ahhhh…what better way to finish off a weekend than with some trusty vegan booze. today’s poison was vodka, mixed with a healthy amount of zico pure coconut water.

you see, the nice folks over at zico sent me a generous case of products to sample with not just their plain coconut water, but their mango and passion fruit flavors as well. i thought, what better way to put this stuff to use than to make a fucking bomb martini with it…and luckily zico had a recipe for just that on their website. there are actually several drink recipes to choose from online, but i went with the mangotini—3oz of zico mango and 2oz of vodka, garnished with a twist of lemon and a cherry.

this drink went down so smooth…maybe even a little too smooth, considering the mango/coconut combination completely masked the taste of alcohol! this thing was super refreshing and really hit the spot. i’m so used coconut flavor in much heavier dishes, but this light drink was a welcome change. plus, it was absolutely delicious.

and not only does coconut water taste great, but it’s supposedly pretty healthy. it has got loads of electrolytes and more potassium than a banana…maybe that’s why its tag line is “nature’s sport drink”. i can tell you, i sure felt awesome after drinking this martini. i can’t wait to bust into the passion fruit flavor.

check out zico’s website and twitter for more info. and here in LA, you can buy zico at whole foods!

this bar serves some of the best vegan food i've ever eaten.

Situated on a quiet street next to a coffee shop in Southeast Portland, Hungry Tiger Too looks at first glance like any other neighborhood bar. However, in addition to the usual bar accoutrements of beer, fries and TVs, Hungry Tiger Too has a HUGE vegan menu, serving an array of awesome animal-free bar food morning, noon and night.

On our recent trip to PDX we grabbed a seat at the bar, ordered a beer and started to scan the vegan section of the menu. As usual in Portland, though, we were torn between so many amazing menu items that we over-ordered, somewhat and ended up spending way more time there than we expected to. Anywhere else, this would have been a problem, but Hungry Tiger Too is just so wonderful that we were delighted to eat and drink the afternoon away within its hallowed walls.

vegan quesadilla with vegetables, soy cheese and pico de gallo. $8

First up was the vegan quesadilla appetizer: a super rendition of the popular Mexican-influenced dish. Liberal helpings of tomatoes, onions, spinach, cilantro and vegan cheese filled up our vegan bellies in no time, so we were forced to have another beer while waiting to order our main dish.

Well, one beer became two, then three after we played some pinball and goofed around in the photo booth. Next up were main courses, the Montecore Burger, and Home Made Biscuits and Gravy.

montecore burger: grilled onion & mushroom with jalapeno on a boca patty and garlic aioli. $8.75

Let’s get this out right now: The burgers on the menu are all based on the ubiquitous vegan Boca Burger, which at first had me thinking “WTF? I can make one of these at home!”. Well, I could (and I tried, see later) but it couldn’t be anywhere near this tasty. The Montecore was a fusion of zesty garlic, spicy jalapeno and an smooth sauteed mushroom/onion topping that was to die for.

Add in some fresh trimmings (tomato, lettuce and onions), and this was one hearty vegan burger. Throw in the included side of incredible vegan potato salad, and for only $8.75 you have one of the most delicious and best value meals I’ve ever eaten.

homemade biscuits and gravy: huge serving of home-style biscuits smothered in thick mushroom & veggie sausage gravy. $4.00

As we were already full after the quesadilla we ordered the Biscuits and Gravy as a kinda side for the burger (at only $4, how big could it possibly be?). Very big is the answer. Very tasty too.

Creamy vegan mushroom and sausage sauce, smothering two crispy and moist biscuits was a winning combination.

After another beer, and another, we were finally able to finish all the food, and stagger out of the bar to our hotel.

Later on in the evening, the reality of our experience hit us: We’d just enjoyed a great afternoon in a real bar with awesome beers and completely filling, decadent cruelty-free food.

I can tell you this: After buying and cooking a bunch of Boca Burgers from Coscto, I’ve never come close to approximating the taste of that awesome burger. If I lived in Portland, I’d probably visit Hungry Tiger Too at least once, or twice a day week.

Awesome bar, awesome staff, awesome beers, awesome food. DUUUH?! Vegans: Go there now.

