After five glorious days in Oregon, the last day of my mini-vacation had arrived. For breakfast, I just had to stop by the Paradox Cafe (http://paradoxorganiccafe.com/). Their breakfast items were highly praised in some of the local vegan restaurant review publications. My morning meal selection was the sweet corn tamales consisting of three corn cakes with jalepenos, topped with salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream, and green onion. Wow! The taste was superb! I highly recommend this place and this particular dish! Hearty and flavorful and a nice change of pace from your typical veggie scramble for breakfast.
I washed it down with some Oregon Summer Tea made of white tea with dried organic blueberries and peaches.
The Portland transportation system is awesome! Buses run all hours to many different routes across town. The city feels safe to walk too, so I walk as far as is possible timewise, then hop on a bus to my final destination. One of the buses took me directly to the Mississippi Marketplace. This spot is home to several of the city’s popular food carts, including a couple of vegan carts.
My dining establishment of choice for my mid-day meal was the Homegrown Smoker Vegan BBQ (http://homegrownsmoker.wordpress.com/). This all vegan food cart offers a great variety of BBQ faux meats and popular accompaniments.
For my lunch, I chose the bbq tempeh ‘ribs’, a small side of vegan ‘pastrami’, a vegan hush puppy with mustard sauce, and some stewed collard greens. First, I must say that the sauces (bbq and mustard) were divine and very flavorful! The ribs and pastrami were incredibly delicious! This is a must-have, ‘not to be missed’ dining spot for any vegans traveling to Portland! The presentation, flavor, texture, quality is bbq food at it’s finest!
Next to Homegrown BBQ is Native Bowl ( http://thenativebowl.com/) , another vegan food cart. They offer some rice bowl bowls and vegan mac and cheese, and other items.
Since I already had lunch, I decided upon a dessert at Native Bowl. I selected the vegan chocolate cup. This is a warm, fudgy cake with chocolate sauce, baked in a cup. I really enjoyed the sweet chocolaty treat!
I spent my last afternoon in Portland walking around the hostel neighborhood, appreciating the flowers and home architecture, then headed to downtown for the last time. After my stroll around Pioneer Square admiring the various sculptures of sea lions and various characters, dinner time had arrived.
For my evening meal, I went to Veggie Grill (http://www.veggiegrill.com/). I opted for the ‘Santa Fe Crispy Chickn’. The fried vegan ‘chickn’ with avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, topped with spicy vegan mayo was spectacular! It was perfectly crispy and delicious, with a side of vegan cole slaw.
There were several fine, vegan establishments that I did not have the opportunity to visit, due to my fairly short stay in town. I would like to note the following.
1. Several other vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants exist in Portland. One to note is “Living Well Bistro”(http://www.livingwellbistro.com/ ). It is a vegan restaurant within the hospital facility “Pavilion of Adventist Health”. The bistro was created as a place for the community to gather to discover the health benefits of a veggie-friendly diet. Local produce and products are used in the meal preparation. Some items on their menu include quinoa bowl, healthy wraps and salads, and vegan pizzas.
2. Vegan restaurant guides to Portland suggest that tourists in town pay a visit to “Flavour Spot” (https://www.facebook.com/FLAVOURspot ). The vegan sausage wrapped in a vegan waffle is highly recommended.
3. Vegan Belgian fries with vegan toppings and sauces are all the rage at “The Frites Shoppe (https://www.facebook.com/TheFritesShoppe).
4. Another vegan cart in town is the “Sip Juice Cart” ( http://www.sipjuicecart.com/). One can find various raw juices and smoothies.
5. Missionary Chocolates (https://missionarychocolates.com/) is an all vegan chocolate shop in Portland. Truffles and other flavorful chocolates can be purchased as gift boxes.
6. Besides the Herbivore store at the vegan mini-mall, tourists will enjoy shopping at the vegan “Pie Footwear” (http://www.piefootwear.net/Pie_Footwear.html). Sandals, sneakers, hats, accessories, and other eco-friendly, vegan footwear can be found here.
7. Portland is also home to a vegan bed and breakfast inn. Cherokee Rose Inn (http://www.cherokeeroseinn.com/) offers a vegan breakfast each day for their guests. The large, comfortable rooms and relaxing porch makes for a grand stay in town.
The “Stumptown Vegans” online guide to Portland (http://stumptownvegans.com/ ) provides really helpful information for the vegan tourist! It contains top ten lists for vegan brunches, food spots, and vegan bowls. I highly recommend printing the document as a handy reference to keep with you at all times during your visit!
Food Fight Grocery also includes a good vegan guide to Portland on their website (http://www.foodfightgrocery.com/pdxguide/).
My mini-vacation in the Portland, Oregon vicinity had come to an end. I truly enjoyed the plethora of scenic wonders, the local art & culture, and the sensational diversity of vegan dining during my travels!