In 2007, I remembered Blossoming Lotus was a small raw vegan cafe off NW Davis Street in Pearl District next to the attached yoga studio and for some reason I recalled having to remove my shoes off to use the restroom. I liked some of their raw selections from live nacho to bbq tempeh sandwich to pizza in the past. Few years later, they closed down, was replaced by another restaurant, Prasad Cuisine, and moved to NE side of Portland, Oregon, near the Willamette River, in the Irvington District.

“Blossoming Lotus serves organic, freshly made, world vegan fusion cuisine with delicious cooked and live food options. We are open for lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and offer happy hour Monday through Saturday. [...]Blossoming Lotus has a full menu of local favorites, chef specials, seasonal selections, live food dishes,  gluten-free and soy-free options.” (About Blossoming Lotus, Portland, OR)

• Website: http://www.blpdx.com | Facebook: facebook.com/blossominglotus | Twitter: twitter.com/blpdx | Menu: You can view their online menu here.
• Address: 1713 NE 15th Ave Portland, OR 97212.
• Hours: They are open 7 days a week. Lunch: Monday – Saturday 11:00am – 4:00pm | Dinner: Sunday – Thursday 5:00pm – 9:00pm ; Friday + Saturday 5:00pm – 10:00pm | Sunday Brunch: 10:00am – 2:30pm | Happy Hour: Monday – Saturday 3:00pm – 5:00pm
• Vegan Notes: It is 100% vegan. They carry live food dishes (denotes L),  gluten-free (denotes GF) and soy-free options (denotes SF). Their menu items are labelled as L, GF, and/or SF, which is very helpful.

Coconut Chai (12 oz), house-made chai & coconut milk served over ice
It was calming to sit outside of Blossoming Lotus, while sipping on a neither heavy or watery beverage. It was a beautiful summery drink.

Peaches n’ Cream: peaches, coconut milk and banana
To be blunt, this is intended for a quick breakfast meal. With the creamy coconut milk and banana along with peaches, it is a big, creamy beverage! After drinking the smoothie, I did not have much room for any meals! I can imagine ordering it to go and have my big breakfast during a rush hour.

Bloody Mary Brunch Cocktail: house-infused sundried tomato & jalapeno vodka, house-made mary mix, pickled veggies and a celery stalk with salted rim.
It is nice to have an optional salted rim since some customers do not want sodium in their diets. I do like the pickled veggies for the most part since I’m a “pickled” type. I couldn’t taste the jalapeno vodka very well where I wanted the heat, but it is a very light cocktail for a brunch.

Loaded Home Fries (GF): Home fries topped with smoked maple tempeh bits, avocado goddess dressing, roasted red pepper sour cream and scallions, served on a bed of steamed kale
When the plate of loaded home fries had arrived, I was a bit intimidated by the size. I just had a massive peaches n’ cream smoothie and couple of sips from coconut chai  and bloody mary cocktail, what am I expecting?! It seemed like a decent portion for party of 3 or 4 where everyone can pick out whatever they like from the plate. I liked the avocado goddess dressing, but I didn’t think the smoked maple tempeh is necessary. At the same time, potatoes and tempeh make me bloated (may vary in some people, but they do that to me). It’s a great party plate for sure, plus it’s GLUTEN-FREE!

Pumpkin Dipped French Toast: goldendale wheat bread dipped in a coconut pumpkin batter topped with vanilla cashew cream, fresh fruit, and candied almonds, served with maple syrup
That was Doni’s plate, at first, I thought it was too simple to pick a vegan french toast rather than a special dish. But the dish turned out as a favourite of ours! The firm (not soggy or dry) goldendale wheat bread dipped in coconut pumpkin batter tasted so delicious and I loved the fact that they made their own fresh vanilla cashew cream. It is a must to try! What an amazing dish for brunch, or breakfast!

Spelt Biscuits Covered in Shiitake Mushroom Gravy, served on a bed of fresh greens
This was another favourite of ours. That dish was a brunch special from Mother’s Day Brunch Menu. The spelt biscuits weren’t dry at all, but lathered in a savory and herbed, yet creamy mushroom gravy. And lastly, the gravy is filled with thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, which I truly love. I would love to see that in the menu someday, that would be a great dish to add to!

Lotus Benedict: house-made spelt biscuits, topped with scrambled tofu, maple seitan sausage, sliced tomato, arugula, and butternut hollandaise, served with steamed greens and home fries
I wasn’t expecting a plate of loaded home fries in the first place since I was eating with two other people including my partner. But I always have a curiosity for quirky meals such as a “vegan lotus benedict.” When my Lotus Benedict dish arrived, the components looked very separated, except for the yellow “Mustard-like” sauce. I couldn’t finish the dish because of the home fries & it tasted bland. The butternut hollandaise sauce was a bit too sweet for me, and it didn’t go well with the spelt biscuits and maple seitan sausage. I would say it is not my favourite dish so far. If you are getting a plate of loaded home fries, don’t order the Lotus Benedict, order something else without home fries in it (trust me, I felt quick queasy afterward).

