Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

In these evenings of early spring, when the air is cool and an occasional raindrop makes its way to our green earth, there’s nothing cozier than donning a fleece and dining on comfort food.

And dare I say that the single best plate of comfort food in the entire city is found in a barely-marked watering hole in northeast Portland known as The Bye and Bye.

There on any given night – and many a weekend afternoon – you’ll find a house full of hippies, hipsters, bike riders, barflys and assorted friends seeking good drinks and a hearty plate of reasonably priced food. Some enjoy the messy, tomatoey meatball sub, others the Frito-laden chili pie. My favorite: the BBQ platter, with its chewy cubes of smoky seasoned tofu alongside creamy black-eyed peas and a heap o’ greens sautéed in just enough spice to give ‘em kick, topped with a crusty baguette. There’s no more ideal cozy meal. (more…)

Portland's Missionary Chocolates offers samples of fine vegan truffles. Photo by Charley Korns.

Way back in 2005, an upstart organization with big green dreams envisioned an annual festival to celebrate sustainable, compassionate and healthy food choices. And thus was Northwest VEG’s Portland VegFest born. I was one of a few hundred people who discovered new taste treats (Field Roast! Coconut Bliss!) in a rented community hall at that humble first VegFest. Over the years the event outgrew several locations as “vegevores” – people who love vegetarian food, be they vegans or omnivores – flocked to sample the wares in increasing numbers.

Entry is just $5 (and there’s a $1 off coupon on the website); after that all the taste treats, education programs and family activities are free.

Two full days of vegevore fun — now that’s what I call yum!