Samurai Bento

As much as you would like to believe that vegetarianism and veganism is well accepted in asia because of Buddhism... well, that's a very different case in Japanese cuisine. I don't know how Japanese are all skinny. They eat so much fried meat with fried eggs on white rice. It might be the fact they eat moderately with tofu, soy based miso soup, and plenty of mushrooms. Anyways, Samurai Bento is a good cheap Japanese bento food cart located amongst the forest of other food carts on SW Alder St. There only two vegan dishes, Dogashi Tofu, Tofu Yakisoba, and the vegetarian corquette. I've only gotten the tofu yakisoba. It is stirfry on grill with vegetables, tofu, soy sauce, and topped with a fried egg and pink pickled ginger. It was only $6 ($5.50 a month ago!) Most of the Bento come with a fried egg on top. They also provide free hot tea. I wish they serve more vegetarian items than just grilled tofu.

Tofu Yakisoba


C
$
few vegan options, Japanese, weekday 11am-3pm
940 SW Alder St. Portland, OR 97205

Frozen Truck

This place is really new. Its also really awesome 'cause its so easy to access. Its located on that huge intersection off Hawthorne Bridge, where you see a lot of cars and bikes fight for the road. A lot of hipster teens and young adults hang out after a good concert. The truck is located in the parking lot next to Tiny's Coffee. Most of the stuff in the menu is vegan. The frozen bananas (coconut or peanut) is vegan, each about $1.50. Milkshakes are vegan and non-vegan. Depends on the ice cream you want to have. Vegan is about $4.50, non vegan is about $3.75 The vegan sundae is $3.75 WOW! Pretty cheap for dessert food stand. I love how Portland is filled with great food carts. And look at its opening times. Eek! Perfect timing when you are done clubbing or concert going or just biking on a hot night. I know I am digging it!
PS: Did I mention most of the fruits are fresh and not caned!

Frozen Banana & Blackberry Milkshake


B
$
mostly vegan, dessert, ice cream, Monday Closed, Weekday 5pm-12am, Weekend 2pm-3am
SE 11th Ave & SE Hawthorne Portland, OR, 97214

Nicolas Lebanese

I love Lebanese food, or middle eastern food in general. This place is probably one of the best in town. After my arrival from a flight, my boyfriend took me there and we ate really happily. We just love the majora and the vegan mezza plate. It comes with a large flat bread (if there are more than four of you), three falafel, hummus, tamari, Israel couscous, and two sides. The vegan mezza you get majora and chickpea. The vegetarian mezza you get spinach pie. Bring cash! They don't take plastic or checks. The spinach pie is also unbelievable. The rice pudding is amazing too, so save some room for that! The owner is really friendly, I think she's Greek, but I'm not sure, she's just really really REALLY friendly.
Vegan Mezza

Majora

Large Flat Bread


B+
$$
vegan friendly, Lebanese, daily 11am - 9pm
318 SE Grand Ave. Portland, OR.

Jam on Hawthorne

I can't repeat this again and again, but I love and love and LOVE JAM ON HAWTHORNE. It is definitely my favourite brunch place in Portland, OR. It is not everyone's favourite but it is my favourite. It is a very vegan friendly restaurant. All of the servers are super friendly. I think some of them are vegan themselves. There are few meat dishes such as apple smoked bacons. They also have their famous vegetarian gravy on biscuit. YUM! They also make the best hashbrown. The hashbrown is shaved in the restaurant, so it is not defrosted store bought potatoes. I highly recommend the vegan blueberry chai spelt pancakes, yes, blueberry with chai tea. It is really really delicious! Please get it, kinda expensive, $3.50 for one pancake. But it is very filling, it is spelt, and it is delicious. Trust me. They run out too! I usually get the Loaded Bowl, which is vegetarian gravy on hashbrown and red onion with scallion. Sometimes I request soyrizo, and it is delicious! They are one of the few places in Portland that has soyrizo. Let's not forget their amazing drink menu. My friends and I love their mimosa. But don't skip on the sangria or their morning cocktails. C'est tres bien!

Huckleberry Sangria and Mimosa


Loaded Bowl


Breakfast Tofu Burrito


A
$$
vegan friendly, brunch, daily 7am - 3pm (summer open until 9pm)
2239 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR, 97214

Choza's Peruvian Food

Okay everyone. I don't understand how the Lonely Planet would rate this place one of the best eatery in Portland. Yakes! Choza's Peruvian Food Cart isn't bad but it isn't that great. The food cart is run by two friendly Peruvian couple. The food is freshly stir fried with fresh vegetables. The sauce that you get to pour on the dish is not bad either. There are two vegetarian/vegan options, rice or noodle dish. I recommend the rice dish. The noodle dish tasted like spaghetti with chinese fried rice toppings. There are only total of 7 dishes to choose from. All ranging from $5.50 to $6. Pretty cheap lunch eat! But I do remember Peruvian food being more than just chow mein alike dishes.

Vegetarian Noodle


C
$
vegan friendly, Peruvian, weekly 11-3pm
SW 9th and Alder Parking Lot, Portland, OR.

