~

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

A Stumptown Vegans Comparison!

It has been awhile since our last comparison so it is time.  But this time this reviewer brings you a cart versus a storefront review!

Since it’s finally warm, you may be asking, “Where can I get a good smoothie downtown so I can cool down?”  Well, I am here to help you decide from two of the newer, more prominent smoothie joints downtown.

Here’s the low down:

Portland Smoothie Company (PSC) offers smoothies and juices from a well stocked cart.  The menu is small with a few suggestions, but you’re welcome to choose your own.  All but the soy protein powder is vegan (it contains bee pollen).  PSC offers a variety of frozen and non-frozen fruit along with fresh, jarred juices, and boxed alternative milks, some organic, some not.  Just ask about what is organic, or anything else because the service is friendly and the fruit is handled with care.  This cart does not serve traditional lunch, but you can get a combo meal with the next door neighbor, Sonny Bowl.  For $6 you get a small Sonny Bowl and a 16 oz. PSC juice.  It’s great to see carts teaming up to offer specials.  They even allow you to share their tables.  I would love to see a combo with Bloop in the future, but it doesn’t sound like Portland Smoothie Company will be opening earlier.

Fruitlandia provides smoothies, juices, milk shakes, and paninis, but no non-dairy milks.  The menu appears to layout every fruit combination possible which is a bit daunting.  All fruit appears to be conventional since nothing is marked as organic.  All pre-cut fruit is displayed in a display cooler, along with wilted samples of their sandwiches and paninis. The non-cut fruit is set in baskets on the counters and looks beautifully inviting.  Since the fruit is blended fresh it limits the additional liquid that is required, however ice and water are added as needed, which does minimize the flavor of the fresh fruit.  Using such a powerful blender has the advantage of a shorter blend time, but several of my smoothies have contained chunks of fruit or ice.  If you do encounter any issues, the servers are friendly and helpful.   The paninis can be made vegan with modifications, but really don’t appear as a good vegan downtown lunch option with carts like DC Vegetarian or No Fish Go Fish within close proximity.  Being located on SW Yamhill, the location is superb for downtown people watching as you sit at their bar utilizing their free wi-fi.

So which does this reviewer prefer?  The scores above are obvious, they are both great in their own ways, but Portland Smoothie Company comes out ahead because of the vegan options available, and the small attention to detail.  While I prefer fresh fruit, the combination of both fresh and frozen fruit with non-dairy milk or juice, reigns supreme over fresh fruit blended with ice and water.  Both places offer good service, and even with the bar seating and free wi-fi available at Fruitlandia, the personal touch a cart owner can provide  nudges PSC further ahead.

Try then both out for yourself and see which you prefer!  Or compare them with the many other smoothie options popping up around town, just be sure to ask for no dairy!

Portland Smoothie Company – Mango, Strawberry, Almond:

Combo: Portland Smoothie Company 16 oz. Apple Ginger Juice and Mini Bowl #2 from Sonny Bowl:

Fruitlandia – Fruit Display:

Fruitlandia – Hati:

Fruitlandia – Tahiti:

Fruitlandia – Aloha:

~

Summer 2009 may forever be known as the period the food cart renaissance exploded in Portland, Oregon. It’s hard to keep up.  Everywhere you turn, there is another new cart or roaming taqueria, and many are vegetarian or entirely vegan, if not quite vegan friendly, like Koi Fusion and Whiffies.  In fact, since Spring, at least seven vegetarian carts have opened: Homegrown Smoker BBQ, Spud Locker, Valhalla Sandwich Co., Wolf and Bears, DC Vegetarian, Sonny Bowl, and Asaase Ital Palace.

Asaase Ital popped up on the PSU cart lot at SW 5th and College in early July.  The staff has confirmed that they are now entirely vegan, have rid the menu of the honey that was present when they first opened, and switched to agave.  Credit the early vegan visitors!

There are three things that struck me about this Caribbean food cart even before I ordered-

First up: The cart itself.  It’s painted colorfully in bold sections of of green, yellow, and red and has a custom awning with green beams. It stands out on its side street.

Second: While you’re checking out the cart, your nose begins to tingle and your mouth just may begin to salivate. Take in the aroma of thyme, coconut, ginger, and more. Welcome vegan Caribbean food to Portland!