Live Pizza (L, GF, SF): spiced tomato & walnut crust topped with herb pecan pesto, marinated fennel, heirloom tomatoes and microgreens, drizzled with basil oil, with cashew cheese.
I really am a fan of Blossoming Lotus’s live & raw selections. L stands for live/raw selection and SF stands for soy-free selections. The live pizza is both live/raw, gluten-free and soy-free. I had it few years ago, and right now, they added $0.75 for cashew cheese on the pizza.

Live Nachos (L, GF, SF): spiced tomato & walnut chips, zucchini-tahini nacho cheese and ground pecan chorizo, topped with red onion, tomato, cilantro, scallion, cashew sour cream, and avocado dressing, served with a lime wedge.
I really am a fan of Blossoming Lotus’s live & raw selections. L stands for live/raw selection and SF stands for soy-free selections. The live nacho is both live/raw, gluten-free and soy-free. I love the crunchiness of spiced tomato & walnut chips and the fresh garnished herb toppings. It’s really amazing to know that they make their own sour cream, chorizo and nacho cheese. I have a great respect for Blossoming Lotus’ home-made sauces, creams and dressings.

To view other vegan eats in Portland & Oregon, go here.

International-based fashion editorial photographer Rika Huang travels around the world (from Southeast Asia to Australia to Europe to across the U.S.A.) and photographs everything she consumes. She researches and writes everything from vegan groceries to restaurants to products to home cooking which she documents on her blog Veganmiam. Rika has been a vegan since late 2006 and has been addicted to food photography.

I find it a bit frustrating when a vegan-friendly restaurant does not have a website or an online menu, especially if you are new to Wellington or not a local. I’ve seen a few food pictures from some random bloggers, but not the menu itself. Midnight Espresso is probably one of my top cafe/restaurants I’ve been to in Wellington, New Zealand.

Location & Hours

• 178 Cuba St, Te Aro 6011, New Zealand. It was on the most prominent streets in Wellington, the Cuba Street.
• 7.30am-3am Mon-Fri, 8am-3am Sat & Sun
• You are probably looking at $10-20 per meal if you are from the U.S. Save plenty of money if you plan to go there!
• Plenty of local Kiwis with curiousity and questions. I had few men asking me what I do and if I was writing for an article, hehe.
• I love sitting with the front windows open. It’s actually a calming setting for a restaurant food reviewer and food photographer.

Menu

While there’s no visible menu online, I’ve photographed their menu which was written in colourful chalk. There were few vegan meals on the menu, and also on the special menus. You should also keep an eye out on these today’s snacks/meals that were displayed in glass section near the cashier (they usually have few vegan snacks out there randomly such as vegan lasagna or cake).

Here are some vegan dishes from the chalk menu I’ve written down for you just in case if you cannot see the picture clearly below (keep in mind that the menu items may change variably):

• Vegan Hash Stack (with mushrooms, tomato, toast, spinach, hash browns, avocado and vegan mayo)- $16,50
• Garlic Mushrooms on Toast (can be made Vegan) – $11
• Vegan Mayo Side – $3
• $4 Side Dishes (You need to ask the staff to make it Vegan) – 2 Hash Browns, Grilled Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, Avocado, Marinated Tofu or Hummus
• Gluten-Free Bread – $2
• Scrambled Tofu tossed in Seasonal Veggies and Sweet Chili Sauce – $12
• Vegan Nacho (with bean mix and vegan mayo, avocado, salsa and hummus) – Large $18
• Hummus & Pita, ask to make it vegan (with Kalamata olives and veggies) – $9
• Tossed Garden Salad with Marinated Tofu & ask to make it vegan – $12,50
• Stir-Fried Veggies cooked in Thai Coconut Sauce – $12

They do offer fresh juices, soy milk shakes as well as coffee/espresso with soy milk options.

Dishes I’ve Tried

Dish #1: Vegan Hash Stack (with mushrooms, tomato, toast, spinach, hash browns, avocado and vegan mayo) – $16,50

It was one of my favourite dishes at Midnight Espresso. It is actually amazing how a New Zealand cafe can make vegan mayo because that is a plus to the dish. These hash browns are like potato fritters in such buttery chive flavour. I love everything on the dish.

Dish #2: Special Tempeh Burger & Delicious – $13

It was on their special chalk menu. But $13 was pretty high for a small tempeh burger unfortunately. It was a plain tempeh with vegan pesto sauce and veggies in the burger. I don’t see any vegan mayo. It was a light burger, but I wouldn’t try it again for the price. It’s nice to see a vegan local tempeh burger in Wellington.

Dish #3: Vegan Banana-Maple-Coconut Cake – $6. I’m not sure about the price, errr.

It was actually an interesting looking cake! The frosting wasn’t too heavy. I tasted a lot of bananas in it, but not much coconut in it. I would try it again. But I wouldn’t dare touch a vegan chocolate cake. I’m not a huge chocolate cake eater. Please pardon my photos since they were taken with a smaller digital camera in the late evening.