Get Real Cafe (Toronto, Canada)

On my trip home in Toronto, Canada. I realized that Toronto isn't exactly a good vegan city but a very good vegetarian city. There are plenty of Chinese and Indian vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants, but not enough vegan innovative restaurants. So it is pretty much like Vancouver. Anyways, there are three restaurants I would recommend. Fresh is a vegan chain restaurant in Toronto with three locations. Delicious bowls and juice bars but very expensive ($12 for a bowl!? $6 for a small 12oz juice, yakes.) Another is Fressen, a very romantic higher class vegan restaurant. Another one I found is called Get Real Cafe. It is located on Ossington & Queen St. West... the newest hot place to be. Like the growing neighborhood on Belmont or Mississippi. Get Real Cafe has a weekend brunch menu so I had to hit the spot before the pride festival. Anything is good on the brunch menu. Vegan waffles, tofu scrambles, and you can check out the salad and dessert in the glass case. Very tempting! They have the best vegan cheesecake on this continent or in the world. It is also well priced for the amount of food you get.
Egg Omelet with Cheese & Potato (not vegan)

Spanish Tofu Scramble

Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake

They also have a really cute patio in the back. When you are done you can also check out the local boutiques across the street. Really cute neighborhood!

B+
$$
vegan mostly, brunch, salad bar, weekly 11-7pm, weekend 10-4pm
135 Ossington Ave. Toronto, ON, M6J 2Z6 Canada
www.getrealcafe.com

Fratelli

What a great place in the pearl. The pasta here is really good. I totally love their small entrees. I've had their three basic vegetarian and vegan friendly tapa sized entrees. The cilantro olive sauce with the kidney beans are delicious. Really light and soft. I also love their farro with chutney currants and crumbled cheese. Their pizza is also delicious. Very well sized for reasonable price. The interior is lit romantic and professional. It is a great place for a nice date or a friendly gathering. The service is very attentive and friendly. I would love to try the wine there sometime. There are very few vegan options, but plenty of vegetarian friendly dishes. Plenty!

Dry cheese with Chutney Currant and Farro

Kidney Beans with Cilantro Sauce


C
$$
vegetarian friendly, Italian, Sun-Thurs 5pm-9pm Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm
1230 NW Hoyt St. Portland, OR 97209
www.fratellicucina.com

Cornmeal Blueberry Banana Pancakes

I came up with this recipe when I have to make something for a gluten/wheat free friend. In a food processor or a bowl and mix the rice flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder until all the flours are mixed together. Add the rice milk and banana, canola oil, and vanilla extract and mix it until the mixture is gooey and sticky. Drop the blueberries into the mixture and mix it softly without breaking the berry. Spread another tbsp of canola oil on the pan. To keep the pancake fluffy you have to make sure to cook under a medium or low heat. Flip the pancake once the other side is golden brown. Once both side is golden brown then you are good to go! Serve it with some organic maple syrup.

(serves four)

2 cups of rice flour

1 cup of cornmeal

1/2 cup of blueberry

1 tsp of canola oil

1 tbsp of baking powder

1 rip banana

1 cup of rice milk

1 tsp of vanilla extract

hint of salt

Chaos Cafe and Parlor

I finally tried this place on SE Powell. Its really out of the way for me since I live in the northwest and I bike my way around. Chao Cafe is really small and gives that san francisco hippy vibe that contracts with the Portland hipster vibe. I have to say the menu isn't very distinctive and unique. You've got the basic sandwiches, salad, soup, rice bowls, and breakfast egg meals. What I love though is the food. They taste really good! Really fresh and satisfying. The portions are quite small compare to your local Denny's...disgusting Denny's. I like how its small so i don't feel guilty that I can't finish the food. Their vegan broccoli cream soup is probably the best broccoli cream soup I've ever had. It beats all the non-vegan soup as well. So good! They also have delicious whole wheat spelt bread, which I'm not sure if they baked it themselves. It taste really soft and spongy. Almost like eating a cake. I crave it all the time now. Is it Dave's bread??? Or some sort of gluten free thing?

soy latte


Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup


Chips and Salsa


vegetarian omelet


B+
$
vegan friendly, diner, cafe, daily 9am - 10pm, sunday 9am - 3pm
2620 SE Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97202
www.chaoscafeandparlor.com

Veganopolis

This is perhaps one of my favourite lunch place in Portland. The lunch/brunch buffet changes everyday. The wide selections of sandwiches and deli goods are worth the try. I had the salami sandwich, the seitan ham soup is delicious, and not to mention they have the raw salad. They also bake their own dessert. You have to try the chocolate chip spelt cookie. The best of all! They also bake pies, which I have yet to try. A lot of chocolate cakes and white cakes to choose from. The white carrot cake tastes just like a real non-vegan cake... and BETTER. Less fat and more complex carb. The biggest downer about this place is the hour. It closes too early and no fat chance for people who works all day. I have to take a long lunch to eat there.

Vegan Ice Cream Root Beer

Chunky Tomato Soup

Lavender Lemonade

Lunch Buffet (Steamed broccoli, gravy on biscuit, mac and cheese)


B+
$$
100% vegan, cafe, dessert. Closed Sunday, daily 9:30am-5pm
412 SW Fourth Ave. Portland, OR. 97204
www.veganopolis.com