Semi-Recent Vegan Eating in Spokane, WA

This past summer, I found myself in Spokane, WA twice for work. During both trips, the #1 most satisfying meal I had was the Bistro Tofu Scramble from Huckleberry's Natural Market.

Bistro Tofu Scramble

At $6.49, it's a hot plate of scrambled Small Planet tofu, zucchini, bell peppers, yellow squash and mushrooms that takes its flavor from the vegetables themselves and soy sauce. And it comes with house potatoes (or toast or non-vegan blueberry pancake) and a coffee.

I reached for the hot sauce sparingly. With the soy sauce, it reminds me of the scrambles I used to make when I first went vegan and was scared of spices. On my first trip, I was super hungry as I trekked up the big hill from downtown, and couldn't imagine anything tastier than this plate in front of me.

Plus, the corner cafe is part of a natural grocery store, so that rules. I picked up Small Planet spicy tofu dip, crackers, fruit, granola, and other goods from the marketplace - and a bottle of NW Marionberry daiquiri mix for my sister in New York.

My second favorite place to eat in Spokane is PF Chang's. Yeah, I admitted it! On the last day of my first trip there, I was walking downtown and craving Chinese food, looked up, and there it was. When pressed for time and not in the mood for another modified entree somewhere, PF's is there for ya, for better or worse. It's a chain, you know what to expect, and they're pretty dang vegan friendly.

Szechuan Asparagus

This spicy asparagus was pretty good! You know, for assumably non-local asparagus, from a chain.

Side note 1 about PF Chang's: I did my share of research into their vegan options writing a Stumptown Vegans review, and the only ingredient that the company cannot confirm is vegan-friendly is sugar, so make your own decision there. If you go to every restaurant you visit and ask them about their sugar sourcing, I thank you and would like to see a web guide for this! Really.

Side note 2 about PF Chang's: I was totally served a cockroach in my Ma Po Tofu at their Long Island, NY location a few years ago, and it took a long time before I considered visiting them again, let alone ordering that dish. Which was tragic, because I really like it.

Coconut Curry Tofu

I had a couple entrees from PF's on my visit in September, it was two blocks from my hotel! I'm usually a fan of this light curry dish, but the only thing doing it for me here was the tofu and sugar snap peas.

Number 3 on my list of Spokane picks is an actual vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurant!

Mizuna is an upscale establishment located downtown in a brick building. I actually dined out on their patio area, which is a very clean alleyway next to the restaurant. It was so nice and calm! It almost felt like I was on a movie set, it was a touch surreal. The menu was very much Northwest, with a lot of talk of local produce and organic elements. While there was a note about most of their menu being able available vegan (it's largely vegetarian), I did notice that a lot of dishes co-starred cheese, for example, and sometimes it makes a vegan sad to pay the same price and not get a heaping pile of nuts in return.

This was one of the few entirely vegan options on the menu, it's from the appetizers section -

Flatbread with roasted potatoes, rosemary, greens, roasted garlic and caramelized onions.

The bread was freshly baked, tender and slightly sweet and two slices made me so happy.

The roasted potatoes were simply great. A shining example of simply the best ingredients.

I also had a salad from Mizuna - I recall most of the salads on the menu had cheese in them. This one had a really pleasant maple & red wine dressing, walnuts, greens, lovely roasted red beets & subtracted the cheese. And the side of baguette? So good & hearty.

Roasted Beet Salad

The cozy alleyway where I dined at Mizuna:

They have a couple dishes with Field Roast, and there's fantastic sounding braised homemade seitan on their dinner menu. The dinner prices were a tad steep for me, so I went for lunch, and I would certainly dine here again.

Other places of interest:

A few minutes' walk up the hill from Huckleberry's, Picabu Bistro had two or three vegan friendly entrees. I remember there was a cilantro happy green curry with Small Planet tofu (I swear I saw that same item on a few menus around downtown) and I went with the falafel wrap.

