Gravy is another popular weekend brunch spot where there is always a waiting list. The Stumptown Vegans have visited twice, the first wait was 20 minutes, delaying our second visit many months, but the second visit proved to be worse - exceeding 30 minutes. Thirty minutes for a tofu scramble! With a name like Gravy it’s hard not to have cravings for biscuits and gravy. Then, when you realize there are no vegan biscuits, or even gravy, and you’re left eating another tofu scramble - it’s a bit disappointing, though they do have a vegetarian gravy. To their credit, there are many scramble options for a vegan that include vegan cheese and vegan faux meat.

The atmosphere is loud with few fabrics or room dividers to break up the sounds of a packed dining room with happy, chatty diners. The tables are pushed close together to lessen the wait time. There is limited counter seating at the bar overlooking the open kitchen. We spotted one possible cozy table nestled in a corner, but other than that, it’s very open. It’s a restaurant where you just have to find yourself eaves dropping the meal away, or talking loudly to your company.

It’s comforting that at $9.25 per tofu scramble it is the largest in town. A vegan’s easiest ordering option is the make-your-own, where you choose three elements to be included. These range from simple vegetables such as mushrooms and tomatoes to vegan bacon, sausage, and non-dairy cheese. On our first visit, the scrambles simply overwhelming. There were huge piles of steaming, yellow tofu with vegetables mixed in. You can picture a huge container of crumbled tofu mixed with some herbs sitting in the back waiting for it’s time to shine, or be heated with some veggies. The tofu itself is often dry and chewy. How it is cooked seems to vary with the cook of the day, not surprising in this town of tofu scrambles. If you are a big potato fan, skip the tofu all together and get a breakfast skillet of tossed potatoes and your choice of three additions, just like the scamble.

A scramble with vegan cheese, black olives, garlic, and mushrooms broke down to a pound, or more, of tofu, ¼ cup of black olives, multiple mushrooms, and assumedly Galaxy mozzarella. The scramble with vegan sausage could have been one-third of a container of chopped up Gimme Lean. One partygoer ordered the ‘fakin bacon’, which is by Lightlife, but what was served not tempeh at all, it was similar to a ‘Smartbacon’. Adding all these ingredients up makes the price tag even more digestible, as well as the ample scramble leftovers you’ll take home. Reviewing our omni-neighbors plates, we noticed the tofu scambles proved to be twice the size of the egg-filled scramble. The flavor of the scramble itself is a bit lacking, but there are assorted hot sauces available. While Galaxy isn’t the most popular vegan cheese on the market, the fact the restaurant goes the distant to have vegan cheeses and faux meats is admirable.

Each scramble comes with a choice of three sides: fruit, hashbrowns, or home fries. The hashbrowns are a point of contension between the Stumptown Vegans. One sees the giant fried greatness of hasbrowns as an over cooked alien-brain with barely cooked and bland guts, while the other sees the side as a crunchy birds nest with soft insides, perfect for adorning with Gravy’s raspberry jam and salt (maybe that reviewer is the one with the alien brain!) If faced with this potato situation, the best one can do is pick apart the nest and toss it into your scramble, reach for the condiments and give it another try. This also gives the tofu scramble time to cool. The home fries appear to be roasted with onions and both proved overcooked. If we had to visit again we might ask for toast.

If you find yourself at Gravy for lunch or dinner, the ‘Cheesesteak’ may be an option. but you better be a fan of Galaxy, the cheese we assume they use. If not, breakfast is served all day.

In the end, two vegans traveled across town, not once, but twice, and waited over an hour (30 minutes to be seated and 30 minutes from ordering) for brunch at Gravy, minus any hip omnivorous or vegetarian dining company. What were we thinking? This is one restaurant where our first impressions were correct and didn’t require a second visit. To Gravy’s credit, we were served massive amounts of food that provided two extra meals, the server was friendly, though he mocked the jam and potatoes. Local breakfast neighbors Muddies, Equinox, and Flavourspot beckoned us during our wait and now we know where to go next time we’re in the neighborhood.

