No Meat Fridays Aren't So Bad...

For Lent this year I (Wiley) decided to actually step up and not eat meat on Fridays. Usually I don't do it and inevitably feel guilty the rest of the year...but this year with Alissa's awesome support I'm doing it and actually finding that there are some great veggie meals out there. This past Friday we went to Vita Cafe on Alberta for brunch...and while I initially couldn't find anything I liked I ended up pleasantly surprised by my meal. 

                                            His Take:

I ordered a grilled cheese with cheddar, onions and tomato. I settled on this simple sandwich after much debate but I ended up very happy with my decision. It was the perfect melty, gooey, cheesy mess and the onions/tomatoes added a great texture to the sammie that I wasn't fully expecting. For just $5 its hard to beat this for the meat-lover looking for meat-less options.

The star of my meal...these fries are hefty, thick, fresh cut...with a perfect amount of crispiness and saltiness. You could taste the potato without getting the overwhelming tater taste that sometimes comes with Jo Jos and other thick cut fries. Great addition to my sandwich and a big enough portion that I had ready made leftovers to use as home fries!

The Vegan Chili was the weakest link of my meal. I blame this on my taste for hearty, meaty chili more than through any inherent fault of this bowl. It's just hard to measure up when you're relying on beans to carry the chili. I probably wouldn't order this again...though the corn bread wasn't bad...if drier than I prefer.

                                                    Grade: B-

While initially skeptical about this veggie-centric eatery I walked out pretty well won over -- if not for anything other than a meal that's sure to give Alissa plenty of options. I would be curious to see how their burgers are -- they make genuine beef burgers -- but it being a Friday I didn't try one. A stellar cheeseburger could easily raise this place to B-B+ territory for me. Overall, the price point was good and the service was average if friendlier than I'm used to usually on Alberta and other hip locales in Portland.

                                                      Her Take:

Vita Cafe was one of the first restaurants I ever visited when I moved over this way. That was over a year ago and either my standards are now higher, or Vita was having an off day. I ordered the Breakfast Burrito, like I did last year, except this time I had it made gluten-free for an extra $.50. As I waited I sipped my black coffee and enjoyed catching up with my man. Our food arrived and it looked as good as I remembered. The first bite was okay, but after that the beans took over the dish. They had a chili-like flavor that I didn't really care for. Besides the beans, the burrito was filled with tofu, cabbage, kale, and carrots. The guacamole also had an off, almost chemical like flavor to me. I did however devour the vegan sour cream, yum! The potatoes where pretty standard and had a nice crispy texture. The gluten-free tortilla was probably the best I've ever had. I ended up boxing up most of my burrito for later due to the large portion size. Funny enough it was much better cold the next day.

Grade B-

I never thought I'd give Vita Cafe this grade, and I even toyed with a C+. The service was less than stellar, but my coffee did remain full for the most part. They have their food labeled to let you know what can be made vegan and gluten -free. I also appreciate the care and concern that they show for peoples' food preferences and in sourcing local and organic food whenever possible. I know I'll be back for another meal here, and will definitely branch out from the Breakfast Burrito. 

Friday Afternoon Sushi: Uchu on Mississippi

Like the name sounds...Uchu Sushi & Fried Chicken is very Portland. Located on Mississippi Ave it's a mish mash of two seemingly different types of food....but based on it's popularity the combo must work.

We went in for a Friday afternoon lunch and saw people ordering both the sushi and the chicken...but we went with the sushi. The decor was modern and industrial. Giant fish tanks lined the walls, one with tropical fish and the other with koi.We split our starters of seaweed salad and edamame. Both were well  

                                   received and a great way to kick off the meal.  

                                                                    His Take:

Dynamite Roll -- A chef's choice of fish with tempura and tempura flake. I really enjoyed the roll. It had a great combination of flavor and texture. The termpura gave it a good crunch and it was warm enough that it balanced out the other cold fish roll and nigiri that I ordered. I'd get this again for sure. 

I had the Saba (Mackerel) Nigiri... A nice piece of fish to look at but overall it left me fairly underwhelmed. I don't regularly get mackerel so I'm no expert but it tasted less fresh -- more fishy. In the future I'd go for tuna nigiri.

Last but not least I had a Philly Roll. This is such a classic roll and one of my go-to's when trying a new sushi joint. It  tasted fresh, had just the right amount of salmon flavor without being overwhelming.

                                                                   Grade: B

Overall I'd say that the restaurant was pretty solid. A bit on the high priced side but that's pretty common with sushi joints. The service while not inspired was serviceable...about what I've come to expect in a city where most waiters and waitresses aren't in in for the long haul. I'd like to try some of their other more exotic rolls but for a first time experience it was enjoyable enough that I'd give it another shot.

                                                                   Her Take:

The Garden Spider roll - filled with grilled asparagus, avocado, yamagobo, and kaiware. This was my favorite of the two rolls I ordered. The grilled asparagus lent a nice smokey flavor that was nicely balanced by the creaminess of the avocado. Overall a good balance of flavors.

I wanted to branch out from my usual cucumber roll and the Enoki roll seemed intriguing. I especially enjoy mushrooms and enoki mushrooms are gosh darn cute. Besides the tiny fungus, this roll included kampyo, yamagobo, cucumber and were topped with a special sauce. I didn't check to see if the sauce was gluten-free or not, but it was used sparingly so I wan't too concerned. For me this roll was on the sweet side. Both the sauce and the kampyo created a sugary taste to the dish that I wasn't used to. I probably wouldn't order this roll again.

                                                                  Grade: B

       For a Friday lunch stop, UCHU was a nice choice. They had clearly labeled vegan choices, which I always appreciate. The service was adequate. The seaweed salad was very good and had me craving more that evening. The venue would be gorgeous at night with the large aquariums blue glow. They had Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) for me to dip my rolls in, which is a bonus. My gluten-free beer options were the Widmer Omission pale ale or lager, and I went with the pale ale this time. Many of their rolls had tempura battered veggies or tofu, so it cuts down my options. Portland has many sushi restaurants, but if you ever find  yourself on Mississippi craving some seaweed salad and vegan rolls, it's not a bad spot to know about.