by | December 22, 2009

Plum Bistro (in Seattle)

Plum Bistro in Seattle, Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
8.5 10 5 9 10
Location: 1429 12th Ave Seattle, WA
Hours: M-W, Sun 8am-10pm, Thurs-Sat 8am-12am Times Visited: 1

The Stumptown Vegans Travel!

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The exciting lunch menu at Plum Bistro in Seattle features smoked seitan, tempeh filled crepes, sweet and spicy Jamaican tofu, creative salads, and Southern style small plates, such as crunchy Cajun fried okra and Louisiana-style collard greens.  As I perused, I thought the entire menu sounded kick ass and I was torn on what to order. Dining as a vegan tourist can be awesomely overwhelming, but suddenly! -I had a recommendation and an entrée calling out to me.  Just over an hour later, with a to-go container in hand, I realized this review was going to be brash.

Plum Bistro is fairly new to Seattle’s Capitol Hill district, and I say that with potential.  It’s run by the owners of the casual Hillside Quickie establishments, and is a sleek, classy bistro serving predominately Southern and Caribbean influenced vegan dishes.  Hillside Quickies are known for greasy, indulgent, quick dishes, and the menu at Plum seemed to have stepped up with their offerings. There are many similar dishes, but across the board – from the classy atmosphere, thanks to the shiny wood floors, the sleek square tables with unique chairs, to the well-trained, courteous young waiter pouring a glass of cucumber infused water – the presentation comes across as impressive.  You’d want someone to take you on a date here.

The restaurant describes itself as a 100% organic, gourmet vegan dining. And it’s the actual food, outside of the polished dining experience, that was the problem. Starting off, Plum was out of a couple small plates, the enticing fried okra dish, for one.  Later on during my meal, I overheard staff mention they couldn’t use a fryer because of building issues, and were working on this. This is not a complaint, simply a note about that affecting the printed menu. The entrée I decided on was the Smoked Northwest Portobello & Tempeh Crepes ($11).  Cost-wise, it was on the lower side of the entrees ($10-13). I wouldn’t typically order crepes, but it was a dining adventure and I adore great mushrooms.  I was presented with two thin, wheat style, yieldable crepes, filled with a mixture of browned, crumbling chunks of somewhat seasoned tempeh and very thin strips of portobello. Depressingly, nothing about the mushrooms lived up to the title of “smoked”.  The most flavorful elements of the plate were the almost too-thick, lemony, herbed squeeze of vegenaise-type sauce decorating the plate and sitting under the crepes, and grease.  I’m not scared of oil, but it was the overwhelming attitude in each bite of crepe and filling. The crepes themselves packed more grease in each thin bite than you’d think possible.  A desire for a side of greens started to hit during the first ¼ crepe. It was uncomfortable relying on the sauce for flavor.

The Spicy Mac ‘N’ Yease ($7) I took to-go was decently sized and lived up to its name. It was better than most vegan mac & cheeses I’ve had in restaurants (which isn’t to say many great ones), predominately flavored with creamy nutritional yeast, a big helping of crushed red pepper and evidently, even more oil.  This was more so appropriately greasy than the crepes, but I’ll warn you, the orange grease that leaked out of my to-go container could have drowned a small army of ants. No one wants that.  If this was on my table again, I’d seriously indulge in a few bites, and dreamily beg for a side of green vegetables, minus the oil.  It was far too indulgent to order again myself!

There is something positive to be said on the promise of Southern vegan style homecookin’ menu vs. the fine dining atmosphere, and I would actually return to Plum Bistro. For one, I’m devoted to second visits, as documented in the Stumptown Vegans by-laws, and two, it’s an all-vegan establishment I’d want to re-explore and support.  However, it would be months down the road, with trepidation, and napkins.

Smoked Northwest Portobello and Tempeh Crepes
Plum Bistro

Spicy Mac ‘N’ Yease
Plum Bistro

Exterior – The sign mentions how they serve Stumptown Coffee!
seattle

Plum Bistro on Urbanspoon

6 Comments

Filed under all vegan, all vegetarian, Caribbean, fancy, jess, seattle, southern, travel

by | December 20, 2009

Pastini Pastaria SE

Update 12/21/2009: We’ve received notice that their wheat pastas now contain egg, how awful! This wasn’t the case in 2007 during out visits, but they do offer a gluten free rice pasta, in case you find yourself here – and as always, inquire, inquire, inquire!