Tofu Scrambles and sides galore:

Little Red Bike Cafe is located in the North Portland’s University Park Neighborhood  and has a small-town feel to it, similar to The Blue Moose on Freemont, or The Laurelthirston Glisan. This is a place I just want to pick up and give it a good squeeze, bury my face into it, and make funny noises because it’s just too cute. I’ve enjoyed reading their blog and viewing the pictures over the many months of my infatuation. If my vegan foodie friends were omnis, this is the type of cafe they would run - small, local, organic, unique and creative, with love in every dish. The cafe is brightly painted with lots of windows that light the space even on a gloomy day. There is a small inside seating area, a small eating bar, and outside seating for those gorgeous Portland summer afternoons.

With that said, my first visit left me very disappointed. They do not serve tofu scramble, ever, and this happened to be the one day I actually wanted it! Living in a town riddled with tofu scrambles, this was surprising. Little Red Bike Cafe is very vegetarian friendly, but seems to only have two vegan items on the menu because they must (like The Tin Shed) - but they do it fantastically (like The Tin Shed) - Vegan BLT and Curried Tempeh. No tofu scrambles, ever.

I opted for the Vegan BLT as my first real meal at the Little Red Bike Cafe and it was the best food decision I made all week. The sandwich was smaller than I expected for the $6.50 price tag, but after tasting it, itwas perfection and I didn’t care what I paid. The ciabatta bread wasn’t so crusty it hurt my mouth, like some other sandwiches. The bread was covered in Vegenaise and book ended perfectly plump, thick-cut tomatoes, smooth and creamy avocado, lettuce, and thin cut, smoky marinaded tempeh. The sandwich was a little smooshy, but in the best way possible. The thick avocado really made this sandwich stand out from other TLT’s around town that often skimp on this delicious fruit. I will be dreaming about this sandwich for weeks to come. 

Even the flavor of the side salad was delicious. The mixed greens were flavored with a light vinaigrette and seemed to have been tossed with raw garlic because the flavor was strong, I just couldn’t find the garlic. Topped with green apple, it added to the sweet, but tart taste of the salad.

Next time you’re in North Portland with an omni, in the afternoon, visit The Little Red Bike Cafe for a damn good sandwich, or keep moving west along Lombard until you arrive at Proper Eats. Just don’t stop across the street for pizza at Nicholas’ Pizza, because the food wasn’t good enough to go back to write a proper review. Support cute, local, businesses like Little Red Bike Cafe!

Tempeh Lettuce Tomato and Avocado Sandwich:

Tempeh Lettuce Tomato and Avocado Sandwich, Inside:

Little Red Bike Cafe Brief Review
Overall	Service	Food Quality	Atmosphere	Vegan Options
7.75	7	10	8	6
Location: 4823 N. Lombard St. Portland, OR 97203
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 7am-2pm Sat. & Sun. 8am-2pm CLOSED MONDAYS			Times Visited:2

]]> http://stumptownvegans.com/2008/07/02/little-red-bike-cafe/feed/ http://stumptownvegans.com/2008/06/21/gorilla-food/ http://stumptownvegans.com/2008/06/21/gorilla-food/#comments Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:09:37 +0000 fueledbypopcorn http://stumptownvegans.wordpress.com/?p=458

The Stumptown Vegans Travel!

Gorilla Food, in Vancouver, BC, reminds me of a more hippie Blossoming Lotus since it is all raw, organic, and vegan! The restaurant recently moved to an underground location. Some may think moving underground is a step backward from their previous street front location with sidewalk ordering window, but this place is awesome. It feels like you’re entering a welcoming, but still raw, cave. The stone basement walls, wood furniture, and vine details show how a hole in the wall can be recreated into a destination.

Gorilla Food is a restaurant where the food is simple in theory, but complex in the details. Even the water comes in a special containers sitting on a shelf. I wasn’t sure of the reason, but it did taste good. One of my favorite elements of the restaurant is the pipe and wiring detailing across the walls. Normally these would try to be hidden but at Gorilla Food they keep them exposed and used them in the design curving the wires along the wall to look like a vine, then with leaves and smaller vines painted along-side to complete the image. This is similar to McMenamins painting the joints of their pipes with little faces.

