The cart

Wow, dusting this one off! Bamboo Garden is one of Seattle’s classic vegetarian/vegan Chinese establishments and great for when you have that Chinese food craving that Portland can’t always hit – especially if you have time to hit up one of their tempting lunch combos. I was in town recently and stopped by with a friend and tried both the Szechwan Tofu Skin Hot Pot and Sweet & Sour Chicken.  The Tofu Skin dish was chewy, saucey, and with just enough heat that I didn’t seek out additional hot sauce.  If you haven’t tried tofu skin, aka dried bean curd, yet, I recommend you see what you’re missing out on! The Sweet & Sour Chicken were balls of soy chicken, battered, fried, and coated in a sweet, syrupy orange sauce. Can I repeat – sweet, battered, balls? Yes.

Heads up – the fortune cookies are not vegan.

Tofu Skin with Mixed Vegetables in Szechwan Sauce Hot Pot from Bamboo Garden

Sweet & Sour Chicken from Bamboo Garden

Older Review -

November 10, 2007
Times Visited: 2

It seems everyone has their favorite Chinese food restaurant. Maybe it was the delivery you ordered while pulling an all-nighter in college or the place your family went to dinner on Sunday evenings. That tofu and broccoli, or fried rice you crave when hung-over, or stuck at home in the suburbs. For some of us, it was the most (assumed) veg*n friendly food we knew about when the path to vegetarianism started.

When it comes to Portland, my Chinese-food craving hearts, or taste buds, don’t belong to one restaurant. I’m sorry Vegetarian House, but the best Chinese food I’ve had in the Pacific Northwest so far has been in Seattle at Teapot Vegetarian House. It wasn’t the crappy wonderful Chinese food one might crave; it was practically classy in comparison. The closest thing to great I’ve had in Portland is Golden Jade on SE Belmont, which sadly does not deliver. Last winter, I went to Bamboo Garden and it didn’t leave much of an impression on me, but this time, I got it.

Bamboo Garden is a faux meat focused restaurant with tons of classics. You’ll find Chow Mein, Kung Pao ‘Chicken’, Sesame ‘Chicken’, Fried Rice, Hot and Sour Soup, Sautéed ‘Eel,’ and even Fried ‘Chicken Fingers’ – ironically familiar to those of us who may have been subjected to less than stellar buffets growing up. There are over 100 menu items, and this vegetarian restaurant is open to special dietary restrictions, “Ask your server for special dietary needs requiring special preparation, including no salt, no oil, no sugar, or other restrictions. Only the fortune cookies contain eggs.”. The restaurant is also certified Kosher. The restaurant uses tofu, soy products and mushrooms to create their faux meat features.

My partner and I shared our entrees – a hefty portion of ‘Chicken’ Chow Mein ($7.50) and smaller Sesame ‘Chicken’. While the chicken was obviously, and easily more identifiable as seasoned tofu strips, and more ‘pork’ like then chicken, it was still delicious. The tofu, noodles and vegetables were all thin, and bites were easily pierced and wrapped around a fork. It was a dish that 2, if not 3 people could dine on alone and something I’d order again and again. Lo Mein was one of my favorite Chinese food dishes growing up, and the Chow Mein was better than anything in memory. The Sesame Chicken ($8.95) can more aptly be described as chicken ‘balls’ – golden, fried nuggets with a soy protein center, coated in a sweet and sour sauce. Just picture that sweet crunch, and take a sip of water. The chicken balls were served in an edible potato nest, with rice and broccoli. It’s one of those dishes that you know is just awful for you, but you love anyway. Or, you hope your partner orders so you can steal a ball from him.

We also ordered the ‘Chicken Fingers’ – which were predictably greasy, but not bad, and the Spring Rolls. The Spring rolls were the low point of the meal. The filling tasted ‘old’, and I put mine down after a bite. I didn’t want anything else to do with it. On the plus side, it was cheap, and everything else contributed to a positive experience. Between the two of us, the bill was comfortably under $30, and that’s certainly not bad for a special dinner out in Seattle.

