Stumptown Vegans

Date: August 19, 2007
Times Visited: Too Many Too Count

Hotlips Pizza offers vegan pizza fans the cheapest slice in town. At $2.50, their vegan slice is actually a thick triangle of focaccia, adorned with seasonal, local produce and a base of cilantro pesto, sundried tomato pesto or olive oil and garlic. The local chain’s four locations are in the Pearl District, SE on Hawthorne Blvd, NE 33rd and PSU and all tend to have the focaccia by the slice. Each location will also make an entire vegan pie ($17.20) for dine it, take out or delivery.

My favorite location is on Hawthorne, which typically has the sundried tomato pesto. The beauty of this local chain truly is the variety and appreciation of the local produce they work with. This week your slice may have shiitake mushrooms, Walla Walla onions and arugula, and next week you’re looking at black olives, summer squash and roasted red pepper. In that respect, the element of surprise is there. I must say that I go in hoping it’s not a cilantro pesto day at PSU, but if it is, there are also fresh salads and some locations offer vegan sandwiches. Unfortunately, the tempting bread sticks are not vegan. If you dig hot sauce, be sure to check out their chipotle and habanero varieties, to give your slice an extra zing. These hot sauces, as well as local berry sodas and pickled jalapenos, are all available bottled to go. On top of it all, Hot Lips has the crispest pepperocinis in town. They also have microbrews on tap.

Vegan Foccacia slice

Rating: 4 out of 5
Address: 2223 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214
Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 12pm-9pm

Updated 4/12/2008 - Sad news - Stumptown Vegans have been informed that the hot pot always has fish sauce and cannot be made vegan - beware!  We’ve asked in the past and been reassured, so never stop asking!

Date: August 24, 2007
Times Visited: 3

Oh man, Pho Jasmine, you’ve got me hooked. Two convincing recommendations from friends have recently brought me to check out this spot across from my evening class. It’s quickly become just the meal I need and can squeeze in right after work before class at PCC Cascade. I think the restaurant itself is adorable, and the waitress I’ve had at every meal is incredibly helpful with vegan information. I’ve been told the food isn’t quite authentic, but as I’ve never had authentic Vietnamese food to my knowledge, I’m content.

My wait for food on has always been less than 10-15 minutes, and the environment is quite relaxing. I’ve propped a book open both times and felt quite as ease. So far I’ve tried the cashew tofu, the tofu and vegetables over vermicelli with peanut sauc and the tofu and braised gluten hot pot.

Most of the tofu at Pho Jasmine is fried and then cut into long strips – so you get that tender inside and some firmness on the edges. I’ve had no problems ordering vegan here, and they understand what it means – no taste of fish or oyster sauce, no bits of chicken, just tofu as my protein source, savory sauce with garlic and fresh vegetables (I subbed broccoli for onions) in the cashew tofu. I ordered the dish as is, “mild” and added a few quirts of Srichi hot sauce to my entrée with its included side of well cooked white rice. The vermicelli dish is not something I’d typically ordered but I decided to give it a try as per the waitress’s recommendation and statement about the peanut sauce being not only vegetarian, but vegan. The cold, uncooked vermicelli noodles came in a large bowl, topped with lightly sautéed tofu and vegetables, along with cool cucumber and peanuts. The peanut sauce was served in a small bowl on the side, so I could add as I liked. The hot pot is the dish I had the most raves about, and I have to admit I found it overwhelmingly spicy and a bit of a ginger overload for me. However, the tofu and gluten itself were delectable, and the presentation in the pot itself was charming.

Vegetarian dishes range in price from $7-9, and have provided me with enough leftovers to justify a takeout box for a second small meal. I’m glad I’ve had the chance to so conveniently check this place out. If I lived nearby, I would definitely indulge in take out.

Tofu and Vegetable Vermicilli bowl

Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Address: 714 N Killingsworth Portland, OR 97217-2336

Date: August 17, 2007
Times visited: 2

Recently Stumptown Vegans had one of those waitpersons that make your day, and what we do, even easier. Our waitress at Bush Gardens, after hearing us inquire about the soup broths, asked if we were vegan. She had recently dined with a vegan friend at the restaurant, and and knew exactly what was and what could be vegan. Don’t go for the broths or tempura, but feel free to indulge in vegetable combinations not found on the menu. The sushi chef himself was also knowledgeable and ready to adapt sushi rolls for us.