They seem to put a lot into their food and love what they do. Gorilla Food has created a variety of unique dishes displayed on their menu using all raw cooking techniques to make their food the best. First I tried the Water Wisdom Salad because the term “tenderized kale” intrigued me. I imagined someone in the back beating the kale with a mallet then mixing it with some chopped seaweed. This may have been the case. The dressing for the salad was a sesame apple dressing which really brought the somewhat salty of the seaweed together with the light sweetness of the apple. The texture was very chewy and with the inclusion of some raw, soaked nuts it made the dish feel full and well grounded in my mouth. As much as I enjoyed this dish I would only like a portion half the full size. The price seemed a little high at about $7 or $8 dishes, including the pizza. With that said, it’s worth the price for good raw.

The Pesto Pizza is your traditional raw pizza with a dehydrated nut and seed crust with marinara, a sweet pesto and a pine nut cheese sauce with a tomato on top. Raw pizzas are best eaten with a fork in case the crust cracks. This pizza is flavorful with tomato, basil, and nut cheese. A very enjoyable slice of raw pizza.

The Falafel contains many nuts and seeds soaked and formed into a balls and sit on top of a lettuce leaf topped with parsley, tomatoes, and a wonderful tahini sauce. The only issue I found with this dish was how to eat it! If it’s picked up the lettuce leaf breaks and if you eat it with a fork it doesn’t seem like a falafel anymore. Really though, who cares when food tastes great and makes you feel even better! There’s a lot more chewing that occurred when eating this falafel compared to a traditional fried falafel because of the nutty texture of the of the falafel balls. Chewing definitively makes you slow down to enjoy your food a bit more.

Next time you’re in Vancouver, don’t be shy to eat underground. Stay and enjoy a rawcarroon - raw macaroon after your meal! Be warned that the seating area is small and parties larger than three may have a difficult time finding enough table space.

Water Wisdom Salad:

Pesto Pizza:

Falafel:

Oh my goodness, get your milkshake on.
One could say that with the opening of a vegan milkshake cart, Portland is officially the coolest place to be a vegan in the United States of America. Portland’s food carts are already some of Stumptown Vegans‘ favorite places to eat, and the newest one is immediately on my top cart list. Sip opened this past week, and is literally parked in front of People’s Coop on SE 21st Ave. It’s open for business Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-7pm and has some serious style. It’s very 1950s retro with its shiny chrome trailer, old fashioned wall paper adorning the inner walls and the actual juicer and mixer. Even before trying anything I liked it.

With $5 in your pocket you can walk away with a vegan milkshake, sipper with sorbet, smoothie, wheatgrass shot or freshly squeezed juice, not to mention a huge smile on your face. Prices range from $3.50 - $4.75, with the most expensive item being the milkshakes themselves and large smoothies. This is the first week for the cart, so don’t be surprised if there are price or menu adaptations, it happens. Small cups are 12 ounce and large are 16 ounce. A 16 ounce peanut butter chocolate milkshake may not be as big as you’d dream from a sodashop, but once it’s in front of you all topped with Soyatoo whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup, your eyes are hooked. And those eyes are in your stomach.

This flavor combination let the peanut butter dominate, just as I like it. I was assured that if I wanted it more chocolatey or peanut buttery that could be easily arranged, and to let them know. The shake itself was successfully thick and fun to mix with the classy black straw. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach, and I walked home full and content with a couple inches of shake to put in the fridge for a sweet treat. Milkshakes are available in chocolate, strawberry, orange creamsicle, Newman O (oh my goodness again!) and the peanut butter chocolate. All drinks can be poured into a paper cup to go or a glass cup to sit down or wander the vegetarian coop with.

On a tired morning I ordered a small PBG smoothie ($3.95). As the initials hint, this was made with freshly cut peaches, banana and grapefruit. The trio of sweet, tangy and creamy banana made my day better, especially the large piece of grapefruit garnishing the to go cup. Everything is aimed to be organic at Sip- from the Soy Delicious ice cream, soy milk and the produce. There’s something refreshing about seeing the fruit you’re going to drink chopped in front of you. It’s as comfortable as being at home, but with the novelty at visiting this cool cart.

