:00pm, Sat 11:00am-4:00pm

Date: August 18, 2007
Times Visited: Too Many To Count

The taste of wonderful, garlic-packed gazpacho is still in my tongue from the first Red & Black café vegan family style dinner benefit. The updates on the upcoming move and potential new space can be found on their website, here. The dinner was held after a warm day and the soup was cool and refreshing while still offering a full bite. I felt bad for any attendees who weren’t garlic fans, because they were missing out on a stimulating fix. This gazpacho was the first course of that evening’s dinner, once again prepared by talented and season-embracing local chef Aaron Adams.

The salad came next, with fresh field greens and moist, sweet and tart berries, consisting of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. It was a natural follow up to the gazpacho. It helped cleanse my palate from the garlic and I was ready for the mashed potatoes. This dish was perhaps the creamiest I’ve ever had, and contained subtle bites of green onions and roasted corn. Hands down, it was the most raved dish at my table.

The main course featured marinated and grilled tempeh and vegetables kabobs, with an Italian vibe to them. The tempeh was quite pleasant, the squash was cooked just enough and the tomatoes and mushrooms were by far my favorite components. The petite tomato burst warmly and full of savory and sweet flavor in a single bite. The mushroom I ate was skillfully seasoned and oh, so, tender. I noticed one dining companion eying mine after she finished hers! Halfway through the kabobs, we were brought the garlicky green and yellow beans. The dish was honestly lighter on the garlic then you’d expect from the name, and also included walnuts. I prefer my green beans with a decent amount of crisp in them, and these delivered. With an extra spoonful of the potatoes, the beans had a match.

After the tables were cleared and we were refilled on the complimentary herbal tea and coffee, the peach pies were delivered. Our small table of 4 even had its own pie for a while. Being peach season, I was stoked and although the pie itself was served more as a awkward scoop than a piece, I relished every bite despite the mushy crust and general wetness of the fresh peaches. It was warm and the topping, although a surprise for a peach pie, was nicely spiced. This was a dessert that was made to marry soy ice cream.

Overall, the meal was a splendid time with friends for an even grander cause, and an opportunity to enjoy high quality and locally sourced summery fare.

The next dinner will be held on September 22, 2007.

Gazpacho

Summer Berry Salad
Mashed potatoes with roasted corn and green onions
Marinaded kabobs of vegetables and tempeh
Garlicky green and yellow beans

Peach pie!

Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Address: 2138 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202
Next Dinner: September 22, 2007

UPDATE : 11/17/2008: Nutshell has closed.

UPDATE: As of early September 2008, Nutshell has gone from an all vegan menu to a vegetarian tapas restaurant.  Please see their new menu online, here.  The Stumptown Vegans have yet to visit.

Date: August 12, 2007
Times Visited: 2

Plate-licking-good is how I would describe Nutshell. Or maybe it’s, can’t-get-it-out-of-my-mind. This new vegan restaurant (minus the wines) is what Portland needed in it’s collection of vegan restaurant – gourmet vegan food.

You start with your choice of breads for $2, choice of olive oils and salts. Yes, there were “s”s on the end of those words. You know you’re dealing with foodies when they go beyond salt tasting salty, to salt sometimes tasting salty with a bit of smokiness or salty and earthy. If you’ve ever been curious about different oils and salts, this is the place to try them for about 50 cents each. Or you can try their 20 year old vinegar.

Many soups and salads are offered as starters. Some catering to the raw foodists like the pureed salad shot for $1. Lettuce, lemon, onion and lots of flavor blended until smooth and served in a shot glass. It’s not a soup for everyone, but definitely keeps your attention.

The unique entrees are reasonably priced at $11, 9 and 8 dollars. Choose from: Jamaican BBQ Orange Saffron Glazed Burdock, Raw Lasagna, Warm Yukon Gold Potato Pancakes, Nigerian Akars, red wine risotto, Israeli Couscous, Spaghetti with Truffles. They also serve sandwiches, and smaller meals like beans and rice and corn fritters.

Every time I would look at the menu it seemed a new item appeared- so much to choose from. My top picks would be are the Israeli Couscous with black cardamom, mint, parsley and a daily vegetable, or the Raw Lasagna with pine nut ricotta, pistachio pesto, sun dried tomato sauce and many marinated vegetables with beautiful heirloom tomatoes. But I hate to ignore the cassoulet and pasta! It’s hard to play favorites with Nutshell food.

The Raw Lasagna is stacked tall and flavorful, beyond the sauces, with the mushrooms, summer squash, tomatoes and eggplant. The couscous is creamy and smooth with a perfect amount of mint to bring out the other flavors of the dish but not steal the show.

