aprii 6 .2 0 0 1
19
uring the course o f a week in
simply good at,” Melendez remarks. “A t the same
O ctober, business at N ortheast
time, it makes you a lot more vulnerable. It takes
Portland’s Counter Culture restau
a lot of work to not take [criticism] personally.
rant plunged to its nadir. A 45-
But it’s really satisfying to be able to offer food
minute wait quickly dissolved into
grown locally, all prepared here. Being much
a spare two or three tables a night. A nd a
more in touch with the seasons— there’s some
by Timothy Krause
N o on 9 Cam paign fund-raiser appeared to be
thing so much more grounding about that.”
the vegan restaurants farewell dinner.
Still, criticism can
about kitchen procedures,
“O ther restaurant owners were experiencing
be helpful feedback.
such as separate cutting
the same thing, but we weren’t prepared for it,”
Suggestions from pa
chef-owner Matthew Melendez recalls. “After a
boards for meat and produce.
trons, whether re
few weeks o f dead business, it didn’t take a math
Nothing comes into the
garding the fixxl or
scientist to see that we were in trouble.”
restaurant that isn’t plant-
the charitable organi
But Counter C ultures employees rallied,
based. Thus, Counter C u l
zations, have been
suggesting the restaurant turn to its customers
ture has become a “ lowest
taken to heart.
and ask for help. With nothing to lose, the
com m on
denom inator”
Moreover, M el
restaurant sent out an electronic S O S to its
am ong those with special
endez remarks that
e-mail list. In the end, the response was so over dietary needs. This includes
honesty about mis
whelming, O ctober ended up being the com pa
not only vegetarians but
takes has scored
ny’s second best month o f the year.
also individuals seeking
points with cus
“It was a Jimmy Stewart It’s a Wonderful Life
tomers. “W e’ve sim
wheat-free, dairy-free or
experience,” Melendez acknowledges. “Having
low-cholesterol foods.
plified a lot over the
survived the winter with the support of our terrif
Life partners as well as
past year, focusing
ic customers, we decided that the best way to show
our energy and at
business partners, this gay
our gratitude was simply to give something back.”
couple admit they weren’t
tention on what we
Inspired by O ctober’s fund-raiser, Counter
always vegans but adopted
do best,” Blegen
Culture will donate the proceeds from each Su n
the diet along with the
adds.
day evening in April and May to one o f nine
restaurant. Blegen, 35, and
A lthough
this
charitable organizations chosen by its customers.
Melendez, 33, indicate that,
couple say they plan
“Our m otivator for getting into the restau for them personally, vegan
simply to continue
rant business has never been financial,” partner
ism is a lifestyle that’s easier
to consolidate exist
Eric Blegen notes. “So, it makes us feel good to
on the planet and a more sus
ing operations, they
Eric Blegen and Matthew Melendez adopted the vegan diet along with the restaurant
support these organizations.”
tainable approach to cuisine.
aren’t short of big
Counter Culture asked customers to suggest
“Everyone here is passionate about a vegan
long journey to this identity for Counter Culture.
ideas for the future. They receive inquiries that
nonprofits that promote animal rights, ecologi
lifestyle, but for different reasons," Melendez
Melendez and his friend Lillian Gilliken
range from wedding catering to distributing
cal sustainability or cultural diversity. Six have
says. “A couple are vegans because o f animal
opened the restaurant in January 1998 as a gen
desserts and baked gcxxds.
been scheduled so far. T he remaining three will
rights. A nother couple think it’s healthier.
eral takeout counter, offering only one vegan
O ne plan, however, seems most tangible and
be announced later this month.
Everyone’s passionate, but everyone’s really
item. With a background in marketing and pub
heartfelt. “O ne o f our ideas always has been to
The restaurant hopes the fund-raising dinners
diverse.”
lic relations, he initially
eventually tie the
will showcase its spring menu. The new bill of fare
Their customers are equally diverse.
was in charge o f the
restaurant into our
"Our motivator for getting into the original
continues to feature original items all made on site
“Only about 40 to 50 percent of our cus
office, while she man
idea o f an
from scratch. Dishes range from
tomers are actually vegans,”
aged the kitchen.
restaurant business has never been organic farm,” de
an appetizer o f grilled radie -
Melendez observes. “So, we
T h a t is, until she
scribes Blegen, who
chio with herbed tofu
keep our parents in mind
left the b u sin ess in financial. So, it makes us feel good
envisions a plot in
cream cheese to entrées
when we’re coming up
late 1999. T h is was
the Colum bia Gorge
to support these organizations."
o f potato chana curry
with dishes. Like, would
w hen M elendez and
that would supply
and nasi goreng, among
— Eric Blegen
Eric’s dad eat this? Yeah,
then-bookkeeper B le
fresh, organic herbs
others.
I think he would.”
gen co m m itte d th e m
and produce.
“ If you’re a vegan,
Because o f this, the
selves to carvin g out a special n ich e in P ort
Melendez says he foresees “tons o f opportu
you don’t have to ask
men point out a signifi
lan d’s din in g scene.
nities.” T h at’s pretty positive thinking for an
about the menu,” Ble
very Sunday for the next two months,
cant shift in the context
“We had a growing repertoire o f vegan stuff. It
establishment that was on its deathbed just six
gen says with pride.
Counter Culture will donate dinner
of their work. Public per seemed to be what we were doing best and what
months ago. A nd the final chapter in this suc
“You can eat anything.”
ception last summer was
proceeds to the following organizations:
was attracting the most people,” Melendez
cess story will be written this spring, when
T hat’s a big deal to
• A pril 8 : U .S. Humane Society.
“ it’s vegan— and it’s
relates. “So, we decided to specialize in that
Counter Culture will be listed in the influential
those who often must
• A pril 15: KBOO -FM .
good.”
because it was what we were most interested in as
Zagat restaurant survey. j H
seek out footnotes in a
• April 2 2 : Dove Lewis Emergency
Now, they say, the
well. We knew we needed to do something that
menu to find a vegetarian
A nim al Hospital.
message is “it’s good—
would make us more o f a citywide destination.”
Located at 3000 N .E . Killmgsivorth St.,
item, these two say.
A pril 2 9 : In Defense o f Animals.
and it’s vegan.” The qual
And the more vegan the restaurant became,
C ounter C ulture may be contacted at
Because Counter Culture
M ay 6 : Basic Rights Oregon.
ity of the cuisine has sur
the more its business increased.
503-247'3799. Hours, menus, recipes and infor
is fully vegan, vegetarians
May 13, 2 0 and 27: To be announced.
passed its novelty and
“It’s just so satisfying to be doing what’s an
mation about cooking classes and veganism can be
don’t have to worry
practicality, but it’s been a
extension o f who I am rather than something I’m
found online at wuw.counter-culture .com.
C harity
a la
C arte
Vegan restaurateurs break bread with community nonprofits
G ive
and B ake
E
Time for movies, dinners out
and walks on the beach!
<
7
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