You can tell that the friendly young proprietor is living his dream, and us Portland vegans can easily do our part to support him, for the love of milkshakes and juice! Having recently been to Penny Lick’s mostly vegan old-fashioned ice cream and dessert shop in Brooklyn, NY, finding out about Sip’s opening was enchanting. With carts selling Belgian style french fries, vegan sausage and waffle mating, rice balls, huge portions of Indian food, vegan elephant ears, tacos and now milkshakes, it’s an amazing and freaking delicious time to be vegan in Portland, OR.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Milkshake

PBG Smoothie

The cart

Rating: To be Determined!
Address: 3029 SE 21st Ave Portland, OR, in front of People’s Coop
Mon: 12-8 Tue: Closed Wed: 12-8 Thur: 12-8 Fri: 12-9 Sat: 10-9 Sun: 10-8

Time Visited: 2

Su Casa fills the gap of taquerias peppering Lombard by providing a welcoming sit-down restaurant you’d go to with your family to enjoy the warm chips and fresh salsa before the hot plates of food arrive. Lucky for us vegans, Su Casa offers a full vegetarian menu, most of which can be easily made vegan.

The restaurant itself is nothing to get excited about; it can feel empty because of the design. There are little to few decorations or room dividers. Nothing interesting to note about the table layout, but maybe to note they were clean. All of this reminds this reviewer that this place could have been a dressed down Denny’s, but it still has a family owned and operated feel. There are booths and tables lining the walls with a few central tables in the open space. There’s also bar, which I have yet to visit.
The vegetarian menu features the usual: burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, tostadas, and all of the rest. The black beans set the vegetarian menu apart from the “regular” menu, which is a shame because refried bean are so nice in a burrito. Su Casa’s menu is all incredibly fresh. The salsa must have been made the same day I visited. The warm crunch of the newly baked chips with the cool, somewhat spicy salsa is why I love Mexican restaurants and Su Casa has become my place to eat baskets full of warm, salted chips.

The tostadas are just as fresh as the chips and salsa, but a bit plain without avocado or cheese. The beans were cooked perfectly and for $4 I’ll order this again.

The fajitas made for an uncomfortable dining situation. First, a HUGE pile of seasoned vegetables arrived. A long wait followed before receiving the beans, rice, and tortillas. Twice those eating this meal thought that maybe vegan fajitas consisted only of seasoned vegetables and started digging in because of the wait between the plates. After everyone else was served, out came the sides of beans, guacamole, and rice. This plate seemed like they were skimping on the beans and rice, but really, it was the pile of vegetables causing items to appear smaller than they were. Later, we were given our choice of corn or flour tortillas - some of the freshest tasting tortillas I’ve had since leaving Texas. The vegetables appeared to be of the frozen, then steamed variety - they were lightly seasoned to keep the flavor of the vegetables and just a peak of the mildly spiced seasoning.

Overall, I enjoy Su Casa as a neighborhood joint. If it was across town, I don’t think I’d visit. If you’re in North Portland and you’re searching for some good Mexican food where you know there won’t be lard in the beans - check out Su Casa. Close your eyes, enjoy the freshness of the food, and pretend you’re not sitting in North Portland.

Tostada:

Fajitas:

Fajitas:

Rating: 2.5/5
Hours:
Sunday-Thursday 11:00 am-9:00pm
Fr-Sat 11am-10 pm
Address:
3107 N Lombard St.
(503)285-5611

Times Visited: 3

When I was a silly, young vegetarian, I declared french fries my favorite food. From the mall food court, to unmentionable chains, and even diners, it was true! I later learned that french fries shouldn’t be a food group, but the adoration is still there.

Portland has a lot of contenders for best french fry purveyor - from the classic fries at Dots with their spicy tofu sauce, seasoned fries at Bonfire, garlic at Goodfoot, super crispy at Hungry Tiger Too, rustic at Pause, and classics at Burgerville, you can get your greasy, salty fix in any neighborhood until the early morning. Portland’s newest french fry fix, the Potato Champion cart, is now open for business and definitely in the running for best fried potato sticks.