You won’t find tofu, tempeh or fake meats and cheeses around Nutshell. This place is vegan with whole grains and vegetables – like the old days, or so our grandparents would say if they were vegan.

The most unflattering vegan item on the menu is the burdock root because it is served in one piece. It’s the only thing that makes it look like vegans eat sticks and leaves.

The dessert menu will leave your omni friends with the truth about how much better vegan baked goods are from non-vegan. Blackberry cobbler, Jamaican pudding, empanada, chocolate porter cake and maple chocolate tart. The slice of the tart may seem small but one bite and you’ll have wondered if you put an entire chocolate bar in your mouth. The chocolate cake is so moist, rich and thick you’ll be asking to marry the baker.

Vegan food from all around the world is enough to make anyone happy. The only thing that might be a shocker is the price. It’s easy for a single person to dish out $30 with a drink, salad, entree and dessert. Be sure to bring cash to avoid the on-site ATM fee. Visit Nutshell, hang out in their cool, lofty space, peer at the chefs while they prepare you the most gourmet vegan food you’ve ever had in Portland and dream of never leaving. Large groups beware, though they have a waiting list, they do not formally accept reservations. Your group of 10+ may have to wait over an hour, eyeing the empty back of the restaurant, wishing it was filled with a few more tables.

Bread and Salt:

Naan:

Phyllo:

Date Smoothie:

Arugula Salad:

Microgreen Salad:

Jamaican Choco Salad:

Locro de Verdares:
Argentinean corn, stewed grains with peaches

Festival – Jamacian fritters in a gravy:

Bammy:

Raw Lasagna:

Jamaican BBQ:

Pineapple and Avocado Sandwich:

Couscous:

Pancakes:

Stew:

Chocolate Maple Tart:

Chocolate Porter Tort and Chocolate Tart:

Cookie Platter:

Bamboo Fries:

Beet Salad:

Brussle Sprouts:

Coconut Balls:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 3808 N Williams Ave (503) 292-2627
Hours:Open daily at 5pm.

Red & Black Café Benefit : Vegan Family Style Dinner
Date: July 21, 2007

On Saturday, July 21, 2007, Red & Black Café held its first of four Vegan Family Style Dinner as a benefit for their upcoming move and hopeful building purchase. You can read more about their forced move here. The posted menu featured four courses which included an appetizer, soup, main course, side dishes and dessert. The vegan chef was Aaron Adams, formerly of Junior’s Café’s vegan family style dinners.
I attended with a few friends, and sat at a long table, eating the fresh, craftily prepared food by candle light for 3 lovely hours. The courses were well spaced out, and served courteously and all garnished remarkably. There was complimentary herbal tea and coffee.
The first course was a simple and soul warming corona bean soup. The broth was clear, the greens were in nice, short pieces and the beans were gigantic and starchy. I could see myself eating this soup once a week, in my secret Italian village, during cooler months. My partner actually thought it was a bit bland, and some commented on exceptionally peppery bites, but I didn’t notice anyone putting their spoon down.

Salad was up next, an heirloom tomato, yellow watermelon, basil, and avocado mix with a light lemon viniagarette. I couldn’t taste the lemon, but the chunky bites were a nice step in the night, again nothing too fancy, but certainly more unique than your average salad. The sweet watermelon and basil pair up alone was impressive. The next course was a pissaldiere, – a moist whole wheat flat bread with fennel, delicious amaranth greens and olives, an excellent flavor combination, even if I’m guilty of picking off the fennel. I had never had amaranth greens before and am officially an admirer. When a second plate came around during the main course, eyes were lit.
This was followed by what was listed beforehand as spicy polenta crisps with red onion jam, and what was actually on the menu as polenta with red onion jam. The polenta came as reliable, creamy cornmeal squares, and the jam was extremely well received by my fellow diners.

