October 22nd, 2008

Organic Dining Across America: Portland

Posted by Jenn Breckenridge

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One thing you’ll notice about organic dining in Portland, Oregon is the incredible value. Here in PDX, a foodie can get fresh, organic, farm-to-table cooking for-may I just say this-damn cheap. Artists and financiers alike can enjoy civilized organic dining without parting with more cash than they’d like, a rare and precious experience in these United States. Eating locally-grown ingredients is easy in agriculturally rich Oregon. Eco-consciousness and attention to detail abounds in the farming industry here, while artisan cheese and wine makers in the Columbia and Willamette Valleys are beginning to rival those in Burgundy. C’est magnifique!

The Farm Café

The Farm Café is one of Portland’s greatest examples of enlightened dining. Every aspect of sourcing and preparation is done with sustainability in mind, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the food is savory and scrumptious. The daily menu features fish dishes fresh off the rocky Oregon coast, as well as hearty vegetarian and vegan recipes that would thrill any herbivore. All produce, cheese, and fish is sourced domestically, and mostly within state lines. The Farm Café even features locally-produced spirits such as New Deal Portland 88 Vodka, Cascade Mountain Gin from Bend, and a variety of Eaux De Vie from the Clear Creek Distillery, located right in Northwest PDX.

The signature ingredient at The Farm Café is hazelnuts and they are used quite liberally in the appetizer that Farm-devotees rave about: the Farmhouse Cheese Ball. This blend of 3 cheeses, chives, parsley, horseradish and spices is rolled in toasted hazelnuts and served with fresh bread. If you’re not feeling hazelnuts, the Caesar Salad with Bay shrimp, scallops and Dungeness crab rocks! For entrees, the Herb Crusted Tofu with Crimini Mushroom Marsala is one of those dishes that could make diehard carnivores think tofu could actually be tasty. In this author’s opinion, diners here should make a point of having entrees that work well with the ultimate red wine for crisp autumn nights- Owen Roe’s Ex Umbris Syrah from the Columbia Valley. This, my oenophile friends, is what red wine is all about! There is nothing to gripe about regarding The Farm Café, except that you must remember to make reservations if you want to avoid the hour-long waits which, at this culinary gem, can happen any night of the week.

10 SE 7th Street, Portland, Oregon (503) 736-3276

Roots Organic Brewing Company

Just down the road from The Farm Café is a gastronomer’s delight of a different ilk. Brewpubs are an important part of Portland’s local culture-PDX’ers know about their beer. Roots Organic Brewing Company caters to the sophisticated palates of Portland’s brew connoisseurs with selections like Calypso American Style Wheat, dry-hopped with Habanero and Jamaican Country Peppers, then infused with locally grown apricots. Yum. Chef Chris Helmintaler is introducing an expanded menu of organic comfort food with a Caribbean flair to match the brewery’s island vibe. All the meats here are hormone-free and free range; all the produce comes from Uncle Paul’s organic farmstand in the Hawthorne District. Roots is a unique pub in that they proudly lack a deep fryer, preferring instead to serve bar fare that helps your body rather than hurts it. How unusual and refreshing!

In these tough financial times, you may want to hit up Roots Organic Brewing Company on a Tuesday- 20 ounce pints for $2.50 are hard to beat. Another way to soften the blows hitting both Wall Street and Main Street are the comedy nights at Roots on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. If you’re a football fanatic or a total football player hater, be aware that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday games are on and poppin’ at Roots. No matter what day of the week you end up at this Portland classic, you’re destined to feel irie at Roots. Yeh, mon.

1520 SE 7th Street, Portland, Oregon, (503) 235-7668

The Blossoming Lotus

The Blossoming Lotus is a calm oasis located deep within the heart of the Yoga In The Pearl. Though it sounds like an enchanted place from a childhood fantasy novel, The Blossoming Lotus is rather a vegan cafe located in a yoga studio with a reputation for leaving its customers in a sweeter, more relaxed state than when they arrived…which is almost just as good. The kitchen takes their preparations very seriously at The Blossoming Lotus; everything they serve “adheres to the highest standards regarding freshness, taste, presentation, nutrition and balance.”

You can drop in post-yoga class for a simple, yet satisfying Monk Bowl with brown rice, beans, and steamed kale. If you’re in the mood for something more colorful, the Live Taco Salad with Chile Lime Dressing is spectacular. “Live” refers to food that has not been heated over 104°F, leaving all the vital enzymes and nutrients intact. There’s nothing like the joyous feeling of realizing the “live fudge” you’re eating for dessert is actually supposed to be good for you. Score. No wonder people feel more relaxed after dining at The Blossoming Lotus.

Still not convinced about a visit to The Blossoming Lotus? I have five words for you…vegan soft serve ice cream.

925 NW Davis Street, Portland, Oregon, (503) 228-0048

Be sure to check out our directory of organic restaurants and grocers across the United States!

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