VeganFabulous

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: Morning Star Cafe | 510 SW 3rd Ave #100, Portland, OR 97204 | 503.241.2401 | Website |Lunch, Coffee | Items $5.50 - $7.25 | **

Cute coffee/sandwich shop and great location, yet avoidable.

Sure, there are cute girls behind the counter. Sure, the name Morning Star sounds kind of hippie which provides hope that they may extend their love to vegans. Sure, the location for downtown Portland employees is great and the prices are affordable. Nonetheless, the cute girls are rude and I can’t bump the image of prepackaged fake meats when I think of this place.

There are a few things that bother me about Morning Star Cafe. First, it is not the fact that their normal menu offers nothing without cheese or meat. In fact, their Specials menu has a permanent item called The Veggie ($6.75) which includes veggies and hummus, a side of chips, and is quite good. The problem I have is that each time I have been there, the person at the register claims they are new and don’t know what they are doing, and sandwiches are routinely served out of order. Additionally, the folks making the sandwiches are completely out of touch with what kind of bread they are using and the inner working of the sandwiches they are making. All of these complaints would be moot if they were in some form pleasant about their ignorance, but shockingly I get the feeling they believe it is a privilege for me to spend my lunch hour there. Luckily I have boundaries for that type of abuse. As for the everyone else, Morning Star is often packed with those who either don’t ask questions, are fooled by the name, or enjoy the abuse.

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: 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.

the lowdown: Chance of Rain | 1522 SE 32nd Ave, Portland, OR 97214 | 503.235.8022 | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Items $5 - $9 | **

Coffee, sandwiches, strange people.

For the foreseeable future I am not covering new territory for Sunday brunch unless the place comes highly acclaimed. I am tired of feeling like I waited all week long to have a great cup of coffee and plate full of tasty vegan grub only to end up with a watered down tofu scramble or charged $13 for 4 individuals plates of food. I want vegan biscuits and gravy, and banana pancakes. I want to be knee deep in tofu scrambles and coffee with soy milk. There is a whole world of restaurants out there that I have already visited and damnit I can’t wait to go back!

You may be asking what triggered the above declaration. Admittedly it is a combination of several disappointing dining experiences and Chance of Rain was my latest escapade. Perhaps it was the 19 year old seated nearby boasting of his 9 shot rum binge the night before, the dust covered chess board missing too many pieces to play a reasonable game, the dilapidated internet computers, or the server sticking his finger in my coffee to fish out a swimming grind. Chance of Rain is a coffee and sandwich shop during the week, brunch spot weekends only. They offer a variety of vegan fare including sandwiches and burritos and for brunch a teriyaki tofu scramble. The scramble, a combination of spinach, mushrooms, soft tofu, onions, and chives, was decent but became secondary to the other elements of the visit. Next weekend - Vita Cafe!

the lowdown: FlavourSpot | North Lombard btwn Greeley & Denver, corner of NE Fremont & Mississippi Ave | 503.289.YUMM | Website | Breakfast, Lunch | Waffles $3.50 - $6 | ****

Unsuspecting food cart offering unique waffle combinations!

Don’t ask me why it took fellow blogger Melisser from TheUrbanHousewife to visit Portland from San Franciso for me to find out about FlavourSpot. Apparently I’ve had my head in the sand for a few weeks too long because the buzz had completely missed me! Anyway, thank god for out of town visitors to spruce things up in a city where you thought you knew it all!

What is FlavourSpot? Simply put, it is a food cart that holds two residences in vacant parking lots around North Portland. They serve sandwich style waffles and black coffee. We rolled up to the Mississippi Ave location last Sunday by bike around 12:30 and the gravel parking lot with chairs scattered about was popping off! The menu consists of a variety of waffle combinations, PB&J, Sausage & Maple Butter, S’More, Nutella and the list goes on. We pulled out four cinder blocks and enjoyed the hyped vegan Sausage & Maple Butter. The magic consists of a folded waffle filled with maple butter and two garden burger sausages (add $.50). It was heavenly but for $6 I was hoping for a bigger portion size because it didn’t take long for me to burn off the 1200 calories on my ride home.

Red and Black Cafe | 400 SE 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97214 | 503.231.3899 | Website |Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee |Items $2 - $6.75 | ****

Coffee shop, sandwich shop, internet cafe, hard core.

There is something to be said about having just been under the knife, in a percecet induced state, and asking my mom to take me to Red and Black Cafe. Maybe on some level I has a sense that I would not be judged based on my appearance, or perhaps I was looking for some vegan love to wipe the pain of my operation away? Regardless, I am still embarrassed for being in public but excited at having found my new favorite coffee shop.

Honestly, I remember very little about the Red and Black Cafe except that it occupies an old home with a huge flag draped outside. The menu is entirely vegan with a variety of sandwiches and baked goods including a TLT (tempeh lettuce and tomato), TLP (tempeh lettuce and pepper), Reuben, and Tuna named “Chicken of the Soy”. I feasted on the TLT accompanied by blue corn chips for $6.25. The last thing I remember is thinking it was excellent before passing out.

the lowdown: Jace Gace | 2045 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97214 | 503.239.1887 | Website | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour | Items $5 - $8 | ***

Waffles all day long!

I had started to wonder how long it would take before I ran out of places to write about. Then last week I was humbled by the constant stream of possibilities when an old friend introduced me to the latest trend, waffles! Just when you think you are one with the dining landscape of Portland, a savory waffle puts you in your place.

Jace Gace is as unexpected as paying $400K for a one bedroom condo on Belmont. The modern decor is intertwined with poignant art installations that change at least monthly and offer dramatic messages whose meaning you can ponder while chowing down your waffle. The menu clearly outlines the vegan options which include a traditional, savory, and sweet waffle. I started off with the “Avocado Rancheros”, a waffle topped with black beans, avocado, ranchero sauce and tofu cilantro sour cream. The Belgian style waffle was thick and crispy and although an unconventional combination, it was rather tasty! It didn’t take much for my friend and I to convince ourselves that we should split the sweet option, the “Pina Colada”. A waffle drenched in coconut, pineapple, and banana. Two waffles and a mug of french press. I keep trying with the hope that one day, I will be a hipster!