The main course of stuffed zucchini arrived cozily in a small casserole dish. I like zucchini, but as you can buy enormous zucchinis for 50 cents at local farmers markets throughout the summer, I can’t say I was excited beforehand. However, with the previous, well-proportioned courses whetting and partially satisfying my appetite, the small, stuffed, succulent zucchinis were a tasty and not too heavy of a main course. The flavor was not as complex as the presentation, but that was really also a positive thing.The zucchinis were stuffed with a light tasting tomato/zucchini concoction and topped with a baked oregano cashew ricotta that everyone seemed to want more of. I liked it so much I’ve made it at home twice since then!
Athough a berry crisp was listed as dessert on the listing I had read beforehand, when we arrived only different dessert options were available for purchase on the menu. Eyeing the dessert choices throughout the meal, I was thrilled when we were told after the main course that dessert would be our choice and complimentary. I chose the dark chocolate cake with fresh fruit . Beautifully garnished with blueberries ad peaches, as well as being one heck of a large slice, I must say that between two of us, it wasn’t finished. It was honestly quite dense and somewhat dry, though overall edible. However, the other desserts at the table: the almond tart with fresh fruit and almond cream, and the espresso affogato with naked coconut ice cream, were both finished. The espresso affogato looking and tasting, according to my partner, like perfection.

I’m already signed up for next month’s dinner, on August 18th and hope you can make it as well.

Corona white bean soup with kale and collards

Heirloom tomato & avocado salad with watermelon and fresh basil, served with a lemon vinegarette.

Pissaldiere with fennel, olives & amaranth greens.

Polenta with red onion jam.

Stuffed zucchini with tomato and orengano cashew ricotta

Dark chocolate cake with fresh fruit

Shaun’s Almond tart with fresh cut fruit and almond cream filling

Thomas’ Espresso Affogato – a shot of espresso with naked coconut milk ice cream

Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Address: 2138 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202
Next Dinner: August 18, 2007

Updated 12/10/2008 – Take a look at a Stumptown Vegan’s most recent visit to Teapot here.

Date: June 6, 2007
Times Visited: 1

Like many vegans and vegetarians, I get really, even super, excited to eat at new restaurants when traveling. When inquiring on where to eat in Seattle, Teapot Vegetarian House seemed to be at the tip of everyone’s tongue. Yet, many people hadn’t eaten there themselves – it was simply ‘the’ place everyone else talks about. My partner and I dined at Bamboo Garden on our first visit to Seattle, and it was time to check out out Teapot on my recent work excursion. First off, we went to Teapot after taking the train from Portland, and walking from King Station to the restaurant itself. By the time we got there, we were famished – and I couldn’t have chosen a more satisfying experience for myself.

The atmosphere was calming and somewhat romantic, especially when the table of teenage girls left. We started with the eye-pleasing and stomach-teasing bobo platter. For one, having something like that served to me just made me feel special. Secondly, the fire is started once the platter comes to your table, and you get to roast the seitan skewers yourself. The platter also included sugar cane drumsticks, spring rolls, tofu rolls, wontons and three dipping sauces. We both realized the seitan skewers were by far the tastiest part, especially dipped in the buttery peanut sauce. Our collective least favorite were the tofu rolls, fried and containing nori. The drumsticks were extremely ‘chickeny’ and chewy, and required the sweet dipping sauce for consumption. I honestly liked the dipping sauces better than the entire platter, they were that good. I’m glad that I now know which appetizer to order individually next.

The entree options were certainly overwhelming, with over 45 main courses. Note that although there are photos of a few on the menu, some things may be different, such as the addition of vegetables. In the mood for noodles, I chose the Vietnamese Crispy Wide Noodles. When I read ‘crispy fried noodles’ I pictured just that, and that’s came – but not in a way I even realized could happen. The large noodles were seemingly lightly battered and fried, and were exactly what I didn’t know I was in the mood for! The sauce in the dish was right on: slightly sweet and garlickly. The vegetables were fresh and included lotus root,which I enjoyed for a first time. (JD)

I didn’t like what I ordered (Mandarin Crispy Tofu). However, I can easily see how it’s the house favorite. The appearance and the texture were both very good, but the taste seemed unbalanced. I needed something sweet in the sauce to counter the spice, which I even ordered “mild”.

I would definitely go back without a second thought. The service was fantastic, as well as the atmosphere. I believe I just ordered the wrong dish for me. (TS)

Unfortunately, Teapot was out of their signature, acclaimed tofu cheese cake, which I’ve heard happens frequently. We went with the Gula Malacca, wanting to try something new. Although the dish was missing the soy whipped creme as described on the menu, it was lovely. It was light yet decadent, and the perfect amount to share. There was just enough coconut sorbet to mingle with the other flavors of mocha, peanut and the tapioca pearls. I was sure throughout the meal to leave a bit of room for the cheesecake, and this subbed nicely.

Both of us haven’t been as satisfied with vegan asian food since our last meal at Grasshopper in Massachusetts. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely cherish Vege Thai and adore Bay Leaf, but they’re not on the same level. Basically, if I lived in Seattle, I’d be here once a month. (JD)

Bobo platter

Dipping sauces – Sweet, Peanut Sauce and Sesame.