Date: August 16, 2007
Times Visited: 3

An all vegan Italian restaurant is the type of the place my dreams and realistic boredom are made out of. I’d like to see it happen, but at the same time I know I can rip open a bag of organic pasta and pour some sauce and veggies over it at home for cheap. At the same time, I’ve always been a sucker for great Italian food, even after becoming vegan, from manicotta, minestrone and pasta e aglio. As for the boredom, most vegans have spent family dinners out inquiring if pasta is vegan and ordering a lackluster bowl of it more than once. For me, this happened a lot at Bertucci’s and the local Italian restaurant among others during my college years. For Portlanders, Pastini Pastaria solves those woes by offering a positive experience for that ‘family in town is willing to not eat burgers tonight’ situation, especially with most dishes from $5-9.

With over seven veganizable options (ask for no cheese and request vegan), their pasta dishes include seasonal produce and a friendly amount of garlic. The restaurant is all about choice. When my partner’s parents in town, I ordered the Rigatoni Siciliano, minus the cheeses, extra garlic. This was a saucy and flavorful combination of chopped kalamata olives, capers, fresh tomato, sweet sundried tomatoes and herbs. Pasta dishes come with a small side of bread, and the servings are sizeable while not making you feel like a glutton. I didn’t finish my plate, but didn’t have enough to justify leftovers. I’ve also enjoyed the capellini pomodoro, though a bit plain – I should have asked for extra garlic, and the ziti con broccolini. As the menu says “simple food is good for the heart”.

You can choose from 12 pasta varieties: the tortellini and ravioli are never vegan, although you should always double check, the others typically are vegan. These include pastini, ziti, capellini, spaghetti and fettucine. There is also whole wheat penne available for an additional 99 cents.

Pastini’s is a kitchen that relies on olive oil, not butter – a relief. There are no vegan desserts, but there is a selection of some vegan friendly beers, and affordable wine. There are also vegan(izable) appetizer options, including an olive assortment and the bruschetta della mama (inquire about the spicy marinara). Pastini also offers one of my favorite vegetables, broccolini. The service is good and the food comes incredibly quickly, even during busy times.

With 5 Portland area locations, while it’s largely a restaurant I’d go to with family or clients, I have stopped by without them as well.

Rigatoni Siciliano

Picture 001

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

Address: 2027 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202
Hours: Mon-Thur 11:30 – 9; Fri-Sat 11:30 – 10; Sun 4 – 9

8 Comments

Filed under cheap, dinner, Italian, jess, lunch, SE, updated

by | December 12, 2009

Slappy Cakes

Slappy Cakes Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
8.25 8 5 9 7
Location: 4246 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215
(503) 477-4805
Hours: Everyday 8am-5pm Times Visited: 2

Another place to enjoy Portland’s favorite meal, with a theme – flip your own pancakes. Slappy Cakes is a new restaurant at SE 43rd and SE Belmont. The converted garage offers a large, open, brightly lit dining area, and ample seating with table top griddles. After settling in  and thinking about the details, this reviewer thought, “I am glad I don’t have to bus the tables or clean the griddles. This could get messy!”

Diners are seated to clean, personal griddle tables  with wooden stands covering hot surface. The heat is turned on, and the wait staff will remind you that this surface is in fact hot and there’s no need to touch it to find out.

The menu is typical of a full service diner – pancakes, home fries, omelets, scrambles, sides, and a vast alcoholic breakfast drink menu. Though not on the menu, they do offer tofu for their scrambles. Post 11am, sandwiches, salads, and soups are also offered. I’d be curious to know the percentage of visitors who eschew the personal griddle and sit at the bar, facing the open kitchen. These spots must be reserved for neighborhood locals when the novelty wears off.

On to the pancakes, because that is what Slappy Cakes is all about. There are three options, and only one vegan option – the whole wheat. For tabletop griddle dining you choose your batter plus one addition, all for $5. The additions range from chocolate chips , dried cherries, nuts, fancy apple sauces, and many more, vegan and non-vegan. Even if you do not enjoy add-ins to your pancakes, I suggest an addition anyway. A quarter cup of nuts or dried fruit will be nice snack while you wait for your pancakes to cook, which do take awhile.