Hungry Tiger Too
207 SE 12th Ave Portland, OR 97214
(503) 238.4321

after mr. meaner took a short business trip out of town, we decided to celebrate his return by doing it up classy style with dinner at xiv. fortunately, this happened to coincide with dineLA restaurant week, when xiv was offering the 8 course vegan tasting menu for $44 instead of $64. despite the fact that xiv had been tweeting about their vegan dineLA special and other bloggers had enjoyed it before us, our waitress said she didn’t know anything about it but would honor the discount anyway. obviously there was a lack of communication on the restaurant’s part about the offer…but at least we got the dineLA price in the end.

japanese mountain caviar, sliced radish, dill syrup

we opted to select our own courses (rather than leave it up to the chef), our first one being japanese mountain caviar. the dish is made from a seed called tonburi, and has a very similar texture to caviar without all the gross sliminess.

beet carpaccio, heart of romaine, cherry tomatoes, horseradish

next up, we had the beet carpaccio served with romaine and cherry tomatoes. carpaccio usually refers to raw meat sliced super thin and served as an appetizer…what a clever idea to do it with beets instead! although this course was ultra-simple, it was one of our favorites.

cauliflower tempura, edamame, passion fruit, almonds

course # 3 was cauliflower tempura fried up with passion fruit and almonds. we also had this dish on our first visit to xiv, and all these months later it’s still just as good. this is the best vegetable tempura i’ve ever tasted, and it is a MUST for vegan diners at xiv.

mustard greens, cantaloupe melon, baby basil, tomato broth

we also had the mustard greens with cantaloupe, basil and tomato broth. the broth was outstanding and the delicate greens were perfectly seasoned. this was also one of the more simple dishes, but quite tasty nonetheless.

king trumpets mushrooms, arugula, figs, hazelnuts

the king trumpets mushrooms with arugula and hazelnuts was outstanding. super succulent mushrooms, leafy greens and sweet crunchy nuts—there were so many great flavors in this thing. my only complaint is that it was drenched in a balsamic sauce that was a tad overwhelming. good…just a little saucy.

charred broccoli rabe, sushi rice cake, white soy vinaigrette

next up, we have the charred broccoli rabe served on a sushi rice cake. the rice was fried and perfectly crispy, while the broccoli was soft and delicate. a+!

vegetarian falafel burger, michael's mother's recipe, tahini

for course 7, we ordered the vegetarian falafel burger which came with tahini and a small glass of fries with ketchup (not pictured). this course was a bit more substantial than the others and we both loved it. the falafel was slightly softer than the ones i’m used to and was packed with delicious seasoning. it didn’t have an overwhelmingly fried taste, so all the flavors could really shine. this is another dish i would highly recommend that all xiv vegan diners try.

coconut sorbet, peanut butter crunch, basil syrup

for our final and dessert course, we opted for the coconut sorbet with peanut butter crunch and basil syrup. man, if you like peanut butter you are gonna love this thing. extra sugary and crispy, the little pb nuggets went down great with the cool ice cream and flavorful syrup.

overall, our tasting menu was wonderful. so many distinct and interesting flavors, so beautifully presented. but don’t go to xiv JUST for the food—the restaurant also offers a delicious selection of cocktails, our favorite being the scottish mule. this thing is so refreshing with hendrick’s gin, cucumber and fresh lime.

scottish mule: hendrick's cucumber, fresh lime, ginger beer. $13

even after the $40 dineLA discount, our check with the tasting menu, cocktails, and a bottle of wine came to over $200. and unlike on our last visit, the service this time left a little to be desired. first off the chick was kinda weird about honoring the dineLA price, then a waiter kept bumping into my chair as he was chatting it up with the table next to us. that being said, we had a lovely time and i will definitely be back to xiv. the prices are high, but the food is incredible and the fine-dinging experience is unmatched. every los angeles vegan owes it to themselves to try xiv at least once.

xiv
8117 Sunset Blvd. at Crescent Heights
Los Angeles, CA 90046
323-656-1414

On face value, The Mash Tun in the Alberta Arts district of Portland, OR, is a fairly typical brewpub. It has a couple of niceties, including a patio to enjoy the few days of summer that the Pacific Northwest has to offer, as well as a roomy atmosphere with comfortable tables, and ample bar seating. Throw in free wi-fi, a dart board, a full-size pool table, multiple TVs for watching sports, some home-brewed beers as well as a few guest taps and I’ll be there. As indeed I was one summer’s day this year.

While I must admit that going to bars with a bunch of friends to watch the game isn’t my thing, I can see how awesome The Mash Tun would be do just that. With an ample selection of beers on tap (many of them vegan), and a menu with its own vegan section things start to get interesting!

