VeganFabulous

the lowdown: The Farm Cafe | 10 SE 7th Ave. Portland, OR 97214 | 503.736.FARM | Website | Entrees $9 - $20 | *****

Hot spot on Burnside!

In an effort to understand Portland city planning and the various zoning codes, I attended a Land Use class sponsored by the City of Portland. Despite being one of the youngest in a sea of retirees, I finally understand the difference between R5, CS, and IG1 and can decrypt the meaning of overly zones including h, x, j, to name a few. Who knows if this knowledge will ever prove handy, it certainly makes for interesting conversation over dinner at The Farm and annoying Facebook status updates. The important lesson I did learn from the Land Use class is it doesn’t take much to stay informed; choosing not to can mean having an eight story condo building as your neighbor rather than a park.

Despite The Farm’s current menu having only one vegan entree, I can’t think of a single vegan who doesn’t absolutely love the place. Just one block off East Burnside, The Farm occupies an early 1900’s house complete with a cramped dining room and kitchen. They are undergoing contruction to expand the undersized rooms, but until then, expect 30 - 90 minutes to be seated. During your lengthy wait you can enjoy the Roasted Garlic ($6) or Hummus Plate ($8) appetizers to tide you over until the highly acclaimed, often replicated but never duplicated, Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushrooms Marsala ($12) arrives. The dining room is too dark for pictures but expect a rich mound of garlic mashed potatoes, crusted tofu wedges, and a sea of crimini mushrooms. While dining we heard rumor there are plans to expand the vegan menu. My god, if the rumor is true, they better start contacting the city to obtain permits for additional expansion. Let’s hope the setbacks won’t stand in the way!

the lowdown: Soul Vegetarian | 879 Ralph David Abernathy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310 | 404.752.5194 | Lunch, Dinner | Entrees $6 - $12 | *****

Unsuspected food in an unsuspecting place!

Despite taking a 2 week hiatus from this blog, I am still here and kicking with a backlog of things to write about! To recap, I got engaged, turned 30, went to Montreal for my birthday, set a wedding date, booked a wedding location and photographer, planned our honeymoon, started a new school term on the topic of Financial Management, and rejoiced at our new president! Who cares about all of that stuff anyway, we are here to talk about food! En route to Montreal we had a layover in Atlanta. No sooner did we find ourselves a seat at the gate than we realized our flight was canceled due to freezing rain and the next flight wasn’t until the morning. I immediately jumped on the internet to research vegan friendly restaurants and stumbled upon vegetarian African soul food!

Soul Vegetarian is a worldwide chain with two locations in Atlanta. When we asked the cab driver to drive us to Ralph David Abernathy he pause and asked us for the address again. We repeated it and he said “Are you sure that is where you want to go?” We were certain we needed some good food to lift our spirits from the debacle of being stuck in Atlanta with no baggage, so we asked him to press on. Apparently he was concerned for our safety. Nonetheless, we arrived to a dining room filled with vinyl booths and servers dressed head to toe in traditional African garb. The menu was entirely vegan and included burger and sandwich options with a choice of fries or onion rings and accompanied by a salad. They offer a full buffet and juice bar equipped with the makings for a mean banana split. Sadly I left without a trace of the menu and nothing of the sort is posted on their site. Although I am leaving you with no details, you better hope to god that wherever your travels take you Soul Vegetarian is nearby.

the lowdown: Belly | 3500 NE MLK Blvd., Portland, OR 97212 | 503.249.9763 | Website | Dinner, Brunch (Sunday Only) | Entrees $9 - $18 | *****

Romantic restaurant offering custom vegan fare!

Aside from the snow, Christmas holiday, and new Facebook addiction, last Tuesday was the best day of my life. It is on that day my boyfriend Scott asked me to marry him, on bended knee. I have wanted to marry this man since the moment I met him and after four years it is really going to happen. There are many reasons I love him, but the most astonishing is despite how much each of us has grown over the years, we have grown together, building a strong, cohesive relationship capable of weathering any snow storm or basking in any sunlight. I have no idea what I ever did to deserve such a wonderful thing.

After the proposal we walked through the snow to celebrate at Belly, which occupies the same space as the now defunct Terrior. Belly is owned by a husband and wife who are happy to accommodate special dietary needs. The meticulous decor, dim lighting, and friendly service make celebrating any special occasion at Belly and absolute must! In fact, they asked immediately upon arrival if we were celebrating anything special! We started with a side order of fries ($5), great but a bad idea if you plan to finish your entree! Although there are no vegan dishes on the menu, they created a pasta dish ($14) complete with brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and chanterelle mushrooms, among other fresh ingredients. Finally, just as we were preparing to leave (and of course knowing we were celebrating our anniversary), they presented us with a candlelit vegan apple tart. Whether you are celebrating, curious, or plain hungry, Belly is fantastic!

p.s. Check out the VeganFabulous Facebook site! Go ahead, become a fan!

the lowdown: Higgins Restaurant and Bar | 1239 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205 | 503.222.9010 | Lunch, Dinner | Entrees $19 -$33 | *****

local, seasonal, fantastic!