I actually asked if there was cilantro, was told no, but there was. I picked around it. The fries, pita and the pepperocinis strips were good! I remember they had local beers on tap and a 'famous' vegan cheesecake. The staff was really helpful, despite the cilantro issue, and the place had a comfortable, small restaurant vibe.

Falafel from Picabu

Burritos & Beer

I can't find my photos, but I recommend checking out Neato Burrito & the adjoining Baby Bar. They're across from the beautiful, historic Davenport Hotel and open late into the night. Neato doesn't have vegan on the menu, but walk them through it & you'll have yourself what would be a mediocre burrito - but with the addition of spicy, crumbled Small Planet tofu it steps up a bit.

Baby Bar is an astoundingly tiny bar, with a casual mix, decent prices & a very hipster jukebox. It's possibly my favorite thing about Spokane...you know, because it was reminiscent of Portland.

Coffee

I was in town for work, so that means long days & drinking coffee and trying to avoid Starbucks. I've been to two local coffeeshops in Spokane - Brews Brothers and Thomas Hammer. Brews was more comfortable to lounge in, and the quality was okay, nothing notable. I was really amused the day I overheard a political candidate saying really, really amusing generically positive statements to another person about his campaign.

The young barista at Thomas Hammer made an awful latte. And I splurged on vanilla - yet it wasn't sweet at all. Evan, just look at it...

Thomas Hammer Vanilla Latte

And some Spokane pics:

...and that's what I've experienced in Spokane, WA.

If you know the area - what did I miss? Any tips?

P.S. Mizuna, I'm sorry I put PF's ahead of you.

Add another fancy vegan option and you have the spot.

I <3 The Hungry Tiger Too

There is so much I could say about their tempeh bacon sandwiches, tator tots, all day sippers, giant pancakes, butternut squash wontons, and mushy, tasty tofu scrambles. There is quite a bit I have said.

So, short on time, nearing the end of VeganMoFo, I bring you a recent dinner-for-breakfast at my favorite really-vegan-friendly greasy spoon in SE Portland.

The Greek Tofu Scramble with rye toast, soy margarine and hash browns.

..because I really, really like kalamata olives. And the Hungry Tiger Too. I mean, they have $1 vegan corn dog and $1 Pabst Tallboy Wednesdays. That's grown into hip madness and I don't find myself weekly anymore (and I pass on the corn dogs and head to half a vegan caeser with tempeh bacon, mostly likely), but it's awesome to know it's happening in this city.

And borrowing this, to truly honor her creativity, that squash and the establishment -

Millie's Halloween Pumpkin - modeled after HT2's mascot!

HT2's mascot:

Next up: Karla and I share some favorites!

And Vegan Eating in Spokane, WA

An Exquisite Vegan Dinner at Belly Timber.

Last month, I attended an Exquisite Vegan Dinner at Belly Timber on SE Hawthorne. The dinner was the first in an ongoing series of exclusively vegan, multi-course dinners at restaurants specializing in fine dining, that aren't exactly leaping with vegan options across their menu.

The arrangement of the dinner at the highly rated Belly Timber is what inspired this new tradition. Belly Timber's chef, David Siegal, had introduced a few vegan options onto their daily menu and the enthusiasm grew for a full vegan dinner party. This venture had its root at Whiffies Fried Pies, when David first developed an all vegan pie as one of two signature pie

specials.

I adore Portobello and must make it to the new Blossoming Lotus location soon or I'm going to go nuts, but I don't like to give up hope when I'm at a non-vegan restaurant, especially one that specializes in artisan fare. I cherish seeing the same creative energy put into vegetable dishes as there is with meat.

Note: While there is no foie gras on the menu at Belly Timber, there are very non-vegan dishes using a whole lot of our friend, the pig, on their regular menu, and I understand why folks would pass on this. I personally believe it was a step in the right direction for the hip, meat-obsessed restaurants in Portland, and for the sake of respect and development of artisan, vegan cuisine at these restaurants.