Mandarin Crispy Tofu with brown rice

Vietnamese Crispy Wide Noodles

Gula Malacca

Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Location: 345 15th Ave. E. Seattle, WA 98112
Daily – 11AM – 10:30PM

March 20, 2007
Times visited: 3

Proper Eats should be in Eugene – but I’m glad it isn’t because sometimes I just want a good healthy, vegan meal. Proper Eats is a small community market and restaurant in St. John’s. One of the best things about it, besides being local, organic, serving home brews and being a comfortable space is the fact that it’s open late. Why does Portland go to bed so early? You can see a list of upcoming events on their website or just visit because there always seems to be something going on, but not in an annoying way that makes it difficult to enjoy your food or conversation.

I get the feeling Proper Eats really cares about the food they create and people they serve. The serving sizes aren’t too large, just enough for a mid-sized person like me. Sometimes I want a little more to eat, but the food leaves me with a pleasantly full feeling. It makes a great excuse for dessert or crackers. Soups, salads, sandwiches and grains, beans and veggie dishes fill the menu. There are plenty of raw options too. They always have daily specials and soups to choose beyond their regular menu.

Proper Eats is a great place to sell your abundant garden production or to enjoy a meal that’s good for your taste buds and your body. I can’t wait to go back and try more of their changing options.

BBQ Sandwich on Dave’s Killer Bread

Garlic Bread

Peanut Noodle

Proper Plate

Dutch Apple Pie

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 8638 N. Lombard ave. / Portland, OR 97203 / (503) 445-2007
Hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-10pm; Friday & Saturday 10am-12am; Sunday 12pm-10pm

~

Summer 2009 may forever be known as the period the food cart renaissance exploded in Portland, Oregon. It’s hard to keep up.  Everywhere you turn, there is another new cart or roaming taqueria, and many are vegetarian or entirely vegan, if not quite vegan friendly, like Koi Fusion and Whiffies.  In fact, since Spring, at least seven vegetarian carts have opened: Homegrown Smoker BBQ, Spud Locker, Valhalla Sandwich Co., Wolf and Bears, DC Vegetarian, Sonny Bowl, and Asaase Ital Palace.

Asaase Ital popped up on the PSU cart lot at SW 5th and College in early July.  The staff has confirmed that they are now entirely vegan, have rid the menu of the honey that was present when they first opened, and switched to agave.  Credit the early vegan visitors!

There are three things that struck me about this Caribbean food cart even before I ordered-

First up: The cart itself.  It’s painted colorfully in bold sections of of green, yellow, and red and has a custom awning with green beams. It stands out on its side street.

Second: While you’re checking out the cart, your nose begins to tingle and your mouth just may begin to salivate. Take in the aroma of thyme, coconut, ginger, and more. Welcome vegan Caribbean food to Portland!

Third: The staff.  I can’t remember the last time someone working at a cart, particularly their own cart, wasn’t warm.  The duo behind Asaase , who are also involved wit the New Born Tribe Community Center on MLK, offer samples of soup and drinks and initiate real conversations about what you want to order and what to expect. The graciousness of the small business owners in Portland is a beautiful thing.

The menu at Asaase Ital is at once both clear and overwhelming. The choices are there, and I’ve enjoyed items from each section of the menu. The main dishes are served as small or large plates ($6 and $9). The idea of spending $9 on lunch, let alone from a cart, nauseates me, so I’ve gone with small plates every time. It’s a to-go box worth of food, always providing me with at least a small serving of leftovers. If you’re going with a friend, share a large plate and side item, such as the adorable, miniature, puffy, made hot for you, Fry Bread pieces (5 for $4), or add veggie fish or chickun to your order. If you’re looking for a bigger meal, go for the large plate or order a small and soup or a side all for yourself.

With my first bite of the Red Red plate, I thought, why don’t I make Caribbean food at home? I love it! The dish is a creamy red, deeply tomato flavored porridge chock full of black eyed peas and grains. Served with it are the classic pan-fried plantains, though I’ve heard of an order missing these before. You can’t deny the deliciousness of these golden plantains, but their crisp outsides have varied from light to dark both times I’ve tried them. The Gold & Greens plate is a popular dish of savory large red beans stewed in a tomato coconut broth with chopped greens over a bed of yellow rice.  It’s a well rounded plate, but I do wish there were more greens. I can’t decide which  plate I prefer between the two.  They’re both exceptional, and gluten free.  If you thought you knew cart food, think again.

