Date: July 6, 2007
Times Visited: Too many to count
Some may say it’s not authentic, some may say it’s too greasy; we say screw you- it’s fantastic!
We’ve been crazy about Vege Thai since the first time we tried it. Recently, their somewhat short-lived food cart closed downtown, so we’ve been making a point to visit the restaurant on SE Hawthorne Blvd. once again. With affordable prices ($6.95-$9.95 dinner entrees), a very friendly owner and the protein options of tofu, veggie beef pepper steak, chicken and shrimp, Vege Thai has earned its place in our stomachs and hearts. The versatile menu includes curries, soups, noodle dishes, vegetable and rice dishes,
addictive appetizers, thai iced coffees and more.
Please note that some fake meats are available vegetarian and vegan, so vegan must be specified. The kitchen is quite accommodating, with only the Gai todd, half a soy chicken, unable to be replaced with a vegan substitute this particular night. My favorite meal items are the pad see u, pad thai supreme and the yellow pineapple curry. I couldn’t get enough of their sweet pad thai when I first moved to town, but I’m glad I started exploring their other options. In general, meal portions are large so you’ll have a meal for tommorow, and going with a group and sharing plates (especially the appetizer sampler) is a delicious time. JD
I think the most important thing to remember when eating at Vege Thai is that the food is not entirely Thai or Chinese. It must be a mixture in between called fantastic!
Try the sampler as an appraiser to start, it’s a great way to try as many things as possible. I always suggest the pad thai supreme, which is similar to pad thai with peanut sauce on top. My other favorites include the cashew chicken and the glass noodles with garlic. Try the thai iced tea or coffee. Sometime they use coconut milk instead of soy creamer and it makes for a wonderfully smooth drink. -WB
Go there again and again and pester them about re-opening the lunch cart!
Chicken Nuggets
Fried Tofu
The Sampler:
Fried Rice
Glass Noodles with Garlic
Lunch special soup
Yellow Pineapple Curry with soy chicken
Yellow Pineapple Curry with tofu
Pineapple Fried Rice
Pad See Ew with Beef Pepper Steak
Pad See Ew with Soy Chicken:
Pad Thai with tofu:
Pumpkin Curry:
Beef Broccoli:
Pra Ram:
Rating: 5 out of 5
Location: 3272 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214
Hours: Monday – Friday 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday – Sunday 12:00 am – 9:00 pm
Stumptown Vegans Map
16 responses so far ↓
Mindy // July 4, 2007 at 11:48 am |
I just ate and this post makes me want to eat again. Why must I live so far from Vege Thai…
Kate // July 6, 2007 at 10:04 pm |
They have the best fried won tons I have ever had in my life. Their crispiness is perfection and they don’t over fill them.
getsconed // July 7, 2007 at 3:30 am |
Kate, do you mean the appetizer? I like that they started adding some protein into them, too.
Man, I love Vege Thai. I am so devastated that their food cart closed (although my health thanks me).
Amanda Ellison // July 10, 2007 at 10:04 pm |
We visited VegeThai while in Portland in May. The restaurant was bustling with people and the food did not disappoint. They were great about telling me the vegan fake meat options. We got the sampler platter and really enjoyed it. I second your 5 of 5 rating!!
karla // July 14, 2007 at 1:17 pm |
dude, i could eat their chicken nuggets all day long!
Van Hanh Vegetarian Restaurant « Stumptown Vegans // September 22, 2007 at 1:19 am |
[...] Portland also has Vege Thai, Bay Leaf and Vegetarian House all offering vegetarian Asian closer into the city, but what the [...]
Van Hanh Vegetarian Restaurant « Stumptown Vegans // September 22, 2007 at 3:46 am |
[...] the spring rolls are under 3 dollars and my medium sized pho was $5.95. Sure, Portland also has Vege Thai, Bay Leaf and Vegetarian House all offering vegetarian Asian closer into the city, but what the [...]
Thai Peacock « Stumptown Vegans // December 19, 2007 at 12:20 am |
[...] soy sauce and a variety of spicy peppers to bring some flavor to this poor, oily dish. Why did the Vege Thai Cart have to leave [...]
Pad Thai Kitchen « Stumptown Vegans // August 4, 2008 at 11:10 pm |
[...] readers should be confident that the Stumptown Vegans are very wary of Thai that’s not from Vege Thai – we’ve been tricked by even ‘vegetarian’ marked entrees that turned fishy. We [...]
E-San Thai « Stumptown Vegans // August 25, 2008 at 11:54 am |
[...] Angel dish, Salad Rolls, and salad with peanut sauce (which is very similar to the Swimming Angel). Vege Thai – please open up your downtown cart [...]
I Love Thai Food cart « Stumptown Vegans // October 28, 2008 at 6:52 am |
[...] Food cart opened, the downtown vegan lunchers had a dash of hope that it would be run by the former Vege Thai food cart owner, but alas, it’s not. This bright yellow carton SW 10th did have a menu [...]
anonymous // December 21, 2008 at 6:56 pm |
gawd, vegethai is disgusting. I had their pad thai and I swear it was rice noodles with ketchup and a little extra vinegar. I could derive more flavor from styrofoam peanuts and wallpaper paste. I have to give this place a -1 and want to recommend Sweet Basil, who really get it right, and have vegan options all over their menu.
Thai Palace « Stumptown Vegans // February 26, 2009 at 5:19 am |
[...] Vege Thai [...]
Just Thai food cart « Stumptown Vegans // May 10, 2009 at 9:04 am |
[...] support and profit from it. The thought of a new all-vegan Thai (RIP short-lived, but well loved, Vege Thai cart) taking the lead from the new Gorditos II, [...]
Episode 6: The Let Live Conference « Stumptown Vegans Podcasts // June 9, 2009 at 3:11 am |
[...] Vege Thai [...]
Araya’s Palace Lunch Buffet (in Seattle) « Stumptown Vegans // January 1, 2010 at 1:10 am |
[...] weekday lunch buffet ($7.99 per person). I know exactly why it took me so long. Portland has Vege Thai, Pad Thai Kitchen, Thai Food Café, and more vegan friendly Thai food. Araya was simply a [...]