Let me tell you we didn’t just gorge ourselves on vegan food at the festival. We sought out restaurants/food carts via Happy Cow in order to feast some more.
The Blossoming Lotus was our choice for brunch. Someone recommended the restaurant to Pedro at the festival. It took us about an hour to walk from the house. It was a nice morning to stroll and explore at the different streets. Portland is truly beautiful.
Truly this was the place to brunch on Sunday. It was packed. We sat outside in the shade. The Vancouver couple, who we met in the entry line up at the festival, also had the same idea. We ordered hot tea and two drinks (mocha something and carrot something) while we waited and waited for our orders. I am glad found coffee before we arrived otherwise I would have been very grouchy.
I enjoyed two breakfast tacos with scrammed tofu, black beans and red peppers with a side of kale. Pedro won the brunch lottery with his delicious breakfast curry bowl teeming with scrambled tofu, broccoli, kale, red peppers and green curry. It was topped with coconut bacon. I am determined to make my own coconut bacon. It was that good!
Pedro really, really wanted to check out Portobello Vegan Trattoria. We considered going on Friday night but decided on Sweet Hereafter (another awesome vegan bar and restaurant) within walking distance of where we stayed. I had a huge craving for the Jamaican Bowl. So we made reservations for 7:30 p.m. at Portobello on Sunday.
We ordered a three-cheese vegan cheese plate to start. Five types of cheese are on the menu but only three were available. If memory serves me correctly, we ordered the black garlic cashew, smoked farmhouse and double cream chive. Each had its own distinct taste. Pedro loved them all.
I ordered the portobello steak with fingerling potatoes and Italian beans. The “gravy” was delicious. If anything, I renewed my love of portobello mushrooms on this trip. Oh so good!
Pedro ordered the gnocchi dish with broccolini and a marsala cashew cream sauce. I’ve never really eaten Italian food, other than spaghetti and pizza, so I didn’t know what to expect. It was oh so yum! The serving sizes were just right.
Both meals were satisfying but we couldn’t leave without desert. We shared a tiramisu and a scoop of coconut ice cream. Pedro said the tiramisu needed more coffee. Oh good Buddha we were stuffed!
Earlier in the day we had stopped for a snack at VeggieGrill. I ordered a Bombay Bowl while Pedro ordered the buffalo wings. I couldn’t eat the dish because I forgot to ask for “no onions.” Thankfully my boyfriend will eat anything so he was more than happy to have more. But the buffalo wings stole the show. (Pedro’s photo.) They were so so good. So good, that we ordered another plate. (They have this promotion where if you download the store’s App, you get a free snack.)
We decided to check out the food trucks after a short hike at Forest Park on Monday. The number of trucks lining the streets was overwhelming. Happy Cow told us there were two vegan trucks.
One truck was closed so we found ourselves in line at Sunny Bowl. We chatted a bit with the couple in front of us. Turns out the guy with the ponytail is a popular vegan chef. I only learned this because I heard the guy taking orders ask to take a picture with him. Being the noisy reporter that I am, I asked the guy behind the counter about the photo request. Turns out he is the Vegan Heavy Metal Chef.
Oh my Buddha – the food. We loved, loved the Sunny Bowls. I ordered a O.K.Q bowl with soy curls, kale, artichokes and chickpeas. Pedro ordered the Chickpea Bowl. Good price and even better food.
We walked to the waterfront to eat our last meal in Portland. It was a wonderful way to wrap up our eating adventures in Portland.
Portland boasted at least 30 vegan restaurants and Food Fight! Grocery, the first vegan grocery store in the United States. The cashier told said their doors have been open since 2003. We stumbled upon it after some light shopping at Herbivore. I bought a couple packages of soy curls and Pedro grabbed a few cheeses. Loved it.
I’m back in Red Deer now. My clothes are feeling a little tighter. My face is puffy. The signs of a good trip? I am inspired to be a little more creative in the kitchen. I can’t wait to get started.