On our sunny Sunday afternoon, we settled into bar seats in front of the TV, ordered some great beer and started to eat our way through the vegan section of the menu, starting with the Vegan Tempeh Things — tempeh “wings” in spicy sauce with dip and salad. Perfectly hot, perfectly crunchy and with a cool dip, these were gone in about 20 seconds. And I’m not joking.

tempeh things: ain't no wing, but a tempeh thing! deep-fried tempeh, served buffalo or bbq style with housemade vegenaise. $6.75

Next up, we ordered the Baked Red Lentil Puree, an interesting combination of seasoned lentils with green onions and pita wedges for scooping. In texture this was kinda like eating hummus and pita, but with a much more tangy flavor. This dish is a perfect companion to the “wings”, providing some cool respite from the fiery sauce.

baked red lentil puree: puree of red lentils with grilled green onions, roasted garlic and tomato, served with pita wedges. $6.50

For our main dish we deliberated between the two vegan burgers on offer — both home made and very appetizing in description. In the end we went for the Mash Tun Veggie Burger, a complex set of textures and flavors perfectly seasoned on a tasty bun with very fresh salad.

mash tun veggie burger: a housemade patty of chopped almonds, oats and veggies, served on a kaiser bun with vegenaise. $8.25

By the end of our afternoon, we were full of vegan food, great beer and had watched most of a game on the TV before we had to leave and head back to the airport for our return flight to LA. The Mash Tun is a great place to go with omni friends, as you can enjoy everything a real bar has to offer, while pigging out on some very tasty vegan facsimiles of bar food.

Pop open your laptop to jump on the free wi-fi, shoot some pool, throw some darts and watch the game (not at the same time, of course). The Mash Tun provides just about everything you’d want in a typical PDX low-key environment. It might not be the best vegan food on the planet, and the home-brewed beer probably needs some work on the taste front, but you won’t be disappointed at all.

We’ll definitely be back to The Mash Tun next time we’re fortunate enough to visit the PDX!

The Mash Tun Brewpub
2204 NE Alberta St
Ste 101
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 548-4491

when we arrived at bottlerock, they were ready for us. they had scrubbed down a section of the kitchen where our food was to be prepared, and had beer pairings on hand for each of our courses. i went in expecting some great beer and decent vegan fare, but i left completely elated and high on delicious flavors. i’m writing this post because i think it’s something everyone should try. let’s just jump right in and i’ll tell you all about what they served us:

house root vegetables with fried capers and carrot miso

the first course was a bowl of house root vegetables with fried capers and carrot miso. perfectly sweet with hints of vinegar, this is one of the best beet dishes i’ve ever tried.

fava bean and pistachio falafel with greens and hummus

the second course was fresh fava and pistachio falafel, served with cherry tomatoes, hummus, watercress and black olive oil. to say this falafel was amazing would be a gross understatement. it was extra thick and dense, not spongy like a regular chickpea falafel. the leaves were delicate and fresh, the tomatoes were juicy, and the hummus was extra creamy. everybody at the table was thoroughly impressed with this dish.

king trumpet mushroom with potato, almonds, and artichoke puree

our third course was a small bowl of king trumpet mushrooms covered in greens, with crunchy almonds in an artichoke puree. the rich and smooth artichoke puree was so delicious, i could drink it straight. it was super thick and coated the leaves and mushrooms perfectly, giving everything a quite decadent taste.

fried sushi rice with vegetables

course four was a dish of fried sushi rice and vegetables. it came sprinkled with some black flecks that i think were called ukari. i don’t know exactly what was in this rice, but whatever it was, i loved it. each grain was slightly fried and packed just the right amount of flavor and crunch.

fingerling potato with beluga lentils, shaved celery and carrot curry sauce.

the fifth course was gorgeously presented—a fingerling potato with beluga lentils, shaved celery and carrot curry sauce. this dish was definitely a standout, and everyone at the table was basically licking their plate to get every last drop of the sauce.

seared tofu, smoked parsnip sauce, maitake mushroom, cipollini onion, cumin spaghetti squash

course number six brought together some of the best tastes i’ve ever had in my life. the dish consisted of a seared tofu patty with smoked parsnip sauce, a maitake mushroom atop a cipollini onion, and a mound of cumin spaghetti squash. OMG. if i could prepare tofu this way, i would never leave the house. the parsnip sauce, the succulent mushroom and the barely sweet onion were all perfect as well. to me, this course was pure bliss.