The beautiful paintings on the wall show patrons how to make pancakes: pour the batter, add your additions, flip, and enjoy. On this review’s first visit I wished there was more guidance on making the pancakes. Not that I am new to pancakes, they are one of my most favorite breakfast dishes, but when the wait staff is busy, it can feel lonely staring at a blank hot griddle with a 16 ounce bottle of pancake batter. Never fear, The Stumptown Vegans are here for you. Here is our guide:

  1. Order 1-2 orders (2 if you’re really hungry) of whole wheat pancake batter, plus an addition.
  2. Cook the pancakes nearest the center of the griddle, it’s the hottest.
  3. Be patient, the vegan batter needs a bit longer to cook, and your griddle may require additional oil before the next pancake if it’s sticking.
  4. Pour normal shapes, round, to get the hang of using the squeeze bottle. Keep the cakes to about the size of your palm. Once this is mastered, move on on to fun shapes.
  5. Nuzzle the additions into the batter right after sprinkling it on top of the wet batter. Use your fork or your finger. This will help it cook faster. (Don’t try using the various syrups as an addition. This will make the griddle cleaner angry).
  6. Flip the pancakes only after you see lots of little bubbles rise to the top and pop, and the edges start to look a bit dried out. (Don’t be cute and try to flip the pancakes high into the air. This will make the person who has to clean the lamp shades angry).
  7. Watch closely because the second side will not take as long as the first. Gently use your spatula to poke under the cake after 1-2 minutes to see if it’s done. (This is where it would be great to have an hour glass).
  8. Keep making pancakes. As soon as you have your first group of cakes on your plate spread the batter for the remaining so they cook while you’re eating.
  9. Have fun! Slappy Cakes is about the experience. Try spelling out your name or drawing your cat’s face in pancake batter.

The vegan pancakes are a bit disappointing in the fluff and taste departments. The cakes lose their fluff after the flip and the taste gets by with the variety of syrups. However, I don’t think many people will visit Slappy Cakes for the food, but the experience. Each griddle has their own set of four syrups – maple, blueberry, marionberry, and cherry. Real maple syrup is available for an added cost of $1, but vegan butter is free, but it’s no Earth Balance.

Besides the pancakes there are not many vegan options – home fries, field roast sausage, and a quinoa salad. All of the menu items were on the small side compared to most other Portland diners. The home fries are quarter sized deep fried potato cubes topped with dried parsley and salt, served on a small plate. They taste more like French Fries than Home Fries because they were actually fried. Most tables do not come with personal ketchup bottles, so ask for ketchup if that’s your style. The Field Roast sausage is half of a normal sausage, cut in half and cooked until browned. Definitely moist and tender with a bit of crunch.

The Warm Mushroom and Root Vegetable Salad was simple and enjoyable. Chanterelle mushrooms, rutabaga, carrots, and quinoa mixed together on a small bed of salad greens for $7. The champagne dressing was mild and left me wanting more of a citrus flavor to company the tenderly cooked roots. While I was told this dish was vegan, I later learned that champagne is not typically vegan and do not know the amount of research Slappy Cakes has done to know one way or another.

The drink menu is full of fun drinks like an Orange Cream Cicle, A green bloody mary, called the Slappy Green, and the Slappy Screw, a normal screw driver rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. Beware, the Red Slappy uses anchovie ridden worstershire sauce and a bacon stiring stick. The Green Slappy on the other hand, is a weak tomatillo bloody mary. The green drink will turn heads with the usual drink color.

A few other things to note – if you require a lot of food to fill you up, order two sides and pancakes, or two orders of pancakes and one side. However, doing this will run you about $13 for breakfast. They are willing to substitute tofu for eggs in their scrambles, but it is not on the menu, just ask for it.

Slappy Cakes is very family friendly and I was surprised that kids making pancakes and pouring syrup wasn’t as messy as it could be. Also, diners are given plenty of room at each table to flip pancakes with ease and without fear of bumping into your neighbor. The wait staff are helpful, but very busy with the amount of tables, and families who frequent the restaurant.

If I was 10 I would beg my parents to take me here every weekend. Since I am not, I have a hard time dragging myself across town for a simple meal I can make myself, and better, in the comfort of my own home. If you’re into pancakes check out Hungry Tiger Too, Laurelthirst, or  Jam.  I will however, visit Slappy Cakes to meet out of town friends who want a fun Portland brunch dining atmosphere with a safe IHOP-like menu. And if you’ve got kids, take them here; this is one of the most kid friendly Portland brunch places I’ve been in awhile.