The cart is located in the corner in the food cart dominated park lot at SE 12th and SE Hawthorne Street. It’s brightly painted with a blue sky and green rolling hills and the smell of fries drifts from blocks away, bringing you closer and closer. Options consist of fries, soda, dips, and gravy for the fries. The fries are Belgian frites style, having been cooked twice in oil. They are handed down from the cart’s window, with basic condiments like ketchup, mustard, and salt available on an outer ledge.

The fries are sold straight up as small ($3.50) and large cones ($4.50). Getting to the point, the fries are reliably crispy, hot, and fairly salty. They don’t taste like bland, old potatoes - they taste like golden strips of potato. They’re greasier than you might expect, because they’re quickly fried upon your order and then abruptly drained of oil. Fresh out of a fryer is either going to strike you as appetizing or appalling; you either dig fried potatoes, or you don’t.

The downside to the cone was experienced on a of couple visits: the very, very bottom fries were all what could be called stragglers: 1/2 inch of less pieces of overcooked potato, but the rest were perfect! The cone is somewhat easy to walk around with if you’re comfortable with either dumping condiments on top or going bare. If you’re lucky, the cart’s picnic table or tree stump-style seating circle will be available for easy going munching and dipping.

Each order of fries comes with one sauce of choice, and additional sauce is available for 50 cents a piece. The vegan choices include horseradish ketchup, Vegenaise, djion mustard, and a surprisingly mild rosemary truffle ketchup. My dining partner and I were ready to be negatively overwhelmed by the rosemary truffle-ness, but we really liked it. The two of us barely made 1/4 of a dent in the dip as well, opting for regular ketchup every so often. A vegan peanut satay sauce is in the works, and regular ketchup and mustard are totally free.

Small and large cups of vegan Poutine ($4.00 and $5.00) are made up of fries, vegan gravy, and chunks of Follow Your Heart cheddar. The gravy is housemade with a thin base of vegetable stock, balsamic vinegar, and onions. It’s tangier than something you’d put on your vegan biscuits, and even more pungent when you bite into the cheeze. The salty fries do get soggy, as is the tradition with gravy fries, but the meal does come with a fork. Share with a friend to keep the fries going into your mouth somewhat crispy. Half of a small vegan Poutine was more than enough for me, and the flavor combinations were nothing I’d crave in the future, but big points for creativity and thoughtfulness. I’d like to hear what others think of it!

Not only is this a cart that makes you fresh, hot fries, but they’re getting vegan friendlier by the week! We’ve only been graced with Potato Champion since April, and it’s like every week they add something new and vegan. The cart is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm-2am. Perfect for picking up after a bar crawl or late night with friends.While the mature vegan in me says these fries are for splitting and are not a meal, there’s a voice inside saying ‘yes they are!’

It’s not like you’re going to visit the cart with a side salad in hand!

After his first few bites of Belgian fries, my dining companion instructed me to hit him over the head with a baseball bat if he ever contemplated baking fries in an oven again. Living within walking distance, he simply needs to hold out and eat healthy through Sunday-Tuesday!

Small vegan Poutine

Large Cone of Fries

The cart

The Menu

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Location: SE 12th and SE Hawthorne Parking Lot, Portland, OR
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 6pm-1am, Friday and Saturday 6pm-3am

Times Visited: 4

As a farmer’s market addict, I often find myself eating a fresh piece of fruit or picking from pint of berries while walking around. The samples will only satisfy one’s hunger so much. While the fresh produce at the market is wonderful, so are the vegan-friendly food vendors. The locally crafted food is a reason to go in itself, with vendors like Dave’s Killer Bread, Tastebud Pita, Sweetpea Baking Company, Hoda’s, and the newest addition of Todbott’s Triangles.

The triangles, which are really rice balls, have been sold wholesale to the People’s and Alberta Co-ops for a while now, but Todd has recently started tabling at the People’s and Eastbank markets. He wanted to show people how appetizing the fresh ones were that he prepares for each order. As a food vendor, Todd is one of the friendliest I’ve come across. The preparation itself takes less than a couple of minutes, and before you know it you’re walking away with a rice ball. I mean, triangle.