Besides the poor photos of the cocktails, all photographs are courtesy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Without further adieu, the photos from the first Exquisite Vegan Dinner and some commentary.

Easy on the Eyes

This was a carrot juice and vodka based cocktail that both my friend Liz & I ordered. It was really pleasant and refreshing, and I was delighted by the cocktail suggestions on the menu.

Watermelon basil skewers with black olive puree

Avant-Garde Appetizer!

Grilled Seasonal Vegetables and Walnut Banga Cauda

Classy grilled vegetables & a tasty accompaniment.

Cauliflower Rillette, chili powder, cocoa nibs, juniper & sage

This is a key example of a chef taking a dish (rillette) that is

typically starring meat, and embracing a vegetable in it. The cauliflower rillette itself

had a mellow, warm flavor and the complex texture of this pate spread onto toast

remains on my mind, despite the almost distracting garnishes. This is hands down the dish I wanted

to recreate at home.

Salad of carrots, parsnips, currants & herbs with a vanilla bean vinaigrette.

This salad was obviously gorgeous, and my friend Millie didn't stop raving about it. I swear, through the vanilla and the fluffy shreds of everything, it channeled marshmallows...

Corn Pudding & Picalilli

This dish showcased one of Belly Timber's signatures - pickled vegetables. There were both onions and tomatoes surrounding my round of spicy corn pudding. While I could have gone for it in a smaller portion since there was such much to try all evening, the spicy corn pudding ranks up with my favorites of the night- the bold flavor it captured was impressive.

Roast Autumn Squash, Apple & Farro

This farro stuffed squash was the biggest patty pan I have ever seen. Thank you, Portland rain! Each of these was shared by a few guests.

Pear fritters with housemade nutella & muscavado almond butter

Unfortunately, we were all pretty stuffed by this point. However, who can turn down a pear fritter? Or warm, homemade nutella?

It seemed on a different page from the rest of the meal, but again, I'll repeat myself. Who can turn down a pear fritter? Or warm, homemade nutella?

B.T. White Russian

This was made with almond milk and house-infused Stumptown vodka. Yes.

Thank you for this adventure, Belly Timber!

And thank you, my fellow vegans, for the company and fine conversation.

FYI, The dinner at Belly Timber consisted of both individual servings and family style offerings. It was sold out with 22+ guests in their private upstairs dining room, at $25/person, not including gratuity or beverages.

Stay tuned for announcements about future exquisite dinners.

T-G-I-Tubesday.

This week brought on the casual return of Tubesday, a semi-regular tradition in my Portland life since 2006. A hodge podge of friends visits Tube bar, orders $2 well drinks and their cheapo, infamous mini vegan ham and cheeze sandwiches. They used to be called the McGonnigle, and they're now called the Professor Nanotear, and are two for $5 or $3 each. The menu is mostly vegan, with spaghetti and homemade vegan meatballs, tofu scramble tacos, a big vegan ham & cheese with salad, vegan pasta salad and a handful of other things.

But everyone I know goes for the vegan ham and cheeze.

Behold, the awesome.

The pathetically awesome.

Here's what I wrote about it for a Veggie Thing entry:

The thing to realize about the cheap grilled ham and fake cheese sandwiches at the Tube is that they’re pathetically awesome. No one gets just one, so throw down $5 for 2 at happy hour (5 till 10pm daily!) and enjoy your guilty pleasure at this hipster bar in Old Town. Behold the tiny piece of bright orange cheeze, the sometimes slathered, sometimes sparse, always tasty chipotle sauce, imitation ham, soft English muffin and surprisingly crisp pepperocini accompaniment. It’s a must try.

I have to say, I'm pretty devastated there was no appearance of pepperocinis this past visit, but so it goes.

Last year, as the legend goes, shenanigans were plotted, and my friend Kevin made and shared the first vegan ham tube doughnut sandwich. He used a maple Voodoo doughnut, and the rest is history. It was recently mentioned in the online edition of Women's Day Magazine. I don't mean to brag, but that is my crappy photo showcased. Alright, that's crappy bragging.