Sesame Chicken:

Chow Mein:

Spring Rolls:

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Address: 364 Roy St. Seattle, WA 98109

The downtown Give Pizza a Chance cart now has deep dish vegan slices! For $4, you can get yourself one heck of a satisfying vegan slice with fresh toppings and that flavorful GVAC sauce – and none of that vegan cheese you may or may not like to worry about. Check it out:

Give Pizza A Chance: Deep Dish Vegan

Updated 1/13/2010 Pyro Pizza is open at SE 12th and Hawthorne, selling personal pizzas that are delicious!  But that’s not all – Give Pizza a Chance has had regular vegan slices regularly available downtown. A great cheap lunch!

Updated 10/19/2009: While the vegan slices aren’t frequently seen at the cart downtown, we’re hoping they make it into regular rotation once a new cart is opened later this fall at the vegan-friendly Cartopia at SE 12th & Hawthorne.

UPDATE: Give Pizza a Chance now serves vegan slices pretty consistantly. The past three times we have vistited there have been no problems with the crust. Try the vegan pizza with an Eggplant base! Also, don’t forgot to try their sodas. My favorite has been the cucumber lime.

Three Chances.

Two Stumptown Vegans.

Two Calzones, One Pizza, and Breadsticks.

The verdict…

One Stumptown Vegan happened to stop by the fairly new Give Pizza a Chance food cart on its opening day. It’s shiny, new, has a small bar area for seating in the attached parking spot with the inviting smell of oregano and garlic. A friendly chat with the owner assured us of future vegan offerings and a free sample of the de-freaking-lightful homemade ginger ale. The hope was there for Give Pizza a Chance. It has a catchy name, cute cart, organic ingredients, friendly service, a Eugene hippie-like atmosphere and an appreciation for the addition of whole wheat flour in their dough. Mmm, grains.

Weeks later the first calzone was ordered when inquiring about what the best vegan option would be. The woman working stated that there was no need to call ahead for calzones, and the short wait was impressive. The first Stumptown Vegan asked to be surprised, filling-wise, and the chef packed the dough with spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. The calzone, ($7) was completed within a slow walks around the block, certainly less than 15 minutes. While there was no sauce or expectantly, fake cheese, inside the calzone, there was a very flavorful and plentiful pool of house made marinara on the side. It was tangy, herby, and to the point. Granted the cart is fairly new, but if only they’d get dipping containers and not pool in on the plate or in a paper tray, it would be better. Sadly, the inside of the calzone was not as flavorful as the sauce, in fact it was lacking that f word – flavor. The assortment of veggies was promising, but with an overly doughy, slightly undercooked bottom crust they just seemed damp. The sauce helped, but in combination with the crust that I wish had hung out a few more minutes in the oven, it was short of a good Italian time. The next day the leftovers were a definitely improvement after a brief visit to the toaster oven. The leftovers were short on sauce, but big on the hearty, now well cooked dough.

Calzone visit #2 showed even more promise. This time, there was a small sign posted below the cart’s service window stating that their best vegan option was the calzone. This had already been said, but seeing it in writing along with the Stumptown Vegans ‘two visitations’ policy called for different fillings selected and another calzone ordered. Although the only person ahead in line had a pizza slice warmed up, this meal took over 20 minutes. That’s a long wait from a cart on your lunch hour. This time the calzone filling had kalamata olives, green peppers, spinach, and garlic cloves. The olives and garlic (which we would have loved to see as a filling in the first calzone) worked, but the spinach tasted off, dare we say old. This time the dough was altogether undercooked. Tearing off the crust on the side, dipping it in the sauce, and picking through the leftovers with a fork was the way to go. The spinach was even scarier when the leftovers were reheated. On the plus side, their huge calzone is a meal that could easily feed 2, and for $7 it’s definitely affordable. Too bad this second order wasn’t appetizing enough for a second meal.

The second Stumptown Vegan stopped by for breadsticks and pizza. Breadsticks were ordered as an appetizer, assuming the pizza would take awhile to cook. The sticks were fairly thin and more like crust sticks. They were enjoyable as a vessel for scooping the sauce into our mouths while still enjoying the whole wheat flavor. We were happy to have ordered the breadsticks because we did have a 20 minute wait, which is reasonable for a full pie during rush hour. And for only $1, it was good deal.

