I've returned home to Portland from a trip to Coeur D'Alene, ID hungry and to record breaking temperatures. My two cats and I are seriously considering camping out with the fridge door open ala Homer Simpson this evening.
Amazingly, some dedicated Portlanders have opened up even MORE vegan friendly carts while I've been gone. What does cooking at home mean again? New Seasons wok, right? Eating hand picked berries from the freezer?
Portland does not fail to blow my mind. People live their dreams! There are carts for everyone! Even ones clean enough for most cart haters/scaredy cats.
Back to my story.
So, earlier today, I was walking in a zombie like state, my freckles melting off, towards DC Vegetarian for lunch, and noticed a new cart. Like with all new carts, I stopped to see if there was anything vegan, and see what they were all about. The new sign read "Sonny Bowl" and a
white board menu listed three meal options. I processed them, and noticed no meat, no dairy, veggies, veggies, veggies and sauce!
I inquired and with my internal mental fireworks going off, learned that the cart was all vegan, as was its proprietor, and it just happened to be opening day. Again, here I was, walking to a new vegetarian cart for lunch, considering the very vegan friendly Just Thai cart next door and whether I'd pass out if I ordered hot noodles, and I stumble onto a new vegan cart on the same strip.
Behold, the Sonny Bowl.
I ordered option #2, with veggies, rice, coconut curry sauce and chickpeas. Hello, cabbage! Hello, summer squash! Hello, saucy. $6. Can you get anything at a cart or what? I ate fresh vegetables for lunch from a cart!
So...Portland. Food carts. The best. Always something new! Oh, and tonight? heading down to the self-described cartopia for the first ever FoodKartaroke at Whiffies. If Maeve gets there early enough, Hold On will be happening.
Speaking of DC Vegetarian, here's the vegan TLP (add $1 for Lightlife Tempeh Bacon) my friend Tiffany and I shared on their grand opening day. I had already been a couple times before during their soft opening week, they're really sweet. They gave away Tofutti Cuties on their opening day! I hear they have them now (for sale), too.
Another row of carts in downtown Portland.
The SW 3rd and Stark strip
And earlier in this photo essay, I mentioned MORE NEW VEG*N FRIENDLY CARTS.
- I've yet to go Lickety Split in the Pearl - vegan meatballs, polenta and grain bowls! cucumber basil freaking lemonade! Going soon.
- Wolf and Bears - on SE 20th and Morrison, Lebanese style vegetarian/vegan cart
- Vahalla Sandwich cart, behind the Dollar Scholar on SE Hawthorne
- and Asaase Ital cart by PSU - more on that coming soon on Stumptown Vegans! I love that place.
Asaase Ital Palace
Jerk Chickun. Say yes.
Unless you hate black pepper, like a certain friend of mine <3
20 comments:
love the jerk photo. is that seitan chickn? my tummy can't handle that for some reason.
the food cart photos are lovely and drool-worthy, though I do miss the photos of the food you make!
Seriously, could Portland be any cooler?!
I'm thinking of buying a huge box and mailing myself to your doorstep!
PS I love that line about your freckles "melting off" - too cute :)
Woah, Brighton's pretty vegan friendly but I think Portland beats it! We don't even have food carts let alone awesome vegan food carts. I think I know where I'm coming on holiday next year!
Portland never ceases to amaze me. I can't get over that Pad See Ew.. the jerk chickun.. any of it!
Hope your weather breaks soon.
Oh my gosh that is so amazing! I think I need to move to Portland. They seem to have so many awesome vegan food places.
Yo, Portland. You had better get ready. Maybe a year from now, I'ma get out the aeroplane and should "YO, PORTLAND! YOU HAD BETTER GET READY! I'MA GET MY EAT ON!"
Seriously. People at the airport will thing I've lost my mind. But I'm going to eat. Ride bikes. Eat. Ride bikes. Eat. Ride bikes. And eat!
Man, this post makes me soooo jealous. We got to try a couple of food carts last summer, when we were passing through Portland to Seattle, and were hoping to try many more on the way back, but sadly we were coming back through on a Sunday, and everything was closed (California doesn't so much celebrate the Sabbath, so we Cali people forget other places do...) Anyway, it was sad. I'm sure we'll be in Portland again soon, though, and I'll be sure to use your awesome food cart list as a guide. Thanks!
I am SO flippin jealous!
I'm going to have to check out how many growing days you guys have because I may have to move.
Mmmm cucumber basil lemonade!
That chicken is too realistic, I donno if I like that. lol
I want to move to Portland! Man Ontario sucks compared to Portland! Looks at that deliciousness. I've never had food from a street cart before, nothing vegan about them from where I'm from!
http://whatyourmommadidntknow.blogspot.com/
The concept of a food cart is foreign to me. Since all Memphis has is one lonely very un-vegan hot dog stand, I can't fathom being able to buy so much vegan food without ever having to enter a restaurant. It's like fast food for vegans.
Portland really is a magical place. When I finally make it there one day, I'm expecting unicorns and tofu fairies everywhere!
My gosh, how do you ever keep up? It all sounds wonderful! I want to hear about that lemonade!
i said it on facebook and i'll repeat it here, the cucumber basil lemonade was INCREDIBLE. GO TO LICKTY SPLIT AND GET IT PEOPLE!!
It is becoming more and more clear to me that Portland is really where I am meant to be. Vegan food from street carts!!?!? Be still my beating heart. This post was too much to handle, everything looked delicious. Thank you for sharing!
You Portlanders and your food carts! Grumble grumble.
that tlp looks SO good, i need vegan food carts here, fast.
Lickity Split is my new favorite cart. I eat at carts often and Shelly was a real standout in the cart world when she worked at Whole Bowl; always a smiling friendly face, remembering customer’s names and preferences. People liked going there because both her and the food made them feel good. Her service would still be a standout at a fine restaurant. Once she started a new venture, many of us regulars were happy to try out her new cart. It was super yummy and a much better start than I imagined possible. Plus, it keeps improving, because they solicit and listen to customer feedback. They have all the right ingredients: excellent service, delicious, healthy food, sustainable practices and making a difference. Some days I like the marinara sauce, other days the yummy spicy sauce... both so good. They are only a block from where I work and I'm already a regular, but the truth is I'd still be a regular if they were 20 blocks away.
Portland & their carts are SO crazy! I hope that happens here soon.
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