VeganFabulous

the lowdown: Blue Pig | 5026 SE Division St., Portland, OR 97206 | 503.231.2775 | Website | Entrees $4.95 - $10.95 | ***

Seriously large portions and the best build your own tofu scramble in town!

It seems every week I am updating a blog post to indicate the restaurant has closed. It saddens me each time because not only does it mean lost jobs and vacant storefronts; in most cases it is one less restaurant for us to enjoy. Even Great Harvest stopped baking vegan muffins and scones, apparently they aren’t recession proof. Last week I would I have told you the recession hadn’t affected me or anyone I was close to, but stark news a few days ago proved that the recession’s dark cloud was looming in my proximity and had captured someone I love. Despite the recently passed stimulus plan, I continue to feel a combination of helplessness, anger, and fear. How much more can we lose? I think it is only a matter of time until we find out.

A few weeks ago we broke our brunch dry spell by checking out Blue Pig on Division. A quaint diner with a subtle 50’s era feel, mostly due to the waiter’s t-shirt with rolled up sleeves and 501’s. Although your choices are limited to the tofu scramble, don’t be turned off because for $9.95 you can build your own scramble and include as much or as little of the items for the same price! With options includeing olives, peppers, vegan sausage, broccoli and onions to name a few, I was tempted to order the entire list! All portions are large, as is the soup mug sized latte! Blue Pig is a relative new-comber having only opened their doors last July. My hope is folks will return for the value if nothing else.

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: Peet’s Coffee & Tea | 1441 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232 | 503.493.0192 | Website | Coffee & Pastries | Items $2 -$5

Who the hell knew?

I typically avoid chainy type coffee shops except when I am at work and I pose as a corporate socialite by joining my co-workers to a weekly tall soy latte at Starbucks.Yes it’s true, you’d think that the entire company I work for was holding a meeting in line at the 1st & SW Taylor location. I claim I am just going for the ride but I admit, I used to be a Starbucks junkie and spend $3 a day. Alas, I am a reformed coffee drinker and cheap ass. I make Stumptown drip at home during the week and french press during the weekend. One thing I can’t whip up without too much effort is a pastry which is why Peet’s is now newest sub-cool coffee joint.

About a month ago I met a friend at Peet’s on Hawthorne and she offered to buy me a pastry. I politely decline saying I doubt they were vegan and the cashier lit up and proclaimed that most of their baked goods were vegan! I quickly took her up on the offer for a free bite and relished at the notion that the majority of their goods are from Black Sheep Bakery! Who would have thought that I could indulge on a Blueberry Cornmeal Muffin, Apricot Scone, or Smart Muffin all in the comfort of a Starbucks competitor? Needless to say I still prefer to support the underdog but I can’t pass up on vegan goodies with my coffee when there is a Peet’s near my house and 9 other locations in the metro area!

the lowdown: Pambiche | 2811 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR 97232 | 503.233.0511 | Website | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Entrees $7 - $18.50 | ****

Super super good!

I’ve had a great weekend for movies and food! Friday night Netfix delivered 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 days, a riveting Romanian film about a college student receiving an illegal abortion during the Ceauşescu era. Saturday night we saw the earth shattering Religulous, a defiant documentary by Bill Mahr about the self fulling prophecy of the world’s religions.  Followed by dinner at Pambiche and finally vegan cupcakes purchased at the Obama Mama Bake Sale. In summary, get informed, vote, speak out, then head to Pambiche.