The pizza was beautiful when it came fresh from the oven. The cook used as much spinach as he would have cheese, which is surely appreciated on any vegan pizza. The artichoke hearts were liberally applied as well, though this pizza would have done better with a third topping. The addition of olive oil and salt on top of the pizza helped bring out the flavors of the vegetables. The sauce was perfectly fresh and flavorful, as described above. And the price – $12 – it was perfect for splitting between three people. However, the pizza dough had the same fate as the calzone’s – undercooked. The second Stumptown Vegans almost asked the friendly cart-worker to put it back in the oven but decided to eat it as presented. It may be helpful to ask for a “well done” pizza when ordering, just saying.

We wonder if the issue with the crust is because pizza by the slice pizzas are cooked in the oven twice – once for the pie and once for reheating. Perhaps it’s a matter of inexperience with vegan calzones and pizza or three cases of bad timing that dampened the crusts’ chances. Perhaps there’s just too much whole wheat in their dough or the oven isn’t hot enough. Whichever way, we wouldn’t be entirely shocked if a great vegan calzone came out of this cart one day, but one Stumptown Vegan is no longer giving this pizza cart a chance. The other Stumptown Vegan will stop by for a breadsticks, sauce, and soda on days when money is tight.

Vegan Cazlones:

Breadsticks:

Pizza:

Big News! Just Thai has been under new ownership for a few months now. You may not have noticed yet – but you will now. While quality and vegan friendliness has stayed the same, portion size has gone down (from ginormous, though), packaging has improved, and as of this week – prices are up $1. Yup, $6 lunch. Oh, the sign of the times.

Vegan food cart lovers, listen up! The proprietors of  I Love Thai Food are back! The rumors of them returning are true! The Stumptown Vegans were crushed and confused when they sold their old spot on SW Alder to the $1 more expensive, less flavorful, and less vegan-friendly I Like Thai Food. I ask, why give yourself a less enthusiastic name? Why?? At least go for I Really Love Thai Food, or I Adore Thai Food…come on!

There were rumors that the owners would return, but I couldn’t believe it till I saw it with my own eyes. With the opening of every new Thai cart, the anticipation grew. A couple weeks ago, Just Thai was spotted on SW 3rd and Stark as having the same font on its sign as the original I Love Thai Food. Look at the side, and you’ll now notice two signs advertising the old I Love Thai and the new Just Thai. The owners have have adorably and excitedly confirmed the move, saying that the old spot was too crowded.

The new cart is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays, and has Saturday hours. Now you readers who can’t make it downtown on weekdays can start paying attention to this excitement! Like the original Taqueria Los Gorditos, Just Thai is an omnivorous cart with an enthusiastic  ”Vegetarian & Vegan Specialty”  menu section. I love this trend of carts learning to embrace the Portland vegan scene by realizing they can 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, rocks!

The Veg*n section features three colors of curries*, Pad Kee Mao, and Pad See You. Yet these items are not all a vegan is limited to. A note at the top of the listing states:  “We can make any dish on the menu vegetarian or vegan.  We use our mushroom-based house special house sauce and soy sauce in all vegetarian and vegan stir fry dishes, curries, and noodles dishes.” Relief is yours.

So far, I’ve revisted my glory days at the I Love Thai Food cart with the Vegan Pad Kee Mow ($5). The dish was requested medium on their heat scale, which was explained as not very hot, and it was confirmed that I wanted tofu. As if I wouldn’t. The friendly man who took my order forewarned me it would be a few minutes since all food is cooked to order. My meal was ready in less than ten, and I walked away with a considerable amount of food that would end up providing me with two meals. Stepping away from the routine cheap plastic, Just Thai dishes out in biodegradable containers that are lined with a piece a aluminum foil (that you can later recycle)  so the hot food doesn’t seep through. The meal itself was everything I’d missed: fresh noodles that didn’t suffer from sticking together in large mounds, crisp vegetables including bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans, and bean sprouts, squares of sliced fried tofu perfection, and tons of actual Thai basil. The heat was, indeed, more mild than medium, so don’t be too timid about requesting more. Feel free to ask for additional sauce if desired. I know I like to add tamari when I reheat my leftovers.