Third: The staff.  I can’t remember the last time someone working at a cart, particularly their own cart, wasn’t warm.  The duo behind Asaase , who are also involved wit the New Born Tribe Community Center on MLK, offer samples of soup and drinks and initiate real conversations about what you want to order and what to expect. The graciousness of the small business owners in Portland is a beautiful thing.

The menu at Asaase Ital is at once both clear and overwhelming. The choices are there, and I’ve enjoyed items from each section of the menu. The main dishes are served as small or large plates ($6 and $9). The idea of spending $9 on lunch, let alone from a cart, nauseates me, so I’ve gone with small plates every time. It’s a to-go box worth of food, always providing me with at least a small serving of leftovers. If you’re going with a friend, share a large plate and side item, such as the adorable, miniature, puffy, made hot for you, Fry Bread pieces (5 for $4), or add veggie fish or chickun to your order. If you’re looking for a bigger meal, go for the large plate or order a small and soup or a side all for yourself.

With my first bite of the Red Red plate, I thought, why don’t I make Caribbean food at home? I love it! The dish is a creamy red, deeply tomato flavored porridge chock full of black eyed peas and grains. Served with it are the classic pan-fried plantains, though I’ve heard of an order missing these before. You can’t deny the deliciousness of these golden plantains, but their crisp outsides have varied from light to dark both times I’ve tried them. The Gold & Greens plate is a popular dish of savory large red beans stewed in a tomato coconut broth with chopped greens over a bed of yellow rice.  It’s a well rounded plate, but I do wish there were more greens. I can’t decide which  plate I prefer between the two.  They’re both exceptional, and gluten free.  If you thought you knew cart food, think again.

If you’re partial to faux meat, you’re in luck! You can add veggie fish or chickun to your meal if you want to up your soy protein intake ($2 to add veggie fish, $4.50 for a side of chickun). It’s the likes of which Portland rarely sees outside of a few Chinese and Thai restaurants, such as Vegetarian House, Thai Food Cafe, and Vege Thai, or the frozen aisle at Fubonn and Food Fight! The staff says the veggie fish is gluten free as well.  You know the type – fish shaped and pink colored, which Asaase has made their own by seasoning the outside. I never eat veggie fish, but I heroically tried my friend’s and actually liked it!  The chickun is a tender piece of pepper-happy jerk spiced soy protein wrapped around a lemongrass stick.   It’s certainly tasty and I want to share the order again, but one or two pieces is enough for me. I can only do much so faux protein alongside such an already satisfying meal, I tend to leave that fun for vacations to NYC.

The food at Asaase Ital reaches restaurant quality and is not dished instantaneously. Come prepared with patience; the wait here is longer than other carts I frequent, but worth it.  The shortest wait I’ve had for one order of food was at least 10 minutes.  The longest exceeded 15 minutes on my third visit, when the cart had a small crowd. I had ordered my entree immediately, but two friends decided while two more orders were placed, and didn’t receive their food for nearly 30 minutes.  The same went for my delayed request for fry bread. Call ahead for large orders at the number posted above or if you’re in a rush, but keep in mind, this is not the type of meal made for wolfing down in ten minutes.

There’s a bench to the side of the cart to wait on or take your meal at, or you could walk a couple blocks north to the PSU Park Blocks.  It’s silly, but I’m practically counting the days till Asaase opens a small sit down location. Or at the very least, adds some additional seating.

They offer smoothies and cold or hot ginger tea, but unless you’re searching the PSU area for a smoothie, I’d hold off and spend the money on adding a savoury lentil-filled sambusa ($2) or indulge in the faux chickun. My cold ginger tea was something fierce- we’re talking crisp, cool, ginger overload on a hot day, but I can resist for $2.50. There are too many tempting menu items! One day I’ll make it early enough for the tofu scramble plate. The idea of a Caribbean influenced scramble is rocking my mind.

Fan of great food with bold flavors? Check this place out.  It’s something special.

Red Red Plate with Plantains

Lemongrass Chickun

Fry Bread

The cart

Check out the list of Vegan Friendly carts in Portland, OR.

The Stumptown Vegans Travel!

The first thing I noticed walking into Kihei’s Maui Tacos location was that the vegetarian menu was front and foremost.  On top of that, the vegetarian menu was mainly vegan!

The menu contains your normal vegetarian options with black beans with potatoes, guacamole, rice, lettuce, and salsas.  There’s always the question about if the beans and rice are vegetarian, but Maui Tacos quickly puts that concern to rest stating on their menu that the beans are cooked fresh everyday without lard.