so by this point, we were all getting a bit full and tipsy. we’d had 6 dishes and a beer pairing to go with each one, so when they asked us how many more courses we had left in us we told them we could probably only make it through just one more. (i’m so curious as to what they would have brought had we requested several more.)

melon sorbet, reduced apple cider, plum, sweet potato and shiso with grated cashew

so with that they brought out course seven, our final and dessert course, a scoop of melon sorbet with reduced apple cider, plum, sweet potato and grated cashew. there were so many flavors going on in this thing, it was unreal. sweet, fruity, salty, and nutty all at once. a total party in my mouth.

beer pairing...and this was just for dessert!

after seven courses of this amazing food, the four of us could barely move. and i didn’t even get into the excellent beer pairings that bottlerock brought with each one. we tried so much stuff from from a fresh hopped IPA, to hefferveisen, to thick rich dessert beers. the staff was also super friendly and excited about the food, willing to explain all the flavors to us in detail. the chef even came out to meet us and told us that he whipped up everything with ingredients he had on hand, no special planning or preparation. wow, now that’s what i call talent!

so i bet you are wondering how you can experience this delicious food, because after all, none of it is on the menu. well, the chef told us that bottlerock could accommodate all vegans…it’s just a matter of getting creative and clearing off a preparation space in the kitchen. my advice would be to call ahead, make reservations for a tasting menu, and alert them to your veganocity. you may not end up with the exact courses we had, but you will end up with something amazing nonetheless.

so seriously, call bottlerock and get some of the amazing vegan food, wine and beer they have to offer. maybe if enough of us go there, they will add a vegan tasting meal to the normal menu. wouldn’t that be awesome? yeah, it would…because this is the best vegan tasting meal i’ve had in los angeles by far. who’s in? i am going back as soon as i possibly can.

Bottlerock
1050 Flower Street # 167
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone: 213.747.1100

we attended both hot knives events at the verdugo in august, and i can honestly say they served some of the best food that i’ve ever eaten. not just that, but the music was good, the patio was relaxing, and the beer was tasty.

this weekend hot knives are coming back to host an “over the oktoberfest” celebration that will feature an arm wrestling competition and vegan german grub. the plan for the menu is vegan soaked in Rausch beer for smokey brats, with veeg sides to choose from. you would be insane to miss this. seriously, how often do we herbivores get to take part in the oktoberfest fun?

here is the press release and more info incase you wanna get involved in the arm wrestling competition:

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Verdugo bar will host ‘Over the Top Oktoberfest,’ featuring an arm wrestling tournament with both men’s and women’s heats, veggie German grub from beer blogging cooks Hot Knives, and a round of autobahn disco DJ sets. Entrance is free. Bring cash for food.

To boot, Verdugo’s rotating taps now boast real Berliner Weisse beers that can be spiffed up with genuine woodruff and raspberry syrups as well as Craftsman’s Oktoberfest.

‘Over the Top Oktoberfest’ arm wrestling, brought to you by the warped mind(s) at Me & Potatoes, will engage competitors in a friendly contest on the Verdugo’s awesome back patio for prizes and bragging rights. All skill levels, and weights, welcome! But be warned: Judges will be applying official rules from the American Armsport Association. Contestants must register now by E-mailing meandpotatoes@gmail.com.

From the patio grill, Hot Knives will spew veggie beer brats, various flavors of homemade, barrel-fermented sauerkraut, kartoffel salad, and Hefeweizen popsicles (of course). For inspiration, DJ Dusseldork and friends – DJ Wonder von Popsicle and Mahssa (B Music) – will engineer pure German precision on the dance floor.

see you guys there!

vegan tofu scramble + craftsman 1903 lager

a gastropub in los angeles with 25 impressive beers on tap and a delicious vegan option? yep, it’s true. if you wanna get your drink (craftsman-style in my case) and enjoy a two-course vegan brunch, look no further than boho in hollywood.

boho has been open for less than a year, but their beer selection has already made them one of my favorite bars in town. other than blue palms and the verdugo, i can’t think of anywhere with such a great beer selection. plus unlike the two joints i just mentioned, boho has awesome hours and decent parking (they are in the same complex as the archlight theatre, and they validate!).

the rotating beer list that always boasts several international selections would keep me going back time and time again…but as an added bonus, boho also has a vegan option on their sunday brunch menu. while their one vegan item is merely a tofu scramble, it’s a damn good one…and even better when you consider the fact you can eat it while sipping on imported beer for a reasonable price in the heart of hollywood.