If you’re partial to faux meat, you’re in luck! You can add veggie fish or chickun to your meal if you want to up your soy protein intake ($2 to add veggie fish, $4.50 for a side of chickun). It’s the likes of which Portland rarely sees outside of a few Chinese and Thai restaurants, such as Vegetarian House, Thai Food Cafe, and Vege Thai, or the frozen aisle at Fubonn and Food Fight! The staff says the veggie fish is gluten free as well.  You know the type – fish shaped and pink colored, which Asaase has made their own by seasoning the outside. I never eat veggie fish, but I heroically tried my friend’s and actually liked it!  The chickun is a tender piece of pepper-happy jerk spiced soy protein wrapped around a lemongrass stick.   It’s certainly tasty and I want to share the order again, but one or two pieces is enough for me. I can only do much so faux protein alongside such an already satisfying meal, I tend to leave that fun for vacations to NYC.

The food at Asaase Ital reaches restaurant quality and is not dished instantaneously. Come prepared with patience; the wait here is longer than other carts I frequent, but worth it.  The shortest wait I’ve had for one order of food was at least 10 minutes.  The longest exceeded 15 minutes on my third visit, when the cart had a small crowd. I had ordered my entree immediately, but two friends decided while two more orders were placed, and didn’t receive their food for nearly 30 minutes.  The same went for my delayed request for fry bread. Call ahead for large orders at the number posted above or if you’re in a rush, but keep in mind, this is not the type of meal made for wolfing down in ten minutes.

There’s a bench to the side of the cart to wait on or take your meal at, or you could walk a couple blocks north to the PSU Park Blocks.  It’s silly, but I’m practically counting the days till Asaase opens a small sit down location. Or at the very least, adds some additional seating.

They offer smoothies and cold or hot ginger tea, but unless you’re searching the PSU area for a smoothie, I’d hold off and spend the money on adding a savoury lentil-filled sambusa ($2) or indulge in the faux chickun. My cold ginger tea was something fierce- we’re talking crisp, cool, ginger overload on a hot day, but I can resist for $2.50. There are too many tempting menu items! One day I’ll make it early enough for the tofu scramble plate. The idea of a Caribbean influenced scramble is rocking my mind.

Fan of great food with bold flavors? Check this place out.  It’s something special.

Red Red Plate with Plantains

Lemongrass Chickun

Fry Bread

The cart

Check out the list of Vegan Friendly carts in Portland, OR.

Stumptown Vegans Episode 6: The Let Live Conference

Join the Stumptown Vegans as they discuss the upcoming Let Live Northwest Animal Rights Conference with founders Chad Miller and Josh Hooten.

Hear about the hard work the organizers have put into this passionate event, everything they’re excited about, and why you want to go.  Pretty sure there’s a fart joke or two snuck in, if you listen carefully enough.

The Let Live Conference is taking plate June 26th-28th and you are encouraged to register online, and you can also do so at Food Fight! and Herbivore.

Show Notes:

• Let Live Conference Kick Off Party
• Will Potter, Green is the New Red
• Gene Bauer, Farm Sanctuary
• Justin Goodman, PETA
• Scapegoat Tattoo
• Sweetpea Baking Co.
• NW Veg
• Blossoming Lotus
• Vege Thai
• Los Gorditos II
• Chaos Cafe
• Whiffies
• Bye & Bye
• Mercy for Animals
• In Defense of Animals
• Sea Shephard, Whale Wars

Chad and Josh:

Episode 5: Stumptown Vegans Year 2 in Review

The Stumptown Vegans have entered our third  year of providing restaurant reviews of vegan food in Portland!

Our long-awaited return to podcasting (with new technology!) features discussion on recent openings and closings in the Portland restaurant community, highlights of our favorite meals, habitual spots you’ll find us and upcoming reviews.

Show Notes:

• Just Thai cart (the original I Love Thai owners)
• Soup Cycle
• Savor Soup House
• Thai Food Cafe
• Gorditos II
• Back to Eden Bakery (coming soon!)
• Whiffies (coming soon!)
• Nuthsell RIP
• Kalga Kafe RIP
• Food Fight! Nachos – Playfood Cheeze RIP
• Portobello Vegan Trattoria
• Whole Bowl
• Pho PDX
• Dots
• Pizza Fino
• Sweetpea Baking Co.
• Nhut Quang Vegan Vietnamese
• Bete Lukas Ethiopian
• Apron Activists

Stay tuned for more later this summer!

Available on Itunes here!

Just Thai cart:

Nutshell Window:

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What are your habitual spots lately?

Stumptown Vegans Travel!