Last weekend my beloved friend and cat Rupert died suddenly and tragically right before our eyes. As I watched him take a few of his last silent breaths on the floor beside our bed I clutched our little dog Snap, hating myself for all the times I scurried him away when he walked across the keyboard as I tried to write blog posts such as this. I’d like to think he chose to be near us during his last few minutes, but all I can do is savor the 12 years we had together and learn lessons about his patience and forgiveness.

It’s been a long time coming but we finally had a special occasion suitable for dressing up and dinner at Higgins! Located in a classic building on SW Broadway, downtown Portland, Higgins is a traditional restaurant offering NW cuisine and professional service. Although the menu changes weekly, the chef often offers at least one vegan dish or will prepare one upon request. After polishing off artisan breads and olive oil we shared the beet soup ($7), followed by the squash samosas ($19.25). The samosa dish was an exquisite combination of presentation, taste, and portion. Unfortunately, my satiation precluded a dessert of sorbet ($8.50) but we vowed to return for dessert when we were not so damn full and it was not so damn cold outside! Nonetheless, Higgins is a wonderful place to enjoy food and the people and pets we love.

the lowdown: Andina Restaurant | 1314 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209 | 503.228.9535 | Website | Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour | Tapas/Entrees $7 - $24 | *****

You will never feel left out here!

It is difficult to articulate the feelings that I have about our new President-elect Obama. On Election day I left work early and scrambled to the 15th & Killingsworth Obama HQ’s to put in my last ditch effort at “Getting Out The Vote”. I walked through the streets of the Piedmont neighborhood dodging rain to find the stragglers who had not yet turned in their ballots. I was met with “I’ve already voted”, “I don’t have time”, “It is against my religion to vote”, or no answers to my knock. I have never volunteered for something I believed in with so much conviction. It is difficult work both physically and emotionally. Knowing that I was one of the legions of Obama foot soldiers believing in change and hoping for something great, Tuesday night was my realization that the words “Yes We Can” aren’t simply words, they are words to live by.

Last weekend we jammed the best of the Pearl district in one night. Shopping, Theater, and dinner at Andina. Andina is the type of place where advanced dinner reservations are required, otherwise you will be stuck with a very early or very late meal. Although it looks intimidating and vegan unfriendly, it is quite the opposite. The service is fantastic and well paced, the atmosphere is perfect for both special occasions and casual dining, and they have an amazing vegan menu including tapas and entrees. Regardless of your order things will kick off with unlimited bread and three sauces, of which the hibiscus and hot sauce are vegan. We started with the potato cake that I cannot remember the name of and I ordered the Porto Saltado ($17) for my main course. The yucca and mushrooms were earth shattering with a portion larger than I was capable of eating entirely (quite rare). The entire experience was outstanding. Clearly there are no limits to what this country is capable of and where vegans can eat in Portland.

the lowdown: Sip & Kranz Coffee Lounge | 901 NW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 | 503.336.1335 | Website | Breakfast, Coffee | Items $2 - $5 | *****

Unbelievably cool coffee shop for all ages!

This past weekend my best girlfriend and her family (including a toddler) made the trip from Spokane to Portland. Although a mere six hour drive, she felt the culture shock immediately upon reaching city limits. She was amazed at the number of people riding bikes, smiling strangers, restored houses, green parks and the kid friendly vibe! Honestly, I didn’t realize how well kids and Portland got along until I had a little one in my house. In honor of that I have decided to begin marking posts as “Kid Friendly” to hook the parents up!

One of the main attractions to any out of towner is the Portland coffee culture. In Spokane, it’s either Starbucks or gas station coffee. To knock her socks off we went to Sip & Kranz, a posh coffee shop serving Black Sheep baked goods, Stumptown coffee, and kids play area fully equipped with a flat screen TV and a variety of playthings. You may be frightened by the notion of a pearl district coffee shop catering to the urban baby scene, expecting screaming babies with faux hawks and baby couture. Fear not, it is quite the opposite as these kids are relatively well behaved. We enjoyed our artistically designed soy lattes while catching up on life and watching the 3 and under crowd work the floor.

the lowdown: Bye and Bye | 1011 NE Alberta, Portland, OR 97211 | 503.281.0537 | Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour | Food Items $5 - $8 | *****

Alberta Street bar with stiff bevys and righteous vegan food!

The Alberta hood is known for their restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, and most definitely Last Thursday. This is the part of town where you can dine on vegan biscuits and gravy, gaze at countless varieties of art, buy a rain barrel then grab a beer before heading home. I visit quite regularly and most recently rallied to my next door neighborhood to hang with a pal at the notorious Bye and Bye. We ate, we laughed, we people watched, but this was after feeling completely out of place with only two tats.