the vegan tofu scramble comes with a choice of starter, and i highly recommend the market salad which the bartender confirmed is vegan as well…

while it may not seem like there is much to this small pile of mixed greens, it is absolutely phenomenal. the leaves are all delicate and fresh, extremely high quality. and the light vinaigrette dressing provides the perfect coating; the right amount of oil, tangy-ness and salt.

the scramble itself is a big hot mess of tofu and vegetables that will satisfy your hunger. my plate was stacked high with freshly cut breakfast potatoes, fluffy tofu, sauteed mushrooms, red onion and leafy spinach. (the dish usually comes with roasted peppers as well, but i hate them…so i ordered it without).

vegan tofu scramble with mushrooms and spinach. $12

while this vegan brunch isn’t something i would travel across town for specially—it’s a damn good option, considering you can get drunk on high quality beer while you eat. plus, the atmosphere at boho is just so damn inviting. it’s all so cushy, comfy and plush. you’ll feel like you’re eating in a really cool, rich, old dude’s dining room…complete with antique oil paintings, relaxing couches, chandeliers and beatles music on rotation.

boho might just be my new favorite bar in los angels. 25 beers on tap and vegan sunday brunch option?! YEAH! seeya there next weekend?

boho
6372 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 465-8500
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

again, i’m pretty sure the vegan option is only available during sunday brunch…but boho has great beer 7 days a week.

one thing we rarely get to enjoy as vegans is cheap bar snacks…but at tube in portland, we can. the arty hipster haven has a badass happy hour from 5 to 10pm with $2 tall boys and loads of vegan menu items at 3 bucks or under.

we hit up tube at around 7pm, before it got super crowded, and dined out on happy hour specials. they also were offering a full dinner menu with lots of vegan options, but we decided bar snacks would be much more special.

my favorite dish we ordered was the professor nanotear muffin pictured above (a slice of grilled vegan ham and vegan cheese between an english muffin and homemade spicy chipotle veganaise, $3). it was thin and greasy, and not much to look at…but it sure tasted fantastic. the vegan ham/cheese/english muffin was a winning combo…soft, salty, melty and crunchy all at once.

vegan ghost dog with mustard. $2

we also tried the vegan ghost dog, a simple vegan hot dog smothered in spicy mustard. now this is definitely something i could make easily at home—but for just $2 in a cool bar, i’ll take it!

lastly, we shared the vegan taco which was freakin’ huge for 3 bucks. it came filled with tasty tofu scramble, which you can’t see in the picture because it’s covered in fresh lettuce and tomatoes. again, this thing wasn’t spectacular…but it was damn good and after eating it, i wanted another.

vegan taco: homemade spicy tofu scramble in a grilled flour tortilla topped with shredded lettuce and vegan cheese and diced tomatoes. $3

the great thing about tube, on top of the vegan-friendly menu, is the design and atmosphere of the place. the place is super slick and super trashy at the same time. everyone who works there is beyond cool and decked out in the height of fashion, like they just stepped out of the pages of an indie rock magazine. the bar is designed to look like the inside of a television, with a green glow and curved glossy walls…and the place is plastered with cool posters and art.

behind the table we were sitting at, there was a pop art piece on the wall with dozens of little red-eyed bunnies, and the word “fuck” scrawled several times beneath them. i dug it.

fuck bunny

after throwing back too many tall boys and snacking away on bar food, i decided it was time to move on to real booze. luckily, tube had a vegan white russian (my favorite drink) on the menu. i was so fucking excited about this, and i don’t know why. i’ve had thousands of vegan white russians in the comfort of my own home, but here i was with the opportunity to drink one in an ultramodern dive bar in one of the coolest cities i’ve ever visited. of course i indulged.

vegan white russian

tube’s vegan white russian was awesome and the bartender gave me a great pour. it would be SO DAMN EASY for all bars to offer this drink…all they need to do is stock some soy creamer behind the bar. until that day, i guess i will just dream of far away places like tube.

so if you like dive bars, modern bars, cool design, hispters, cheap food, or good drinks…be sure to make a stop at tube when you are in portland. you will definitely have a memorable experience.

i fucking love this place.

