Stumptown Vegans

The Limp Noodle

November 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The Limp Noodle Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
6.5 9 5 6 6
Location: SW 3rd and Ash Portland, OR
Hours: M-F Lunch, Weekends: Late Times Visited: 2

The Limp Noodle cart has relocated to the corner of 3rd and SW Ash, next to Rick’s Wild Seafood (they don’t have any vegan options, well, maybe the drinks)   and the Ninja Cart. The move came after a summer of traveling to serving festival patrons. The bright red box of a cart reads “Italian Pasta” and “The Limp Noodle” , with a cute dancing ravioli.

The menu is simple – meatball subs, spaghetti with marinara, spaghetti with meatballs, and ravioli, but only one vegan option - spaghetti with marinara. The cart is very clean inside, which must be easy since most the food is prepackaged. You won’t find fresh made pasta here. You will find quick lunch food for a great price. Every time I’ve eaten here I’ve never waited longer than 5 minutes. 5 minutes for $5.

The egg-free, packaged spaghetti (no other pasta shapes are offered) is cooked to order and coated with a simmering cart-made marinara. The noodles are not served al dente as I would have expected, but cooked perfectly through without being too hard or soft. They’ve got it down to the T here. I was surprised to find that even after a 5 minute walk back to the office the noodles were still not overcooked or mushy at that point, but still perfectly firm and tender. The sauce is medium in chunkiness and overall fairly mild with garlic undertones. The sheen of olive oil on the sauce was a bit unnerving but did help to transfer the great tomato taste to each of my taste buds. The Limp Noodle could take a page from Yarp?! and provide a shaker of nutritional yeast to add some flavor and attract some vegans.

The dish comes with a complementary piece of focaccia and a small side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. The bread is from the wonderful Pearl Street Bakery a few blocks away. Fortunately, the bread is vegan, and perfectly fluffy and firm with a sprinkling of herbs on top. The problem with the little container of mixed olive oil and vinegar is that it’s difficult to taste the vinegar. I shook up the container, opened the lid quickly and stuck my bread in only to be coated with olive oil before reaching the balsamic. While we all love the food that comes from our carts, there can be issues with the way it is served in various containers. I later found the best solution was to add a dollop of tomato sauce and shake it well.

If you’re looking for a quick and simple pasta lunch before heading to Voodoo Doughnut, spend 5 minutes and $5 for a Pastini type of meal (they use the same noodles as Pastini). Two facts set The Limp Noodle apart from other carts – it’s open late on the weekends (this is good for the club going crowd), and they take Visa and Master Card. Not being a big pasta fan I won’t make The Limp Noodle a staple cart in my lunch options, but I will put it in my top quick and cheap list.

Spaghetti with Marinara:
Itilian_Pasta

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Italian · SW · cart · cheap · downtown · lunch · quick · to go · webly

Chef Naoko Bento

October 29, 2009 · 1 Comment

Chef Naoko Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
7.25 9 8 6 6
Location: 1237 SW Jefferson St Portland, OR 97201
Hours: Tues-Sat 11:30am-3pm Times Visited: 4

~
Trying to break my wonderful food cart habit, I headed to Taste of Jakarta for a second visit one day. They were temporarily closed, so I popped into Chef Naoko next door for a casual sit down meal. This lunch spot had been slipping my mind for some time – the pull of trying every single vegan friendly food cart is fierce.

Chef Naoko is a lunch time, bento based café with limited hours and two fresh vegan meals for your consideration. Chef Naoko sources locally with Ota Tofu and keeps with the beautiful tradition of using local, organic produce in their authentic Japanese cooking. The proprietor, Naoko Tamura, was raised by one of Japan’s leaders in their organic food movement, and has a strong history with the organic culinary field.

The café itself is a small, popular establishment with a crowd different than most of hustle and bustle I’m accustomed to downtown.  It’s a mix of business folks, student types, and leisurely lunchers.  Getting a table can be a matter of luck.  There are a handful of tables for two, including high tables, a couple for four, and weather permitting, two more tiny outdoor round tables.  The outdoor tables are of the tiny metal variety that I never feel comfortable at, so if I’m looking to dine outdoors I head to the South Park Blocks. It’s nearly a nook of an eatery, so if you veer towards claustrophobia, I’d recommend taking your meal to go. I’d be comfortable lunching with a friend, but skip it as a business lunch spot or place to dwell alone over rice and barley tea.