The vegan Tofu Pad Thai includes your typical rice noodles and fresh vegetables including broccoli, carrots, and onions, stir fried with the vegan Pad Thai sauce, and finally topped with fresh bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, and fresh lime. The other Stumptown Vegan is sad to report that the dish tastes the same as their version at the old location, and why wouldn’t it. The overwhelming taste of vinegar is not pleasant and made it easy to split this meal into three meals instead of over-stuffing by making it one or two meals. However, that should not deter you from their other much loved dishes like the sweet Yellow Curry with Tofu or their Salad Rolls.

This cart prides itself on delivering a Portland take on authentic Thai cuisine, and it’s some of the best Thai food the Stumptown Vegan who raved about the Pad Kee Mow has had in Portland. And at a price of $5 per meal, from a food cart, it’s remarkable.

*The Stumptown Vegans have previously stated our concern for curries. Besides the pesky fish sauce and oyster sauce that are fortunately and considerately substituted for here, we still urge you to inquire about the actual curry paste when ordering a curry somewhere new.

The Cart:

Pad See Ew:

Vegan Pad Kee Mao with Tofu:

Pad Thai:

Vegetables in House Sauce:

Vegan Section:

Occasionally, reviews are difficult to construct because there is little to enjoy, or perhaps, too much.  Gin Northern Thai falls into a new category for this reviewer – I can’t stop ordering the same thing!  See, the Stumptown Vegans prefer to give you a well-rounded review by sampling multiple dishes on multiple visits.  Gin seems to have cast a spell on me, where I look at the short menu, (all of which can be made vegan and with tofu) and my eyes stop while reading Khao Soi, and I start to salivate.  After wiping the corners of my mouth, I order.  Then, reality strikes, and I realize I’ve ordered the same item four times in a row! Bad reviewer! Bad!

The menu at Gin is different that what you will find at other Thai restaurants or carts – this is Northern Thai, so no Pad See Ew, or Pad Thai.  Instead, you’ll see more mild curries and sticky rice over fish sauce and coconut.

This whole review is to write about Khao Soi – my new favorite downtown cart option at any time.  This flavorful meal is as tasty as it is aromatic.  Angel hair rice noodles are covered in a sweet curry sauce and tofu.  Then, a small side of pickled mustard greens is added, then it’s all topped with finely chopped red onion, a lime wedge, fried shallots, chili oil, and cilantro, (if that’s your thing).  For $5.50, this dish is presented in a smaller , half-size compostable clam shell container lined with foil, but don’t let it fool you – this is a full meal.  Mix the toppings into the curry noodle combo and savor the way the sweet curry sauce mixes with the hot chili and tangy, pickled mustard greens.  Take pleasure in the way the smooth and creamy curry soaked noodles enter your mouth, the give of the pickled ginger, and the crunch of the fresh red onion; the perfect combination of textures.  For being a simple curry noodle dish, the Khao Soi goes far beyond the expectations of a cart meal.

The Pra Ram is decent in it’s smooth peanut flavor and the Garlic Fried Rice and Lettuce Wraps are good, too, but none of the other dishes have the complex layers of flavors and textures that the Khao Soi has, which is disappointing.  I would except the dishes from Gin to be of a greater category after tasting the Khao Soi, so it is disappointing to note that the other dishes are just basic.

There’s no reason not to try this cart, especially now that they have built a small covered deck to greet the rainy season.  Order the Khao Soi.  Then, on your next visit attempt to order something else – see if it casts the same spell over you.  Even if you ask the friendly wait staff what to order, they’ll provide the same recommendation: KHAO SOI!  If the spell isn’t cast over you and you want to spend your $5.50 on something else, make sure to ask for it vegan.

Khao Soi:

North Thai Style Noodle:

Spicy Garlic Fried Rice:

Lettuce Wraps:

Pra Ram:

The Cart:

Porch:

Updated:
While the service at Morning Glory Cafe can be friendly and quick, it can also be curt and lagging.  However, this is not to say that you should avoid this Eugene vegetarian staple.  They are still serving the same great food with a rotating special menu.  Unless you’re trying to make a meat-hungry omni happy you’re dining companions are likely to find something to enjoy among their menu from gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, nut-free.  No matter your avoidance – let them know your allergy and they are likely to find something suiting your needs and desires.