tube
18 NW Third Ave
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 241-8823
open 7 days at 5pm

you see, verdugo bar has long been a favorite spot of ours, what with arguably the best beer selection in los angeles and a great atmosphere. but for the 2nd and 3rd sunday in august, the culinary geniuses known as hot knives took over the verdugo patio and transformed the place from an dark and cold foodless bar into the ultimate summer hang-out, complete with an all vegan menu, tons of board games, and a stellar music playlist. after two weekends of fun, the hot knives packed up their bags and i figured that for me the verdugo was back to normal—back to being a bar where beer reigned supreme without distraction.

then mandoline grill had to come along and prove me wrong. last sunday the soon-to-be regularly operating vietnamese food truck set up shop on the patio and served a delicious lunch in the heat. while their menu wasn’t entirely vegan, they did have some animal-free options that were really fucking tasty.

vegan lemongrass tofu banh mi. $5

the first was a lemongrass tofu banh mi. i am a pretty big banh mi fan in general anyway, and i can tell you that this was a really good one. the tofu tasted like it had been marinated for a long time, its flavors were intense and went all the way to the middle. the vegetables were fresh, and the french baguette was perfectly crunchy. plus, mandoline grill added a healthy amount of vegenaise to make the sandwich nice and creamy.

vegan cha gio. $3.50

they also offered vegan cha gio, fried spring rolls filled with faux meat. the rolls were pretty hearty and cost $2 each, or 2 for $3.50…definitely a decent price. the cha gio was rich, oily, and really delicious—it tasted like what i remember egg rolls tasting like but without the weird aftertaste. i would definitely order these little suckers again.

i’m pretty sure this was the mandoline grill’s first time serving food to the public, so they seemed a little stressed out and there were a couple delays. however, what they lacked in smoothness, they made up for with absolutely delicious vegan food. another great thing about mandoline grill is that they were pretty knowledgeable about veganism. they stressed to me that even the bread was vegan, and that everything was cooked separately and with different utensils. awesome. i can’t wait until they get there food truck up and running—i know i’ll be one of the first customers in line.

so let’s hope the verdugo continues to be awesome and host patio events that serve vegan food. it’s strange that my favorite bar in town is slowly becoming one of my favorite places to eat as well, but hey i’m not complaining.

for more info, follow @verdugobar and @mandolinegrill on twitter

a 100% vegan pub. i still can’t really wrap my mind around it. since i’m a huge fan of both good beer and vegan food, for me the bye and bye in portland is a dream come true. quality brews on tap, a laid back bar atmosphere, and a menu from which i can order anything. holy hell, i thought i was in heaven this year when i visited an all vegetarian pub…the fact that i now have been to an all vegan pub is almost too awesome for me to handle.

meatball sub: fresh baguette with veggie meatballs, marinara, and melted cheese with choice of side. $8

the bye and bye’s menu is a slight diversion from your standard pub grub of burgers and chips. they focus more on hearty down-home style entrees, with a healthy twist. you’ll find things like a bbq brussel bowl with tofu, sprouts and rice…or a braised tofu sandwich with a side of black-eyed peas. i ordered the meatball sub because i’d heard great things about it, and man oh man, all the positive reviews were true. the sandwich came on a huge fresh baguette of the highest quality and was packed with loads of thick meatballs and tasty, chunky marinara sauce. the vegan cheese wasn’t really melted as the menu suggested, whatever dude, it tasted good all the same. not since doomie’s (rest in peace) have i had a vegan meatball sub this incredible. for a side dish, i went a bowl of collard greens to round out the home-cookin’ feel, and they were excellent.

eastern bowl: spicy asian tofu, brown rice, and broccoli served with peanut sauce. $8

my husband got the eastern bowl, a mix of tofu, rice and vegetables all smothered in peanut sauce. i had a few bites of this thing and it was damn good as well—the crusted asian tofu and crunchy fresh broccoli was just perfect mixed up in the tangy sauce. normally not a peanut fan, my husband completely polished it off. everything in the bowl was perfectly cooked and seasoned, from the flavorful tofu, to the delicate rice, to the amazing gooey sauce.

on top of the excellent food, the bye and bye also has a great beer selection—better than most los angeles bars, for sure.

add to all that a slick, comfortable interior and extremely friendly service (the vegan bartender was super nice and gave us the rundown on the pdx vegan scene), and you have quite possibly the best pub in the world.

don’t miss this place when you are in portland. the bye and bye is the intersection of good beer and tasty vegan food…my two favorite things.

bye and bye
1011 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211
Hours: Sunday 12pm-2:30am, Mon-Thurs 4pm-2:30am, Friday 2pm-2:30am, Saturday 12pm-2:30am.