All staff members at Chef Naoko I’ve spoken with have been very knowledgeable in regards to their menu and vegan options.  It was confirmed via email prior to my first visit that there are two clearly vegan options: the Farmers Veggie Bento ($9) and the Jefferson Tofu Bowl ($6.75).  There is always an option for tofu on the weekly Business Bento selection, and a couple other items can be modified.

There’s a certain delight that comes with being served a bento box, and there are curious elements in the Farmers Veggie Bento, but the most enticing elements are those that also make up the Jefferson Tofu Bowl. It’s the lengthy pieces of fried tofu, vegetables, and steamed rice with house tomato sauce or teriyaki sauce that bring me back to Chef Naoko.  The box is made up of segmented departments, which includes the veggies and rice, a cold, slightly grilled, adorable cube of tofu with dollop of sauce, a salad topped with hijiki, and ginger dressings, and a side of chilled eggplant. The delicate texture of the cooked eggplant is intriguing at best.

For less money, I say skip the presentable box and go for the Jefferson Tofu Bowl.  If you order it to go, it’s served in a large, reusable bowl with a lid. It’s a simple combination of moist brown rice, topped with sautéed cabbage, green pepper, thinly sliced carrots, onions, tofu, a light and sweet teriyaki sauce, and sesame seeds.  The spongy tofu is cut into large squares, which I like to tear into small pieces and savor mixed with the sweet sauce. I assume it’s spent some time in the freezer, if you know what I mean. And I don’t know how they do it, but their sauces to veggies to rice ratio is right on. Whatever their measuring system is – stay in place!  Note that I have not seen any hot sauces available, and there is no heat to the sauce. If you require Sriracha, you’re out of luck.  Enjoy the flavor of the well cooked vegetables.

With their speedy service, satisfying food, and weekly Business Bento offerings, Chef Naoko seems to be a staple for takeout lunch in the Safeway neighborhood.  My takeout orders have assembled within minutes of ordering.  Ironically, when I’ve dined-in my wait has been noticeably longer, but we’re still talking within 10-12 minutes of sitting down.  Nearby PSU students should take note, I rarely such satisfying quick lunches in college.

Look at this, a Stumptown Vegan recommending yet another bowl meal in Portland.

FYI, The staff at Chef Naoko does not accept tips.  Not being able to tip just makes me want to return for another meal sooner.

Farmers Veggie Bento

Chef Naoko Bento

Jefferson Teriyaki Tofu Bowl
Chef Naoko Bento

Chef Naoko Bento

Exterior
Chef Naoko

Chef Naoko on Urbanspoon

→ 1 CommentCategories: SW · downtown · jess · lunch · psu · quick
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Todbott’s Triangles

October 27, 2009 · 13 Comments

Updated 10/28/2009 We hear that Todd has opened a small, rice ball-selling storefront around NE 28th and Alberta. Congrats, Todd!

 

 

As a farmer’s market addict, I often find myself eating a fresh piece of fruit or picking from pint of berries while walking around. The samples will only satisfy one’s hunger so much. While the fresh produce at the market is wonderful, so are the vegan-friendly food vendors. The locally crafted food is a reason to go in itself, with vendors like Dave’s Killer Bread, Tastebud Pita, Sweetpea Baking Company, Hoda’s, and the newest addition of Todbott’s Triangles.

The triangles, which are really rice balls, have been sold wholesale to the People’s and Alberta Co-ops for a while now, but Todd has recently started tabling at the People’s and Eastbank markets. He wanted to show people how appetizing the fresh ones were that he prepares for each order. As a food vendor, Todd is one of the friendliest I’ve come across. The preparation itself takes less than a couple of minutes, and before you know it you’re walking away with a rice ball. I mean, triangle.