I found the gluten-free vegan pancakes served with fruit and maple syrup to be amazingly fluffy, smooth, and tasteful for being made with spelt flour.  Topped with fruit, Earth Balance, and maple syrup, it was one of the best gluten-free breakfasts I’ve had.

Fall 2007:

Visiting Eugene is always a pleasant experience because it reminds me of more simple times, of a slower life that I’ve never lived. A town full of college kids finding their independence and creating art out of anything and everything. Morning Glory adds perfectly to that life-style. A small and cute vegetarian café next to the train station filled with art and hippies. If you just got off the train and this is your first experience with Eugene, it’s right on. The café is casual with customers of all life stages enjoying the local art and music. The food is local and organic with vegan options abound.

Morning Glory serves great breakfast comfort food with many vegan options. My top picks are generally off the sweet menu with the French Toast or Waffles with real maple syrup. However, I do fancy The Fusion for a more savory meal.

The French Toast and waffles aren’t anything too special, if vegan options are available. They are presented beautifully with your choice of fruit compote or maple syrup with soy butter. A kiss of powdered sugar and I could eat these for every meal.

The Fusion is a unique creation, similar to an omelet. A pan fried shredded potato cake, like a hash brown, is filled with sauted onions, mushrooms, firm marinated tofu cubes and spices. The potatoes are folded over to make a shell and is then topped with a dollop of homemade tofu sour cream. The meal makes you feel wholesome – a bit like a hippie.

The biscuits and gravy are large and filling. A full order comes with 4 biscuits and mushroom gravy. The gravy is thick with mushroom bits in it to add to the texture. If 4 biscuits is too big, try the half size to get your fill of great biscuits and gravy.

I suggest bringing a pre-breakfast snack if you have a hard time waiting for food on an empty stomach. The Morning Glory staff are very relaxed and seem like they are willing to do as little as possible, beyond making your wonderful food. Orders are taken at the counter, all water, utensils and condiments are self serve. If you wait around long enough your order will be served to your table. You will eat it and it will all be worth the wait.

Freshed Squeezed Grapefruit Juice:

Biscuits and Gravy and Glory Potatoes:

Biscuits and Gravy:

Spelt Waffles:

French Toast:

The Fusion:

The Cafe:

Thoughts from the Stumptown Vegans:

I have two basic hopes when visiting a raw restaurant:

1. Creative, complex presentations.
2. Fresh ingredients. If the kitchen uses tomatoes I wouldn’t want on my sandwich, there’s a big problem.

When I walked into the 118° Restaurant, I was immediately content with how calm it was. It wasn’t a laid back emptiness that’s pierced with sporadic sounds of a juicer, either.  It was a small, serene environment, with a lot of quiet, date-like conversations for a lunch time visit.  It reminded me of Tao of Tea on SE Belmont in Portland – a running waterfall would not have been out-of-place. After a short wait, where I perused the printed information on cooking classes on the counter and the selection of raw cookies and crackers, , I was seated by a very courteous and hip waiter.

118 Raw has a full menu of appetizers, soups, entrees, combinations, steamed almond milk and coffee beverages, tea, and wine selections. I’ve recently noticed a mild allergy to almonds, and my waiter had a great knowledge of the menu concerning allergens, and even double-checked my order with the kitchen. I started with a large cup of rousing green tea and ordered the Taste of Italy plate ($15 combination plate), with the lasagna option (as opposed to the raw pizza). I have a hard time resisting Italian offerings, and 2/3 of this plate did not prove my instincts wrong. The Caesar didn’t skip a beat with its lack of a creamy dressing – the chewy, caper and sun-dried tomato flake adorned greens were fantastic, especially with occasional bites of perfectly fresh avocado.  I never would have thought to put avocado in a Caesar, and now I know better. While the lasagna packaged a whole lot of impressively creamy, macadamia nut sauce, layered with thin strips of zucchini, and even more cream with a sun-dried-tomato sauce on top, the overall sweetness and lack of diversity in the lasagna vegetables left me with just that, bite after bite of sweet cream. Not so savoury Italian. The stuffed cremini mushrooms, on the other hand, were amazing. They were appeared marinated, stuffed with a rich pistachio pesto, and more the sun-dried tomato cream sauce. In this case, it was welcomed in contrast to the salty filling, and earthy base. I have honestly never been so confident in the raw culinary arts as I have been with those mushrooms.

