Stumptown Vegans

Date: January 19, 2008
Times Visited: 4

The Farm Cafe is a cozy Portland favorite with a sole vegan entrée on their menu that I adore. The entrée is so reliably delicious that Stumptown Vegans included it on our ‘Top 10 Best Things We’ve Eaten in Portland” list in the most recent Travel issue of Herbivore Magazine.

Located just off of East Burnside on SE 7th, The Farm is an intimate, local and seasonal produce-focused (hence the name) restaurant that only serves fish and veg*n meals. The building itself is a quaint, little house with mellow lighting and smaller tables.

The problem with eating vegan food at the farm is not the short list of options, but in the wait to order. The Farm proves to be a hip dinner spot, and my wait was over an hour on a Saturday night. This was anticipated, and my dining companion and I waited out on the covered back patio, while many other parties arrived and immediately left after learning the wait time. The bar area greets you when you first walk in, and unless you insist on waiting in the doorway or find a seat at the bar, head to the back patio under the heat lamps. Drinks can be ordered at the bar to take outside and added to your bill. The patio itself could use some more seating to alleviate a crowded bar room.

There is more than one vegan appetizer, and veganizable salads, such as the Roasted Beet with walnut vinaigrette. The bowl of local hazelnuts ($5) roasted with Tabasco, brown sugar and rosemary was the type of dish my culinary mind immediately made note to decipher the taste and recreate at home. I spied a bowl out on the patio while being seated, and had I know I could have ordered these from the bar, I would have. One appetizer would have sufficed my party of two, but the roasted garlic and toasted baguette ($5) is also a great choice. It is short on the bread in comparison to the two heads, but use that as a reason to smother a slice with garlic, even if it is date night. There is also a hummus plate, edamame and sautéed mushrooms with herbs (request it with oil, not butter).

There’s a lot of hype about the tofu ($12), so I’ll try to break it down. Rest assure that you will not moan at your table, but you just may inside your head. Before dining here, I had many friends recommend it very enthusiastically. Just read this description from the menu: “Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushrooms Marsala: Breaded and herbed tofu cutlets with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and Crimini Mushroom Marsala”. The savory breading is seared onto the chewy tofu, which consists of three pieces propped up against a mound of creamy potatoes. The mushroom marsala sauce is tangy, earthy and makes the meal a fancy stand out. I like this dish even more knowing that by design alone it compares up to other dishes on the menu. It’s not something a good vegan cook couldn’t figure similarly out at home, but it is a multi-part meal that is not going to be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.

Drink wise, The Farm has a cool cocktail list of both hot and cold drinks at average prices. My personal favorite is the aptly named OLCC ($7) - a colorful mix of blood orange, chocolate and lime. I’ve yet to encounter a vegan dessert, but I’ve been told it happens. Think warm fruits and sorbet.

If you’re going with another vegan, you may luck out with a daily special that is vegan-friendly, but you’ll probably end up ordering the same meal. You’ll lack the chance to try each other’s food, but if tofu is a plus, cherish the atmosphere and delicious meal together. Give it a try when on a date with a fish or cheese eater, or with a small group of friends. Take your parents and a friend or significant other. Consider a weeknight meal as a special treat and beat the crowd!

It would be sweet to see another vegan option or two on the menu, being that there are other vegetarian ones, but until that time comes, I’m set. My eyebrows rise at the very thought of eating that tofu again - $12 well spent!

Roasted Garlic Appetizer:

Roasted Hazelnuts:

Herb Crusted Tofu:

Tequila Mockingbird and Rogue Hazelnut Nectar:

Rating: 4 out of 5
Address: 10 SE 7th Ave. Portland, OR

Updated 4/12/2008 We have a How-To dine at Papa G’s guide coming soon! For now, we recommend the daily specials - 4.99 for one entree and one side dish, or 7.99 for two and two.

Seven Corner Bicycles moved to SE Powell over a year ago, and it’s cute, little building was vacant until this past month, when Papa G’s took over. Formerly serving hot food items and a salad bar at the now defunct Daily Grind, I am welcoming Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli to the neighborhood with open arms.