The menu items are listed in pigeon, a combination of English, Hawaiian, and Spanish.  I opted for the $7, Paid burrito on my first visit which had lettuce, beans, rice, and guacamole.   I took advantage of their free salsa bar and loaded up with some fresh corn and pineapple, and tomatilla, along with some limes.  I was surprised that the burrito didn’t need the condiments to add flavor- the rice was seasoned well with tomatoes and a smoky pepper flavor.  The black beans were cooked just enough to be firm on the outside and absolutely creamy on the inside.  The generous serving of guacamole helped to give the burrito the right amount of wetness among the other ingredients.  The white flour tortilla was okay, but the wrap didn’t hold it’s shape well, which is dangerous when eating a burrito.  A quick steaming of the tortilla would have helped this.

On the second visit I opted for the Haiku Burrito, which is titled differently at separate franchises.  The potatoes took the place of the rice, even with the same seasoning.  The black beans and lettuce were just like in the Paid burrito, which I prefer to the Haiku because of the creamy guacamole addition.  A serving of pineapple and corn salsa helped to pull the burrito together with the natural sweetness and spiciness from the fresh jalapeno.

The Kihei location doesn’t offer indoor seating but the shared outdoor tables in front of the shop offers many seats to be shared with Subway and Orange Julius customers.

I was surprised by the use of styrofoam for their to go contains.  Maybe you can take your own containers or donate the used box to a mongoose for permanent housing.  On an island where nothing is cheap, the $7 burritos served with a side of yellow corn chips, hits the spot.

So, if you’re looking for a cheap lunch or dinner option before heating to the beach, check out Maui Tacos for a taste of Mexican food when visiting Hawaii, or any of their other franchise locations, as they are quickly expanding.

Exterior:

Optional Dining Location:

~

From the Stumptown Vegans Travel Log

Location

In 2008, My Thai Vegan Cafe moved into the second floor restaurant space above Pho Pasteur at the corner of Beach and Washington in Boston’s Chinatown. Prior to that, the space was occupied by a long-standing favorite of the veg-community, Buddha’s Delight (which it seems like would move downstairs, and then back up, every few years, but that’s a whole other story and part of this reviewer’s college memories).   Adding a bit more history to this dramatic back-story, My Thai first opened in a former Buddha’s Delight location in Brookline.  This original location closed in 2009. Both establishments were part of Boston’s vegetarian dining history.

Entering the current My Thai includes walking up one of the creakiest staircases I’ve ever experienced. It’s the type of stairs, regardless of being just one floor up, that would give your non-vegan family just cause to likely never visit the restaurant again. The dining area is quite calming, in contrast. I wouldn’t call it ambiance, but I would slightly credit the large room and the glimpse into the city below.

The Food

My Thai’s entirely vegan menu features 10 lunch specials of Thai and Vietnamese influence for $6.95-$7.50.  I won’t go into detail about the rest of the menu, as this is a New England based travel review specifically about a lunch special.

The restaurant was empty on a Friday afternoon for a late lunch.  The server approached quickly to fill my water and take my order. I chose the Pad Thai lunch special with vegan chicken.  The two-course lunch started with a minor oddity – my waitress did not seem to know what my request for “medium heat”, or “spicy” was about. I had to second guess myself if that was a freakish request on the East Coast. The first course to my table was the Soup of the Day, which actually contained a nice level of slowly increasing heat, one spoonful at a time. It had a light, red curry tinged broth with cubes of firm tofu and sliced vegetables. The vegetables were just cooked enough to stand up in a soup, unlike the soups of the day where soggy vegetables may have entered days before.

All lunch specials at My Thai come with a complimentary side, and I chose the vegetable dumplings. The two medium-sized dumplings served alongside my entrée were pan-fried, stuffed with a savory protein filling, and served with a generous amount of sweet dipping sauce. I was left with the impression that these were stuffed in-house, due to the custom folding. The Pad Thai itself was presently greatly, topped with fresh bean sprouts and christened with a slice of lime and crushed peanuts.  Flavor was another matter. The ample serving of hot rice noodles, a bit of garnish, and slices of soy chicken was reminiscent of a Pad Thai requested vegan at many omnivorous restaurants – incredibly bland.  It was missing sauciness and any heat whatsoever.  I can recall squeezing every last drop out of the lime! I can’t credit the addition of soy chicken strips, because those too, was odd, with a strangely burnt aftertaste.