If you’re in the Costa Mesa area and looking for a spot for a refreshing lunch of dinner date, and engaging conversation, I’d highly recommend 118° Raw.

Taste of Italy

Green Tea

The Strip

The Stumptown Vegans Travel!

If you have visited WaterCourse in Denver, CO, you’ve probably heard of City O City, a sister vegetarian restaurant. City O City has more than great coffee and baked goods from this little storefront; they have a full menu including pizza, sandwiches, and other American foods. But that’s only half the menu: the other half, another four pages, contains a long list of beer, wine, and other alcohol drinks.

The cafe portion of City O City is a small, standing room only, cafe with baked goods displayed in refrigerated cases and a full service espresso bar.  The restaurant and bar area is a large, dimly lit space filled with free-standing tables, some with booths and bar seating.

City O City is probably best known for 3 three things: the baked goods, the pizza, and the seitan wings. Most items on the all vegetarian menu can be made vegan including the pizzas.  Their housemade vegan cheese is a simple cashew cheese, which is more like sauce.

I started with the $8 Seitan Wings, from the “To Start” section of the menu, choosing a split plate of both the Buffalo and Teryaki with ranch dipping sauce. The tender strips of seitan were fried before being generously coated in their respective sauces. The Buffalo sauce made its presence known before being consumed.  A whiff of cayenne and vinegar entered my nasal passage and I’d be a liar if I said my eyes didn’t water! I braced myself and bit in.  Frying the seitan didn’t have the crunch I was expecting, but rather, it helped to firm the tender finger-length strips of wheat meat.  As for the heat, it wasn’t as bad as I expected, it was the vinegar that made my eyes water. In fact, I would imagine those who love spicy foods might want to add additional hot sauce, which is available on the table. This isn’t to say my lips weren’t burning, but a plate of the Buffalo wings alone would be too much for this spice wimp. The Teryaki sauce was the favorite of the two.  It had a little bit of heat, but the sweet and salty flavors were both mild in spice and bold in combination.

Next up was The Sherman, an $8.50 sandwich from the “Hand Held” menu. This is a dry rub tofu sandwich topped with coleslaw on a house made sweet potato bun. The frozen, then thawed tofu had a nice crust of Carolina dry rub BBQ seasoning. The blend of spices can only be described as tasting like a Bar-B-Que picnic. Combined with a green chili relish, crunchy purple cabbage slaw, and a fresh-baked sweet potato roll, I couldn’t help but think of a summer time back yard BBQ meal. This sandwich was sweet, savory, smooth, and crunchy – all in one.

The City O City offers pizzas ranging from a vegetarian ‘meat lovers’, called Animal Lovers, to a ranch and spinach pizza.  The 10″ pizzas range from $9-11.  Of course, you can choose your own from a wide variety of sauces, cheeses, and toppings.  I opted for an unique pizza – La Michelle, with a fig base topped with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and rosemary. The fig base didn’t bring the sweetness I expected. Instead, the tangy capers paired with the sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary, melded together with the house made cashew cheese sauce to touch each taste bud on my tongue. The crust was thin, cooked enough to hold up the minimal toppings, but not enough to provide a crunch that would have worked well the “pop” of the capers and the creaminess of the cashew cheese.

All of their beautiful baked goods are made by WaterCourse Bakery.  It was hard to resist one, so I went with th HoHo.  When I think of Ho Hos, I think of a rolled cake with cream filling coated with ganche. Their Ho Ho Cupcake is a large chocolate cupcake with the top cut off spread with a vanilla cream layer, and dark chocolate ganache on top. Not the same, but still very good. The chocolate cake was dense, but moist, without much crumb, and brownie-like in taste. The vanilla filling was light and fluffy without too much sweetness. I enjoyed the mild sweetness of the frosting because it allowed the sweetness of the chocolate cake to come though. I only wish I had tried more of their baked goods.