Dish #4: Scrambled Tofu tossed in Seasonal Veggies and Sweet Chili Sauce – $12

I was hungry for a huge breakfast meal since I didn’t had dinner that other night. The tofu scramble was in fact too sweet for my taste due to the sweet chili sauce. The veggies were plain, but I sadly have to admit it was a plain tofu scramble with sweet chili sauce. I probably prefer something spicier or yeast-like. It was actually a big plate, great for two!

Dish #5: Side Dish for 2 Hash Browns (Made Vegan) – $4

After I liked my Vegan Hash Stack plate the other day, I wanted to try these vegan hash browns. But they tasted a bit different and disappointing, perhaps they need a vegan mayo side dish for another $3. Seems a bit ridiculous for $4 two small vegan hashbrowns and $3 vegan mayo = $7 plate. Maybe it was cooked by a different chef that day. I don’t know why, but it tasted greasy potatoes with no chives or flavour in it.

Dish #6: Vegan Tofu Bun – $6

I’ve to admit I made the right choice, picking that lonely vegan tofu bun off the display area (that was off their chalk menu). It was made fresh that day for $6 compared to a small $13 tempeh burger that other night. It was a very good tofu burger with wild rocket salad and vegan pesto. It is claimed vegan according to a staff. I really hope to see this tofu burger again.

International-based fashion editorial photographer Rika Huang travels around the world (from Southeast Asia to Australia to Europe to across the U.S.A.) and photographs everything she consumes. She researches and writes everything from vegan groceries to restaurants to products to home cooking which she documents on her blog Veganmiam. Rika has been a vegan since late 2006 and has been addicted to food photography.

It was in early December 2010, I stayed at this cute little loft off Via Dei Greci in the heart of Roma for about a week and it was my first time to see Roma. In the U.S, you will see loads of pizza topped with hunks of heavy cheese, but in Italy, depending on the regions, they use freshly grown produce and simple ingredients in their cuisine, like their yummy tomato sauce.

About 25 minutes walk from my flat, there’s a colourful marketplace at this historic square near Piazza Navona called the Campo De’ Fiori . Toward the end of the marketplace off Vicolo del Gallo, there’s a bakery, “Campo De’ Fiori ” that offers traditional Italian bread, pizza and specialities.

I tried two different types of pizza: Pizza Bianca (Olive oil with sea salt) and Pizza Rosa (tomato sauce), they are both vegan, made perfectly well and baked fresh (usually between 9 to 11am). They charge by the weight or size, i.e., €3-4 for a large slice. I love how pizzas can be made vegan without any cheese like the American pizza usually do, or maybe I don’t really need vegan cheese on these traditional Italian pizza at all. They can be made plain and simple with the best ingredients such as tomato sauce or delicious olive oil. My favorite was the pizza bianca; it has something to do with this lovely Italian olive oil that made this pizza taste wonderful.

Website for Campo De’ Fiori : http://www.fornocampodefiori.com/main.php

International-based fashion editorial photographer Rika travels around the world (from Southeast Asia to Australia to Europe to across the U.S.A.) and photographs everything she consumes. She researches and writes everything from vegan groceries to restaurants to products to home cooking which she documents on her blog Veganmiam. Rika has been a vegan since late 2006 and has been addicted to food photography.

Guest post by Rika, International based fashion photographer and vegan food blogger

I spent most of my teens in western Oregon, USA,  which is famous for its Pinot Noir and vast wineries. This Southwest Eugene’s King Estate Winery Restaurant was probably one of the only vegan-friendly winery restaurants that I loved. The winery was led by Executive Chef Michael Landsberg, known for his stints at four Michelin rated restaurants in EU.

The King Estate Winery’s culinary team served me the most unique off-the-menu vegan dishes for the past year that I could not keep my taste buds off: huge Portobello mushroom in artichoke-broccoli bread crumbs served on whole-wheat penne pasta, barley rice with glazed beets and vegetables, black lentils with roasted vegetables and salty fried artichokes and finally, the BBQ tempeh served with house salad and sweet potato chips.

And don’t forget the vegan chocolate cupcake plus the cinnamon rice pudding with apricot jam as desserts.

On March 17th, 2011, King Estate Winery introduced a few vegan options on their menu after realizing that there were lots of vegan requests (probably from me, perhaps since I dine there every few weeks), but according to today, I assume there were none on the menu unless you make a request in advance. Just make sure you contact the King Estate Winery restaurant manager, Austin via email: austink@kingestate.com when you have vegan or vegetarian requests before you come visit the winery. He is very responsive and ensure you will have an exciting dining experience there.

OtherVegan dishes (Prices may range from $12-20 per dish depending on requests).

Right: Chickpea, summer courgettes and sesame carrot broth

International-based fashion editorial photographer Rika travels around the world (from Southeast Asia to Australia to Europe to across the U.S.A.) and photographs everything she consumes. She researches and writes everything from vegan groceries to restaurants to products to home cooking which she documents on her blog Veganmiam. Rika has been a vegan since late 2006 and has been addicted to food photography.