restaurant füd and the giveaway!

Wow, so the first week of Vegan MoFo is rolling to a close. So far, so good! There has been lots of amazing food to look at and I’m discovering so many new-to-me blogs! That’s what it’s all about, right?

So, restaurant posts seem like a bit of a cop-out. Which they are. But, if you want someone’s opinion on a restaurant, it’s really nice to read blog reviews, right? Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures, as my camera on my phone is less-than-spectacular.

First stop is Dick’s Kitchen, in SE Portland. This is a newer restaurant that has cropped up in the space next to Laughing Planet, a space that is owned and operated by Laughing Planet, but has cycled through four different eating establishments in the past 4 years. It’s got a mod-retro diner feel and specializes in burgers. I’m usually pretty “meh” about that sort of thing, but a friend mentioned that they serve vegan milkshakes. Veggie burgers, fries AND vegan milkshakes? Okay, I had to go.

the aforementioned crappy cell phone pic.

I had a tempeh burger with BBQ sauce, some fries and a chocolate milkshake, which was made with Coconut Bliss, an extra special treat. I wasn’t entirely won over, but I will go back and try something else on their menu. My particular meal was good, but not overwhelmingly so, although I love the fact that they make everything from scratch. Any by everything, I mean everything. Ketchup, pickles, BBQ sauce, etc. Very cool.

Although this makes me come back to a point that I’ve often wondered: is it possible to get a vegan milkshake that’s actually thick? Like straining-to-suck-through-the-straw thick? They are always so runny and smoothie-like. Sip does a pretty good job, but when I see vegan milkshakes on the menu, I am often let down.

Moving on to other noms: Back to Eden. If you’re a Portlander, BtE is now a Portland staple, fa ormer wholesale bakery turned NE Portland bakeshop/cafe. We stopped in for a bite on Halloween night and ended up with these beauties.

A gluten-free chocolate cupcake with orange cream frosting. One of the things I love about their buttercream (a thing I am notoriously picky about) is that it’s just right. Not crunchy with an overkill of sugary sweetness, but not bland, leaving an oil slick in your mouth (I’m talking to you, Saint Cupcake). Smooth and sweet, the way buttercream should be.

A butterscotch pudding tart. Don’t you love the little chocolate spider’s web? This was phenomenal and had Jim and I fork sparring for the last bite. Yum.

And now, for the Vegan MoFo week 1 giveaway winner! Each week I’m picking a random post and giving away a random prize to a random commentor. This week I happened to pick the post that has the prize in it: the garlic post! The winner is, none other than our lovely, preggers Leigh! Leigh, you pick whether you want the rubber peeler or the Zoom and it’s yours, baby mama.

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you here next week for more MoFo!