Though very different restaurants, the sisterly relationship between Salt Lake City’s vegan restaraunts, Sage’s Cafe and Vertical Diner are, in this reviewer’s eyes, similar to Vita and Paradox in menu items. Both restaurants have full vegan menus created by the same chef, Ian Brandt. Sage’s was the first restaurant, opening in 2000. Vertical Diner followed, opening in 2006.

Sage’s is a cute, comfortable cafe in an old house in downtown Salt Lake with many fresh, organic dishes, and prices to match. The dining space is on the smaller side with many wood details including the floor, two-person tables, and chairs. Meals range from raw Pad Thai to the Pesto Sub, Soba Salad, and Philly Cheezesteak, all generally around $13. One of my favorite elements of Sage’s menu is the creativity. For example, the creation of Mushroom Escargot or the Basil Pesto Crepe.

Vertical Diner isn’t really across town from Sage’s, but the huge SLC blocks make it feel like it is. The Diner is located in a light industrial area, unsuspecting of vegan food. The building’s exterior, as well as the interior, has a 50’s diner feel, complete with a neon arrow pointing at the exterior sign. Inside, aluminum edged laminate tables, in additional to a bar, add to this retro feel. The all-vegan menu contains all the comfort food that can rot your gut – wonderful options like theFried Setain, Nachos, and an extensive breakfast served all day like Pancakes, Tofu Scramble, and Sausage. If you’ve eaten at Sage’s you’ll recognize some of the dishes and enjoy them for a bit less, probably because of the location. Typical dishes run about $7-9.

My favorite meals included the Philly Cheeze Steak (available at both restaurants), the Tender Tigers, the Blueberry Pancakes, and all the desserts. For Utah, they have an amazing beer and wine selection at both restaurants with many organic options, and presumbably vegan.

The Philly Cheeze Steak sandwhich includes a homemade setain and nutritional cheesy sauce served on a multi-grain bread. The multi grain bread is thick and chewy, adding a nice nutty texture to the sandwich. I’ve enjoyed leftovers of this dish for breakfast thinking it tastes similar to Vita’s Tofu Florentine dish only with a mild, not sour, sauce. 

The Nut Burger, offered only at Sage’s, is just what is says it is – a burger filled with nuts, lots of them. The chickpea bound almond and cashew patty isn’t the only nutty texture, the addition of the multi grain bread here will fill you up quickly. Tahini sauce tops of this burger, giving it a unique flavor. I felt healthy after my first bite.  

The Tender Tigers at the Vertical Diner is a housemade setain on a stick, battered and fried, with an end result of a wonderful crispy and tender appetizer. It is served with a thick ranch dipping sauce. 

If you’re a pancake fanatic like me, you can’t go wrong with the Blueberry Pancakes. They are huge, fluffy and moist cakes served all day with real maple syrup. At $2.25 each, it’s hard to order only one to save room for a side of sausage.

The housemade desserts at both locations are to die for and I’ve yet to have anything sweet from either kitchen that I was simply middle-of-the-road-good. The shakes and floats are everything you would want them to be, made with Soy Delicious soy cream. The Tiramisu is tender with a mild coffee and cocoa flavor without being too sweet. The Brownie is dense and chewy, almost gooey, easily one of the best vegan brownies I’ve ever had, since I am not a fan of the cake brownie. And the presentation of their dessert dishes shows they must love sweets as much as I do.

The wait staff has always been friendly, but sometimes a bit slow, depending on the night. If you have allergies, ask for their allergy menu, they’ve been very accommodating to me. Sage’s has an All-You-Can-Eat Pizza Night Tuesdays and Raw Food Fridays. Weekend Brunch is another fun event, served on Saturday and Sunday.

While this reviewer rarely admits to spending 9 years in Salt Lake, one thing she regrets is that neither Sage’s or Verticle had yet to open during her imprisonment. Vertical Diner and Sage’s Cafe, and those beautiful mountains, are the only things that take her back. These two resultants are enough to recommend the 12 hour road trip just for a few meals. And be sure to check out Vertical’s free jukebox, the music selection has something for everyone.

The Stumptown Vegans Travel!

Gorilla Food, in Vancouver, BC, reminds me of a more hippie Blossoming Lotus since it is all raw, organic, and vegan! The restaurant recently moved to an underground location. Some may think moving underground is a step backward from their previous street front location with sidewalk ordering window, but this place is awesome. It feels like you’re entering a welcoming, but still raw, cave. The stone basement walls, wood furniture, and vine details show how a hole in the wall can be recreated into a destination.