Pambiche is that multicolored building on 28th & Glisan that everyone has seen and wondered what the hell is it is and why there so many people out front. Authentic cuban cuisine, eyeball popping coffee, and fresh juice bevys under one roof! Don’t try to figure out the four page menu on your own as it is mostly filled with meat items. Just ask for the vegan items and you will find only two, but both incredible! As with everywhere else, take your pick of salads, the waitress swore by them but I wanted something hearty. As a result we went straight for the Tostones Viandas ($5.75), fried plantains (similar to french fries) with spicy sauce as the appetizer. Followed by the entree Plato Comunista ($11), a plate of beans & rice, beets, and yuca. Sure, you can thank god for the mouth watering food but you’re only kidding yourself and taking credit away from the chef!

the lowdown: Black Sheep Bakery | 523 NE 19th Ave., Portland, OR 97232 | 503.517.5762 | Website | Breakfast, Lunch (M-F only) | Items $3 - $7.75 | ****

Cute cafe for everyone (if you don’t work during the week or work nearby).

The morning of our departure to Burning Man we couldn’t pick up the rental car until 7:30. I wanted to make the most of having a weekday off in Portland so we picked up breakfast on the run at Black Sheep. This visit was to serve two purposes; patronize a vegan bakery while I could (they are only open M-F) and ensure a full stomach and snacks for the road while we traveled through the back country of Oregon, California, and Nevada. The mission was successful, it’s just a shame the goods couldn’t have lasted for the return trip!

Black Sheep opens at 7am and we sauntered in at exactly that time. I was excited for the variety of options on the menu and the case full of baked goods. Although the menu alleges that breakfast is served “open to close”, there are many items you cannot order until the prep cook arrives, which isn’t until 9. These items include vegan biscuits and gravy, vegan egg & sausage breakfast sandwich, and sometimes tempeh bacon. With some remaining luck they had tempeh strips available which was fashioned into a bagel sandwich with vegan cream cheese and veggies ($5.50). We also grabbed a cornmeal blueberry muffin and biscuit & vegan sausage muffin ($2 each). There is no shortage of non-veg options (egg, cheese, mayo, milk) as well to cater to the surrounding areas’ business patrons. Admittedly I was disappointed I couldn’t try some of the items, but the available food was delicious and dining room is quaint and welcoming. If I worked nearby I would most certainly make a habit to stop by and lobby for the prep cook to show up earlier!

the lowdown: Rumpspankers | 700 NE Dekum St., Portland, OR 97211 | 503.284.4041 | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Entrees $6.95 - $7.95 | *

Breakfast in the new hot neighborhood?

Today has been packed full of preparing for our Burning Man departure on Wednesday. This will be my fourth year in attendance and each year the planning and packing gets easier. Before we got started today we decided to meet a friend from the old new hot neighborhood (Alberta) at the alleged new hot neighborhood (Dekum) for brunch. Sadly, this will be our last dining adventure until we return from the desert.

Rumpspankers recently moved from 42nd and Fremont to 7th and Dekum and sits below a dance studio that is in full force 11:30am on Sunday. While sipping on our french press coffee we waited 20 minutes to order, we enjoyed overhead stomping that sounded as if there was a dance club above…oh. The funky space is complete with eclectic art, makeshift lighting, a tea house, and gourmet deli. The breakfast menu includes a few vegan options including the “Tofu Veg” ($6.95) bagel plate and “Vengeful” ($7.95) skillet. The dinner menu offers a vegan and vegetarian section. I ordered the “Vengeful” which arrived in a hot frying pan complete with sliced tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, herbs, and tofu. Nothing special about this dish, it doesn’t even come with toast. My brunch dates ordered the “Old Budapest” and “Rosemary’s Tater’s” (non-vegan dishes) and they were disappointed as well. To round out the experience the service was slow and inconsistent and the dining room was muggy. As we left we discussed brunching at spots in the old hot neighborhood (Alberta) and swore that we wouldn’t return to Rumpspankers, whatever that hell that means.

the lowdown: Fuel Cafe | 1452 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211 | 503.335.3835 | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | $4 - $6.60 | ***

More than just coffee?

Although I’m not sure what it is, there is something novel about going to a coffee shop to read. Perhaps it’s the fact that I can sit there for hours sipping coffee I didn’t have to make and when I’m hungry, I simply place my order and continue sipping coffee until the food is served. There are a few drawbacks. The music is controlled by the employees and the food prices are at a premium. My guess is that they factor in the countless hours the customers are occupying a table into their prices.