My two favorite things about City O City are that they support local and organic farmers and that they are not afraid of unique combinations to bring bold flavors to their menu options. While I typically opt for a simple dish of greens, garlic, and Braggs – City O City helps me reach out to combine sweet, salty, savory, bitter, and sour for an amazing combination of tastes.

Next time you’re in Denver, do not choose between City O City and WaterCouse, or another vegetarian restaurant, find a way to visit both of these delicious restaurants.

Inside:

Seitan Wings:

La Michelle Pizza:

Tofu Dry Rub Sandwich:

Ho Ho Cupcake:

Ho Ho Cupcake, inside:

~

If there was one thing I took away from my long-ago, first time visit to the Wolf & Bears cart, it was the memory of their soft, seemingly homemade pita bread wrapped around the fresh ingredients of a Sabich. Fast forward a year, the hip Israeli style food cart is no longer all alone at the open corner lot at the top of SE 20th and Morrison, it’s now joined by the open-style Treat vegan taco stand, a couple additional tables, and a slow stream of regular visitors.

Their Sabich ($6.50) is an Iraqi Jewish style pita wrap, traditionally served for breakfast, filled with creamy hummus, sliced onions, fresh greens, parsley, pickles, and grilled eggplant slices. It’s made vegan with the substitution (thankfully, no charge) of tender, roasted potatoes circles for the hard-boiled egg. Don’t even consider doubting the potato’s place over this egg, because I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. There was certainly no hope of tofu scramble in my head.

The Falafel ($6.50) is a similar enfolding of the enjoyable pita bread, the housemade hummus, sweet strips of caramelized onions, juicy, grilled eggplant, fresh greens, thick falafel circles, some more fresh parsley, and tahini sauce. The tahini is light and tangy, and the falafel here is unlike most others in town. The patties almost tastes like they’re baked, though I’ve heard they’re actually pan-fried; soft yet firm, browned widthwise, and full of real flavors, opposed to the over-fried and/or crumbly balls seen all too frequently elsewhere. It’s not at all greasy, either. Now, if this wasn’t so darn good, I would be complaining about how this falafel, let alone from a cart – which is an outdated complaint anyhow, costs over $5.  Instead, I’ll mention that wraps are served with a small side of excellent and crisp pepperocini peppers, kalamata olives, and great homemade pickles. Well worth my $6.50.

Wolf & Bears is open for lunch and dinner orders from Wednesday-Saturday, and you can check out their full menu, most of which, despite frequently mentioning dairy cheeses, is actually veganizable, on their curious Myspace page. The small, appealing menu also includes salads, wraps, a tiny selection of baked goods (often vegan), daily vegan soups, cups of refreshing homemade lemonade, iced tea, Extracto coffee, and local kombucha. A recent small cup ($2) of combined iced tea and lemonade, adorned with fresh mint, just made me want to spend the rest of the warm day on the swing seat in their laid back cart lot, slowly sippin’. Additionally, there is a canopied picnic table in front of the cart, and if there’s not enough room, it’s a very short walk to Colonel Summers Park.

Falafel Wrap

~

How many times have you heard Portlanders discuss Indian cuisine, and nothing comes up besides the Chaat Houses? No offense to the Chaat Houses (team BCH!), but vegans are always on the lookout for new vegan options. The latest addition, Dwaraka, knows how to skip the ghee while offering dosas, an array of pakoras, entrees, and a vegan-friendly lunch buffet.

Dwaraka Indian Cuisine opened on Hawthorne Boulevard at SE 40th this past Spring. It is located on a short strip of restaurants in an old Pakistani restaurant location, alongside Mio Sushi, No Fish! Go Fish! and Portland’s Pampered Pets The restaurant is quiet; minimally, yet comfortably lit, and mildly air-conditioned. The aroma of Indian cuisine casually fills the room. These factors, along with a very welcoming wait staff, contribute to an ambiance that’s both date night and family friendly. I’m partial to the seating out front, where a couple of tables overlook a busy area that’s sure to gather even more activity once New Seasons opens in the fall of 2010.