Griddle Table:

Toppings:

Flipping Cakes and the Open Bar:

Cooking Cakes:

Field Sausage:

Home Fries:

Warm Root Salad:

Slappy Green:

7 Comments

Filed under breakfast, family, gluten free, SE, webly

by | December 8, 2009

Kettleman Bagel Company – Downtown

Kettleman Bagel Company – Downtown, Brief Review
Overall Service Food Quality Atmosphere Vegan Options
6 8 6 5 5
Location: 845 SW 4th Portland, OR

Phone: 503-445-8188 Fax: 503-445-8189
Hours: 6am to 6pm Times Visited: 6+

Rooted inside this reviewer is a native New Yorker who likes her pizza crusts thin, her falafel cheap, and bagels toasted, thick, and chewy.  I’ve sampled Kettleman Bagels across town sporadically since they opened on SE 11th a few years ago; my method of choice being smeared with tasty, flavored cream cheeses at Sweetpea Baking Co.

Prior to the opening of the new downtown Kettleman’s this summer, my opinion was that their bagels were simply the best bagel vehicle for a spread in Portland, by default.  They didn’t complete the deep bagel craving in my heart, but they came closer than anything else, and they are made with Northwest grown Shepard’s Grain Sustainable Wheat.

Kettleman’s boils and bakes an enormous amount of kosher bagels daily, and the consistency varies.  I’ve had great, chewy bagels and others that walk the line slowly towards Noah’s soft style.  Others were so in between I was sad the term ‘New York style’ was associated.  In case you’re not familiar, New York style bagels are technically large, yeasted rolls with a hole in the middle that are made with malt, salt, and boiled prior to baking. If you’ve had a bagel in New York City, I am confident you believe the hype, and know what I’m talking about.

After several visits to the new Kettleman’s, my stance remains the same: their bagels are simply the most realistic bagel you can buy in Portland, by default.  I don’t know if all bagels are being cooked at the SE location and dispersed around town, but the most consistently positive experiences I’ve had are at the hurry-in-and-out downtown location.

There’s just enough room to peek down in the display case when you walk inside the new shop on SW 4th and move a foot or two to the register to order and pay.  When it’s wet outside, you may have to push your way up front or have your selection memorized.  Aiding the appropriate morning bagel rush are the smiling, quickly moving counter staff, beckoning your orders and prepping your bagel.  They also offer a fax-ahead service for individual and group offers.  I’ve never waited more than a few minutes for my bagel, even on zany, busy days with office worker zombies crowding the usually decently dripped Stumptown coffee pots.  Credit for the large pitcher of soymilk along with the rest. On nice days, the front doors are open and people wait outside for their orders.  If you do this, I recommend listening very carefully because I’ve heard orders called out multiple times before being picked up.  There is absolutely no room for indoor seating.  It’s a crowded squeeze both in front and behind the counter of this shop, but there is a small table outside.

As for the bagel experiences, the downtown location delivers the promise of ‘toasted’ on most requests, and that’s more than I can say for most coffee shops that offer bagels. Vegans have their choice of jelly, plain Tofutti, vegetable Tofutti, and gourmet hummus for spreading. Additional topping choices include mixed spring greens, tomato, red onion, olives, cucumber, and capers.  None of their pastries are vegan, and my spread preference goes to the hummus ($2.95/bagel). There’s nothing gourmet about it and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s sourced outside the company, but it’s a decent, mildly spiced, creamy hummus – and just slightly cheaper than the Tofutti. They do pile the smooth, original ‘futi, but I find that too bland unless it’s on the borderline sweet Cinnamon Raisin.  And my two under toasted bagels (cinnamon raisin and garlic) from this shop were slapped with Tofutti, so I’m a bit scarred. I’ll volunteer for toasted sesame and poppy seeds in my teeth and hummus-y, garlic breath, thanks.

Kettleman, you’re decent, and hummus smeared bagels for $3 are appreciated, because sometimes you just want a quick bagel for breakfast or lunch.  That being said, I can just as easily hold out for the real thing in the Big Apple.

Poppy Seed bagel with Gourmet Hummus

a good bagel

Cinnamon Raisin with plain Tofutti cream cheese.

kettleman's

5 Comments

Filed under cheap, coffee shop, downtown, jess, SW, to go