Want to know what happens when 6 guys open up shop on lower Alberta street offering stiff drinks, vegan grub, and an atmosphere derived from their bare hands? Nothing other then legions of folks lined up just to get inside! Nevermind the vegan food, these cats go because it is the place to be! We were there to eat and damn do they have a great menu! Previously I have had the BBQ Veggie “Chicken” which was a plate of grilled tofu, beans, and collard greens. During my last visit I ordered the Meatball Sub and my dining partner had the Weepying Tiger sandwhich.With each menu item you have the choice of a side, tofu, greens, tortilla chips, black-eyed peas, and broccili. I choose the tofu because it is crusted with nutrtional yeast and tastes better then french fries!  Be aware that the food is spicy, messy (meatball sub anyway), and damn good. I need to start going more often, despite my shortage of hipster traits!

the lowdown: Sip | 3029 SE 21st Ave., Portland, OR 97202 | Dessert (Closed Tuesday) | Shakes $2.75 - $5.50 | *****

Super good vegan milkshakes and smoothies!

Remember those pre-vegan summer days when the only thing you craved was a huge milkshake and finding one was never an issue? You can stop longing for those times and put away your blenders because the most fabulous cart rolled into town and is parked in front of the People’s Food Co-Op, offering delectable all vegan shakes and smoothies.

It was fantastically hot last weekend when we ventured out to the Clinton St. hood to confront the blogosphere hype created about Sip. With an opening just two months ago, Sip has created a name for itself that reverberates throughout Portland. Not more then an Airstream-esque trailer with an interior of vintage wallpaper and a 70’s milkshake machine; Sip produces soy based, organic milkshakes in an array of flavors. At $4.75 each we enjoyed the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Orange Creamiscle. Both equally perfect. Other options include Cookies-n-Cream, Chocolate, Vanilla, Blueberry, Strawberry, Mocha, and Vanilla Latte. In addition there is freshly prepared juices, smoothies, and wheatgrass. If you order it “For Here” it comes in a classic milkshake glass where you can occupy the outdoor seating in front of the Co-Op and people watch all the hippies doing their grocery shopping.

the lowdown: Whole Bowl | 1100 NW Glisan, Portland, OR 97209, Last Thursday on Alberta, and other locations| 503.757.2695 | Website |Bowls $5.50 - $6.50 | Lunch | *****

Quick & Super Healthy!

Now that I have a house 3x the size of my condo, I have an embarrassing amount of bare wall space. The best place to procure local art at a reasonable price is quite simply Alberta Street’s Last Thursday. For those who are either not from Portland or completely in the dark on what’s going on in this great city, Last Thursday is a year round “art walk” that occurs the last Thursday of every month. Local artists, jewelers, and everyone else gather to sell clothing, accessories, art, sculpture, food, and other great stuff. Unfortunately for me, my boyfriend and I can’t agree on anything to hang on our walls but we did snag an amazing dinner at Whole Bowl.

The Whole Bowl is a food cart that has several locations throughout Portland and a traveling van for special occasions. Word is the Whole Bowl is a permanent fixture in Last Thursday’s street of endless food options. Last month they were located between 24th & 25th near the strawberry lemonade stand. A Whole Bowl by default includes brown rice, sour cream, olives, avocado, cilantro, Tali sauce, cheddar cheese, salsa, black beans, and red beans. The cheese and sour cream can be easily dropped for a vegan version. Tali sauce is a lemon-garlic sauce that has been known as “crack sauce”. This combination of ingredients makes an excellent lunch or dinner and won’t break the bank.

the lowdown: Vita Cafe | 3024 NE Alberta, Portland, OR | 503.335.8233 | Website | Entrees $4.50 - $9.75 | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | *****

Many veg options and free-range meats.

Have you tried Chacha‘ing yourself lately? You know, the new service that allows you to text message 242242 with any question and a real person will respond within 5 minutes? While waiting for my meal this morning at Vita Cafe I did just that and was severely underwhelmed with the response “Megan Kielman is a Windows System Manager in Portland”. I had high expectations of Internet greatness but it’s alright, especially since I had fantastic brunch, something I haven’t had in quite some time!

For the best Vita Cafe experience visit for a breakfast meal (served until 4pm) where you will have a choice of pancakes, french toast, biscuits and gravy, scrambles and more. In addition to the vegan choices they offer free range meats, cheese, and eggs, making it a perfect spot for those of us whose regular dining partners aren’t of the vegan variety. I kicked my meal off with a cup of Stumptown coffee and soy milk, followed by the “New Year’s Breakfast” ($8), a plate of steamed veggies, fried seasoned tofu, and a choice of corn cakes or french toast. We also split the full order of biscuits with almond gravy ($5). Food comas aside, Vita Cafe is one hell of a place. To avoid a wait, arrive before 11am!