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:
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| 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. |
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| 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! |
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| 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:
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| 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. |
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