When I don’t want to curl up to my Wall Street Journal at home, I’ll rally to a nearby coffee shop and a few weekends ago Fuel Cafe was the chosen one. I patronized Fuel because I had vague recollection they had a few vegan friendly menu items and I wanted to ensure I had some choices when I started getting hungry after reading the Marketplace section. In addition to Coffee, Fuel Cafe offers light breakfast items (bagels, baked goods) and sandwiches. As for the sandwiches, there are three choices, the Basil Vegan ($6.60), Hummus ($6), and Grilled Vegan ($6.60). Since I am always game for something grilled I choose the Grilled Vegan equipped with vegan cream cheese, basil, spinach, roasted red peppers and marinated mushrooms & red onions. Although chips are pictured, I ordered a green salad which added $2.50 to the price.  The meal coupled with a soy latte totaled a steep $12 for something I could have whipped up at home. These prices are certainly not unique to Fuel Cafe, however, I expect a bit more novelty for the price. A simple reminder that I should really be sure I am too lazy to make a sandwich at home before going just any old place for one.

the lowdown: Opposable Thumb | 3312 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97214 | 503.238.0146 | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Items $3 - $7.95 | ****

Art, coffee, food.

Sunday morning I was awaken at 5am to the news that my paternal grandfather had passed away. We were expecting it within the week, but no matter how prepared I thought I was, the teeth of reality still bit me hard.  The last conversation my grandfather and I had was about my garden. He seemed so pleased that I had planted tomatoes and was watering my plants everyday. As a result, I am dedicating my newly planted tree to his memory.

Knowing what to do with yourself after a death is awkward, especially when opposing family forces complicate the issue. I’ve had my eye on the Opposable Thumb for some time now and since opposition was the word of the weekend, it seemed appropriate to visit on Sunday. It is a cafe perfect for studying, hanging out, observing art or just having a mellow lunch. There is a vegetarian section on the menu which contains a wonderful baked tofu sandwich ($5.95) made with house-made focaccia bread, spicy baked tofu, grilled onions, roasted red papers and a side salad. Other items to choose from are the Portabello mushroom sandwich ($6.50) and a variety of salads. Grab your MacBook, homework, or just yourself for an incredibly relaxing visit.

SW 3rd Ave Location

NE 15th & Davis Location

the lowdown: Voodoo Doughnuts | 22 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204 & 1501 NE Davis, Portland, OR 97232 | 503.241.4704 | Website | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night | Items $1.5 - $4 | ****

Vegan doughnuts. Nuff said.

UPDATE: From Arctic Circle, to car dealership, to donut shop, Voodoo now has a NE Portland location so us Eastsiders can get our fix. Enjoy the covered bike parking, the classroom style dining room, and the vintage trash decor while munching on a variety of vegan donuts!

There are many treasures to be found while making your way through the crawl space of downtown Portland’s underbelly, and Voodoo Doughnuts is one such gem. I have made it tradition to bear pink boxes full of doughnuts on Christmas morning with my family. Truthfully, none of them seem terribly excited about the doughnuts but I find enjoyment picking them up late on Christmas eve.

All souls who crave vegan doughnuts are not new to what is available at Voodoo but every time I tell someone who has difficulty understanding my dietary choices that Voodoo has said doughnuts, they look at me with complete disbelief. “What are they made of then?” is what commonly comes next after the perplexing look. Nonetheless, Voodoo is a small crack in the side of the building that houses Shanghi Tunnel, Bar XV and Berbati’s Pan. It is open 24 Hours and tattoo covered employees make creme filled, penis shaped, fruit loops covered, bacon decorated delights all night long. Although the vegans are left out of the phallic fun, the selection consists of 5 cake doughnut varieties with sprinkles. All are damn good.

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!