In a city that shares the glory of Grasshopper in Allston, the recently closed but impressive raw dishes of Grezzo, and growing pride of Peace O’Pie, my lunch at My Thai was a real lackluster experience.

However, as all vegan alternative conveniently located downtown, I would be up for giving it another try.  Any recommendations?

House Soup

Pad Thai Lunch Special with dumplings

Exterior

The Stumptown Vegans are joined by special guests Alex Wrekk, David Agranoff, Maeve and Crystal for a lengthy blind taste test and critical discussions of vegan muffins, scones, chocolate cake/cupcakes, gluten-free selections, and cheesecake from local vegan baked goods providers.

For every item sampled, the participants assigned it a score on a 1-10 scale. The points were then tallied and entered into the charts below, percentage wise. Detailed, immediate feedback is on the podcast episode. The individual scores for each bakery item were combined. If an individual did not provide a score, an average score of 5 was utilized.

Enough with the semi-scientific talk, onto the our discussion group’s picks for Portland’s best vegan bakery items!

The Bakeries in the Blind Taste Test:

• Back to Eden Bakery & Boutique
• Blacksheep Baking Co.
• Blossoming Lotus
• Dovetail Bakery
• Monkey Wrench Vegan Bakery
• Portobello (formerly of Cherry Bomb)
• Sweetpea Baking Co.

As you can see, and probably guessed – favorites were very divided, and each bakery rated highly! It was fascinating, there were rounds were someone would give a 1, and someone else would give a 10. There was another round where Costco was jokingly, and somehow, fondly, namedropped about 3-4 times.

Please click on the graphs if you cannot see them clearly enough!

The Results:

Leading Chocolate Cake/Cupcake Score: Sweetpea Baking Co.

Leading Cookie Score: Dovetail Bakery

Leading Vegan Cheesecake Score: Blossoming Lotus

Leading Muffin Score: Blacksheep Bakery

Leading Scone Score: Back to Eden Bakery

If your favorite items were missing, or you have any suggestions, please let us know!

—-

Disclaimers and Set Up:

This podcast contains a no-holds barred, colorful, opinionated conversation amongst delightfully spoiled Portlanders, who all eventually succumb, on air, to sugar overload.  The showdown is based on items acquired on a specific weekend, and purchased with the Stumptown Vegans’ own money.  We were not able to attain everything uniformly, and were missing items normally available from some bakeries. That’s just how the cookie crumbled.

For example, there are chocolate cupcakes and cake reviewed in one category, and generally available scones missing from another. We did not place any special orders.

Even as Stumptown Vegans, we purchased independently and were not aware of where each item was from.

There are vegan-friendly bakeries missing.  If they bake your favorite items, or you disagree with our results, please share!

We do not know when items were baked or prepared.

We aimed to have at least 3 selections for every category.

Various Baked Goods Tasted:

Serious Cookie Business

Behind the Scenes: Portobello (formerly Cherrybomb) cupcakes and Monkey Wrench Snickerdoodle, both picked up from Red & Black Cafe

From Sweetpea:

From Black Sheep:

Sweetpea Cake!

More Muffin

The final course: Cheesecake!

Vegan-friendly bakeries we realize we’re missing: Piece of Cake, Petunia’s Pastries, Whole Foods, Blue Gardenia, New Cascadia, and what else?

The developing population of Southern style restaurants into Portland has brought more vegan options to this not-so-obvious genre with Miss Delta, Bye and Bye, and Delta Cafe, among others.   This is no different at The Fixin’ To – Vegan options abound!  If you can get past the odd name, then make your way to St. John’s and squeeze past the awkward entrance and try some of their vegan junk food bar food.

When you enter into the Fixin’ To, you are forced to belly up to the bar since it’s located feet from the entrance. From there you either go right to grab a table in the dimly lit dining area, or take a left and head outside to the partially covered patio.  The interior dining area is a smallish area with a variety of comfortable booths and tables that seems to be arranged differently each time this reviewer visits. But the tvs on the walls are always showing the latest game, but The Fixin’ To doesn’t have a sport bar feel.  This is the place for the more casual sports fan.  The fenced, private, outside dining area is twice as big as the interior and the heat lamps even make it a comfortable option in the colder months.  The high fence, made of old doors, and the crunchy pea stone ground cover will take you to a place where time stands still and all that matters is your current experience.