It was the cheap price of $2 that first caught my eye. This was followed by the quick realization that this was something cheap and vegan! There is usually one vegan variety available, if not two. There is a vegetarian ball with honey, but the filling is premixed so it cannot be prepared sans honey. He also makes a ball with salmon that will be sold at the Eastbank market, but not People’s.

Depending on how you eat them, the balls can be on messy side. You can pick it up and bite into it, carefully keeping the wrapper in each bite, or get yourself a fork if you must. Traditionally called o-nigiri, the balls consist of a salty filling encased in lightly seasoned blend of organic white and brown sushi rice, all seated in a piece of dried nori. Todd’s signs describe them as both balls and triangles, so think what you will. I’ve heard them sweetly called heart shaped as well.

I’ve tried three flavors now, and each has satisfied every craving for salt that my mouth could possibly have. The dulse, soy sauce, and sweet sesame is a pleasant combination of sweet vs. salty. It’s like when you pour just enough soy sauce on your rice and didn’t over do it. The tempeh, local shiitake, miso, and tahini has a more rounded out salty vibe, with textured tempeh and tender shiitakes making for a substantial filling. There is another tempeh filled, with mustard, with an excellent amount of spice upon reaching the middle. As with all of them, make sure to eat some rice and filling at the same time to even out the bite. No need for soy sauce or wasabi with these gems, they are perfectly flavored. They all stand on their own as fantastically yet appropriately salty experiences.

The unfamiliar may assume these balls are too simple and boring and overlook them. If you are a fan of sushi at all, or just a fan of salty flavors, stop by a farmer’s market, pick up your produce and try this snack. You could make a small meal out of two of them, but I think it’s best to eat one. Recently I bought two, and even though it was dinner time, I was full with half of each and saved the rest for another small meal. There’s no need to fuss over the same old veggies in your boring vegan sushi anymore. Now that I’ve had the fresh and the refrigerated, I have to agree that the fresh are far better.

Todbott’s rice balls are a welcome, vegan-friendly addition to the farmer’s market food vendors.
Definitely unique. Definitely tasty.

Rice Balls

The cart

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Markets: People’s Coop Farmer’s Market
Wednesdays Year-Round 3pm-7pm
3029 SE 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97202

Eastbank Farmer’s Market
Thursdays 5/15/2008 - 9/25/2008 3:30pm-7:30pm
Hinson Church, SE Salmon and 20th

Times Visited: 2

Voleur is on the higher end of downtown lunch spots. It’s a cozy restaurant on the corner of SW 1st and Ash. I can image the scene is different during the evenings being surrounded by dance clubs and the scene that follows. The tall eastern windows flood the main dining space with light, but the wood features absorb the light and can make it feel intimate and comfortable. The bar area is much darker with a few booths and a heavy wood bar with many beers on tap.

The lunch and dinner menus offer two items which can be made vegan: the Winter Vegetable Jambalaya, and the SW Vegetarian Black Bean Burger. They also have the obligatory hummus plate, but they dress it up with Kalamata olive and jalapeno. It may be because the restaurant has not been very full, but the service has always been top notch. The wait staff has always been very helpful and informative as to what is vegan.

Both dishes are filling and flavorful, but overpriced. The Winter Vegetable Jambalaya is a hearty quinoa stew flavorful with tomato, carrot, spinach, and zucchini. There’s a bit of spice, but nothing that really stands out. The dish is made vegan by omitting the sausage from the $10 dish and it’s still $10 without the meat, a trend that’s been annoying these Stumptown Vegans. The meal would taste better if the price was lower, that’s for sure. I’d only order the dish again on a cold day where I needed the warmth that only comfort food can provide.

On the other hand, I’d love to visit Voleur again and again to enjoy the Black Bean Burger and side salad. The $9 burger was made better with the substitution of avocado for cheese. Voleur’s salad dressing options shows they are a cut above other restaurants in the area and not just in price. The fresh greens and berry vinegrette made for a wonderful addition to the meal.