Gorilla Food is a restaurant where the food is simple in theory, but complex in the details. Even the water comes in a special containers sitting on a shelf. I wasn’t sure of the reason, but it did taste good. One of my favorite elements of the restaurant is the pipe and wiring detailing across the walls. Normally these would try to be hidden but at Gorilla Food they keep them exposed and used them in the design curving the wires along the wall to look like a vine, then with leaves and smaller vines painted along-side to complete the image. This is similar to McMenamins painting the joints of their pipes with little faces.

They seem to put a lot into their food and love what they do. Gorilla Food has created a variety of unique dishes displayed on their menu using all raw cooking techniques to make their food the best. First I tried the Water Wisdom Salad because the term “tenderized kale” intrigued me. I imagined someone in the back beating the kale with a mallet then mixing it with some chopped seaweed. This may have been the case. The dressing for the salad was a sesame apple dressing which really brought the somewhat salty of the seaweed together with the light sweetness of the apple. The texture was very chewy and with the inclusion of some raw, soaked nuts it made the dish feel full and well grounded in my mouth. As much as I enjoyed this dish I would only like a portion half the full size. The price seemed a little high at about $7 or $8 dishes, including the pizza. With that said, it’s worth the price for good raw.

The Pesto Pizza is your traditional raw pizza with a dehydrated nut and seed crust with marinara, a sweet pesto and a pine nut cheese sauce with a tomato on top. Raw pizzas are best eaten with a fork in case the crust cracks. This pizza is flavorful with tomato, basil, and nut cheese. A very enjoyable slice of raw pizza.

The Falafel contains many nuts and seeds soaked and formed into a balls and sit on top of a lettuce leaf topped with parsley, tomatoes, and a wonderful tahini sauce. The only issue I found with this dish was how to eat it! If it’s picked up the lettuce leaf breaks and if you eat it with a fork it doesn’t seem like a falafel anymore. Really though, who cares when food tastes great and makes you feel even better! There’s a lot more chewing that occurred when eating this falafel compared to a traditional fried falafel because of the nutty texture of the of the falafel balls. Chewing definitively makes you slow down to enjoy your food a bit more.

Next time you’re in Vancouver, don’t be shy to eat underground. Stay and enjoy a rawcarroon – raw macaroon after your meal! Be warned that the seating area is small and parties larger than three may have a difficult time finding enough table space.

Water Wisdom Salad:

Pesto Pizza:

Falafel:

Updated 2/11/2009:

Note from the Sweetpea Facebook:

Rather than raising the price of our brunch as food prices go up, we will now no longer include orange juice for free. to add a single 16 oz glass of OJ to your meal will now add an extra dollar. still a steal for a glass of juice! 

Times Visited: Many and many more to come!

So we’re reviewing Sweetpea’s all-you-can-eat-$10-brunch but we haven’t reviewed the bakery yet?!
What’s wrong with us? Well, we’ve been waiting for the dust to settle and the possible inclusion of a simple grab and go lunch menu. There’s also the problem that our current rating system only goes to 5 and Sweetpea Baking Company deserves its own rating system with the awesomeness of their sweets – cakes, cookies, doughnuts, danishes, and so on. Hell, Sweetpea sweets are on our Top 10 list in Herbivore Magazine, so you already know we dig ‘em.

The rumor of Sweetpea’s first $10 all you can eat brunch spread like wildfire across town and they sold out within a few hours! Never again – they are now prepared to take on the masses, and “mass” is definitely a word that goes well with “all you can eat buffet.”

All-you-can-eat buffets are unique dining experiences. They are often placed along the Interstate, near on and off ramps, and conjure up images of a stereo-typical American with the plate piled neck high with chicken wings. And even the food itself is stereo-typed – old, dry, and fatty.

Some people love them, and some people would rather visit the buffet line once and pay less. We happen to fall into the latter category, but love the idea none the less. Unlike our respective regular dining companions, we do not have hollow legs. We’re the type to take home leftovers (often for the companions), so any buffet isn’t going to be an everyday dining adventure – but finally, our partners have the chance to fill up on good vegan food at a reasonable price! With that, we welcome Sweetpea’s brunch with open arms, and mouths.

Sweetpea’s all-you-can-eat brunch offers a rotating menu which usually consists of: pancakes, biscuits, gravy, greens, tofu scramble, seitan, potatoes, an additional side, orange juice, and coffee. The bottomless juice and coffee make a good selling point for the price. The items in the bakery case are not part of the buffet, but can make a nice addition if you want a bagel smeared with bac-un and chive toffutti to accompany your meal.