Sure, nearby New Seasons has great vegan offerings, but Papa G’s has a more versatile selection that you don’t have to walk past meat and cheese to get to. Everything is deli style, and most dishes are by the pound (exceptions include the baked goods, drinks and soups). Main dish options are $8.75/lb and side dishes are $4.99/lb. The deli cases are like Fred Meyer’s meets the hippielicious coop of your dreams. Currently, there are bottled beverages, nondairy milks, and espresso drinks but no straight up coffee. There are casual tables inside, and my fingers are crossed for outdoor seating this spring.

The dish that’s been creating the most buzz, and I positively agree, is the BBQ tofu. The combination of the chewy texture and smoky, exquisitely spicy taste of the ‘fu with its thick sauce have me hooked. I’ve heard it compared to ‘steak tips’, and while I’ve never had those, I can see where the idea is coming from. It is served cold, but perhaps the staff can heat it if you like.
While I can’t call it cheap, Papa G’s strives to be organic, and it is entirely vegan. A recent dinner, pictured below*, cost me about $7.50 (I got an additional $1 discount with this February coupon). My salad was small, but I did have heavy items like chickpeas and tofu. I dig the ranch dressing. It’s very light (and thus cost effective) but there are also thousand island and goddess dressings available. My pictured dinner consisted of BBQ tofu, black beans and brown rice. The latter two were basic, working well with the extremely flavorful main choice.

Among the sides, the mashed potatoes with ginger gravy are herby and chunky. I prefer their mushroom gravy, but if you can accept savory ginger and mashed potatoes like my partner, you’re in the clear. I’ve only seen the coconut ‘smashed’ yams a couple times, but I’m keeping my eyes peeled for this decadent treat. Their mac and cheeze reminds of the first good vegan version I had - creamy, comforting, and homemade.

Papa G’s packaged tofus are definitely worth mentioning and are cheapest on site ($3). The tofu is really firm and comes in the garlicky Original and Savory Sesame. It is available packaged to go and on the salad bar - it’s great crumbled in salads or eaten plain and cold.

There’s also a breakfast bar, which features yellow tofu scramble, oatmeal, sweet grits, granola and housemade milks and yogurt. Hazelnut milk? Cashew milk? Coconut Kefir? Yes, please. Some of their items, like the tofu scramble and roasted potatoes, are pretty mild in taste. I suppose it’s a comforting notion, which means they can appeal to taste buds across the board. There are more vibrant flavors throughout day, in dishes like their Stronganoff, coconut greens, curried vegetables, that BBQ tofu again, and rotating specials. And did I mention biscuits and mushroom gravy by the pound? They biscuits were dense, but that actually wasn’t a bad thing - it just made me want more gravy. And no line! No wait! Though with their options, I won’t be surprised as that changes.

Stumptown Vegans will revisit this review, and Papa G’s, over the next few months as it develops. What a treat to have an utterly vegan deli for nights when you don’t want to cook! You simply need to decide how much you want vs. how much you obviously want to pay. There’s a lot to try, and while I wasn’t wild about the lasagna, that’s simply crossed off my list and I get to move onto trying countless other dishes.

Let us know if you have a favorite! And no offense, but a lot of the food looks straight from a table at a crunchy vegan potluck, which some people may find daunting, or delicious. Once you dig in, it’s up to you.

BBQ tofu, black beans and brown rice*

From the salad bar*


Mashed potatoes with Ginger Gravy

Grits and Roasted Potatoes

Tofu Scramble, Biscuits and Mushroom Gravy

BBQ Tofu


Roasted Potatoes and Ginger Gravy

Smashed Yams and Quinoa with Tofu

Savory Sesame Tofu package and a Brownie

Rating: To Be Determined in Time!
Address: 2314 SE Division St. Portland, OR
Monday-Friday 9am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 8am - 6pm

Date: January 24, 2008
Times Visited: 2

Visiting The Player’s Zone for the first time is like entering the fast paced corporate world at 15. Everyone in business suites had clearly flown down from their personal cells within Big Pink everyday for years and walked the hot bar and salad bar line thousands of time. I felt out of place and slow in this cafeteria lunch spot. Luckily, this is Portland and I was able to joke about it being my first time to those behind me and offer them to pass me as I cut my teeth on The Player’s Zone salad bar culture.

First, you pick up a plastic clam shell to go container and notice the $6.99/pound sign. Then the game starts. How do you get the most amount of food for a decent price? What does one pound feel like in your hand?