The menu is small with the vegan items clearly listed: Bean Dip, Hail Seitan Sandwich, Chicken Dumplings, Frito Pie, and The St. John’s Chili Bucket.  All are comfort foods that should be consumed with a stiff drink served in a mason jar, or with a cheap tall boy.  The lemonade, with or without booze, will help get you in the mood for some grub.  The drink menu is not listed on their website, so a visit is a must.

The Frito Pie ($6) is more like Frito nachos.  A pile of Fritos are topped with chili, lettuce, and tomatoes.  A fork is required to consume this mess of a plate. The chili beans and sauce are spiced with a flavorful but mild heat seasoning well so it does not need anything else to make this dish whole, unless you like it super hot, then grab the hot sauce.  There is no need to expedite consuming these Southern nachos to avoid sogginess because the Fritos are firm enough to hold their crunch for awhile.  The lettuce and tomatoes on top do a nice job at making a stick-to-your-ribs meal feel lighter.

The most unappealingly named dish on the menu, The St. John’s Chili Bucket, ($7) is much better  than the name implies.  Is it just me – but a bucket of anything from St. John’s just sounds suspicious.  In fact, the dish is smaller than a bucket.  A shallow bowl containing a soggy corn bread, aka corn pudding, is topped with the same vegan chili used for the Frito Pie.  The corn pudding tasted a bit old with stale corn and jalapeno chunks among the dense pudding cake.  Since the chili is only medium in thickness, it works well with another element like the Fritos or corn pudding.  However, even if this dish was fresh, I do not think it would be a favorite of mine because of the consistency of the mushy corn pudding.

The Chicken Dumplings ($7) contain The Fixin’ To’s wonderfully tender housemae seitan in a soupy gravy that is poured over some very tender dumplings.  Again, it’s  a consistency issue for this reviewer – perhaps I am not a fan of dishes where the sauce, or in this case, gravy, is mixed with a soft central item.  The gravy tasted great with a strong pepper and thyme flavor.  The few pieces of seitan really made the meal, but only left me wanting more seitan.  A serving of dirty rice would make this dish better to enjoy the remaining gravy, but this isn’t an option at the Fixin To.  If you’re a dumpling connoisseur, please, let us know your thoughts.

The menu item I will continue to order time and time again is the Hail Seitan Sandwich ($9).  Tender housemade seitan is marinated in a bourbon BBQ sauce and served with cabbage on an onion roll.  The menu notes the cabbage is actually a cirtus apple slaw, but the power of the BBQ sauce over-powered every other taste, which I could not complain about. Because the BBQ sauce had a deep, warm flavor of tomato, bourbon, and cayanne, it worked in contrast to the cool and crisp cabbage.  The seitan is tender without the chewy, rubbery, or even the too bready texture that some other restaurants in town serve.  The way The Fixin’ To’s seitan seems to melt in your mouth with the great bourbon BBQ sauce makes it a little too dangerous because you can eat the whole thing before even knowing it’s gone!

The Fixin’ To’s service is friendly and quick.  I don’t think I’ve ever waited more than 10 minutes, even on a busy night.  The laid back atmosphere will have you coming back for the stiff drinks and the tender seitan and to hang out with friends on their back patio for long summer nights.  Dishes range from $7-9, with the vegan items being cheaper than the the others.

Frito Pie:

Chicken Dumplings:

Chili Bucket:

Hail Seitan Sandwich:

Tube has both updated their laid back but creative dinner menu and rolled out a brand new brunch menu since the last update on this post. The dinner menu has added mini english muffin pizzas, vegan mac and cheeze (usually with vegan hot dogs) and more Daiya-vegan cheese coated goodies.

The brunch menu is on the same page as their regular – hysterically decent – and I say that full of appreciation.

From a bottle of cheap sparkling wine presented in a chilled Session bucket (the $10 ‘bottle’ of mimosa), with juice dispensed from a soda gun, you should continuously take Tube with a sense of humor – and you’ll be all the better for it. My friend’s tofu breakfast sandwich was even more adorable that the little Nanotears – and topped with American flags. I don’t know if that patriotic touch was special for Memorial Day weekend, but it ruled, either way. On the down side, the hash browns were  forgetfully mushy, but the veggie sausage is a nice cheap side for $2 (for 2 small non-homemade patties). Memorably decent were the thin chocolate beer pancakes ($6 for 3). They’re served on a large plate with maple syrup, margarine, and while I couldn’t quite taste the local porter and the chocolate was very light, I’d go for them again – and share with a friend, as part of decently priced and decently presented vegan brunch selections that are very welcome downtown, from one of my favorite bars.