Another condiment that shows that Voleur’s is a cut above the rest is their Habanero Blackberry Ketchup used to adorn the burger. It’s not too spicy but it adds to the flavor of the soft, but firm, house-made black bean burger and avocado. Happy Hour allows you to enjoy the burger for only $4, so we highly suggest checking it out at a lower price.

From the atmosphere, the quality of food, attentive wait staff, to the high prices, it’s clear that Voleur is a quality dinning spot downtown. The only draw back beside the price is the occasional sticky table. If the price weren’t so high for a vegan meal, I’d visit this restaurant more often. The outdoor seating on the Max line route, is pleasant and a wonderful place to watch the world go by.

SW Vegetarian Black Bean Burger:

Winter Vegetable Jambalaya:

Rating: 3 out of 5
Address: 1st and SW Ash
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11am-3am, 24 hours Friday and Saturday

Times Visited: Too Many To Count
Times Consumed Elsewhere: Many!

The talented bakers at Sweetpea recently started giving Voodoo Donuts a run for their money. The Sweetpea donuts are yeasted and delicate, while Voodoo’s are cakey. Both, however, are fried, frosted and vegan, so bring it on!

When you find yourself downtown after a show and craving a sweet, the freshest and sweetest satisfaction can be found at Voodoo Donuts on SW 3rd. Just off of West Burnside among bars galore, Voodoo is now open nearly round the clock. They’ve been making vegan donuts several years now, and they’ve gotten even better! Years ago I thought the donuts were actually too cakey, though the topping were usually flat out fun.

These days, there are both chocolate and yellow cake donuts. We’re happy to announce that the yellow donuts no longer have that overwhelming banana vibe to them, which they used to be guilty of. Our poor banana hating friends! Voodoo’s frosting fixings have also expanded, with classic chic-o-stick, sprinkles, nuts, coconut and ‘oreo’ topped are all still there. Today you could be in the mood for chocolate glazed with nuts, and tomorrow for plain glazed - the choice is yours and the donuts are awaiting. I appreciate that there is finally a vegan chocolate donut, but the two I’ve tried have been noticeably denser than the yellow. But give them time! Awesome vegan donuts require evolution.

The ‘oreo’ topped donut pictured below was certifiably delicious, don’t get me wrong, but the frosting was extremely sticky and called for a something to drink with it. My favorite is the maple glazed. It’s a simple yellow donut with a perfectly thin layer of maple glaze. On my most recent to-go visit, I walked out with fresh donuts in less than 5 minutes. It was early evening, Voodoo was empty and I had a sweet tooth satisfied with my first bite. There was also a full box of day old vegan donuts on the counter for $5! Somehow I passed, but I’ve had the day olds before, and would have picked them up if I had a reason. They’re easily worth the half price they’re typically sold for, so cheap vegans be on the look out.

While the non-vegan donuts have fun names, like the Grape Ape and Triple Chocolate Penetration, the vegans are simply displayed on a plate marked ‘VEGAN’. This is seen in the rotating display case. The shop itself does custom orders, so maybe they could do a vegan Cock-n-Balls (filled with creme of course) donut or vegan tempeh bacon topped donut for that special someone in your life, or well, me.

Voodoo is always on my ‘must go’ list for out of towners, whether vegan or not. It’s cheap, quick and has plenty of novelty appeal. They are entirely locally owned and operated, and working round the clock on classic and new donuts, which they now sell TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY! The Voodoo establishment itself is small, and heart-warmingly grungy, with a bench against the wall and a couple mini tables. There is a also a bar to lean against outside on SW 3rd. They also serve coffee, but that’s it, and what else do you need with a freaking donut?

You can get your vegan donut fix for $1.50+ and your sugar rush on before work and after. You can also have them cater your on-site quickie marriage, with packages starting at $175 for 10 attendees. It’s nice to know that if your employer or family buys donuts, they can actually get a vegan one for you. Large orders can even be delivered if arranged in advance. Fresh Voo Doo donuts are found around Portland at various coffeeshops such as Backspace, New Seasons and coops around Portland.