The food is what you’d expect from a buffet – hit and miss. Depending on the time you visit the buffet, the pancakes you grab may be light and fluffy or a bit dry. The same holds true for biscuits. Both of these issues can be fixed by pouring on the delicious maple syrup or gravy. Either way, cover your food with the maple syrup and gravy! The maple syrup is real – no corn syrup here. The gravy is simple, creamy, and white, with a touch nutritional yeast for flavor. It was perfect for us with a touch more pepper added. Greens have been cooked perfectly and tossed with just the right amount of Braggs or left plain for your own sprinkling of nutritional yeast, hot sauce and salt. The collards and kale have been such a pleasant addition to the heavy items, thank you for thinking of our gut!

The scrambles have been simple: sans vegetables and with various special spices and turmeric, for color. The seitan has been inconsistent in texture but flavorful. Sometimes chewy, sometimes a bit lighter, but always a great addition. It is one of our favorite pieces of the buffet. The potatoes have been diced small and are nice and salty, but can be dry. Thankfully, there’s organic ketchup available for smothering. The grits have been simply seasoned with Earth Balance and salt. The texture has been much more like polenta because of the texture, which is fine, but our grit-loving friends couldn’t bear to hear them identified as such. We found ourselves using forks as opposed to spoons with these. Such is the life of buffet food.

The thing is, Sweetpea offers a simple savory brunch that tasted good and has something for everyone with their rotating operations. We love that we have the option of a set price, all-you-can-eat, vegan buffet. It has a great feel to it with the partial community seating and music on a Sunday morning. All-you-can-eat does lead to people sitting at their table a bit longer than normal, wondering if they can put more food in their face – we know we did our own first visits. Consider taking your plate outside as the weather gets nicer. We do wish we could pay $7 for a single plate of food to avoid over-stuffing ourselves again, and again. Good thing we have the options of a cinnamon roll, bagel with blended cream cheese, or even cake.

Compared to other vegan buffets in town, it’s at the top of the list. No question about it, there’s a ton of potential that’s already been untapped with a recent addition of peach crisp. Peach crisp! You should know that the highest quality offerings have been eaten before 10am, but that’s to be expected. Don’t be silly and expect the freshest food right before closing! Though, psst, we do hear the buffet sometimes goes half price right at the end!

This weekend brings Breakfast Tacos – including jackfruit! Also, look forward to new donuts coming soon featuring Jelly Doughnuts and Maple Bars!

Buffet:

Plate from week #2:

More Brunch:

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Address: 1205 SE Stark St. Portland, OR 97214
Hours: M-F 7am-8pm, Sat. & Sun. 9am-8pm

Wednesday and Saturdays are doughnut days!

Hello! We’d like to interrupt this string of Portland restaurant reviews to bring you some breaking news:

We’ve started new adventures in life with podcasts! Join us as we talk about food. Let us know what you think, but be nice – we’re shy and trying to get used to the mic.

Check the new podcast link at the top of the page, as we will be adding new podcasts once a month (or two).

Date: December 31, 2007
Times Visited: 2 and counting

Okay, so Food Fight’s not a restaurant, but they now have Vegan Nachos. I am always surprised when people know Food Fight has moved to a new great location but not that they now have a great Nacho Cheese pump like other convenient stores. They also have hot dogs (add cheese for 50 cents!) and other goodies. Go and support your junk food cravings. Or go and support your health nut ideas because they now have fresh produce!

I must admit that at first I wasn’t super excited about the nachos because it had been so long since I had these kind of nachos, but after tasting them – I just want more!

Food Fight’s cheese is provided by Play Food, made from a cashew base. There is no after-taste that sometimes comes with vegan cheese. It’s an American style cheese with a bit of spice and a smooth, almost gooey consistency, as it’s served warm, pumped through a metal tube. The chips themselves are standard, tasty chips. Unlike 7-11 nachos, these are sold by the pound. The price for the bowl you see below was about $3. While each person has their own style of nacho cheese and chips, I used the method of layering chips then cheese, then chips, then cheese. You’ll figure your own style and keep going back for more because these are great. There is sometimes Blossoming Lotus chili available for adding to the nachos and hot dogs.

It will be fantastic on a warm summer evening to enjoy some nachos while sitting outside the mini mall watching your friends skate, and cars drive by yelling obscenities or praises at the vegan mall. All they need now is a faux slurpee machine!

Chips with Nacho Cheese:

Nacho Cheese Factory:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 1217 SE Stark
Hours: Everyday 10am-8pm