Second, ignore the hot food because it’s expensive and rarely looks vegan. There is usually something that looks like it might be a possibility like the potatoes and herbs, or the steamed broccoli, but the sausage and chicken wings make it easy to stay away.

Third, well, there is no third. Everyone has their own method. I saw some breaking tortilla chips on the bottom of their container before reaching for their salad ingredients. I saw others putting the dressing at the bottom of their container so they knew how much they were getting. I go straight for the spinach, then pile on the rest of my vegetables; it’s usually about color and arrangement.

In the rush of the salad bar movement I made some questionable choices and learned some things - always go for the plain ingredients: spinach, onions, tomatoes, chickpeas, corn, olives…the normal salad stuff. Stay away from even the mixed grain salads, they often contain hidden bits of feta. The sushi is sometimes safe, but best to steer clear all together because of the weight. On my first visit, I grabbed steamed asparagus which looked and tasted like it was brushed with olive oil, but one can never be sure. Besides that, it’s heavy and not worth the weight. Very surprising is that every steamed or cooked vegetable I have chosen has been cooked to perfection, no soggy vegetables - yet.

If possible, it’s best to take your own salad dressing because, unlike New Seasons where you can put your salad dressing in a little container and pay about 25 cents for it, it’s pay by the pound here, including the salad dressing. Besides, the salad dressing choices aren’t great. The Italian was my best choice. My second visit I learned, and took my salad back to my office and used someone’s salad dressing from the fridge (don’t judge - there was no name on it and someone used mine up last time! We share around the office.)

My first salad was $6.11 and was enough to fill me up. My second salad was $4.79 without dressing and was plenty. Maybe next time, because there will be a next time, I will go for a piece of bread or maybe even some naan from The Real Taste of India (for $1) to accompany my meal.

$6.11 for a good sized salad

$4.79 Salad

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Address: 555 SW Oak Street, Portland OR 97204
Hours: Only open for lunch

Date: January 3, 2008
Times Visited: 3

Move over Beaterville - I love your jam, but you don’t offer me pancakes - my breakfast meal of choice. Laurelthirst Public House has taken my number one favorite weekday breakfast spot. Laurelthirst is a quiet breakfast joint weekdays, bustling brunch spot on the weekends (like every other breakfast place in town), and a music venue/bar every evening.

The dark brick walls and deep red booths remind you that you’re eating breakfast in a bar. A quick glance to the actual bar and you consider beer for breakfast, forgetting the time of day. As the restaurant fills up and your coffee arrives, it turns into a nice diner and you notice the stand-alone tables and cute eating nooks by the windows - it’s breakfast time!

The menu has a lot of vegan breakfast items, namely the Pancakes and French Toast. Unfortunately, the pancakes are only sold on the weekdays, which is a shame. Vegans can also eat the potatoes and house-made veggie sausage patties. You can also try their Vegan Breakfast Burrito, Homefries with Vegetables, or Tofu Scrambles.

The pancakes are the reason to visit - they are light, fluffy, and best of all, HUGE! One pancake could be enough for some, but I prefer going for 2 and only eating one and a half. I love that you can add bananas, strawberries, blueberries or walnuts to the pancakes for just 50 cents more - the blueberries are my favorite. Usually they have earth balance so slather that on with some maple syrup and dig in! Your fork will cut easily into the cake with makes it easy to devour an entire pancake without realizing it - that’s why you get two - so you can savory the second one a bit more.

The Veggie Sausages are not your typical sausages. They are more like homemade patties.They have a pan fried firmness on the outside and smooshy feel on the inside. They appear to consist of diced, once frozen, vegetables, and only vegetables, no tvp hiding in there, possibly nuts, like their housemade Veggie Burger.

The Fresh Toast is created out of thick slices of French Bread. I always enjoy the dish, but I don’t think their recipe is anything unique. Maybe the big-time Vegan French Toast reviewers reading this can correct me if I’m wrong.

The lunch menu has never excited me, but they do have many vegan options like their Housemade Veggie Burger that has lots of seeds and veggies in it. Other options include the burrito and several salads.

But, like I said before, go there for weekday breakfast and stuff yourself full of pancakes and think of me!

Vegan Pancakes:


Vegan French Toast:

Veggie Sausage Patties:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 3000 NE Glisan Portland, OR
Hours: Everyday Breakfast 9am-3pm; Lunch and Dinner all the time, everyday