The new Tubesday tradition was kept alive.

This time, Jeff upped the game with cake and yeasted vegan maple donuts from Voodoo. Yes, you read that right - the local 24 hour doughnut shop has yeasted and cake vegan donuts.

Whaaaaaaaat

Jeff and Simon, vegan heros of the night.

The point of the story? I like greyhounds.

This one is circa 2008.

Some Vegan Pizza in Portland

Yo! I've moved to a new domain:

getsconedpdx.com

It has pages of information, in addition to normal posts! Oh my gosh!

Please update your bookmarks.

<3

jess sconed.

Yesterday I was walking to the SW 3rd downtown food carts for lunch, and as I semi-regularly do, I optimistically browsed the pies at the Give Pizza a Chance cart on 5th after hitting my nearby ATM.

I've heard of vegan slices being offered by my friends, but I've never actually seen them out. I do enjoy their breadsticks & excellent sauce for an occasional cheap, snack- they're the best breadsticks I've had in Portland. And their homemade sodas? Win, win, win. However, I had two calzones from here when they opened last year, and I was not impressed. I'm a very picky vegan Italian.

However again, I was undeniably won over by the chewy, surprisingly sweet whole wheat crust slice I sampled yesterday. I do think it could have used some more of their flavorful sauce to balance with the thick crust, but that's all the complaining I've got. And this was the last vegan slice of the day at the end of the lunch rush, score!

What made this meal even better? It was part of a $6 lunch special, which includes a basic side salad, dressed with vinaigrette, (requested without cheese) and a cup of soda of your choice. I went with the memorable basil lime. It was like Sprite..but had real flavors, and that beloved garden herb. The slice was topped with spinach, basil, whole cloves of melt-in-your-mouth roasted garlic and mushrooms. I was totally content afterwards.

Lunch Special from Give Pizza a Chance

So, I learned that I may need to get over feeling silly about calling to see if there are vegan slices, because it was good stuff. Bring on more vegan slices! It's nice to think there are a few elusive vegan slices of pizza in downtown Portland. This was one of the better cheese-less vegan slices I've had in some time. It's up there with the actual regular crust pie I had from Hot Lips a few months back with friends.

The glorious non-foccacia Hot Lips pie

Updated!

Of course there are a ton of other places that have tasty vegan pizza, with or without cheeze, processed or homemade, in Portland:

• Pizza a Go Go - I used to go here for the daily vegan slice at my first job in Portland. <3
• Pizza Fino - yet to go! hear amazing things. white bean spread, tempeh, North Portland.
• Bella Facia - same owners as the previous two. great vegan slices with tempeh and roasted red pepper cashew sauce - thin crust, but it can be easily weighed down.
• It's a Beautiful Pizza - now using Teese! their quality varies, but on a good day, it's great. Some days the sauce is packed with herbs, some days it's not.
• Hammy's - late! night delivery! I'm half convinced you can take a slice of their pizza and reform it into a ball. I like their sauce and floppy breadsticks best. They now have pretty tasty seitan nuggets with BBQ sauce, but I prefer them with marinara.
• Pizzicato - vegan pies can be ordered, BIG salads. A new one opened in my hood recently, time to try again..
• Dove Vivi - superb cornmeal crust slices with creamy housemade tofu ricotta. It's been too since I've had this! Cute place.
• XV - My friends rave about the pizza here with white bean spread and vegan cheese - I've heard they use Veganrella. I think Liz has single handedly been keeping it in business. Personally, I go to XV for the yam fries and tomato chutney dip. Oh, and cocktails.
• Mississippi Pizza Pub - I've only gone once, but I dug the thin crust and pepperocini topping. Isa yelled at me for not including this, so I should really check this place out again soon. Karla says they have a happy hour slice deal!
• Wy'east Pizza cart - towards SE Powell, yet to go, but they come highly recommended and started carrying FYH cheese.
• Al Forno Ferruzza - the cart at PSU has closed, but their restaurant in Alberta seems hopping. Vegan pizza by request - with glorious crust.