There are regular events such as shows with bands playing in their teeny tiny upstairs at ‘Club Doughnut’ - definitely something worth seeing happen, if only while you squeeze in past the madness to buy a donut at midnight. Show up for Swahili lessons, eating contests, weddings and the annual Cockfest, where you fit as many donuts as you can….you know!

Lastly, there official talk of a new Voodoo shop opening in the near future! Thanks for creatively thinking of us vegans, Voodoo.

Mmmm, donut.

Maple glazed and and ‘oreo’ topped donuts

Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Address: 22 SW 3rd Ave Portland OR
Open 24 hours a day!

Times Visited: 2

Sckavone’s is another hip neighborhood joint in SE Portland that I’d love to see up their vegan options.
That being said, I really like being there. The restaurant is styled after the Sckavone family’s original soda shop in the 1930s, which was opened a couple blocks away on SE Division St. There are clean wood paneled booths, a row of middle tables with spacious isles, and the open bar has an old-fashioned meets modern-hipster look to it that reminds this reviewer of Vita Café.

It’s a restaurant that you walk inside, sit down, open the menu, and hope for enticing vegan options. New neighborhood dining in SE Portland should bring something vegan to the table, right? Truthfully, Sckavone’s doesn’t offer many vegan options, and what they do have is fairly forgettable - so why am I am even going to this place?

If I don’t recommend the food itself, what does it take to bring me back?

In this case, the appeal of Sckavone lies in it’s location and atmosphere. There’s a comfortable, open feel, local history and abundance of board games that make it a welcome addition to SE Division and 41st, an area formerly home to Food Fight!

Breakfast wise, tofu is free to sub into any scramble. However, for a vegan to enjoy said scrambles, cheese must be omitted. I don’t know about you, but it bothers me that while cheese was included in the cost, vegans aren’t exactly offered extra spices or vegetables when they leave it out. Back to the real world, my eyes automatically omit it when I’m reading my options, and hope I won’t be charged more if I daresay want to add garlic to liven things up.

On my first visit there was a close call of tofu shortage, but fortunately it was available. Two scrambles stand out in vegan-adaptivity against the rest: the Mediterranean and the Veggie. The names certainly aren’t going for any creative recognition, so I wasn’t too excited about the food. It’s substantial, but nothing memorable enough to bring me back. The tofu is was firm and cubed, which I am a fan of, but it wasn’t quite cooked. There was no browning. The vegetables fare a better, and the fun addition of avocado to the Veggie Scramble and olives to the Mediterranean bring something extra to your plate.

However, pushing the ‘forgettable’ card are the hashbrowns and the cute but non-vegan scones. Ask to substitute vegan-friendly dry toast for the scones and reach for the table-side jam. It was briefly forgotten that I subbed tator tots for hash browns on one visit, and I received two for the price of one. The hash browns themselves lack flavor, but the plate full of crispy tator tots was the best food I’ve eaten there , which doesn’t say that much - but I do like tots and you’ve read the rest.

They also bring another hummus plate to the world for $7. During happy hour, which is all day on Sunday, there is a discounted $3 plate of hummus, olives and pita bread.

Let’s move on past the food because I do give this place credit besides the location, atmosphere and decent tator tots?. No, these are not things to entice a cross-town visit, but Sckavone’s has a wall of board games and excellent cocktails. They also have discounts for bike-riders once a week. If you live in the area and have non-vegan friends, go hang out and eat some tots. Breakfast wise, Genie’s offers similar options with tofu and drinks, yet their fresh, versatile ingredients, cooked tofu cubes and excellent roasted potatoes make them my preferred SE Division St. stop (and their house smoked-tomatoes = love).

That being said, spending summer evenings at Sckavone’s with a Southern Cooler drink or an old fashioned vanilla cola and a game of Clue is pretty tempting. Enough said.

Mediterranean Scramble plate:

Veggie Scramble plate:

Sorry for the less than great photos this time around!

Rating: 2.75 out of 5

Address: 4100 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202
Hours: Mon-Thu 10 am-12am, Fri 10am-1am, Sat 8am-1am, Sun 8am-12am