It was the cheap price of $2 that first caught my eye. This was followed by the quick realization that this was something cheap and vegan! There is usually one vegan variety available, if not two. There is a vegetarian ball with honey, but the filling is premixed so it cannot be prepared sans honey. He also makes a ball with salmon that will be sold at the Eastbank market, but not People’s.

Depending on how you eat them, the balls can be on messy side. You can pick it up and bite into it, carefully keeping the wrapper in each bite, or get yourself a fork if you must. Traditionally called o-nigiri, the balls consist of a salty filling encased in lightly seasoned blend of organic white and brown sushi rice, all seated in a piece of dried nori. Todd’s signs describe them as both balls and triangles, so think what you will. I’ve heard them sweetly called heart shaped as well.

I’ve tried three flavors now, and each has satisfied every craving for salt that my mouth could possibly have. The dulse, soy sauce, and sweet sesame is a pleasant combination of sweet vs. salty. It’s like when you pour just enough soy sauce on your rice and didn’t over do it. The tempeh, local shiitake, miso, and tahini has a more rounded out salty vibe, with textured tempeh and tender shiitakes making for a substantial filling. There is another tempeh filled, with mustard, with an excellent amount of spice upon reaching the middle. As with all of them, make sure to eat some rice and filling at the same time to even out the bite. No need for soy sauce or wasabi with these gems, they are perfectly flavored. They all stand on their own as fantastically yet appropriately salty experiences.

The unfamiliar may assume these balls are too simple and boring and overlook them. If you are a fan of sushi at all, or just a fan of salty flavors, stop by a farmer’s market, pick up your produce and try this snack. You could make a small meal out of two of them, but I think it’s best to eat one. Recently I bought two, and even though it was dinner time, I was full with half of each and saved the rest for another small meal. There’s no need to fuss over the same old veggies in your boring vegan sushi anymore. Now that I’ve had the fresh and the refrigerated, I have to agree that the fresh are far better.

Todbott’s rice balls are a welcome, vegan-friendly addition to the farmer’s market food vendors.
Definitely unique. Definitely tasty.

Rice Balls
may 2008 early 051

april 12 031

The cart
may 2008 early 050

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Markets: People’s Coop Farmer’s Market
Wednesdays Year-Round 3pm-7pm
3029 SE 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97202

Eastbank Farmer’s Market
Thursdays 5/15/2008 – 9/25/2008 3:30pm-7:30pm
Hinson Church, SE Salmon and 20th

→ 13 CommentsCategories: NE · SE · cheap · jess · snack · sushi

Savor Soup House Cart

October 27, 2009 · 10 Comments

Updated 10/27/2009 -

Vegan grilled cheese is back at Savor Soup House! They are using Daiya cheddar, and grilling it wonderfully.  I swore I despised Daiya till I tried it this way.  I recommend adding sliced tomato. It’s still pricey at $5/sandwich, but the slices are big, it’s cooked quickly, and well, look at this:

Savor Soup House does Daiya

Updated June 23, 2009 -

Sorry folks, the vegan cheese is no longer available, but we hear folks ask about it now and then. If you want it, let them know! The soups, however, are still fantastic! I had a superb bowl of tomato, fennel and orange this afternoon.

Savor Soup House Cart Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
8.5 9 9 8 8
Location: 1003 SW Alder Portland, OR
Hours: 11am-4pm, M-F Times Visited: 2

The glowing review of this food cart is at my fingertips.  I want you to visit this mini house-shaped  business that warms my heart and feeds my stomach with its sincerity. There are two things that halt review from the get go, besides the obvious problems of you not being able to visit if you don’t happen to go downtown on weekdays, or if you’re one of those crazy people who fear food carts.

Let’s quickly get them out of the way:

1) While a cup of soup is reasonably priced at $3.50, and a bowl for $5, leaving with a cup plus a basic vegan grilled cheeze had me willingly taking $8.50 plus tip out of my pocket.  It was a wholesome meal that was worth it, which I’ll discuss soon, but spending above the $6 range on my lunch hour without leftovers isn’t financially responsible of me, no matter how much of a soup and grilled cheeze habit I want to enter into.