I'm a Stumptown Vegan.

Time to check off one of my MoFo Goals! Earlier today, a review of the Sonny Bowl cart in downtown PDX was published on Stumptown Vegans.

Restaurant review written? check! Daily post? double check!

The BBQ Soy Curls bowl

Today's MoFo post is part shameless plug for another project of mine. Hold on, tight.

My friend Webly and I co-author Stumptown Vegans, a resource of in-depth restaurant reviews for vegans, by vegans, based in Portland, OR. Stumptown = Portland!...because there were a lot of tree stumps in the 1800s, just ask Wikipedia why.

Since April 2007, we've been writing reviews, paying for our own meals, deciding where to go, and trying to keep up with the mania that is vegan-friendly Portland and the rest of our lives! We aim to try new dishes, step outside our comfort zones, and visit establishments twice. We also take things on the road when we travel:

I've written reviews for restaurants in San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix.

One day, I'll tackle New York, Boston & more! (Only procrastination has stopped me before, I make regular annual trips! Doh)

Not to mention my recent trips to Laguna Beach, CA and Spokane, WA.

The next review I have coming is for the new all-vegan Ruby Dragon cart in North Portland.

The Jade Abbot : hello, deliciousness.

More from in progress reviews - oh, there's a TON of these constantly in the works.

Roasted garlic, caramelized onion, potato & greens flatbread from

Mizuna in Spokane, WA

This is my favorite recently discovered lunch meal in Portland:

Tofu Teriyaki Bento from Chef Naoko -

Portobello plate from Portobello Vegan Trattoria

Can I make an excuse to dine here once a week, please?

Can someone take me here this week, please?

reviews coming soon! really!

Weekend Seitan & Belmont Street Fair

Organic IPA

Remember how I despise hot weather? Oh, you don't? What are you doing? It's the theme of my site come May. Welcome aboard! When my birthday passed in early September, I thought we could put the hot hot behind us, but it returned last weekend. September is actually flying by for me, but I'm still talking about it like it's been weeks and weeks already. Anyway, the point here is that I started out the hot weekend on a hot Friday meeting some vegan pals for happy hour at Hopworks Urban Brewery for an organic IPA. It's an eco-brewpub with all organic brews located on SE Powell, a quick bike ride from my dwelling.

I was having an uber social evening and met up with PPK pals at the Bye & Bye for dinner, but my first round of vegan friends for the night sampled the tofu ricotta'd vegan pizzas Hopworks offers and the feedback seemed to be fairly positive:

I liked the looks of the crust.

Keeping with the PPK-ness, here's another dish from Isa's in-progress 'Healthy' Cookbook -

Braised Seitan and Cabbage (simmered seitan from Veganomicon)

More seitan, more Isa -

Tempeh Scramble from Vegan Brunch,

with more seitan and more veggies I want to name at the moment.

Returning to the heat portion of the weekend, besides these dishes I hid in my cool apartment to make.

A quick venture to the SE Belmont Street Fair. It wasn't super crowded, thank goodness, but it was too warm out for my liking. I walked around, said hi to folks I knew and stopped by my favorite table - the sale at Tao of Tea.

I have a cute tea set from stopping by a few years ago at home~

Picked up a small jar of loose leaf Roasted Mate for $2, heck yeah.

Fair.

Who remembers the old Paradox sign? I do, I remember when I'd go there at least once a week when I lived in the neighborhood, my first couple years in PDX...

The vintage store next to Paradox had a sale out front (the newer one) -

cute to see at a fair table!

My favorite part besides the tea - this giant circle of grass in the middle of the street! Traffic was blocked off for a few blocks, just the way it should be for a street fair, hint hint, Hawthorne.

Oh, Portland.