Brunch is 11am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday

Brunch photos:

Vegan Egg & Cheese Sandwich $7

Bottle of Mimosa $10

Chocolate Beer Pancakes & Veggie Sausage

Updated 4/2/2009:

There’s been a bit of a revamp to the Tube’s menu. The Ham and Cheeze, now the Professor Nanotear muffins – no word if J.K. Rowling tried to sue, are still ridiculously pathetic, and therefore, cheaply awesome at $3 each or 2 for $5.  Happy hour is still fantastically from 5pm-10pm, it’s smoke free (like all bars as of January 2009) and they’ve added crazy vegan nachos.  As in, topped with tofu scramble, salsa and fake cheeze.   The menu is posted on their myspace here.

March 9, 2007
Times Visited:  Forever.

In case you didn’t know, bars in Portland are required to serve food. That being said, some places have varying decencies of fries, some serve pizza, but there’s only place in town you can get a sandwich’The McGonnigle’ containing vegan ham, vegan cheese and chipotle vegeanise on an english muffin – The Tube. I first saw a flier for the Tube upon moving to Portland at Food Fight!, and noticed “vegan happy hour food”. I went with friends from out of town and happily had a vegan grilled cheese.

Now two years have gone by and I’ve started going there again, after learning about $2 well drinks and vegan happy hour food, naturally. The place seems more relaxed, less hipster, but maybe I’m just older (and cooler, right?).

Over half the menu is vegan, and not too shabby at all. Options include tofu scramble plates and tacos, ghost dogs, salad, chips and salsa, vegan ham and cheese panini plates and pasta salad (oddly not tube shaped pasta).

The McGonnigle has become my favorite item. This english mufin sandwich is hard to pass up at $2, and happy hour is M-F till 10pm. It is a skimpy sandwich, but it’s $2 and you’re probably drinking, so chomp away. Mmmm ham tube!

The McGonnigle:

Vegan White Russian:

Tofu scramble taco

Rating 3 out of 5.
Address: 18 NW 3rd Ave Portland, OR 97209
Hours: Happy hours M-F 5pm-10pm

As part of Podcast Episode 15: Healthy Spring Dining.

During the podcast, we reveal our top bowl picks to one another, and discuss bowl options as part of a look at Portland’s healthiest and nourishing dining options.  As always, you can subscribe to our podcasts here, and listen or subscribe via itunes. Don’t forget to leave a comment.

These 10 Bowls are listed in no particular order.

All are vegan with a base of grains, excluding noodles, and are ideally, served in a bowl!

Where to go for Portland’s Top Ten Best Bowls:

1. Broadway Bowl, Native Bowl

2. Chili Bowl, Prasad

3. Veganized Whole Bowl, The Whole Bowl

4. Design your own, Chaos Cafe

5. Design your own, Blossoming Lotus

6. Sonny Bowl

7. BBQ Brussel Bowl, The Bye & Bye

8. New Seasons Wok

9.  Jefferson Teriyaki Bowl, Chef Naoko

10. Yumm! Bowl, Cafe Yumm (Yumm sauce is sold in stores, and there are locations in Eugene, Beaverton, & a new one coming to PSU this summer!)

Honorable Mentions:

• Happy Bowl at Sweetpea Baking Co. (Note – no longer offered at Sweetpea, since our recording)
• Laughing Planet
• Papa G’s
• Proper Plate at Proper Eats
• Taqueria Los Gorditos

We know some of these are only the locations – please share your favorites in the comments!

Chaos Cafe Bowl with Tempeh

The staple Whole Bowl

Whole Bowl, SW Alder

Jefferson Teriyaki Bowl, Chef Naoko

BBQ Bowl, Sonny Bowl

Eastern Bowl, The Bye & Bye

Broadway Bowl, Native Bowl

Bloop, Good For You Goodness:

Prasad, Dragon Bowl:

Prasad, Chili Bowl:

Update: We’ve been warned they’ve closed! Any folks seen them open? We’re on the case…

~
The Spud Locker cart is packed with satisfying novelty.  The curious, grey cart was originally designed as a prototype for a  military canteen truck, and thanks to the owners, it underwent a metamorphosis into a striking food cart.  You can read more about the cart’s origins and the vegetarian cart owners’ history on their website.