2) The split pea begged for more salt. I like salty food and left the cart without doing so, my bad.  They do have salt and hot sauces available on the counter.

With those notes out of the way, let me admit that it truly is going to be difficult not developing a soup and grilled cheeze habit this spring.

With its infamous rainy season, Portland is obviously a city with eight months of soup appropriate weather. Check the bottom of this post for local vegan soup recommendations. This past January, a new cart brought more vegan soup to the downtown lunch crowd. Run by chef Nancy Ettinger of Savor Portland, Savor Soup House is a pastel, picturesque cart with a light pink roof and a big spoon on its sign on the corner of SW 10th and Alder, just above the cart mania on 9th. The cart prides itself on being local, seasonal, and sustainable – three things Portlanders love to hear and eat.  A loyalty card encourages you to bring your own container ten times and receive a cup of free soup. There are no tables provided, but O’Bryant Park is around the corner with plenty of wall to perch on.

There seems to be at least one vegan soup per day, if not two, although sometimes you will need to request a non-vegan addition on the top to be left off. This is the case with a recent French Onion Soup, which is labeled as vegan, specifically minus the goat cheese toasts. Typically, you get two slices of Grand Central bread with your serving. Vegan soup choices have included Tomato with Fennel and Orange, Hungarian Mushroom with Fresh Dill, Curried Cauliflower and Red Lentil, Indian Spiced Lentil, and Smoky Split Pea. They also serve stews for a bit more per bowl, but they’ve yet to include a vegan option.

This Stumptown Vegan has tried two soups so far. The Curried Cauliflower and Red Lentil was a visually appealing golden cup of the pulses with spots of cauliflower and colorful chunks of red tomato. At first spoonful, the soup was seemed a tad bland. By sips two and three, I realized there was a buildup in the mingling of subtle spices.  By what could have been spoonfuls thirteen and fourteen of this semi-thick cup of lentils, I realized I was not going to have leftovers.  It’s a wonderful, memorable variation of a classic soup.

The Smoky Split Pea was listed as flavored with fresh herbs, inluding thyme and rosemary, and smoked paprika.  As I mentioned earlier, it just seemed to be missing something. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a soup I would order again, but I would reach for something to enrich this otherwise delicious earthy, green, and creamy porridge.  Surely these soups are made in big batches, and hopefully the next cup of split pea will fulfill the saltier and smokier potential.

A cup with the side of bread is a satisfying amount of food for lunch, but if you have a big appetite opt for the bowl.  If you’re even hungrier and looking for more vegan comfort food, please try the vegan grilled cheeze. Savor Soup House has a gourmet grilled cheese menu with additions of Dijon mustard and caramelized onions, and they have added Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheddar to the menu  for us vegans. At a base price of $5, it’s a well-melted, sunny orange filled sandwich on perfectly grilled, sliced como bread that is cooked pressed-style on a griddle right in the cart. If you like this brand of packaged vegan cheeze or are curious to try it, support this cart’s vegan grilled cheeze effort and stop by.

Besides the beloved Bye & Bye, the only other place I can think of in town to get a classic grilled vegan cheeze is your kitchen, but correct me if I’m wrong!  If I didn’t dislike fennel so much, I’d be all over a cup of their Tomato Soup and a Grilled Cheeze, and simply in denial about the price and brown bagging it the rest of the week- because it is totally worth it.

You can follow the cart on twitter here.  It’s an active feed with updates on the daily soups.

Cup of Curried Cauliflower and Red Lentil with side of bread
Savor Soup cart

Cup of Smoky Split Pea and Grilled Cheeze
Savor Soup House

Grilled Cheeze
Savor Soup House

The cart
Savor Soup House cart

Looking for more great vegan soup options in Portland?  Check out No Fish! Go Fish! (which also has a cart downtown), Sweetpea Bakery(rotates seitan stew!), Red & Black Cafe, Papa G’s Deli, and Blue Moose to name a few.

Chef Naoko on Urbanspoon

→ 10 CommentsCategories: SW · cart · cheap · downtown · jess · quick · soup · to go · updated