The first course to arrive when you are seated is the complimentary Papadums. These paper-thin discs are airy and lightly spiced with cumin seeds. They should be dipped into two of the table-side jars of chutney: the tomato and coconut.  There is a third, mint chutney, but I was warned by both staff and a friend that this contains dairy. If you like black pepper and tomato, go for the highly spiced tomato chutney. If you’ve always wondered what would happen if coconut milk fell into your hummus, the creamy, coconut chickpea sauce is for you. Really, go for some of each on alternate spoonings. Perhaps you’d like to intermingle the two.

Dwaraka’s entire menu features North and South Indian cuisine, and Tandoori specialties. Most vegetarian entrees can be made vegan, excluding anything deliberately including dairy, such as paneer dishes.  Across the board, it is imperative to let your server know you are vegan as there are exceptions to vegan-friendliness. Fortunately, the staff is confidently knowledgeable, and notified my dining parties that outside the paneer entrees, sadly – the Samosas, Crepes with Cream of Wheat, and Naan are all not vegan.  In regards to the Naan, house-baked whole wheat Parathas can be substituted for $1 in its place.  Not fun to spend an extra $1, but an option, in addition to rice. The staff has also been extremely helpful in pointing out what is, or can be, modified as gluten-free.

Now, what to get? Dwaraka’s immediate pull are their Dosas. And by pull, I mean, I justified review research by ordering them twice in a row. For those unaware, here is the description from Dwaraka’s online menu: “Dosas are crepes made with different lentils and flours stuffed with vegetable curry”. As if being a naturally gluten-free vegan crepe wasn’t enough, you have a savory Indian filling to look forward to. I recommend the Masala Dosa and Andhra Masala Dosa ($5 & $6.50). Both are gigantic, substantial folds of crepe with a moderately spiced and salty potato filling in the middle, with sautéed peas, carrots, onions, and other vegetables. The filling is clearly reminiscent of what’s inside a hot samosa.  The actual crepe is substantial, and again, gigantic, which works to your advantage if you decide to share or take leftovers home. Break off pieces like you would with injera at an Ethiopian restaurant, or use your fork and knife to dig in and cherish. Whatever way, dip your pieces into the accompanying bowl of salty Sambar lentil soup. On one occasion, this soup was rather spicy; on another, it was milder; both were warming and enjoyable.

The Dwaraka Combo Platter ($7.95) is an appealing deal. It is vegan, gluten-free, and comes with the Masala Dosa, one Idli, one Vada, and the Sambar soup. Combos are great for versatility, but a bite of each new side item was enough for me. The kindest thing I can say about the curious Idli, a round, saucer-shaped rice dumpling, was that I would consider immersing it in Sambar in the future. The rest I can say, is that it was plain, crumbly, and rather uninteresting. If I simply don’t know how to eat this, please let me know! The fried Vada lentil “donuts” had a nice, crisped shell, and savoury inside, but too much unbeknownst green onion for my palate.  A dining companion, however, was rather into them.

Another side option are the Pakoras, from the Appetizers section. These fried treats are battered in dough that’s once again, airy, yet crisp. There’s a touch of sweetness, and they avoid suffering from extra grease, like many deep-fried items do. Every variety I’ve sampled has been a winner, especially the tender pieces of eggplant ($4.25). The accompanying small bowl of tamarind sauce is also sweet, but subdued. The portion of sauce is small for friends to share, so be sure to ask for more if you’re dining family style.

The restaurant’s beverage menu includes standard sodas, Chai tea (request vegan, if possible), Madras coffee, wine, and a very decent selection of domestic and Indian beers. On my first visit, our charming server casually recommended another beer to a friend based on his prior ordering selection.

Since the move of India Oven to SE Belmont, Dwaraka Indian Cuisine now offers the most-vegan friendly Indian cuisine on SE Hawthorne.

Perhaps one day, I can look past the dosas and consider entrees, but for the time being I’ll say this: For the love of dosas in the Northwest, independent restaurants, and satisfying pakoras anywhere, check it out.

Exterior

Papadum and Table-side Chutney

Spinach Pakoras

Eggplant Pakoras

Aloo Gobi, A La Carte

Dosa combo

Masala Dosa

Inside the dosa

Whole Wheat Paratha