I chose the vegetable roll, and though the menu said burdock root (which I had stuck in my mind since my trip to Nushell) I do think it was carrot instead. The roll includes the burdock root, cucumber, avocado and cute radish sprouts. The presentation made me smile, as the price of sushi tends to anyway. The avocado was mushier that I’d prefer, but it was still a tasty roll plus a bit of lite soy sauce and tamari. I just try to get the thought of everyone gmo-soy out of my head.

The Umeshiso sushi was simple in ingredients but intense with flavor. The shiso, sometimes interfered to as the Japanese basil, was as strong as the sour plum which was nice neither over powered. These were cute, tightly wrapped sushi that held up nicely with soy sauce and ginger.

Not yet with enough soy, we both ordered inari as well. I like to treat myself to its simple deliciousness and enjoyed my first piece, though both of our second pieces tasted a bit alcoholic, strangely. All in all, it was an adequately priced sushi lunch, and I could see myself returning to the quiet restaurant. Their weekday happy hour from 5pm-7pm  includes cheap sushi and could tempt us back one day soon.

Umeshiso Sushi:

Veggie Roll and Inari:

Rating: 2.75 out of 5
Address: 900 SW Morrison St. Portland, OR 97205
Hours:
Bar&Dining Lunch
M-F 11:30-2:00
Dinner
M-Thu 5:00–10:00
F-Sat 5:00–10:30

Date: August 15, 2007
Times Visited: Too many to count

Portland Farmers Markets are an almost magical experience of organic vegetables, tempting food vendors and pushing through the happy crowds to get to that loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread and pint of cherry tomatoes.  Besides sampling galore, the vegan eats at the main markets include the obvious produce samples, Salvador Molly’s vegan tamales, falafel from Hoda’s and Basha’s, vegan baked goods from Blacksheep Bakery and Sweetpea Bakery, and salads and freshly baked whole wheat pita pockets  from Tastebud Farms – which can be enjoyed at the Wednesday downtown market, Saturday PSU market and the Hillsdale market on Sundays.

Tastebud Farms comes to the markets with their gorgeous mobile wood-fired brick oven in tow. Their vegan options consist of seeded flat bread, salad and the vegetable pita. I had the vegetable pita again this week, and look forward to my next opportunity. The pita itself is rustic and chewy, there’s whole chickpea hummus, wheat berry salad with fresh vegetables (currently juicy tomatoes) and a dairy free pesto, field greens, tahini and optional chili sauce. I like to include a couple squirts of the chili sauce in mine, and eat it partially in the pita and then picking with a fork. Earlier in the season, instead of tomatoes their wheat berry salad contained perfectly roasted asparagus. Look, this pita pocket will not blow you away, but it just may captivate your taste buds out of your $6 with its wholesome, organic, fresh tasting goodness. Can you get any more wholesome and vegetarian than fresh baked pita filled with local produce, homemade sauces and chickpeas?

So, give it a try when you find yourself at the market with Tastebud. Even if I have to wait 2-15+ minutes for one, it’s worth it. There are usually a roasted vegetable addition, such as shiitakes, available but I have not tried it yet, I like it how it is. Tastebud Farms also rents out their portable brick oven, if you’re interested - and please invite me over if so.

Veggie Pita

The stand

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address:
PSU Farmer’s Market
Saturday’s 8:30AM - 2PM
Located at South Park blocks at Portland State University. Runs May through Thanksgiving

Park and Salmon Farmer’s Market
Wednesday’s 9AM - 2PM
Located at SW Park and Main (Just East of the Portland Art Museum). Runs May through the last week of October

Hillsdale Farmer’s Market
Sunday’s 10AM - 2PM
The Hillsdale Farmers’ Market is located in the Wilson High-Rieke Elementary Parking Lot. The main entrance to the parking lot is located at the intersection of SW Sunset Blvd. and SW Capitol Hwy. just behind the Hillsdale Shopping Center. May through the last week of October