Spud Locker spent the summer of 2009 on NE Alberta Street, and has since relocated downtown to SW 2nd and Stark.  If you’re looking for something straight forward and filling, and notice lines at D.C. Vegetarian and Just Thai on S.W. 3rd, here’s another option: round the northeastern corner down SW Washington, veer  half a block left, hold your nose past the People’s Pig truck, and prepare to order potatoes.

It’s highly likely you’ve had a bland baked potato or two as the default vegetarian option at a shameful restaurant in the past.  Mentally accept that at Spud Locker, they’re about to break out the novel toppings and smother a russet baked potato or potato wedges in them for your lunch.

In a city often dominated by soup weather, it’s nice to have something equally warm and satisfying on a chilly, rainy day, or any day!

While I’ve visited three times now, it wasn’t until my third visit that I truly grasped the comfort food this cart was possible of producing.  On my first visit, I went with a baked potato and the obvious add-ons of Tofutti sour cream, nutritional yeast, black olives (25 cents each), and one of the complimentary hot sauces, for a total of $4.25  The baked potatoes are large, served quite warm, and with a thankfully, slightly crisped peel.  The credit goes to the  old-fashioned cast iron oven inside the cart that all potatoes are baked in. $3.50 may seem like a lot of freaking baked potato or base of oven-roasted wedges, but the inexpensive, stepping stone toppings – and associated novelty – are why you’re here.

On my second visit, I tiptoed slightly into something more exciting and ordered a baked potato with the hot topping ($1.25 extra) of gluten-free Peanut Curry Sauce.  There are four hot toppings total, and all are vegan: Three Bean Chili, Peanut Curry, English Baked Beans, and Paul’s Spicy Gravy.  All but the gravy are gluten-free, as well.

The Peanut Curry Sauce is rich with coconut milk and channels lime, shallots, and a mild Indonesian curry. I enjoyed it, but there wasn’t enough going on.  In my opinion, it’s missing some more sweet, and heat (though there’s always the counter top hot sauces).  However, if peanut sauce is your jam, consider the full Aircraft Carrier ($5.25) with the Peanut Curry Sauce, lime, cilantro, sour cream (specify vegan), mixed veggies, and crushed peanuts.  It’s one of 5 Favorite Combinations with great names ($5-6) on the menu. This includes the gluten-free Battleship ($5.75), with the three bean chili, vegan cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

I’ve seen a vegetarian version of the Battleship, and it was gigantic. Once my friend opened her container, I was surprised she hadn’t been weighed down while carrying her meal down the block! There is no available seating, so all meals are to go and help strengthen your arm muscles.

The epiphany of potential on my third visit occurred with the order of the All Hands on Deck meal ($5).  It’s one of two newer options of $5 specials that come with a bottle of water.  There is no question that it keeps with the ‘filling’ trend here, and offers more variety than most options.  This meal features their oven-roasted potato wedges.  These are cooked with olive oil and flavored with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. The potatoes are topped with Paul’s Spicy Gravy, which is creamy, assuredly spicy, and assisted by mixing in the crispy shallots that are sprinkled on top. The other two components make me think of the Bye & Bye: cooked greens and simmered black-eyed peas.  On the day I went, the kale was cooked with fake bacon bits, which was a fun touch. I didn’t actually taste the hint of smoke they were going for, instead, I swear the salty greens were reminiscent of seaweed, like nori or kelp was thrown in.  Very intriguing. The beans were cooked down with white onions, lots of black pepper, and possibly, tomato.  Both sides helped tone down the heat and generous herbs of the potatoes and gravy.  I don’t know if I see myself re-ordering this, and wish I had shaken some salt on top, but I can’t argue that it’s not a full vegetarian meal for a worthy price.

Is Spud Locker crave-worthy?  Only time will tell.  I wish there was something I was raving about besides gut satisfaction, potential, and how cool the cart is, but it hasn’t happened for me yet, so let’s move onto another question:

Are jacket potatoes  the new rainy day soup? Possibly. Does a potato hit the spot? It’s up to you.

I do know this: The people behind Spud Locker know potatoes and know what they’re doing: selling well-named, damn filling, quickly assembled comfort food, for decent prices.

All  Hands on Deck

Build Your Own

Peanut Curry Sauce

Aircraft Carrier

The cart